1st Wisconsin Heavy Artillery Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 1st Regiment Wisconsin Heavy Artillery was an artillery
regiment
that served in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
.
Batteries "E" to "M" were mustered out on June 26, 1865.
men.
The regiment suffered 4 enlisted men killed or died from wounds in action, and 2 officers and 77 enlisted men men who died of disease, for a total of 83 fatalities.
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
that served in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Service
The 1st Wisconsin Heavy Artillery was originally organized by companies over a considerable period of time and did not serve together as a complete regiment.- Battery "A" was created from Company "K," 2nd Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment2nd Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry RegimentThe 2nd Regiment Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It spent most of the war as a member of the famous Iron Brigade of the Army of the Potomac.-Service:...
on December 9, 1861 in the Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
defenses, assigned at various times to Fort Cass, Fort Buffalo, Fort EllsworthFort EllsworthFort Ellsworth was a timber and earthwork fortification constructed west of Alexandria, Virginia, as part of the defenses of Washington, D.C. during the American Civil War. Built in the weeks following the Union defeat at Bull Run, Fort Ellsworth was situated on a hill north of Hunting Creek, and...
, Fort WorthFort Worth, VirginiaFort Worth was a timber and earthwork fortification constructed west of Alexandria, Virginia as part of the defenses of Washington, D.C. during the American Civil War. Built in the weeks following the Union defeat at Bull Run, Fort Worth was situated on a hill north of Hunting Creek, and Cameron Run,...
, Fort Rodgers and Fort WillardFort WillardFort Willard is a former Union Army installation now located in the Belle Haven area of Fairfax County in the U.S. state of Virginia. It was the southernmost fort built to defend Washington, D.C. in the American Civil War...
. The battery was mustered out on August 18, 1865.
- Battery "B" was organized at Milwaukee, WisconsinMilwaukee, WisconsinMilwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
in September 1863 and was assigned to Fort Terrell at Murfreesboro, TennesseeMurfreesboro, TennesseeMurfreesboro is a city in and the county seat of Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 108,755 according to the United States Census Bureau's 2010 U.S. Census, up from 68,816 residents certified during the 2000 census. The center of population of Tennessee is located in...
and remained there until January 4, 1864. It spent the remainder of the war at Fort Clay at Lexington, KentuckyLexington, KentuckyLexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
and was mustered out on August 30, 1865.
- Battery "C" was sent to Chattanooga, TennesseeChattanooga, TennesseeChattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
on October 30, 1863, and served in various stations in that state. The battery mustered out on September 21, 1865.
- Battery "D" was mustered in on November 7, 1863 and was transferred to New Orleans, LouisianaNew Orleans, LouisianaNew Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
on February 9, 1864 and remained there to July, 1864. The battery was transferred to the District of LaFourche, Louisiana in the Department of the Gulf until June, 1865. It mustered out of Federal service on August 18, 1865.
- Batteries "E," "F," "O," "H," "I," "K," "L" and "M" were organized in September and October, 1864 and were sent to Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
.- Company "E" was assigned to Fort O'RourkeFort O'RourkeFort O'Rourke is a former Union Army installation now located in the Belle Haven area of Fairfax County in the U.S. state of Virginia. It was the southernmost fort built to defend Washington, D.C...
. - Company "F" was assigned to Fort EllsworthFort EllsworthFort Ellsworth was a timber and earthwork fortification constructed west of Alexandria, Virginia, as part of the defenses of Washington, D.C. during the American Civil War. Built in the weeks following the Union defeat at Bull Run, Fort Ellsworth was situated on a hill north of Hunting Creek, and...
. - Companies "G" and "H" were assigned Fort Lyon.
- Company "I" was assigned to Fort Farnsworth.
- Company "K" was assigned to Fort Lyon.
- Company "L" was assigned to Fort WillardFort WillardFort Willard is a former Union Army installation now located in the Belle Haven area of Fairfax County in the U.S. state of Virginia. It was the southernmost fort built to defend Washington, D.C. in the American Civil War...
. - Company "M" was assigned to Forts Lyon, Fort Weed and Fort Farnsworth.
- Company "E" was assigned to Fort O'Rourke
Batteries "E" to "M" were mustered out on June 26, 1865.
Total strength and casualties
The 1st Wisconsin Heavy Artillery initially recruited 1,777 officers and men. An additional 386 men were recruited as replacements, for a total of 2,163men.
The regiment suffered 4 enlisted men killed or died from wounds in action, and 2 officers and 77 enlisted men men who died of disease, for a total of 83 fatalities.