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7th Battery Massachusetts Light Artillery
in the Civil War

Regimental History
Seventh Battery, Light Artillery. — Capts., Phineas Alonzo Davis, Newman W. Storer. The battery numbered 13 officers, and 349 men, of whom 5 men were killed or died of wounds, and 1 officer and 30 men died by accident or disease. It was recruited at Lowell as an infantry company, called the Richardson Light Infantry, and was mustered into the U. S. service for three years at Boston May 21, 1861. It embarked for Fortress Monroe May 22, and performed provost duty there until Dec. 25, when it engaged in artillery drill and was reorganized as the 7th Mass. battery on March 17, 1862. As infantry it joined in the expedition to Norfolk May 10, returned to Fortress Monroe, and when completely equipped as a battery, left for Newport News on June 19. The months of August and September were spent in camp at Yorktown, after which it was at Suffolk, until Jan., 1863. During an expedition to the Blackwater river the battery took part in a sharp engagement at Deserted house, Jan. 30. It was engaged at Franklin; in active duty during the siege of Suffolk; took part in the engagements at Providence Church road, and the expedition to Carrsville ; was ordered to Washington in July, and on Aug. 21, to New York city to prevent further draft riots. In September it returned to Washington and remained at Camp Barry until the end of the year. Late in Jan., 1864 it embarked for New Orleans, where it was assigned to the 2nd division, 19th corps, under Gen. Grover, and started for Brashear City, but returned to New Orleans. During April the battery was posted at Alexandria, with the exception of one section which was located at Pineville. On May 4 it went on an expedition to Wilson's plantation; with its division it took part in the engagement at Mansura; then proceeded to Morganza bend and went into camp, and no important action occurred during the remainder of the year. In Jan., 1865, the battery embarked for Kennerville, La., and on Feb. 9, for Dauphin island, Ala., to take part in the operations against Mobile. On March 18 it was assigned to the 1st division, 13th corps; was engaged daily at Spanish Fort from March 27 to April 8; shared in the assault on Fort Blakely the following day, and entered Mobile on the 15th. After several expeditions in Alabapia, it embarked on June 30 for Galveston; moved to Houston, but returned to Galveston and soon afterward to New Orleans. It sailed for Massachusetts on Oct. 14, and was mustered out at Galloupe's island, Nov. 10, 1865.

Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing Company, 1908 - Volume 1

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