 |
1st NY Light Artillery, in Fort Richardson. Vicinity of Fair Oaks, Virginia. June 1862. Photographer: George N. Barnard. |
Battery B, First Regiment New York
Light Artillery, known as Pettit's Battery, was raised at
Baldwinsville and composed chiefly of Onondaga county men.
It was mustered into the State service at Baldwinsville,
August 24, 1861, and into the service of the United States
at Elmira, August 31, 1866.
On its arrival in Washington it
was the first battery to be fully mounted, and remained in camp in
the vicinity of Washington till the spring of 1862. The
record of its engagements during the war is as follows:
| Warrenton Junction, Va. | March 28, 1862. |
| Fair Oaks, Va. | June 1-28, 1862. |
| Peach Orchard, Va. | June 29, A.M., 1862. |
| Savage Station, Va. | June 29, P.M., 1862. |
| White Oak Swamp, Va. | June 30, 1862. |
| Malvern Hill, Va. | July 1, 1862. |
| Centerville, Va. | September 1, 1862. |
| Antietam, Md. | September 15-17, 1862. |
| Charlestown, Va. | October 19, 1862. |
| Snicker's Gap, Va. | November 3, 1862. |
| Falmouth, Va. | November 17, 1862. |
| Fredericksburg, Va. | December 12-17, 1862. |
| Chancellorsville, Va. | May 1-3, 1863. |
| United States Ford, Va. | May 6, 1863. |
| Gettysburg, Pa. | July 2-3, 1863. |
| Mine Run, Va. | November 30, 1863. |
| Spotsylvania, Va. | May 12, 1864. |
| North Anna, Va. | May 23, 1864. |
| Tolopotomoy, Va. | May 29, 1864. |
| Bethesda Church, Va. | June 2-3, 1864. |
| Petersburg, Va. | June 16-20, 1864. |
| Hatcher's Run, Va. | October 27, 1864. |
On the expiration of
its term of service the original number, except
the veterans, were mustered out, and the
organization composed of veterans and recruits
retained in the service. The regiment was finally
mustered out by batteries in accordance with an order
from the War Department, Battery B being mustered out
June 18, 1865.
The following were the
officers of Pettit's Battery, with the record of
promotions, &c.:
Captain, Rufus D. Pettit,
rank from August 29, 1861, resigned May 30, 1863.
Captain, J. M. Rority, temporarily
assigned to command July 2, 1863, killed at Gettysburg.
First-Lieutenant, Albert S.
Sheldon, rank from August 29, 1861, promoted to Captain,
July 27, 1863, wounded at Gettysburg, discharged
December 16, 1865.
First-Lieutenant, Thomas O'Shea,
not commissioned, resigned October 17, 1862.
Second-Lieutenant, Walter D.
Pettit, rank from August 29, 1861, promoted to First-Lieutenant
February 27, 1862, discharged April 29, 1863.
Second-Lieutenant, Robert E. Rogers, rank
from November 12, 1861, promoted to First-Lieutenant
March 6, 1863, promoted to Captain, December 30, 1864, mustered
out with battery June 18, 1865.
Second-Lieutenant, Isaac B. Hall, rank
from April 1, 1862; assigned to Battery A, December 24, 1862;
promoted to First-Lieutenant, February 23, 1864; mustered
out on expiration of term of service, October 31, 1864.
Second-Lieutenant, Edward H. Underhill, rank from January 4, 1862;
assigned to Battery B, June 9, 1863; promoted to First-Lieutenant,
August 26, 1863; assigned to Battery A, September 18, 1863;
promoted to Captain, December 9, 1864; mustered out with
Battery, June 23, 1865.
Second-Lieutenant, John Gibson, rank from
October 14, 1863; assigned from Battery H, December 15, 1863; promoted
to First-Lieutenant, September 27, 1864; mustered out on expiration
of term of service, November 16, 1864.
First-Sergeant, Joseph B. Slauson, promoted
to Second-Lieutenant, September 10, 1862; First-Lieutenant, April 29,
1863; wounded at Chancellorsville; mustered out on the expiration
of term of service, September 27, 1864.
Quartermaster, Joel B. Frisbie, returned to
ranks, December 3, 1861; discharged, August 12, 1862.
Sergeant, DeWitt M. Perine, promoted to
Second-Lieutenant, October 20, 1864; First-Lieutenant, February 28,
1865; wounded at Gettysburg; mustered out with Battery, June 17, 1865.
SERGEANTS--John M. Stephens, died, date unknown;
Harvey Cox, wounded at Chancellorsville, fate unknown;
Rufus B. Freeman, died July 25, 1862;
Guy W. Plumley, died march 2, 1862;
Charles H. Gates, wounded at Chancellorsville, transferred to Invalid Corps;
Thomas Coyne, wounded at Chancellorsville, taken prisoner and paroled;
Robert Maitland, returned to ranks January 31, 1863.
CORPORALS--
James A. Skinner, promoted to
Quartermaster-Sergeant April 26, 1862; declined commission as
Second-Lieutenant August 12, 1864, with rank from May 1, 1864; discharged
at the expiration of service.
Anthony Huyck, promoted to
Sergeant, December 14, 1862; discharged at the expiration of service.
Abram S. Attix,* promoted to Sergeant,
September 1, 1862.
Andrew J. Hooker, hurt by carriage at Gettysburg,
returned to ranks November 1, 1863.
Edward P. Lockwood,* returned to ranks
October 19, 1862.
Abiram W. Mathws, died at home.
Stephen Barber, died May 4, 1862.
George L. Elliot, returned to
ranks May 1, 1862.
Robert R. Ramsey.*
James Galligher.
Michael Galligher,* returned to ranks.
John McSorley,* returned to ranks January 1, 1863.
Allen F. Mallory,* bugler, returned to ranks
January 1, 1863; wounded at Gettysburg.
Thomas McLaughlin,* bugler.
Hendrick S. Wheeler,* artificer.
Alonzo C. Ketchum,* artificer, returned to ranks.
Sylvester P. Slade,* wagoner.
* Veterans retained in the service.
Since posting this page
I have been informed of the following omissions
from the roster which I had copied from Clayton's The History
of Onondaga County, New York:
Edward TRAPP.--Enlisted 02/06/1864 at Lysander, NY; mustered
in 02/06/1864; mustered out 06/18/1865 at Elmira, NY.
Martin Van Buren TRAPP.--Enlisted 02/06/1864 at Lysander, NY; mustered in
02/09/1864; and mustered out 06/18/1865 at Elmira, NY.
Other additions are solicited.
On 17 June 2008, Joan Newcomb of Tampa, Florida, communicated:
I believe I have another name for you to add to the list of Battery B enlisted men:
George L. Robinson of Baldwinsville, NY
My family records indicate he enlisted on Dec. 22, 1863 and mustered out on June 18, 1865.
Records from the Civil War Soldiers & Sailors System Search indicate his rank was Pvt. [Film Number M551 roll 119]
I believe he lived on Oneida Street in Baldwinsville, NY, Town of Lysander, Onondaga Co.
If you are doing research on Pettit's Battery,
you may find it helpful to
contact Stephen Dreher. He is
from Baldwinsville and has been collecting whatever he can on the battery
since 1964. He has quite a bit of interesting material, especially on
individuals. Stephen says, "I am always on the lookout for more, and am
willing to do local searching, exchange information, etc. I would be
happy to field queries or whatever might come my way."
Designed by a member of
