1st Massachusetts Battery

United States Regiments & Batteries > Massachusetts > 1st Massachusetts Battery

The 1st Massachusetts Battery was a prewar Militia battery that was mustered in for three months Federal service in early 1861, then immediately reorganized with a three year enlistment.

During its original enlistment it was also referred to a “Cook’s Battery.”

During its three year enlistment the battery lost 6 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 15 enlisted men to disease in the Civil War. It is honored with a monument at Gettysburg.

1861
April 21 Left Massachusetts with 5th Massachusetts Volunteer Militia for Fortress Monroe, Virginia, under the command of Captain Asa M. Cook.
April 23-24 Moved to Annapolis, Maryland. Quartered in Naval School Building at the Naval Academy.
May 6 to June 13 At Relay House
May 18 Mustered into United States service for three months. Duty at Camp Clare, near Baltimore, Maryland, and in Monument Square.
August 2 Mustered out in Massachusetts
August 27 Organized at Camp Cameron under the command of Captain Josiah Porter, a thirty year old lawyer and Harvard graduate.
October 3 Left State for Washington, D.C.; Attached to Franklin’s Division, Army of the Potomac and duty in the Defenses of Washington, D. C.
1862
March Attached to Artillery, 1st Division, 1st Corps, Army of the Potomac
March 10-15 Advance on Manassas, Virginia
April Assigned to Artillery, 1st Division, Department of the Rappahannock
April 4-12 McDowell’s advance on Fredericksburg, Virginia
April 23-May 4 Ordered via transports to the Peninsula, Virginia. Siege of Yorktown, Virginia; attached to Artillery, 1st Division, 6th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac
May 7-8

West Point
June 12

Mechanicsville
June 25-July 1

Seven days before Richmond
June 26

Mechanicsville
June 27

Gaines Mill
June 28

Golding’s Farm and Fort Davidson
June 30

Charles City Cross Roads
July 1

Malvern Hill
July – August 16 At Harrison’s Landing
August 16-27 Retreat from the Peninsula and movement to Centreville
August 27-31 In works at Centreville
August 30 Assist in checking Pope’s rout at Bull Run
September 1 Cover retreat to Fairfax Court House
September-October

Maryland Campaign
September 14

Battle of South Mountain

The battery fought at Crampton’s Gap, Maryland.
September 16-17

Battle of Antietam

The battery was not engaged.
September 17- October 29 At Downsville, Maryland
September 27 Captain Josiah Porter resigned. First Lieutenant Henry McCartney was promoted to captain and took command of the battery.
October 29-
November 19		 Movement to Falmouth, Va
December 11-15

Battle of Fredericksburg
1863
January 20-24 Burnside’s Second Campaign, “Mud March”
February At White Oak Church
April 27-May 6

Chancellorsville Campaign
April 29-May 2 Operations at Franklin’s Crossing
May 3

Maryes Heights, Second Battle of Fredericksburg
May 3-4

Salem Heights
June Assigned to Artillery Brigade, 6th Corps, Army of the Potomac
June 5-13 Franklin’s Crossing, Deep Run
July 2-4

Battle of Gettysburg

The battery was commanded at Gettysburg by Captain William H. McCartney. It brought 145 men to the field serving six 12-pounder Napoleons. The battery was held in reserve for most of the battle and fired only four rounds of solid shot at long range. It suffered no casualties.

< See Captain McCartney’s Official Report on the 1st Massachusetts Battery in the Gettysburg Campaign >
July 5-25 Moved to Boonsboro, Williamsport, Berlin and Warrenton, Va.
Jul7 26 –
September 15		 Camp at Warrenton
September 15 – October 5 At Stone House Mountain
October 9-22

Bristoe Campaign
November 7-8 Advance to line of the Rappahannock
November 7

Rappahannock Station
November 26-
December 2

Mine Run Campaign
Decmber – May Camp at Brandy Station
1864
May 3-June 15

Campaign from the Rapidan to the James
May 5-7

Battle of the Wilderness
May 8-21

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House

May 12

“Bloody Angle”
May 23-26

North Anna River
May 26-28 Line of the Pamunkey
May 28-31 Totopotomoy
June 1-12

Battle of Cold Harbor
June 17-July 9

First Assault on Petersburg
June 22-23

Jerusalem Plank Road
July 9-12 Moved to Washington, D.C.
July 12

Repulse of Early’s attack on Washington
August-October

Sheridan’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign

Attached to the Sixth Corps, Army of the Shenandoah. Commanded by Captain William H. McCartney
September 19
Third Battle of Winchester (Opequan)
September 22
Battle of Fisher’s Hill
October 2-12 Moved to Boston
October 19 The 1st Massachusetts Battery mustered out under the command of Captain William H. McCartney.