The 12th Massachusetts Battery (or 12th Battery Massachusetts Light Artillery) was an

artillery Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...

battery Battery most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source *Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...

that served in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. The unit was organized at

Camp Meigs Camp Meigs is a former American Civil War training camp that existed from 1862 to 1865 in Readville, Massachusetts. It was combined from the former Camp Brigham (formed to train the 18th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry) and Camp Massaso ...

near

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

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 The Department of the Gulf was a command of the United States Army in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and of the Confederate States Army during the Civil War. History United States Army (Civil War) Creation The department was cons ...

under

Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

Nathaniel P. Banks Nathaniel Prentice (or Prentiss) Banks (January 30, 1816 – September 1, 1894) was an American politician from Massachusetts and a Union general during the Civil War. A millworker by background, Banks was prominent in local debating societies, ...

and departed Massachusetts by steamship on January 3, 1863. After a difficult voyage due to storms, the battery arrived in

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

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 Baton Rouge ( ; ) is a city in and the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-sma ...

, taking a position in the defenses of that city during March. For a short time in April, they were mounted and outfitted as

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...

. On April 17, the battery, without their guns, moved to

Brashear City, Louisiana Morgan City is a small city in St. Mary and lower St. Martin parishes in the U.S. State of Louisiana. The population was 12,404 at the 2010 census. Known for being “right in the middle of everywhere”, Morgan City is located 68 miles (109&nb ...

acting as

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...

in defending transports moving to and from that city during the First Bayou Teche Campaign. 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. 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. 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 A garrison (from the French ''garnison'', itself from the verb ''garnir'', "to equip") is any body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it. The term now often applies to certain facilities that constitute a mil ...

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. 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.

Notes

References

* * * * * {{American Civil War , expanded=CTCBS Artillery units and formations of the American Civil War Military units and formations established in 1862 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865 Units and formations of the Union Army from Massachusetts

See also

Notes

References