Company D, 1st North Carolina Artillery Regiment

Confederate Regiments & Batteries * North Carolina

“Rowan Artillery” “Reilly’s Battery”

1858
May 18 Originally oganized.
1861
May 3 Called up for 12 months service under the command of Captain James Reilly, a former artillery sergeant in the Old Army known as “Old Tarantula,” and a veteran of the Mexican War.
June 28 Temporarily served as infantry attached to the 4th North Carolina Infantry Regiment.
June 20 Left the state for Richmond.
July 27 Arrived in Richmond and went on to Manassas, where it was equipped with two 10-pounder Parrott Rifles and two 24-pounder Dahlgrens that had been captured at the Battle of Manassas. The battery was assigned to Whiting’s Brigade, 2nd Corps, Army of the Potomac.
October-February Assigned to Whiting’s Brigade, Forces at Dumfries, 2nd Corps, Potomac District, Department of Northern Virginia.
1862
February-June Assigned to Whiting’s Brigade, Whiting’s-G.W. Smith’s Division, Potomac District, Department of Northern Virginia.
March-June Assigned to Whiting’s Brigade, G.W. Smith’s-Whiting’s Division, Department of Northern Virginia.
April-May
Siege of Yorktown
May 5
Battle of Williamsburg
May 7
Eltham’s Landing
June-July Assigned to Whiting’s Brigade, Whiting’s Division, Jackson’s Command, Army of Northern Virginia.
June 25-July 1
Seven Days Battles
June 27
Gaines’ Mill
July 1
Battle of Malvern Hill
July-February Assigned to Artillery Battalion, Whiting’s-Hood’s Division, Longstreet’s Command, Army of Northern Virginia.
August 28-30
Second Battle of Manassas (Bull Run)
September 14
South Mountain
September 17
Battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam)
October 14 Fifty-five men from Captain W. P. Lloyd’s disbanded battery, Company G, 3rd North Carolina Artillery Regiment, were added to Reilly’s battery.
December 13
Battle of Fredericksburg
1863
February While passing through Richmond to join the Suffolk Campaign the battery’s two Dahlgrens were exchanged for Napoleons.
March Assigned to Artillery Battalion, Hood’s Division, Department of North Carolina and Southern Virginia.
April 10
Washington N.C.
April 26 – May 5
Suffolk Campaign

Assigned to Artillery Battalion, Hood’s Division, Department of Southern Virginia.
June 4 Rejoined Lee’s army on the Rappahannock, assigned to Artillery Battalion, Hood’s Division, 1st Corps, Army of Northern Virginia.
July 1-3
Battle of Gettysburg

The battery was commanded at the Battle of Gettysburg by Captain James Reilly. It was equipped with two Napoleons, two 3″ rifles and two 10-pounder Parrott Rifles. One of the 3″ Rifles burst on July 3, and it was replaced by a captured Federal gun, probably from the 4th New York Independent Battery.

There are two markers showing where the battery fought at Gettysburg.

From the first marker to the Rowan Artillery:

July 2. Took position here 4 P. M. and was actively engaged until night. One rifle burst and a captured 10 pounder Parrott was substituted.

July 3. Two Parrotts moved to right. The other guns engaged in firing upon the Union lines within range. About 5 P. M. aided in repelling cavalry under Brig. Gen. Farnsworth which had charged into the valley between this point and Round Top.

July 4. Occupied position near by and west of this until 6 P. M. Then withdrew from the field.

Losses not reported in detail

From the second marker:

A Section Two 10 Pounder Parrotts

July 3. These guns were detached and first occupied position 300 yards west of this hotly engaged with the artillery of the Union Cavalry Division down the Emmitsburg Road. When the cavalry under Brig. Gen. Farnsworth charged into the valley of Plum Run they were placed here aided in repelling that charge and guarded this flank until night.

July 4. Rejoined the Battery and shared in all its movements.
July Assigned to Haskell’s Battalion, 1st Corps Artillery, Army of Northern Virginia
September 7 Captain Reilly was promoted to major. First Lieutenant John A. Ramsay was promoted to captain and took over the battery.
September 12 Transferred to the 3rd Corps while Longstreet took his 1st Corps west to Chickamauga. Assigned to Haskell’s Battalion, 3rd Corps Artillery, Army of Northern Virginia.
November-December
Mine Run Campaign
1864
May Assigned to Haskell’s Battalion, 1st Corps Artillery, Army of Northern Virginia. Equipped with one 3-inch Rifle, and three 10 pounder Parrott Rifles.
May 5-6
Battle of the Wilderness
May 8-21
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
May 22-26
Battle of North Anna
June 1-3
Battle of Cold Harbor
June
Siege of Petersburg
September 29-30
Fort Harrison
December The battery was equipped with three 10-pounder Parrott Rifles, one 12-pounder Whitworth Rifle, and two 8 pounder Armstrong guns.
1865
April 9
Appomattox Court House