Lynchburg Beauregard Rifles (Virginia) Artillery

Confederate Regiments & Batteries * Virginia

“Moorman’s Battery”

1861
April 19 Organized at Lynchburg as a Zouave company for one year under the command of Captain Marcellus Newton Moorman (VMI Class of 1856).
May 16 Enlisted for one years service.
July Equipped as artillery and assigned to Artillery Battalion, Department of Norfolk.
1862
April Reorganized for the duration of the war.
June-July Assigned to Malone’s Brigade, Huger’s-R.H. Anderson’s Division, Army of Northern Virginia.
June 25-July 1
Seven Days Battles

The battery lost five casualties.
June 30
Brackett’s
July 1
Malvern Hill
July Assigned to Saunders’ Artillery Battalion, R.H. Anderson’s Division, Longstreet’s Command, Army of Northern Virginia.
August 28-30
Second Battle of Manassas (Bull Run)
September 12-15
Harpers Ferry
September 17
Battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam)

Captain Moorman commanded the battery, which was equipped with two 10-pounder Parrott Rifles and one other unidentified piece. One of the Parrotts was damaged.

From the marker to Saunders Artillery Battalion that was at one time (currently missing) in the battlefield:

Between 9 and 10 A.M. of the 17th, the four Batteries of this Battalion, under command of Captain Carey F. Grimes, went into position on this ridge in support of the Infantry engaged on the high ground northeast. Grimes’ (Virginia) Battery was on the immediate right of the pike, Moorman’s (Virginia) Battery, on Grimes’ right and between it and Piper’s Stone Barn, Huger’s (Virginia) Battery was immediately west of the pike, and Donaldsonville (Louisiana) Artillery (Maurin’s Battery) on Huger’s left, on the rising ground 140 to 170 yards northwest of this. The Battalion was subjected to heavy fire of Federal Artillery and musketry; Captain Grimes was mortally wounded about 60 yards east of this by a musket ball, many men and horses were killed and wounded, some of the guns were disabled and the Battalion was withdrawn toward Sharpsburg by Major John S. Saunders who was not present when it went into action.

Later in the day parts of the command assisted in checking the advance of the Ninth Corps on Sharpsburg.
October 4 Personnel from the disbanded Portsmouth Light Artillery transferred in.
November Converted to horse artillery and assigned to Horse Artillery Battalion, Cavalry Division, Army of Northern Virginia.
December 4
Port Royal
December 13
Battle of Fredericksburg
1863
April 14-15
Rappahannock Bridge
May 1-4
Battle of Chancellorsville
June 9
Battle of Brandy Station
July 1-3
Battle of Gettysburg

The battery brought 112 men to the battle but was not engaged.
July 6-10
Funkstown and Boonesborough
September-May Assigned to Horse Artillery Battalion, Cavalry Corps, Army of Northern Virginia.
1864
February 29
Stannardsville
April 15 Captain Moorman was promoted to major and given command of an artillery battaion i the Second Corps. Captain John J. Shoemaker took over command of the battery.
June 15
Siege of Petersburg
September Assigned to Horse Artillery Battalion, Rosser’s Cavalry Division, Valley District, Army of Northern Virginia.
1865
March Assigned to Breathed’s Battalion, Horse Artillery, Cavalry Corps, Army of Northern Virginia.
April 9 Disbanded at Lynchburg.