The Louisiana Guard Battery 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 ...

unit recruited from volunteers in

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-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...

that fought in the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...

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 ...

. Formed from an infantry company sent to fight in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, it was converted to an artillery company in July 1861. The battery fought at Cedar Mountain,

Second Bull Run The Second Battle of Bull Run or Battle of Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, in Prince William County, Virginia, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of the Northern Virginia Campaign waged by Confederate ...

Antietam The Battle of Antietam (), or Battle of Sharpsburg particularly in the Southern United States, was a battle of the American Civil War fought on September 17, 1862, between Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and Union ...

, and Fredericksburg in 1862, and at Chancellorsville, Second Winchester, and Gettysburg in 1863. Most of the soldiers and all of the battery's guns were captured at Rappahannock Station on 7 November 1863. The surviving gunners manned heavy artillery pieces in the defenses of

Richmond, Virginia (Thus do we reach the stars) , image_map = , mapsize = 250 px , map_caption = Location within Virginia , pushpin_map = Virginia#USA , pushpin_label = Richmond , pushpin_m ...

, and the battery's remnant surrendered at Appomattox.

Formation

The Louisiana Guard Battery began its existence on 28 April 1861 in

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

as Company B of the 1st Louisiana Infantry Regiment led by

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

Camille E. Girardey. Before it became part of the regiment, the company was named the Louisiana Guards, Company B. The regiment first traveled to Richmond, then

Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Be ...

, then

Weldon, North Carolina Weldon is a town in Halifax County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,655 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina Micropolitan Statistical Area. History In 1752, Daniel Weldon purchased 1,273 acre ...

, where it stayed until May 1862. During the

Seven Days Battles The Seven Days Battles were a series of seven battles over seven days from June 25 to July 1, 1862, near Richmond, Virginia, during the American Civil War. Confederate General Robert E. Lee drove the invading Union Army of the Potomac, command ...

, the regiment fought at Oak Grove on 25 June and

Malvern Hill Malvern Hill stands on the north bank of the James River in Henrico County, Virginia, USA, about eighteen miles southeast of Richmond. On 1 July 1862, it was the scene of the Battle of Malvern Hill, one of the Seven Days Battles of the American ...

on 1 July, sustaining 214 casualties. On 5 July 1862, B Company was detached for artillery service. On 21 July, the unit was reconstituted as an independent battery. Girardey resigned in July and was replaced as captain by Louis D'Aquin.

Service

1862

At first, the Louisiana Guard Battery was assigned to garrison duty in southeast Virginia and northeast North Carolina. On 9 August 1862, it fought in its first action as a battery in the

Battle of Cedar Mountain The Battle of Cedar Mountain, also known as Slaughter's Mountain or Cedar Run, took place on August 9, 1862, in Culpeper County, Virginia, as part of the American Civil War. Union forces under Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks attacked Confederate f ...

. On 28–30 August, the battery fought at the

Battle of Second Bull Run The Second Battle of Bull Run or Battle of Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, in Prince William County, Virginia, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of the Northern Virginia Campaign waged by Confederat ...

as part of the artillery battalion in

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 ...

Richard S. Ewell Richard Stoddert Ewell (February 8, 1817 – January 25, 1872) was a career United States Army officer and a Confederate general during the American Civil War. He achieved fame as a senior commander under Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. L ...

's division, Major General

Thomas J. Jackson Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21, 1824 – May 10, 1863) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, considered one of the best-known Confederate commanders, after Robert E. Lee. He played a prominent role in near ...

's Left Wing, General

Robert E. Lee Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, towards the end of which he was appointed the overall commander of the Confederate States Army. He led the Army of Nort ...

Army of Northern Virginia The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was also the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most oft ...

. Among Jackson's gunners, only

Major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

L. M. Shumaker's battalion of

Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

William E. Starke's division was posted in a good artillery position. Jackson's other batteries were limited in effectiveness because of the woods along the front of the Confederate defenses. In September 1862, D'Aquin's Louisiana Guard Battery was armed with one

10-pounder Parrott rifle The 10-pounder Parrott rifle, Model 1861 was a cast iron muzzle-loading rifled cannon that was adopted by the United States Army in 1861 and often used in field artillery units during the American Civil War. Like other Parrott rifles, the gun bree ...

and two 3-inch Ordnance rifles. At the

Battle of Antietam The Battle of Antietam (), or Battle of Sharpsburg particularly in the Southern United States, was a battle of the American Civil War fought on September 17, 1862, between Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and Union G ...

on 17 September 1862, the battery was attached to Brigadier General

Harry T. Hays Harry Thompson Hays (April 14, 1820 – August 21, 1876) was an American Army officer serving in the Mexican–American War and a general who served in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. Known as the "Louisiana Tigers," his brigad ...

' Louisiana brigade in Brigadier General

John R. Jones John Robert Jones (March 12, 1827–April 1, 1901) was a Virginia educator who became a Brigadier general (United States), brigadier general in the Confederate States Army, Confederate army during the American Civil War, during which he twice ...

' division. At Antietam, the battery lost 1 killed and 8 wounded.

John Pelham posted four batteries, later joined by D'Aquin's battery, in the left rear of Jones' division. This was an excellent artillery position because Pelham's guns dominated the terrain in front of the Confederate left flank. D'Aquin's battery was posted on the extreme left of the other batteries. Union Brigadier General

Henry Jackson Hunt Henry Jackson Hunt (September 14, 1819 – February 11, 1889) was Chief of Artillery in the Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War. Considered by his contemporaries the greatest artillery tactician and strategist of the war, he was ...

20-pounder Parrott rifle The 20-pounder Parrott rifle, Model 1861 was a cast iron muzzle-loading rifled cannon that was adopted by the United States Army in 1861 and employed in field artillery units during the American Civil War. As with other Parrott rifles, the gun br ...

s raked the position at long range, causing casualties. At the

Battle of Fredericksburg The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. The combat, between the Union Army of the Potomac commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnsi ...

on 13 December, the Louisiana Guard Battery took position with the cavalry on the extreme right flank. D'Aquin was killed, 1 man was wounded, and 1 gun was dismounted. Charles Thompson replaced D'Aquin as captain commanding the battery. At Fredericksburg, the battery was part of Captain

Joseph W. Latimer Joseph White Latimer (August 27, 1843 – August 1, 1863), "The Boy Major", was a promising young officer in the Confederate States Army, Confederate Army of Northern Virginia's artillery branch during the American Civil War. He was mortally ...

's artillery battalion in Brigadier General

Jubal Early Jubal Anderson Early (November 3, 1816 – March 2, 1894) was a Virginia lawyer and politician who became a Confederate general during the American Civil War. Trained at the United States Military Academy, Early resigned his U.S. Army commissio ...

's division, Jackson's

Second Corps, Army of Northern Virginia The Second Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia was a military organization within the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia during much of the American Civil War. It was officially created and named following the Battle of Sharpsburg in 1862, b ...

. Latimer's six batteries lost 4 killed and 21 wounded.

1863

At the

Battle of Chancellorsville The Battle of Chancellorsville, April 30 – May 6, 1863, was a major battle of the American Civil War (1861–1865), and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville campaign. Chancellorsville is known as Lee's "perfect battle" because h ...

on 1–3 May 1863, Thompson's Louisiana Guard Battery was assigned to

Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

Hilary P. Jones' artillery battalion in Brigadier General

Raleigh Colston Raleigh Edward Colston (October 1, 1825 – July 29, 1896) was a French-born American professor, soldier, cartographer, and writer. He was a controversial brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Cols ...

's division, Jackson's Second Corps. Two brigades from Colston's division were part of the second line in Jackson's flank attack of 2 May. Since there were few clearings in the forest, most of the artillery could not be deployed. The guns were ordered to help crush Union resistance as the assault moved forward. On 3 May, the Confederates captured Hazel Grove and quickly deployed 28 guns at that location, but these did not include Thompson's battery. There were 14 guns firing from the Plank Road that may have included Thompson's battery, but the account does not say. At the

Second Battle of Winchester The Second Battle of Winchester was fought between June 13 and June 15, 1863 in Frederick County and Winchester, Virginia as part of the Gettysburg Campaign during the American Civil War. As Confederate Lieutenant General Richard S. Ewell moved ...

on 15 June 1863, Ewell's Second Corps trapped a Union division led by Brigadier General Robert H. Milroy and inflicted 4,443 casualties, including 3,358 captured. The Confederates lost only 269, which included the Louisiana Guard Battery's Thompson mortally wounded. He was replaced as captain by Charles A. Green. At the

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. In the battle, Union Major General George Meade's Army of the Po ...

on 1–3 July 1863, Green's Louisiana Guard Battery took 60 men into action and sustained 7 casualties. It was part of Jones' artillery brigade in Early's division, Ewell's Second Corps. On 1 July, the battery lost 1 man killed. On 2–3 July, the battery was temporarily attached to Brigadier General

Wade Hampton Wade Hampton may refer to the following people: People *Wade Hampton I (1752–1835), American soldier in Revolutionary War and War of 1812 and U.S. congressman *Wade Hampton II (1791–1858), American plantation owner and soldier in War of 1812 *W ...

's cavalry brigade and took losses of 1 killed and 5 wounded. In the cavalry fight on 3 July, the Confederates had 14 guns versus 10 Union guns. However, the Union artillerymen cooperated more effectively than the Confederate gunners. The Bristoe campaign lasted from 9 October to 9 November 1863. When Lee found that the Union

Army of the Potomac The Army of the Potomac was the principal Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was created in July 1861 shortly after the First Battle of Bull Run and was disbanded in June 1865 following the surrender of the Confedera ...

sent two corps to the Western Theater of the American Civil War, he briefly went on the offensive. However, the Union army was able to pull back into an unassailable position. The first week of November found Lee's army on the south bank of the

Rappahannock River The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia, in the United States, approximately in length.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 It traverses the entir ...

with Hays' Louisiana brigade of Early's division holding a fortified bridgehead on the north bank. When Federal artillery began shelling the bridgehead, Early sent some reinforcements. Lee consulted with Early, and both decided that the bridgehead was sufficiently strong. However, at 5 pm on 7 November, Brigadier General

David Allen Russell David Allen Russell (December 10, 1820 – September 19, 1864) was a career United States Army officer who served in the Mexican–American War and the American Civil War. He was killed in action as a brigadier general in the Union Army. Early l ...

's Union division overran the bridgehead and seized the

pontoon bridge A pontoon bridge (or ponton bridge), also known as a floating bridge, uses float (nautical), floats or shallow-draft (hull), draft boats to support a continuous deck for pedestrian and vehicle travel. The buoyancy of the supports limits the maxi ...

before the defenders could escape. Together with a smaller fiasco at Kelly's Ford, the

Second Battle of Rappahannock Station The Second Battle of Rappahannock Station took place on November 7, 1863, near the village of Rappahannock Station (now Remington, Virginia), on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. It was between Confederate forces under Maj. Gen. Jubal Early ...

cost the Confederates 2,023 casualties, against a Federal loss of 419. The Louisiana Guard Battery lost 4 guns and 41 officers and men captured.

1864–1865

The battery's survivors were ordered to Richmond to serve as crews of siege guns in the city's defenses. The

Siege of Petersburg The Richmond–Petersburg campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War. Although it is more popularly known as the Siege of Petersburg, it was not a cla ...

(June 1864 – April 1865) included Federal operations against both Richmond and Petersburg. Some soldiers from the battery were mounted as cavalry during the last phase of the war. At the Appomattox surrender on 9 April 1865, Green's Louisiana Battery was assigned to Lieutenant Colonel Alexander W. Stark's battalion, Brigadier General

Armistead Lindsay Long Armistead Lindsay Long (September 13, 1825 – April 29, 1891) was a brigadier general for the Confederate States of America, and the author of the 1886 book ''Memoirs of Robert E. Lee''. Early life and career Long was born in Campbell County, Vi ...

's artillery brigade,

Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

John B. Gordon's Second Corps, Lee's Army of Northern Virginia.

Notes

References

* * * * * * * * * * {{Louisiana Confederate units navbox Units and formations of the Confederate States Army from Louisiana 1861 establishments in Louisiana Military units and formations established in 1861 1865 disestablishments in Louisiana Military units and formations disestablished in 1865