“M” (Hunt) was again made a light battery in 1853, and was sent from Charleston by water to Fort Smith, Ark., thence overland to Fort Washita where it took station. In November of the same year headquarters went to Pensacola (afterwards to Fort Brooke) and all the regiment except the light batteries, the companies in New Mexico, and H (which went to Baton Rouge), was again in Florida. Major Munroe commanded in the Peninsula and Major Harvey Brown along the Caloosahatchie River. For the next three years the theatre of operations was mainly in southwestern Florida, between Charlotte Harbor, and Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades. The troops were again at their old work of building roads and scouting. In 1855-56 the Indians became troublesome and there was considerable fighting. December 20, 1855, detachments of E, G, I, K and L had a fight near Billy’s Town. On the same day Lieut. (afterwards Major-General) Hartsuff and a reconnoitring party were attacked by the Seminoles in the Big Cypress Swamp, and Hartsuff was badly wounded. January 18, 1856, C and L were engaged near Fort Deynaud and March 29 E had a fight at Chocaliska Key. April 7, 1856, a detachment of 3 officers and 108 men of the 1^st and 2d Artillery, under Capt. Lewis G. Arnold, 2d Artillery, was attacked by a large body of Seminoles in the Big Cypress Swamp. The Indians were repeatedly charged and driven from the strong positions they successively held. August 2, 1856, E had another fight with the Indians at Punta Rasa.

The regiment suffered from yellow fever during this southern tour. In 1852 it broke out at Castle Pinckney, Charleston Harbor, and Capt. Roland and several men of M died. In 1854 yellow fever appeared at Baton Rouge and carried off Lieutenants Mebane and Burns (the only officers present) and the 1^st Sergeant of H. It appeared there again the following year. Colonel Bankhead died at Baltimore, November 11, 1856. Mathew M. Payne, formerly major of the regiment, became our next colonel, but he was Governor of the Soldiers’ Home and never joined. On the resignation of Colonel Payne in 1861, John L. Gardner became colonel. He never joined, and was retired within a few months after his promotion, so the command of the regiment for nearly five years devolved upon the Lieut. Colonel, Justin Dimick, who was also, for much of that time, in command of the Artillery School at Fort Monroe.

In December, 1856, the regiment began to move North, headquarters going to Fort Hamilton, then in May, 1857, to Fort Monroe, and in November back to Fort Hamilton. C and L went to Fort Independence, E to Fort Ontario, F and I to Fort Monroe, G to Fort Lafayette, H and K to Fort Hamilton. B, D and M, on their arrival from the West went, B and M to Fort Monroe, and D to Fort Hamilton. Hardly were they settled in their new stations when several of the companies were ordered West, where most of them remained until 1861. A, E, F, H and M were occupied principally in Kansas, during the troublous ante bellum times in that State, with Leavenworth as a base. Headquarters were established at that post for a few months in 1859, going to Fort Monroe in November. It is worthy of note that one company (F) was sent to Lecompton in 1857 in search of a fugitive slave. The two light batteries started in May, 1858, to march from Leavenworth to Utah. They got some distance beyond Fort Kearney when, the Mormon troubles being over, they were recalled and returned to Leavenworth. During a part or all of the period from 1857 to the breaking out of the war, G, I and L were at one or the other of the northwestern posts, Brady, Snelling, Mackinac, Ridgely, and Ripley. E and H went out there before going to Kansas. During the John Brown excitement in 1859 B and a part of L, under Captain Carlisle, were sent from Fort Monroe to Harper’s Ferry for temporary duty.

In pursuance of the seeming policy of the War Department, not to protect the national property in the South, but to guard it sufficiently to prevent its seizure by hot-headed secessionists before the plans of the leaders were ripe, D, E and F were, in 1860, sent respectively to the arsenals at Fayetteville, N. C., Augusta, Ga., and Little Rock, Ark. In due course of time the Southern States passed their ordinances of secession and each of the arsenals mentioned was given up to the State authorities, whose demands were supported by such a show of force that armed resistance was out of the question. Receipts for the public property were given and the officers and men were allowed to make their way, by certain specified routes, out of the South. Light Battery M (Hunt) was, in April, 1860, sent from Kansas to Fort Brown, Texas, and was part of the force that Twiggs tried some months later to turn over to the South. They had to leave their horses, but succeeded in getting out of the State by way of the Gulf with their guns, in spite of extraordinary efforts on the part of the Texans to get possession of them.

On the breaking out of the war Captains A. Elzey and S. S. Anderson, 1^st Lieutenants A. Merchant, J. A. de Lagnel, and A. L. Long, and 2d Lieutenants J. P. Jones, W. Butler, and St. C. Dearing resigned and took part in the rebellion. Colonel Payne, who was a Virginian, also resigned in 1861.

In November W. W. Morris was promoted colonel and headquarters were moved to Fort McHenry, where they remained throughout the war. There was an unusual number of staff officers appointed from the 2d in 1861, and under the laws then in force they retained their regimental commissions. In December, 1861, for instance, there were nine officers of the Adjutant-General’s, Quartermaster’s and Subsistence Departments on the list of 1^st lieutenants. Other officers were absent from their batteries exercising higher commands in the artillery service or in the volunteers. Add to these the number absent from ordinary causes and it will be seen that officers available for duty with their batteries in the field were very scarce. Batteries were generally commanded by lieutenants and sometimes not an officer belonging to a battery was present with it.

In the early days of the regiment it served as infantry; occasionally, in the Florida War, serving light field pieces. In the Mexican War the foot batteries served as infantry, and at Vera Cruz and Chapultepec served siege artillery. In the Civil War all the batteries in active service were mounted, and all those serving continuously with the Army of the Potomac became horse batteries. The armament at the beginning of the war was far from uniform, E Battery, for instance, at the first Bull Run having two 13 pdrs., two 12’s, and two 6’s. During the winter of 1861-62 the artillery of the Army of the Potomac was thoroughly organized by Gen. W. F. Barry, and when the army started for the Peninsula, the armament of each battery was uniform. In 1864 the horse batteries were reduced to 4 guns each, two 3-inch and two Napoleons.

The successive Chiefs of Artillery of the Army of the Potomac, W. F. Barry and H. J. Hunt, had been officers of the 2d until 1861. The first commander of the Horse Artillery Brigade, Wm. Hays, his successor, J. M. Robertson, and the first commander of the 2d Horse Artillery Brigade, J. C. Tidball, were all captains of the 2d. When all the horse artillery of the Army of the Potomac was, in 1864, consolidated into one brigade, the command was given to Capt. Robertson. This brigade organization was, however, apparently only for administrative purposes, batteries being detached for duty with divisions or brigades of cavalry, the whole brigade never acting together as a fighting unit under command of its chief. As there was no semblance of regimental organization, except on paper, during the war, it will be necessary to take each battery separately, and although their services were conspicuous, as shown by reports of commanding generals, the space allowed for this sketch permits little more than a mere enumeration of the battles in which they took part. These sketches follow in order.

“A” battery was the first to reach Washington, arriving in January, 1861. It formed a part of the expedition for the relief of Fort Pickens in April, but returned in time to take part in the first Bull Run. In September it was made a horse battery, the first in this country. In the spring of 1862 it went to the Peninsula, forming, with B and L (Robertson), and M. (Benson) of the 2d and C (Gibson) of the 3d, the famous Horse Artillery Brigade. At Yorktown during the siege it was in pursuit with Stoneman’s cavalry after the evacuation, and was engaged at Williamsburg, New Bridge, and Mechanicsville. It covered the withdrawal of the army from the left bank of the Chickahominy, being engaged at Gaines’ Mill. It was engaged at Malvern Hill, July 1, and at Westover, July 3. While at Harrison’s Landing a corporal died, and permission to fire the usual salute being refused, it occurred to Capt. Tidball to have “taps” sounded instead; whence the origin of this custom. The battery was with the rear guard on the withdrawal from the Peninsula. In the Maryland campaign it was in the advance with Pleasanton’s cavalry, and was engaged at Boonsboro, Antietam, and Shepherdstown. It was with the cavalry in advance during the movement into Virginia, and was engaged at Piedmont, November 3, and Amissville, November 10. The battery was out with Averell’s cavalry in April, 1863, and was engaged at Rapidan Station, May 1, and with Pleasanton at Upperville, June 20. It went to Gettysburg with Buford’s cavalry, at which battle it fired the first shot, and after that battle was engaged at Williamsport, July 4, Boonsboro, July 8 and 9, and Funkstown, July 10. The battery, during September, was in action at Culpeper, Raccoon Ford, and Robinson River. In the campaign of 1864 the battery was engaged at Cold Harbor, Bottom’s Bridge, Trevilian Station, and St. Mary’s Church. While with the army before Petersburg it was several times detached on expeditions with the cavalry, being engaged at Deep Bottom, July 28, Lee’s Mill, July 31, Deep Run, August 16, Vaughn Plank Road, September 29, Boydton Plank Road, October 27, Stoney Creek, December 1, and on the Weldon Railroad, December 7-11. The battery was engaged at Dinwiddie C. H., March 31, Farmville, April 7, and Appomatox, April 9. After Lee’s surrender it started for North Carolina with Sheridan, returning when Johnston’s surrender was known. The battery was commanded by Capt. Tidball until June, 1863; by Lieut. Calef at Gettysburg; by Lieut. Clarke until June, 1864; by Lieut. Dennison until February, 1865; then, until after the surrender, by Lieut. Lord.

B Battery left Fort Monroe in August, 1861, on the Hatteras expedition, and took part in the capture of Forts Hatteras and Clark. Reaching Washington in September, it was consolidated with L Battery, and early in 1862 was made a horse battery. The battery went with the army to the Peninsula. In front of Yorktown during the siege, it was with Stoneman’s cavalry in pursuit after the evacuation. In this campaign the battery was engaged at Williamsburg, Slatersville, New Bridge, Mechanicsville, Gaines’ Mill, and Malvern Hill. In the Maryland campaign the battery was with the advance on leaving Washington, and was engaged near South Mountain, at Antietam, and at Shepherdstown. The battery was in action at Halltown, October 3, and at Warrentown, November 6, and was opposite Fredericksburg, but not engaged, during the battle. The battery took part in Stoneman’s raid in the spring of 1863, and was engaged at Beverly Ford June 9. It was under fire at Gettysburg, but was not engaged. It was engaged at Funkstown, July 9, Failing Waters, July 14, Chester Gap, July 22, Culpeper, August 1, Brandy Station, August 4, Morton’s Ford, October 12, Brandy Station, October 13, Oak Hill, October 15, and Bealton Station October 26. In the campaign of 1864 the battery was in the battle of Todd’s Tavern and took part in Sheridan’s raids in May and June fighting at Yellow Tavern, Hanovertown, and Trevilian Station. It was also engaged at Deep Bottom, July 28. The battery went to the Valley in August, 1864, and was engaged at Newtown, Front Royal, Shepherdstown, Winchester, Milford, Waynesboro, Bridgewater, Cabin Hill, and Cedar Creek. It wintered at Pleasant Valley and remained there until it left for Washington after Lee’s surrender. The combined battery was commanded by Capt. Robertson until October, 1862; by Lieut. Vincent until June, 1863; by Lieut. Heaton until August, 1864; thereafter by Lieut. Peirce.

C Battery went to Dry Tortugas in January, 1861, and to Fort Pickens in September. It was in action on Santa Rosa Island, October 9, and in the bombardment of Fort Pickens, November 21 and 22, and January 1, 1862. It went to Pensacola in May and to New Orleans in September. In December it was made a light battery and was sent to Baton Rouge. The battery took part in the Southern Louisiana expedition in April, 1863, and was engaged at Irish Bend, April 14. It took part in the siege of Port Hudson. After serving at various posts in the Department of the Gulf, but not actively engaged, it reached Washington in August, 1864, and remained in that vicinity until the close of the war. The battery was commanded by Capt. L. G. Arnold until March, 1862, thereafter by Lieut. J. I. Rodgers.

D Battery, after being obliged to leave Fayetteville Arsenal, reached Washington, was made a light battery, and participated in the first Bull Run. In the Peninsular campaign it took part in the capture of West Point, and was in the battles of Gaines’ Mill, Glendale, and Malvern Hill. In the Maryland campaign it was engaged at Burkettsville and Antietam. It was in the battles of Fredericksburg in December, and Salem Church in May, 1863. At Gettysburg it was under fire but not engaged. After this battle it was detached from the 6^th Corps, of which it had until now formed a part, made a horse battery, and assigned to Robertson’s Horse Artillery Brigade. During the fall of 1863 it was actively employed with the cavalry, being in action at Raccoon Ford and Robinson River in September, Morton’s Ford and Liberty in October, and Muddy Run in November. In the campaign of 1864 the battery was engaged at Todd’s Tavern, and participated in Sheridan’s raids in May and June, being engaged at Yellow Tavern, Matadequin Creek, and Trevilian Station. In August, 1864, the battery went to the Valley with Sheridan. It was in action in September at Milford and Luray. Returning to Pleasant Valley, it remained there until the end of the war. The battery was commanded at the first Bull Run by Capt. Arnold, 5^th Artillery; in the Peninsula by Lieut. Upton, 5^th Artillery; thereafter by Lieut. Williston.

E Battery reached Washington from Augusta Arsenal in February, 1861, was made a light battery, and took part in the first Bull Run. It went with the army to the Peninsula, and having heavy guns (six 20-pdrs.) garrisoned a battery at the siege of Yorktown. During the campaign it was in action at New Bridge, Golding’s Farm, Turkey Bend, and Malvern Hill. It was then attached to the 9^th Corps, and was engaged at the second Bull Run and Chantilly. In the Maryland campaign it was in the battles of South Mountain and Antietam. On the march through Virginia it was engaged at Warrenton Springs, November 18, and at Fredericksburg occupied the right of the artillery line on the north bank. The battery was sent West in April, 1863, and took part in the sieges of Vicksburg and Jackson, Mississippi. It was sent back to Kentucky in September, and to Knoxville in October. The battery was engaged in the operations around Knoxville in November and took a conspicuous part in the successful defense, against a greatly superior force, of Fort Sanders, which terminated the siege. The battery came East with Burnside in April, 1864, and was in the battle of the Wilderness, after which the battery was sent to Washington, and was not again in active service during the war. The battery was commanded until August, 1862, by Capt. Carlisle, and during the rest of its active service by Lieut. Benjamin.

F Battery, after being obliged to give up Little Rock, went to St. Louis, was made a light battery, and took part in the capture of Camp Jackson and in the operations in Missouri under Lyon and Pope. It was engaged at Booneville, June 3, and Wilson’s Creek, August 10, 1861, and in the capture of New Madrid, March, 1862. The battery crossed the Mississippi in April and was engaged at Farmington and in the operations around Corinth in May. It took part in the advance on Iuka in September but was not engaged, and in the battle of Corinth, October 4. The battery was engaged at Town Creek, Alabama, in April, 1863, and was then sent to Memphis, where it remained until October. The battery took part in the Atlanta campaign, being engaged at Resaca, Dallas, Kenesaw Mountain, and Ruff’s Mills. During the battle on the Chattahoochee, July 22, the battery was ordered to another part of the line. In obeying the order, and while moving unsupported through a wood, the entire battery, the officers, and part of the men were captured. The remnant of the battery served a 4 1-2 inch siege gun in the siege of Atlanta. The battery was reorganized and sent back to Nashville, being in position during the battle. The battery was stationed thereafter at Nashville, Bridgeport, and Chattanooga until August, 1865. It was commanded by Capt. Totten in the first part of 1861, by Capt. Molinard for a few months in 1863, by Lieut. Murray from July, 1863, until July, 1864, and the rest of the time by officers not belonging to the regiment.

G Battery reached Washington from Mackinac in May, 1861, was made a light battery, and took part in the first Bull Run. In the Peninsular campaign it was attached to the 3d Corps and was in the battles of Glendale and Malvern Hill. It went into Maryland with Couch’s Division but was not actively engaged. After Antietam the battery was attached to the 6^th Corps and was in the battle of Fredericksburg in December, and in the battles of Fredericksburg and Salem Church, May 3 and 4, 1863. It was in action on the Rappahannock, June 15. The battery reached Gettysburg with the 6^th Corps, July 2, but was not actively engaged. After this battle it was made a horse battery and assigned to Tidball’s Horse Artillery Brigade. Crossing the Potomac, it was actively employed with the cavalry in Virginia in the fall of 1863, being engaged near Culpeper, September 13, and near the same place November 8. In the latter action, Lieut. J. H. Butler, commanding the battery, received a wound, necessitating amputation of the leg. The battery was in action at Burnett’s Ford, February 7, 1864, and at Cold Harbor, May 31 and June 1. In June the battery was dismounted and sent to Washington, having no more active service during the war. The battery was commanded at the first Bull Run by Lieut. O. D. Greene; until March, 1862, by Capt. Thompson; until November, 1863, by Lieut. Butler; and thereafter, until dismounted, by Lieut. Dennison.

H Battery reached Washington from Leavenworth in February, 1861, and arrived at Fort Pickens in April. It was in action on Santa Rosa Island, October 9, and in bombarding enemy’s works November 22, 1861, and January 1. 1862. The battery remained at Pickens and Barrancas until May, 1864, when it went North, and was thereafter stationed, with the exception of two months in New York Harbor, at Fort McHenry until the regiment left for California. The battery was commanded during most of the war by Capt. Larned.

I Battery arrived at Fort McHenry from Fort Ridgeley in April, 1861, and remained there until May, 1864, when it went to Washington. It was engaged in the defenses of Washington July 11, 12, and 13, 1864. In April, 1865, the battery went to Alabama, as infantry, and to Chattanooga in June, returning East in August. The battery was commanded by various officers, generally by the regimental adjutant

K Battery arrived in Washington from Plattsburgh in February, 1861, and went from there to Fort Pickens in April. The battery was engaged in the bombardment of November 22, 23, and 24, 1861, and January 1, 1862. The battery remained there until May, 1864, when it went to Fort Hamilton. It went to Fort McHenry in August, and remained there and at Fort Federal Hill, Baltimore, until the regiment went to California. The battery was commanded by Capt. Allen until 1863, then by Capt. Smalley.

H, I and K batteries had no service as light, batteries during the Rebellion.

L Battery went from Fort Monroe to Washington in September, 1861, and was consolidated with B Battery, already mentioned.

M Battery, after getting out of Texas, went to New York and thence to Fort Pickens, whence it returned and took part, as a light battery, in the first Bull Run. It was made a horse battery in November and took part in the Peninsular campaign. After the evacuation of Yorktown, the battery went in pursuit with the cavalry, being engaged at Williamsburg and Hanover Court House, It was engaged at Malvern Hill, July 1 and August 5, Captain Benson being mortally wounded in the latter battle. In the Maryland campaign the battery was in advance with the cavalry and was engaged near South Mountain and at Antietam. It was in pursuit after the battle, fighting at Martinsburg, October 1, and at Nolan’s Ford, October 12, after making a march of 80 miles in a little over 24 hours. Crossing the Potomac, it was engaged with the cavalry during November at Purcellville, Philomont, Upperville, Barbee’s Cross Roads and Amissville. At Fredericksburg the battery was in reserve. The battery took part in Stoneman’s raid in the spring of 1863, and was engaged at Beverly Ford, June 9. In the Gettysburg campaign the battery was engaged at Hunterstown and Hanover, and on the right at Gettysburg, July 3. After the battle the battery was in pursuit, fighting at XIonterey, Smithsburg, Williamsport, Boonsboro, Hagerstown, and Falling Waters, and at Battle Mountain, Va., July 24. It was engaged at James City, Brandy Station, and Buckland Mills in October, and at Raccoon and Morton’s Fords in November. In the campaign of 1864 the battery was engaged at Craig’s Meeting House, May 5, and at Todd’s Tavern, and took part in Sheridan’s raids in May and June, being engaged at Meadow Bridge, Strawberry Hill and Trevilian Station. The battery went to the Valley in August, and was engaged at Summit Point and Kearneysville in August, at the Opequan in September, and at Lacy’s Springs in December. The battery wintered at Pleasant Valley. One section remained there until the close of the war. The rifle section (Lieut. Woodruff) left in February with Sheridan to join the Army of the Potomac, and was engaged at Waynesboro, Dinwiddie Court House, Five Forks, Namozine Church, Sailor’s Creek, and Appomatox. The battery was commanded at the first Bull Run, by Maj. Hunt, in the Peninsula by Capt. Benson until mortally wounded in August, until September by Lieut. Hains until September, 1864, by Lieut. Pennington, and thereafter by Lieut. Woodruff.

The following officers of the regiment were killed during the war: 1^st Lieut. John T. Greble at Big Bethel, June 10, 1861. 2d Lieut. Presley O. Craig at the first Bull Run. 1^st Lieut, Guilford D. Bailey, Chief of Artillery of Casey’s division, at Fair Oaks, May 31, 1862. Capt. Henry Benson died August 11 of wound received August 5, 1862, at Malvern Hill. 2d Lieut. Samuel D. Southworth at Cedar Creek, October 19, 1864. 2d Lieut. Thomas Burns at Hatcher’s Run, October 28, 1864. 1^st Lieut. Albert M. Murray, captured near Atlanta, July 22, 1864, died in a rebel prison three weeks later.

The regiment was assembled at Fort McHenry in August, 1865, and sailed from there for California via the Isthmus, under command of General W. H. French, the lieutenant-colonel. Arriving at San Francisco in September the batteries were at first distributed among the posts in the harbor, with headquarters at the Presidio. In October two batteries (C and L) were sent to the mouth of the Columbia and one (I) to San Juan Island, which, pending the settlement of the boundary question, was occupied jointly by the United States and Great Britain.

General Morris died at Fort McHenry, December 11, 1865, and W. F. Barry became colonel. General Barry remained on detached service in the East and when the Artillery School was started again he was assigned to its command, which he retained until 1877, General French meanwhile commanding the regiment.

On the purchase of Alaska from Russia, United States troops were sent there, and during part of the Pacific Coast tour of the regiment portions of it garrisoned Sitka, Kodiak, Tongass, Wrangell, and Kenai, beside furnishing detachments to enforce the seal fishery regulations on St. Paul’s and St. George’s Islands in Behring Sea. Batteries C, E, F, G, H and I had Alaska service. In July, 1868, Battery F, Lieut. McGilvray, while seeking a suitable site for a post on Cook’s Inlet was shipwrecked. All the property and records, but no lives, were lost. Battery K was sent to Fort Monroe in November, 1867. In the spring of 1869 an order was issued dismounting Battery M and sending Battery A to Fort Riley, where a light artillery school was ordered established.

Back to Index of Regimental

Previous Regiment.             Next Regiment