12th Massachusetts Battery

12th Massachusetts Battery Flag of Massachusetts.svg 220 December 8, 1862 – July 25, 1865 United States 1864 23px Union Army Field artillery Battery In 1863: Artillery Reserve, XIX Corps American Civil War Captain Jacob Miller The 12th Massachusetts Battery (or 12th Battery Massachusetts Light Artillery) 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.Massachusetts Adjutant General 1932 495 It was assigned to the Department of the Gulf under Major General Nathaniel P. Banks and departed Massachusetts by steamship on January 3, 1863.Dyer 1908 1254 After a difficult voyage due to storms, the battery arrived in New Orleans a month later on February 3. For the next several months, the battery was posted in New Orleans and for a time in Baton Rouge, taking a position in the defenses of that city during March. For a short time in April, they were mounted and outfitted as cavalry.Higginson 1896 191 On April 17, the battery, without their guns, moved to Brashear City, Louisiana acting as infantry in defending transports moving to and from that city during the First Bayou Teche Campaign.Bowen 1889 847 They returned to New Orleans on May 23, were resupplied with guns and were posted again as light artillery in the city defenses until October.Bowen 1889 847 During June and July 1863, two sections (consisting of four guns and roughly two-thirds of the enlisted men) took part in the Siege of Port Hudson though not heavily engaged.Bowen 1889 848 After the Confederates surrendered Port Hudson on July 9, the sections returned to New Orleans and the battery was reunited. On October 15, the 12th Massachusetts battery moved to Port Hudson and would remain there on garrison duty until the end of their service. Their duty in Port Hudson and the vicinity during 1864 and 1865 was light, consisting mostly of foraging expeditions and reconnaissances.Massachusetts Adjutant General 1932 495 After the close of the war, the unit returned to Massachusetts in July 1865 and was mustered out on July 25. The unit lost 25 men due to disease.Dyer 1908 1254 See also American Civil War Massachusetts in the Civil War List of Massachusetts Civil War units Notes References Bowen James L Massachusetts in the War 1861–1865 Clark W Bryer & Co Springfield, MA 1889 1986476 https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_K0tLhkfW1wwC A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion Dyer Frederick H. 1908 Des Moines Dyer Publishing Co. 247098372 https://archive.org/details/08697590.3359.emory.edu Headley Phineas Camp Massachusetts in the Rebellion : a Record of the Historical Position of the Commonwealth, and the Services of the Leading Statesmen, the Military, the Colleges, and the People, in the Civil War of 1861-65 Walker, Fuller & Co Boston, MA 1866 8406829 https://archive.org/details/massachusettsin01headgoog Higginson Thomas Wentworth (State Historian Massachusetts in the Army and Navy During the War of 1861-65, 8 Volumes Wright and Potter Printing Co, State Printers Boston, MA 1896 1049652105 1 https://archive.org/details/massachusettsina01higg Massachusetts Adjutant General's Office Adjutant General of Massachusetts Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines in the Civil War Norwood Press Norwood, MA 1932 5 34938610 https://archive.org/details/massachusettssol51931mass/ Massachusetts Adjutant General 1932 CTCBS Category:Artillery units and formations of the American Civil War Category:Military units and formations established in 1862 Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1865 Category:Units and formations of the Union army from Massachusetts