Preston Pond Jr.
Preston Pond Jr. (September 9, 1823 – June 15, 1864) was a lawyer and politician from Louisiana, who served as a colonel in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.The youngest, Dana B. Pond, served as private in the 27th Louisiana Infantry till he was captured and paroled at Vicksburg and joined the Ogden Cavalry Battalion.[10] When Confederate President Jefferson Davis asked Louisiana to provide additional forces for service in Tennessee in February 1862 the 16th Infantry was brigaded with the 17th, 18th and 19th Regiments; under the overall command of Brigadier General Daniel Ruggles.By virtue of seniority Pond now commanded a brigade composed of the 16th (under Maj. Daniel C. Gober), 18th and Crescent Louisiana Regiments as well as the Orleans Guard Battalion, the 38th Tennessee Infantry and an Alabamian artillery battery under Captain William H. Ketchum.General Albert Sidney Johnston, commanding the Confederate forces on the field, ordered Pond to seize and hold the bridge over Owl Creek.Around 8:00 A.M., Pond sent the 38th Tennessee Infantry and the Crescent Regiment, supported by a gun section, to secure the bridge while the remaining portion of his brigade joined Ruggles's advance toward McDowell Field.When the attack resumed Pond advanced through Sowell Field, stopping on a ridge in front of Tilghman's Branch of Owl Creek.Pond reformed his bloodied brigade and remained in position until nightfall; then he ordered his men to send out advanced pickets and sleep on arms.In August 1863 Pond, as voice of Clinton's citizens, wrote a letter to the federal department commander condemning a speculated raid by irregular Union forces in the vicinity of Port Hudson.On May 8 Pond wrote a letter to the Governor, condemning the actions of several regular and irregular confederate officers, who were accused of violent and criminal behaviour.