Dixie Artillery (Virginia)

Confederate Regiments & Batteries > Virginia

1861
June 21 Organized by Captain John Kaylor Booton, First Lieutenant William Crisp and Second Lieutenant Samual Chapman.
August 30 After a delay caused by an inability to obtain horses and supplies, joined Johnston’s Army at Manassas. The battery was assigned with the Washington Artillery to the Artillery Reserve of Longstreet’s Division.
October Assigned to Artillery, Department of the Peninsula
November Captain Booten resigned to take his seat in the Virginia State Legislature.
December 8 William Henry Chapman was elected captain of the battery.
1862
January Assigned to Rains’ Division, Department of the Peninsula
June Assigned to Artillery Battalion, Longstreet’s Division, Army of Northern Virginia
June 25-July 1
Seven Days Battles
June 27
Battle of Gaines’ Mill

The battery’s baptism of fire. It was equipped with four six-pounder guns.
June 30
Battle of Frazier’s Farm

Howard Richards was wounded (possibly on June 27 at Gaines’ Mill).
August 18 Assigned to Featherston’s Brigade of R.H. Anderson’s Division, Longstreet’s Command, Army of Northern Virginia
August 23
Battle of Rappahannock Station

Captain Chaman’s brother, Lieutenant Samuel F. Chapman, commanded a section consisting of a 3″ Ordnance Rifle and a 12 pounder Napoleon in an artillery duel. John Knight and Daniel Martin were wounded.
August 28-30
Second Battle of Manassas (Bull Run)

Heavily engaged in the fighting along Jackson’s lines at the railroad cut.
September 7 Temporarily attached to Kershaw’s Brigade of McLaws’ Division
September 17
Battle of Sharpsburg

The battery was not engaged. It was equipped with 1 3″ Ordnance Rifle and 1 Napoleon.
September 18-19
Battle of Shepherdstown, or Boteler’s Ford

The battery lost Daniel R. Brubaker wounded by an exploding shell and another man missing
October 2 Returned to Featherston’s Brigade. Captain Chapman was given leave to recruit new members in Page County.
October 4 Disbanded as “inefficient” by Special Order 209. This generally referred to a battery that was seriously lacking in equipment and personnel rather than poor service. The company was down to two pieces and 32 members, most of whom transferred to the Purcell Artillery. Captain Chapman returned from his recruiting trip to find the battery disbanded, and eventually became second in command of Mosby’s Partisan Rangers.