Question of the Week: What’s your favorite artillery unit?
Keeping with our artillery theme this month, what Civil War artillery unit do you find most interesting or compelling?
Keeping with our artillery theme this month, what Civil War artillery unit do you find most interesting or compelling?
The Richmond Howitzers. Or, the Fort Courage artillery section—the one that kicked the right wheel off the gun carriage, leading to the watch tower being shot down.
Tucker’s 1st Alabama Artillery Battalion was mustered in at Ft. Morgan in Mobile Bay, in March 1861 was transferred into the Confederate Army as regulars. Stationed at Ft. Morgan throughout the war, the battalion was knocked out of commission in the August 1864 Battle of Mobile Boy. During this fight 150 out of its 500 man complement were killed or wounded, and numerous survivors were captured and transferred to the Union prison in Almira, New York, where fully one half died of smallpox.
The 1st Rockbridge Artillery. ……… “Matthew”, “Mark”, “Luke”, and “John”.
The 1st Rockbridge Artillery………”Matthew”, “Mark”, “Luke”, and “John”.
Eli Lilly’s Battery, especially when it was attached to Colonel John T. Wilder’s Lightning Brigade at Hoover’s Gap, Chattanooga, and Chickamauga.
The Washington Artillery of New Orleans
My great great grandfather’s unit, Nottoway (VA) Light Artillery.
The 9th Massachusetts Battery at Gettysburg.
The 9th Massachusetts Battery at Gettysburg.
Morton’s Artillery … named for Captain John Morton, Nathan Beford Forrest’s Chief of Artillery.
In September at the Savas Beatie meetup in Gettysburg I was reminded of this artillery unit attached to Buford’s cavalry.
Its official designation is Battery A Second U.S. Artillery. Lieut. John H. Calef commanded six 3 inch rifled guns. Calef was honored for outstanding performance
There are two monuments to Battery A on the Gettysburg battlefield. One is near the Reynolds casualty site. The other is in the East Cavalry portion of the battlefield. Casualties at Gettysburg were wounded 12 men and 13 horses killed.
4th Indiana: Overrun in 3 battles with Starkweather’s and Sill’s brigades, the unit still managed to come together under a surviving lieutenant to provide a strong salient in Thomas’ line Sept. 20 at Chickamauga.
Hubert Dilger’s, 1st Ohio Battery I, outstanding performance at Gettysburg, and credited with the Death of Leonidas Polk in the Atlanta Campaoign
Dilger also did good service at Chancellorsville. The American Battlefield Trust and many others credit the 5th Ind. Battery with killing Polk. Not sure how the Dilger version got started.
Durell’s Battery on the Fox’s Gap Battlefield, September 14, 1862. They fired 250 shells, primarily against Hood’s troops west of Wood Road, now the Appalachian Trail. I have what I believe to be a piece of one of those shells.
Herkimers Battery. Because we are both from the same town.
The Rockbridge Artillery battery – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John – spreading the “gospel” when they were fired!
Hickenlooper’s Fifth Ohio Independent Light Artillery Battery. As the April 1862 Battle of Shiloh commenced, Hickenlooper’s six-pounders were ordered forward to meet the enemy advance, then withdrawn north to a more defensible position that would become known as the Hornet’s Nest. After ten hours of fighting in support of Prentiss, the 5th Ohio Independent Battery was ordered north, just before its position was overrun; and Hickenlooper’s Battery finished the day in support of William Tecumseh Sherman…