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1st Ohio Light Artillery (3 years)
Online Books
1st
Ohio Light Artillery (3 years) Soldier Roster - Official Roster of the Soldiers of the
State of Ohio in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1866, Volume 10, by Ohio
Roster Commission (Joseph B. Foraker, Governor, James S. Robinson, Sec'y of
State and H. A. Axline, Adjutant-General), 1886
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| Regimental History |
| First Light Artillery. — (Three Years' Service.) Cols.,
James Barnett, Charles S. Cotter; Lieut.-Cols., William H. Hayward,
Walter E. Lawrence; Majs., Seymour Race, William P. Israel, Andrew J.
Konkle, Warren P. Edgarton, Daniel T. Cockerill, Frederick Schultz,
Wilbur F. Goodspeed. This regiment was organized at Ravenna, Cincinnati,
Camp Dennison, Cleveland, Columbus and Camp Chase from Aug. 6, 1861, to
June 4, 1862, to serve for three years. Battery A left in Sept., 1861,
for Louisville, Ky., receiving its equipment at Cincinnati while on the
march. It made several laborious marches during its first year of
service, but it did not participate in actual hostilities until the fall
of 1862, when at Dog Walk, Ky., a portion of the battery was engaged. It
performed effective service throughout the entire battle at Stone's
river until the last gun was disabled by a shot from the enemy, and then
the officers and men aided in working other batteries on the field. It
participated in the movement on Tullahoma, fought at Hoover's and
Liberty gaps, and accompanied Gen. McCook over Sand mountain. It took
part in the battle of Chickamauga and did some of its best fighting on
those eventful days, but not without the loss of 17 men killed and
wounded. It entered Chattanooga with the army and aided in the defense
of that place. It reenlisted, and after the 30-days' veteran furlough
returned and participated in the whole of the Atlanta campaign. From
Atlanta it went back to Chattanooga and thence to Columbia, at which
point it was engaged with the Confederates under Gen. Hood. Battery B
was mustered into the service Oct. 8, 1861, with an aggregate strength
of 147 men. By order of Gen. O. M. Mitchel it left Cincinnati to report
to Gen. George H. Thomas, then in command at Camp Dick Robinson, Ky. The
first experience it had in the field was a brisk little affair at Camp
Wild Cat, in which it fired 12 rounds and silenced one of the enemy's
guns. It took part in the battle of Mill Springs and performed very
effective service. At the battle of Perryville it had a position on the
right wing of the army, but was not engaged. On Dec. 26 it moved with
its brigade and division toward Murfreesboro, skirmishing heavily with
the enemy in and around La Vergne. It bore its part throughout the
battle of Stone's river, losing 17 men, killed, wounded and missing, and
21 horses killed. It remained near Murfreesboro up to June 24 and then
joined in the advance of the Federal forces on Tullahoma, marching with
the left in Gen. Crittenden's corps. On the second day of the battle of
Chickamauga the battery was charged by a large body of the enemy, but
succeeded at first in beating them off; but a second charge overwhelmed
the battery and it was compelled to leave 2 of its guns in the hands of
the foe. In this charge several members of the battery were wounded and
captured. The battery was cooped up with the rest of the army in
Chattanooga, suffering all the privations of that siege, and
participated in the battle at that place. Battery C was organized and
mustered into the U. S. service on Oct. 8, 1861, and left camp under
orders to report to Gen. George H. Thomas at Camp Dick Robinson, Ky. It
joined the expedition which resulted in the battle of Mill Springs and
the defeat of the Confederate Gen. Zollicoffer, there doing some
effective firing. In the advance of the army on Corinth the battery was
almost incessantly engaged, performing some of the most arduous duty of
the campaign. At Chickamauga it fought under the immediate eye of Gen.
Thomas and received a verbal compliment from that officer on the field
of battle, its loss there being 13 men, 30 horses, and 1 gun dismounted.
It fell back with the army into Chattanooga and was thereafter engaged
in the battle of Missionary ridge. At the close of this campaign it
reenlisted, was furloughed home, and in March, 1864, again reported for
duty. It started with the army on the Atlanta campaign, and was engaged
in the battles of Resaca, Cassville, Peachtree creek and siege of
Atlanta, losing in this campaign 20 men killed and wounded. In November
it started with Sherman's army on the Savannah campaign, and encamped in
the city of Savannah on Dec. 22. In Jan., 1865 it started on the
campaign through the Carolinas and was engaged at Averasboro and
Bentonville. Battery D was mustered into the U. S. service Oct. 17,
1861, with an aggregate of 150 men. It reported to Brig.-Gen William
Nelson at Mount Sterling, Ky. In Sept., 1862, at Munfordville, it was so
unfortunate as to be overwhelmed by the enemy and its entire force and
material were captured. The men were paroled and sent home to Ohio,
where they remained until exchanged, in Jan., 1863. It was then engaged
throughout the entire siege of Knoxville, and immediately after the
siege was raised the battery reenlisted, the men being sent to Ohio on
30 days' veteran furlough. When the march on Atlanta commenced it moved
with Sherman's forces and was in all the engagements of that arduous and
eventful campaign. It was engaged in the battles of Franklin and
Nashville and after the army of Hood was driven across the Tennessee
river the battery returned to Nashville and was sent with the 23d corps
to Wilmington, N. C. Battery E was mustered into service Oct. 7, 1861,
and in December following joined the old 3d division, then under command
of Gen. O. M. Mitchel, at Bacon Creek, Ky. It was engaged in nearly all
the exploits of that officer through Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama. In
Nov., 1862, it had a severe artillery duel with Capt. Morgan's 1st La.
battery at La Vergne, Tenn., and drove the enemy from his works. It
silenced Robison's Texas battery on the left wing of Bragg's army and
repulsed repeated charges of infantry and cavalry at Stone's river on
Dec. 30, but on the morning of the 31st the battery was overwhelmed in
an exposed position on the extreme right of McCook's wing, and after a
brief though stubborn resistance was captured. It had 3 men killed, 20
wounded and 25 taken prisoners. At the battle of Missionary ridge it
held an important point, and in the decisive battle of Nashville it
acted with conspicuous gallantry. Battery F was mustered into service on
Dec. 2, 1861, and the next day was ordered to Louisville, where it was
added to Gen. Nelson's command. It moved on to Corinth, where during the
siege it made its maiden effort of throwing shells at the enemy. Falling
back toward Louisville, it was attached to Hazen's brigade, then
proceeded to Perryville, where it participated in the fight without the
loss of a man. It then moved on to Wild Cat mountain, and thence to
Pitman's cross-roads, skirmishing with the enemy all the way. It
participated in the battle of Stone's river, losing 2 men killed and 12
wounded. It was in the thickest of the battle at Chickamauga, losing 1
killed and 10 wounded. Battery G was mustered into service on Dec. 17,
1861, and soon thereafter became a part of the forces in Tennessee. It
was the only volunteer battery of Buell's army engaged in the battle of
Shiloh and the official records of commanding officers show that it did
good service. It served with Gen. Crittenden's division through the
siege of Corinth, during which it was ordered into the artillery reserve
and moved for Athens, Ala. In September it reported to Gen. Negley,
commanding 8th division, Army of the Cumberland, and moved into camp on
the Franklin pike, 2 miles from the city, taking part during the
blockade. It took part in the engagement at Stone's river; was active in
skirmishing while lying at Murfreesboro and on the march to Tullahoma ;
took part in the engagement at Dug gap, covering the rear in retiring.
It was also engaged at Chickamauga, whence it fell back with the army to
Chattanooga, taking position on the Rossville road, where it was
continually under fire until after the battle of Missionary ridge. In
Oct., 1864, it received orders to report to the chief of artillery of
the 4th army corps, at Pulaski, Tenn., where for some two weeks it was
employed in building fortifications. It checked Hood's advance into
Franklin, covered the retreat of the Federal column moving out, and
reached Nashville on the night of Dec. 1, the loss of the battery in
killed and wounded at the battle of Franklin being 23. It also took part
in the battle of Nashville. Battery H was mustered into service on Nov.
7, 1861, and in Jan., 1862, proceeded by river to Parkersburg, W. Va.,
thence on the Baltimore & Ohio railroad to Patterson's creek. It was at
Winchester in March, where on the 22nd it engaged the enemy and
performed in a very creditable manner. It was engaged in the battle of
Port Republic and, although it left 3 guns upon the battle-field to fall
into the hands of the enemy, Gen. Shields complimented the battery on
its gallantry and efficient service. It marched with the army back to
Fredericksburg and took part in the bombardment of that place by Gen.
Burnside's army, throwing nearly 1,000 shells into the town. It
participated in the battle of Chancellorsville, where, assisted by the
11th and 4th. N. Y., the men stood to the guns at a critical moment and
without doubt saved the Federal army from destruction. In June the
battery was placed in the artillery reserve of the Army of the Potomac
and acted with it during the remainder of the war. Battery I was
mustered into service on Dec. 3, 1861, and in January left for West
Virginia. In April it moved over Cheat mountain to Monterey and took
part in the battle of Dinwiddie's gap. It was then taken to McDowell and
aided in the fighting near that place, losing 1 man killed. It took part
in the battle of Cedar mountain, and upon reaching Freeman's ford on the
Rappahannock was again engaged. It then moved with Gen. Pope's forces
and took part in the second Bull Run battle, losing 12 men killed and
wounded and 22 horses. It took part in the bombardment of Fredericksburg
and then falling back with the army went into winter quarters at Brooks'
station. On the opening of the spring campaign of 1863, the battery
joined Gen. Hooker's army and took part in the battle of
Chancellorsville, losing 5 men killed, 6 wounded, 1 gun and 16 horses.
In the battle of Gettysburg it had 4 men killed and 15 wounded, and lost
nearly all of its horses. In Oct., 1863, it was transferred with the
11th and 12th corps, Gen. Hooker commanding, to the Army of the
Cumberland at Chattanooga, and Lookout valley was the scene of its first
engagement in the west. It was also engaged at Missionary ridge and was
then sent with Gen. Sherman's forces to the relief of Knoxville.
Returning, it went into camp at Chattanooga and early in the spring of
1864 joined in the Atlanta campaign. It was engaged with the enemy in
almost every battle of that campaign and its losses summed up 40 men
killed and wounded. Battery K was mustered into service from Sept. 1 to
Dec. 28, 1861. In February it joined Gen. Schenck's command at
Cumberland, Md., and moved with it to Romney, Va. After remaining in
camp some days it marched to Petersburg and Bull Pasture mountain, and
took part in the battle of McDowell. From McDowell it went to Franklin,
thence to Strasburg, Cross Keys and Port Republic, taking part in the
battle of Cross Keys. It was at Cedar mountain and other affairs in
which Gen. Pope's forces were engaged, including the second Bull Run
battle. The next battle in which it was engaged was that of
Chancellorsville, where it shared in the vicissitudes and mistakes of
that strange engagement. In the battle of Gettysburg it was so closely
engaged as to lose 5 men killed and 27 wounded. In October it was taken
with the 11th and 12th corps to Chattanooga. Tenn., to aid in raising
the siege of that place, and was engaged in the night fight at
Wauhatchie valley, in which the Confederates were badly defeated. It was
also engaged at Lookout mountain and Missionary ridge. Battery L was
mustered into service from Oct. 8, 1861, to Jan. 20, 1862, and joined
Gen. Lander's command at Patterson's creek, W. Va., arriving at that
point on Jan. 27, 1863. It was in several positions during the battle of
Winchester on March 23, the last one being on the right wing, which the
Confederates attempted to turn, but failing to do so took shelter behind
a stone wall, when a few solid shot from the battery and a simultaneous
charge of infantry closed the battle, the battery losing in that
engagement 1 man killed and several wounded. In performance of further
duty the battery crossed Massanutten mountain and in May was engaged at
Front Royal, one section firing repeated rounds at the enemy. One piece
of artillery was lost by the battery at Port Republic and then, after a
few months' respite, it was ordered to the front again in August and
took part in the battle of Chantilly. It marched with Gen. McClellan's
forces on the Antietam campaign, and in December crossed the
Rappahannock into the city of Fredericksburg, remaining in its streets
under fire until the morning of the 16th, when it recrossed the river.
It became actively engaged on the morning of May 3, 1863, at
Chancellorsville and continued until the end of the engagement. At
Gettysburg it took position on the right hand slope and foot of "Little
Round Top," where it became warmly engaged with Longstreet's corps,
which was making desperate efforts to turn the left. So close was the
work here that the guns were double-shotted with canister and worked so
rapidly that the men could not lay hands upon them. It afterward marched
to Culpeper Court House, and in October entered with the army on the
celebrated race between Gens. Meade and Lee for Manassas Junction just
missing the fight at Bristoe Station. It thereafter followed the
fortunes of the army and took part in the battle at Rappahannock ford.
In November the battery crossed the Rapidan at Gold Mine ford and became
warmly engaged at Mine run, where it lost 1 man and several horses
killed and a number of men wounded. After the fight at Fort Stevens, in
July, 1864, the battery was attached to Dwight's division, 19th corps,
with which it marched into Maryland, then back to Virginia, and
participated in the Snicker's ferry fight. In September it reported to
Gen. Sheridan at Summit Point, Va., and moved with his army up the
Shenandoah Valley, taking part in the battles of Winchester and Fisher's
hill. The battery had twelve different positions during the fight at
Cedar creek and behaved handsomely, firing the first and last artillery
shot in the battle. It covered the retreat and led in the advance,
having 1 man killed and 12 wounded, some very severely by shell. During
its term of service the battery lost 7 men killed, 50 wounded and 15
taken prisoners. Battery M was mustered into service Dec. 3, 1861, and
in January with Battery F, it proceeded to Louisville, Ky., and reported
to Maj.-Gen. Buell, who was at that time organizing the Army of the
Ohio. It moved with the army to Nashville and was there attached to the
artillery reserve, Col. Barnett commanding, with which it operated
during the march to and the battle of Shiloh. It also took an active
part in all the movements before Corinth and after the evacuation of
that place by the Confederates moved to Huntsville and Stevenson, Ala.
It greatly distinguished itself in the engagement at Stone's river and
when Rosecrans' army moved from Murfreesboro toward Tullahoma and
Chattanooga the battery accompanied it and took part in all the
skirmishes of that march. It also fought through the battle of
Chickamauga and the subsequent victory of Missionary ridge. In the
spring of 1864 it was assigned to the command of Maj.-Gen. D. S.
Stanley, and in July was placed in the trenches before Atlanta, where it
remained until the flanking movement against Jonesboro. From that time
to the battle of Jonesboro the battery was attached to the 1st division,
4th corps, and took part in all its marches and skirmishes. Pushing on
with the army from Jonesboro to Lovejoy's Station, the battery took part
in the hot work at the last-named place. Battery M was consolidated with
Battery I March 13, 1865. The regimental organization was mustered out
by batteries at different dates, from June 15, to July 31, 1865, in
accordance with orders from the war department.
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Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 2
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