The Civil War in the East

1st New York Light Artillery Regiment, Battery G

 

Battery G lost 1 officer and 11 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 officers and 16 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. It was involved in every battle of the Second Corps of the Army of the Potomac and never lost a gun.

 

It is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.

Monument to Battery G, 1st New York Light Artillery on the Civil War battlefield of Gettysburg

1861

 

Organized at Elmira, N.Y.

September 24

Mustered in under Captain J.D. Frank, First Lieutenant Lieutenant Nelson Ames, and Second Lietenant Marshall H. Rundell

October 31

Left State for Washington, D.C. by rail. One section of Busteed's Battery of the Chicago Light Artillery was permanently assigned, making a full six gun battery of ten-pound Parrott rifles.

November

Duty at Camp Barry, Defenses of Washington, D.C., attached to Sumner's Division, Army of the Potomac

1862

March

Atached to Richardson's 1st Division, 2nd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac

March 10-15

Advance on Manassas, Va

March 28-31

Operations on Orange & Alexandria Railroad

March 28

Bealeton Station

March 29

Warrenton Junction

March 29

Rappahannock Station

April 3

Moved to the Virginia Peninsula

April 5-May 4

Siege of Yorktown

A section of Battery A, Second Battalion, New York Light Artillery was assigned to the battery, making an eight gun battery with 1 captain and 5 lieutenants.

May

Atached to Artillery Reserve, 5th Army Corps

May 31-June 1

Battle of Seven Pines or Fair Oaks

June

Atached to Reserve Artillery, 2nd Army Corps

June 25-July 1

Seven days before Richmond

June 27

Fair Oaks

June 29

Savage Station

June 30

White Oak Swamp and Glendale

July 1

Malvern Hill

Three Confederate charges made it nearly to the muzzles of the battery, and repeated overloading runined the barrels. Four pieces acted as rearguard with the 3rd Pennsylvania Cavalry when the army pulled back to Harrison's Landing.

July - August

At Harrison's Landing

The battery's worn-out Parrotts were replaced with light 12-pounders.

August 15-30

Movement to Fortress Monroe, then to Centreville

September 6-22

Maryland Campaign

September 16-17

Battle of Antietam

The battery was commanded by Captain Frank and consisted of 123 men serving 6 Napoleons. It lost 5 wounded.

September 22-October 29

Duty at Harper's Ferry

October 1-2

Reconnaissance to Leesburg

October 1

Leesburg

October 16-17

Reconnaissance to Charlestown

October 29-
November 19

Advance up Loudoun Valley and movement to Falmouth, Va. via Snickersville, Upperville, Salem and Warrenton, Va.

November 2

Snicker's Gap. Attached to Artillery, 3rd Division, 2nd Army Corps

November 17

Falmouth

December 12-15

Battle of Fredericksburg

The battery lost two men crossing the river on the 12th, and fired all its ammunition on the 13th before being ordered to withdraw across the river.

1863

January 13

Captain Frank left the battery on sick leave.

January 20-24

"Mud March"

February-April

At Falmouth

April 4

Captain Frank is discharged for health reasons. First Lieutenant Ames is promoted to captain and takes over the battery.

April 27-May 6

Chancellorsville Campaign

May 1-5

Battle of Chancellorsville

May 18

Attached to 1st Volunteer Brigade, Artillery Reserve, Army of the Potomac

June

Attached to 4th Volunteer Brigade, Artillery Reserve, Army of the Potomac

June 4

Left camp to march north in pursuit of Lee.

June 24

Crossed the Potomac at Edward's Ferry via pontoon bridges

June 28

Marched west of Sugar Loaf Mountain, and camped near Frederick

June 29

Camped near Taneytown

July 1

Camped near Harney

July 2-3

Battle of Gettysburg

The battery was commanded by Captain Nelson Ames. It brought 132 men to the field serving six 12-pounder Napoleons, and lost seven wounded.

 

From Captain Nelson's report of the battle:

"July 2d, we marched to a point near Gettysburg where we parked for a short time. The battery was soon ordered to report to Major General Sickles, who commanded the Third Army Corps, and as the enemy under General Long-street advanced to the attack, we were ordered by General Sickles to advance and take position on the angle of our line in the Peach Orchard and hold the position at all hazard, as that was the key to that portion of the line of battle. We were engaged in this position from 4 to 7 p. m., and were supported by General Graham's troops of the Third Corps.


Our lines having been broken both on our right and left, and being short of ammunition, it was doubtful if we could save our guns, but after desperate fighting we were able to save them, and also brought off our wounded with us.


During the night of the 2d we refilled our ammunition chests and refitted the battery ready for action. July 3d we were in position with the Second Corps on the front line of battle, and took part in the terrible artillery duel, . also in repelling Pickett's charge, and thus ending one of the most fearful battles of the war."

July 14

Falling Waters. In position but unengaged.

July 15-31

Continued the pursuit of Lee, crossing the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers at Harper's Ferry, and passing through Ward's Grove, Bloomfield, Ashby's Gap, Petersburg, Macon Station, White Plains, Manitou Junction, and Elktown.

July 31

Arrived at Morrisville

August

In camp at Morrisville on line of the Rappahannock and Rapidan attached to Artillery Brigade, 2nd Army Corps

October 9-22

Bristoe Campaign

October 14

Auburn and Bristoe Station

November 7-8

Advance to line of the Rappahannock

November 26-December 2

Mine Run Campaign

December-May

At Stevensburg in winter camp. 32 men reenlisted as veteran volunteers

1864

May 3-June 15

Campaign from the Rapidan to the James

May 3

Broke camp and crossed Rapidan on pontoon bridges

May 5-7

Battle of the Wilderness

May 8-12

Spottsylvania

May 10

Po River

May 12-21

Spottsylvania Court House

 

May 12

"Bloody Angle," Assault on the Salient

The battery advanced to the extreme front and engaged the enemy with nine captured enemy guns as well as the battery's six, using infantrymen supplied by General Hancock as reinforcements.

May 21

Passed through Bowling Green and Milford Station

May 23-26

North Anna River

May 26-28

On line of the Pamunkey

May 28-31

Totopotomoy

May 30

Hanover Court House

June 1- 12

Cold Harbor

June 12-13

Withdrew from the works and crossed the Chickahominy, arriving at the James

June 15

Crossed the James on pontoon bridges

June 16-18

Before Petersburg; Siege of Petersburg begins

June 22-23

Jerusalem Plank Road, Weldon Railroad

July 27-28

Deep Bottom

July 30

Mine Explosion, Petersburg (Reserve)

August 13-20

Demonstration north of the James

August 14-18

Deep Bottom, Strawberry Plains

September

Attached to Artillery Reserve, attached to 2nd Army Corps

September 27

27 men of the battery were discharged at the end of their terms of service

October 15

Captain Ames was discharged at the end of his term of service. First Lieutenant S.A. McClellan was promoted to captain and command of the battery.

1865

January

Attached to Artillery Reserve, attached to 9th Army Corps

March 25

Fort Steadman

March 28- April 9

Appomattox Campaign

April 2

Assault on and fall of Petersburg

May

Moved to Washington

May 23

Grand Review

June 6

The battery travelled by rail to Elmira, N.Y.

June 19

Mustered out Captain McClellan