King William (Virginia) Artillery

Confederate Regiments & Batteries * Virginia

1861
June 1 Organized in King William County under the command of Captain Thomas Henry Carter (VMI Class of 1849) for one years service .
1862
January Attached to Rhodes’ Brigade, Van Dorn’s-D.H. Hill’s Division, Potomac District, Department of Northern Virginia
March Assigned to Rhodes’ Brigade, D.H. Hill’s Division, Army of Northern Virginia
April- May
Siege of Yorktown
May 31-June 1
Seven Pines
June Reorganized under the command of Captain Thomas Henry Carter. Assigned to Rhodes’ Brigade, D.H. Hill’s Division, Jackson’s Command, Army of Northern Virginia
June 17 Men from the disbanded Bayley’s Heavy Artillery Company were transferred in.
June 25 – July 1
Seven Days battles
June 27
Gaines’ Mill

The battery lost 3 men wounded
July Assigned to Artillery Battalion, D.H. Hill’s Division, Army of Northern Virginia
September 17
Battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam)

The King William Artillery was commanded by Captain Thomas H. Carter. It was equipped with two 12-pounder howitzers, two 6-pounder guns, and one 10-pounder Parrott Rifle. The battery spent most of the day on the left of the line supporting D.H. Hill’s Division. It lost 1 officer mortally wounded, one enlisted man killed, 3 enlisted men wounded and one missing.
October 4 Assigned to Artillery Battalion, D.H. Hill’s-Rhodes’ Division, 2nd Corps, Army of Northern Virginia. Men from the disbanded Turner Light Artillery Company were transferred in.
December 4 Port Royal
December 12 Captain Thomas H. Carter was promoted to major and given command of the artillery battalion. Captain William P. Carter took over the battery.
December 13
Battle of Fredericksburg
1863
May 1-4
Battle of Chancellorsville
July Assigned to Carter’s Battalion, Artillery, 2nd Corps, Army of Northern Virginia.
July 1-4
Battle of Gettysburg

The battery was commanded by Captain William P. Carter.

From the War Department marker on the Gettysburg battlefield:

Army of Northern Virginia
Ewell’s Corps Rodes’s Division
T. H. Carter’s Battalion W. P. Carter’s Battery
The King William Artillery
Two 10 Pounder Parrotts Two Napoleons

July 1. Soon after arriving here it opened an enfilading fire on the Union forces near the Chambersburg Pike causing some to seek shelter in the railroad cuts. Their guns replied slowly but not without inflicting some losses on the Battery in its exposed position. Later in the day it moved to the foot of the ridge to aid Doles’ Brigade in repelling the Eleventh Corps and rendered effective service. When the fight ended by the withdrawal of the First Corps it pursued the Union forces to the edge of the town.

July 2. In position but was not engaged.

July 3. The Parrott guns on Seminary Ridge near the railroad cut took part in the cannonade preceding Longstreet’s assault.

July 4. After nightfall began the march to Hagerstown.

Losses Killed 4 Wounded 7 Ammunition expended 572 rounds.
October Bristoe Campaign
November-December Mine Run Campaign
1864
May 5-6
Battle of The Wilderness
May 8-21
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House

The battery was overrun in the Mule Shoe attack. Survivors served with other batteries in the battalion but the battery no longer served as an independent comman.
May 23-26
North Anna
June 1-3
Cold Harbor
June Assigned to Page’s Battalion, Artillery, Valley District, Department of Northern Virginia.
October 19
Battle of Cedar Creek
November Assigned to Cutshaw’s Battalion, Artillery, Valley District, Department of Northern Virginia.
1865
March 2
Battle of Waynesborough

Most of the survivors of the battery were captured. Those who escaped continued to serve with the other batteries of Cutshaw’s Battalion.
March Assigned to Cutshaw’s Battalion, Artillery, 2nd Corps, Army of Northern Virginia.
March-April
Petersburg Siege
April 9
Appomattox Court House

Surrender of Lee’s army. One officer and 22 enlisted men surrendered.