14th Massachusetts Battery

Last updated
11th Massachusetts Battery
Flag of Massachusetts.svg
ActiveFebruary 27, 1864 – June 24, 1865
CountryFlag of the United States.svg  United States
Branch Union Army
Type Field artillery
Size Battery
Part ofArtillery Brigade, 1st Division, IX Corps
Engagements American Civil War
Commanders
1st Captain Joseph W. B. Wright
2nd 1st Lt. Emphraim B. Nye

The 14th Massachusetts Battery (or 14th Battery Massachusetts Light Artillery) was an artillery battery that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was organized during the winter of 1863 - 1864 at Camp Meigs just outside of Boston. It was commanded by Captain Joseph W. B. Wright of Boston and consisted mostly of men from that city. The enlisted men were mustered into federal service on February 27, 1864. They departed Massachusetts on April 4, 1864, arrived at Annapolis and then moved to Camp Marshall in Washington, D.C. On April 22 and 24 they were outfitted with field guns and horses but had virtually no time to train in light artillery tactics before they were assigned to the IX Corps of the Army of the Potomac and joined Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign. [1]

Contents

The battery did not participate in the opening battle of the campaign at the Wilderness but soon advanced to the front lines and fired their first shots at the enemy on May 10 during the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House. [2] Over the next two days they were heavily engaged, nearly losing their guns on May 12 during a Confederate charge which they narrowly repulsed. On May 23 they were engaged in the Battle of North Anna. During the Battle of Totopotomoy Creek on June 1, the 14th Massachusetts Battery played an important role in repulsing a Confederate assault on their section of the lines. [2] They were again engaged during the Battle of Cold Harbor from June 6 to June 12. It took an active part in the Siege of Petersburg being moved to the front lines and engaged with enemy artillery from June 21 to 24, July 10 to 17, August 5 to 21 and on October 11. [3] On October 25, 1864 they moved to Fort Merriam in the defenses of City Point, Virginia and there went into winter quarters. [4]

In March 1865, the battery returned to the IX Corps and was stationed on the siege lines in Battery X of Fort Stedman. On March 25, 1865, the Confederates attempted to break the Siege of Petersburg with a surprise night attack on Fort Stedman. The 14th Massachusetts Battery was overwhelmed and took serious casualties, including their commanding officer, Lt. Ephraim Nye who was killed in action. [5] Later in the day, Fort Stedman, along with the guns of the 14th Massachusetts Battery, was retaken by Union troops and the 14th Massachusetts Battery re-manned their guns. From that time to the end of the Siege of Petersburg, the battery was almost constantly engaged, being located at the closest point between the two siege lines. They were very sharply engaged on April 1 and 2 during the Third Battle of Petersburg. [6]

On April 3, 1865, the day after Confederate troops abandoned Petersburg and retreated westward, the 14th Massachusetts Battery was moved back to City Point. They remained there for a month then marched through Richmond on their way to Fairfax Seminary near Washington were they encamped for another month. On June 4 they received orders to return home. They reached Boston on June 6 and were mustered out on June 15. [6] The battery lost ten men killed in action or mortally wounded nine by disease for a total of 19 dead. [7]

See also

Notes

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John M. Deane</span> United States Army Medal of Honor recipient (1840–1914)

John Milton Deane was an American Civil War Medal of Honor recipient and a major in the United States Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery Regiment</span> Military unit

The 1st Massachusetts Volunteer Heavy Artillery Regiment was a unit that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was originally raised as the 14th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment.

The 61st Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment raised for one year's service in the Union Army during the American Civil War from 1864 to 1865.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">29th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 29th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union army of the United States during the American Civil War. The regiment was organized in December 1861 when three new companies were attached to a battalion of seven Massachusetts companies that had been in active service since May 1861. These seven companies had been recruited to fill out the 3rd Massachusetts and 4th Massachusetts regiments and had signed on for three years of service. When the 3rd and 4th Massachusetts were mustered out in July 1861, the seven companies that had signed on for three years were grouped together to form a battalion known as the Massachusetts Battalion. Finally, in December 1861, three more companies were added to their roster to form a full regiment and the unit was designated the 29th Massachusetts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3rd Massachusetts Battery</span> Military unit

The 3rd Massachusetts Battery, was an artillery battery that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

The 40th Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment was a three-year infantry regiment of the Union Army that served in the Department of Virginia and North Carolina, the Army of the Potomac, and the Department of the South during the American Civil War.

The 9th Massachusetts Battery was a field artillery battery that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">58th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 58th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was one of the four Massachusetts "Veteran Regiments" raised in the winter of 1863–64. Recruits of these regiments were required to have served at least nine months in a prior unit. The regiment was attached to the IX Corps of the Army of the Potomac and took part in Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign in the spring of 1864. They were in heavy combat during the campaign, suffering casualties during engagements which included the Battle of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Courthouse, and the Battle of the Crater. They were also involved in several assaults during the Siege of Petersburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">56th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 56th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was a regiment of infantry that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was one of the four "Veteran Regiments" raised in the winter of 1863–64. Recruits of these regiments were required to have served at least nine months in a prior unit. The regiment was attached to the IX Corps of the Army of the Potomac and took part in Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign in the spring of 1864. They were in extremely heavy combat during the campaign, suffering great casualties during engagements which included the Battle of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Courthouse, and the Battle of the Crater. They were involved in several assaults during the Siege of Petersburg in 1864 and participated in the spring 1865 battles which finally drove General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army from their entrenchments in Petersburg, leading to the end of the war at Appomattox Courthouse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1st Massachusetts Battery</span> Military unit

The 1st Massachusetts Battery was a peacetime militia artillery battery that was activated for federal service in the Union army for two separate tours during the American Civil War. Prior to the war and during its first term of service, the unit was sometimes known as "Cook's Battery" after its commanding officer, Capt. Asa M. Cook. During its first term, the battery primarily served garrison duty in Baltimore, Maryland. Almost immediately after mustering out, the unit began preparing for a second term, this time volunteering to serve for three years. The battery was attached to the VI Corps of the Army of the Potomac during its second term and took part in some of the largest battles of the war including the Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, and Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign in the spring of 1864.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2nd Massachusetts Battery</span> Military unit

The 2nd Massachusetts Battery was an artillery battery that served in the Union army during the American Civil War. The unit was initially known as "Cobb's Light Artillery" for its first commander, Major Moses Cobb. An experienced officer of the Massachusetts militia, Cobb was selected to organize and command the battery on April 20, 1861, however he did not go with the unit when it departed for the field. The unit was later known as "Nim's Battery" after its subsequent commanding officer, Capt. Ormand F. Nims. It was one of the Massachusetts regiments organized in response to President Abraham Lincoln's call on May 2, 1861, for volunteer troops to serve a term of three-years. The 2nd Massachusetts Battery was the first unit of artillery to be recruited in Massachusetts for three-years service. The battery trained at Camp Adams in Quincy, Massachusetts, and was mustered into federal service on July 31, 1861.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">4th Massachusetts Battery</span> Military unit

The 4th Massachusetts Battery was an artillery battery that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The unit was sometimes known as "Manning's Battery" after its commanding officer, Capt. Charles H. Manning. It was one of the Massachusetts regiments organized in response to President Abraham Lincoln's call on May 2, 1861 for volunteer troops to serve a term of three-years. The core of the unit was a peace-time militia company known as the Salem Light Artillery. The battery trained at Camp Chase in Lowell, Massachusetts. It was assigned to the Department of the Gulf under Major General Benjamin F. Butler and departed Boston by steamship on November 20.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">5th Massachusetts Battery</span> Artillery battery of the Union Army

The 5th Massachusetts Battery was an artillery battery that served in the Union army during the American Civil War. It was one of the Massachusetts regiments organized in response to President Abraham Lincoln's call on May 2, 1861 for volunteer troops to serve a term of three-years. The battery trained at Camp Shouler in Lynnfield, Massachusetts and Camp Massasoit in Readville, Massachusetts. It departed Boston by steamship on December 25, 1861.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">6th Massachusetts Battery</span> Military unit

The 6th Massachusetts Battery was an artillery battery that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The unit was one of the Massachusetts regiments organized in response to President Abraham Lincoln's call on May 2, 1861 for volunteer troops to serve a term of three-years. The battery trained at Camp Chase in Lowell, Massachusetts. It was assigned to the Department of the Gulf under Major General Benjamin F. Butler and departed Boston by steamship on February 8, 1862. At that time, the unit comprised 145 men armed with two rifled and four smoothbore six-pounder field guns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">7th Massachusetts Battery</span> Military unit

The 7th Massachusetts Battery was an artillery battery that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The original core of the unit was a company of infantry known as the Richardson Light Guard. The company initially served provost duty at Fortress Monroe, was eventually trained in light artillery drill, and reorganized on March 17, 1862 as the 7th Massachusetts Battery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">11th Massachusetts Battery</span> Military unit

The 11th Massachusetts Battery was an artillery battery that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was formed in response to President Abraham Lincoln's August 1862 call for 300,000 men to serve for nine months. Several months after completing their first term of service, the battery was reorganized for a second term of three years. It was recruited by Captain Edward J. Jones of Boston and consisted almost entirely of men from that city. The battery served a largely uneventful first term as garrison troops mostly in Centreville, Virginia. During their second term they were involved in heavy combat being part of the Army of the Potomac during Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">12th Massachusetts Battery</span> Military unit

The 12th Massachusetts Battery was an artillery battery that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The unit was organized at Camp Meigs near Boston during the fall of 1862. Its members were mustered in at various times over the fall and the officers mustered into federal service on December 8, 1862. It was assigned to the Department of the Gulf under Major General Nathaniel P. Banks and departed Massachusetts by steamship on January 3, 1863.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">13th Massachusetts Battery</span> Military unit

The 13th Massachusetts Battery was an artillery battery that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The unit was organized at Camp Meigs near Boston during the fall of 1862. Its members were mustered in at various times over the fall and the officers mustered into federal service on November 3, 1862. It was assigned to the Department of the Gulf commanded by Major General Nathaniel P. Banks and departed Massachusetts by steamship on January 20, 1863.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">15th Massachusetts Battery</span> Military unit

The 15th Massachusetts Battery was an artillery battery that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The unit was organized partly at Camp Chase in Lowell, Massachusetts and partly at Fort Warren during the winter of 1862-1863. The majority of its members were mustered into federal service on February 17, 1863. It was assigned to the Department of the Gulf commanded by Major General Nathaniel P. Banks and departed Massachusetts by steamship on March 9. During its term, the unit suffered from a large number of desertions and gained an unfortunate reputation despite the service of its many loyal members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">16th Massachusetts Battery</span> Military unit

The 16th Massachusetts Battery was an artillery battery that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The last battery of light artillery sent by Massachusetts, it was organized during the late winter of 1864 at Camp Meigs just outside of Boston. The battery was commanded by Captain Henry D. Scott of New Bedford, Massachusetts. The majority of enlisted men and officers were mustered into federal service on March 11, 1864. They departed Massachusetts on April 19, 1864, arriving at Washington of April 21. The unit was directed to Camp Barry just outside Washington and was there outfitted with 3-inch field guns and horses. It was assigned to the XXII Corps in the defenses of Washington. Serving primarily in the fortifications around Washington, the battery never saw active combat.

References