16th Ohio Independent Battery

compiled by Larry Stevens

References for this Unit

• see also Bibliography of State-Wide References
• Ohio In The War-Volume II. Whitelaw Reid. Moore, Wilstach & Baldwin. Cincinnati 1868
• Ellison B. Davee Diary. June 10 1865 - July 26 1865. Journal of Ellison B. Davee of the 16th Independent Battery, Ohio Volunteer Light Artillery. 1 v. Call# VOL 334. Ohio Historical Society. Columbus. Ohio
• National Tribune. Champions Hill. P. Mitchell. 4th Corp. 16th Ohio Battery. August 30, 1883
• The Battle of Champion's Hill. T.J. Williams. From: MOLLUS. Ohio. Sketches of War History. Vol. 5. p. 204-212. Cincinnati. Ohio. 1903
• History of the Sixteenth Battery of Ohio Volunteer Light Artillery, U.S.A., from Enlistment, August 20, 1861, to Muster Out, August 2, 1865. Compiled from the Diaries of Comrades, the best recollections of survivors and official records. NP. 1906
• Russell P. Twist Correspondence. Russell Peter Twist. Personal correspondence from Twist's Civil War service as an officer in the 16th Ohio Independent Battery. 2 ft. Watson Library. University of Kansas Libraries. Lawrence. Kansas
• Unit Bibliography. U.S. Army Military History Institute. Carlisle Barracks. PA. 1995
• 16th Battery Ohio Artillery Monument. Vicksburg National Military Park. 3201 Clay Street. Vicksburg. MS. 39180. 1998
• 14 Months in the Union Artillery The Diary of Private Wallace Byrd 16th Ohio Battery September, 1861 to October, 1862. Wallace Byrd. 16th Ohio Battery. Edited and Published by Larry Marple. 46 pgs. Springfield. Ohio. 1998

History

Organized in September, 1861, under Captain James A. Mitchell, it was assigned to General Fremont, in Missouri. The Battery remained on garrison duty until March, 1862, when it moved with General Steele towards Arkansas, joining General Curtis' army at Batesville, and after very severe marching arrived at Helena July, 15th. The Battery remained near Helena until the spring of 1863, when it joined General Grant's grand move on Vicksburg, and participated in the battles of Port Gibson, Champion Hills and the siege of Vicksburg. After the surrender it marched to Jackson. In August it shipped for New Orleans and in January, 1864, moved to Texas where it suffered severely for the want of rations. Returning to New Orleans in June it spent the remainder of its term of service very pleasantly, and was finally mustered out August 2, 1865.

From Dyer's Compendium

16th Independent Battery Light Artillery. Organized at Springfield, Ohio, August 20, 1861; the 3rd Battery organized in Ohio. Ordered to St. Louis, Mo., September 5. Mustered in September 6, 1861. Moved from St. Louis to Jefferson City, Mo., October 13, and duty there till February 14, 1862. Moved to St. Louis, Mo., thence to Pilot Knob, Mo., March 6. Attached to 1st Division, District of Southeast Missouri, Dept. of Missouri, to May, 1862. Artillery, 1st Division, Army of Southwest Missouri, to July, 1862. District of Eastern Arkansas, Dept. of Missouri, to January, 1863. Artillery, 12th Division, 13th Army Corps, Army of the Tennessee, to July, 1863. Artillery, 3rd Division, 13th Army Corps, Dept. of the Tennessee, to August, 1863, and Dept. of the Gulf to January, 1864. Artillery, 1st Division, 13th Army Corps, Dept. of the Gulf, to June, 1864. Defences of New Orleans, La., Dept. of the Gulf, to August, 1864. Artillery Reserve, Dept. of the Gulf, to August, 1865.
SERVICE.--March to Doniphan March 21-31, 1862. Action at Pitman's Ferry April 1. Moved to Pocahontas, Ark., April 5-11; thence to Jacksonport May 3. To Batesville May 14, thence march to Augusta, Ark., June 20-July 4. March to Clarendon, thence to Helena, Ark., July 5-14. Duty at Helena and at Old Town Landing till April, 1863. Ordered to Milliken's Bend, La., April 8. Movement on Bruinsburg and turning Grand Gulf April 25-30. Battle of Port Gibson May 1. Fourteen-Mile Creek May 12-13. Battle of Champion's Hill May 16. Siege of Vicksburg, Miss., May 18-July 4. Assaults on Vicksburg May 19 and 22. Advance on Jackson, Miss., July 5-10. Siege of Jackson July 10-17. Ordered to New Orleans, La., August 21, and duty there till September 20. Moved to Berwick Bay and duty there till December 27. Ordered to New Orleans, thence to Texas January 1, 1864. Duty at Matagardo Peninsula, Indianola, Powder Horn and Matagorda Island till June, 1864. Ordered to New Orleans, La., and garrison duty there till July 13, 1865. Ordered home July 13, and mustered out at Camp Chase, Ohio, August 2, 1865. Battery lost during service 1 Officer and 1 Enlisted man killed and 45 Enlisted men by disease. Total 47.

More about the Civil War in Ohio.

Copyright © 1995 Larry Stevens

Last updated September 11 1999