6th Corps Artillery Continued - Massachusetts and New York

1st MA Light Battery A

The last three Artillery Batteries belonging to the 6th Corps at Gettysburg are the Massachusetts 1st Light Battery A, the New York 1st Battery, and the New York 3rd Battery.

The Massachusetts 1st Light Battery A arrived on the Gettysburg Battlefield about sunset 2 July, with 145 men and six 12 pound Napoleons.  They were commanded by Captain William H McCartney.  McCartney was a 28 year old Boston, MA lawyer.  He mustered into service as a First Lieutenant 3 October 1861.

They were held in reserve behind Little Round Top until about 2pm on 3 July, when under heavy Confederate artillery fire, they moved to the relief of the 1st New Hampshire Battery located on Cemetery Hill.  The men of this Battery fired only 4 rounds and sustained no casualties.

Their monument in located in the Soldiers National Cemetery, and was dedicated 8 October 1885.  William McCartney traveled quite a bit after the war, before marrying Katherine Searle in 1872 and opening a law practice in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.  He died while on a fishing trip 11 May 1894.

Capt Andrew Cowan

The New York 1st Battery, also known as Cowan's Battery arrived on the field with the rest of the Corps and were initially held in reserve.   They came with six 3 inch Ordnance Rifles and 113 men.

Captain Andrew Cowen commanded this unit.  He was born 29 September 1841 in Ayrshire, Scotland, migrating to the United State with his family as a child.  When the Civil War began Cowan was living in Upstate New York.

Cowen's Battery

The Battery was moved into position just south of the Copse of Trees to relieve the 1st Rhode Island Battery B, just Pickett's Charge got underway.  As the Confederate troops broke through the Union line and advanced to within 10 yards; Captain Cowen ordered his gunners to fire double canister into them.  Brigadier General and Chief of Artillery Henry Hunt who was near this unit had his horse shot out from under him during this action.  They had 14 horse killed, 4 men killed and 8 wounded.

A monument to Cowan's Batter was dedicated in 1887 in the area of their action.  Andrew Cowen died 23 August 1913 in Louisville, Kentucky.

The final battery of the 6th Corps to be covered is the New York 3rd Independent Battery.  This Battery became a part of the 6th Corps when it was formed in May 1862.

The forced march of 36 miles brought Captain William Harn, 119 men and six 10 pound Parrott guns to the field.  Harn had been with the unit since late in 1862, but had been it's Captain only since 13 April 1863.  The 3rd New York was not engaged, but held in reserve near where it's monument is located on the Taneytown Road, just south of the National Cemetery.

After the war, William Harn became the keeper of the St Augustine Lighthouse in Florida.  He died 31 May 1889.

This concludes the 6th Corps Artillery at Gettysburg.

6th Corps Artillery Continued - The Regular Army Guns

2nd US Battery D at Fredericksburg

 There were 3 United States Regular Army Batteries in the 6th Corps of the Army of the Potomac at Gettysburg.  They were the 2nd US Battery D, the 2nd US Battery G, and the 5th US Battery F.

The 2nd United States Battery D didn't arrive at Gettysburg until 3 July 1863.  They brought four 12 pound Napolanes to the field.

This unit was under the command of Lieutenant Edward B Williston.  Williston was born 15 July 1837 in Norwich, Vermont.  He attended Norwich University from 1851 through 55, but did not graduate [he was given a degree from the University in 1865].  He was working on his brother's ranch in San Diego, California at the outbreak of the war.

Lieut Williston

Battery D remained south of the Battlefield on the Taneytown Road [where they have a monument].  The unit was held in reserve and weren't engaged.

2nd US Battery G

The 2nd United States Battery G arrived late on 2 July 1863 and were placed in reserve.  Under the command of Lieutenant John H Butler; Battery G had 113 men to handle the six Napoleons they brought to the field.

Following the repulse of Pickett's Charge this unit was moved to Ziggler's Grove.  This is where their monument is located.

The 5th United States Battery F also arrived in Gettysburg on 3 July 1863 and was initially held in reserve.  They were armed with six 10 pound Parrots and were commanded by Lieutenant Leonard Martin.  Martin was a West Point graduate of the class of 1861.

Lieut Martin

During the bombardment that preceded Pickett's Charge the unit was ordered to limber up and report to the front.  At about 4pm they were ordered to occupy a position in Ziggler's Grove to the south of the 2nd US Battery G.  They were not engaged.

Battery F's monument has moved around over the years.  In the 1960's the Park Service had the monument moved to make room for the erection of the old Cyclorama Building in Ziggler's Grove.  The Cyclorama Building was demolished in 2013 in an attempt to restore the look of the Battlefield.  On 24 September 2014 the monument to the 5th US Battery F was returned to it original location on the field.

We will continue with the 6th Corps Artillery tomorrow...

6th Corps Artillery At Gettysburg

For the next couple of days I'm going to cover the 6th Corps Artillery Brigade during the Battle of Gettysburg.

Just like the rest of the 6th Corps, the Artillery Brigade made the forced march of over 30 miles in 17 hours, on the night of  1 July and into the day of 2 July 1863.  They came onto the field under the command of Colonel Charles H Tompkins, with 937 men and 48 cannon.  They were placed upon arrival in reserve under the orders of Chief of Artillery for the Army of the Potomac; Brigadier General Henry Hunt.

The units making up the Union 6th Corps Artillery where the Massachusetts 1st Light Battery A, the 1st New York Independent Battery, the 3rd New York Independent Battery, the Rhode Island 1st Batteries C and G, the 2nd United States Batteries D and G, and the 5th United States Battery F.  The commander of this Brigade was Colonel Charles H Tompkins.

Colonel Thompkins

Tompkins was born 5 May 1834 in New Windsor, NY.  He attended West Point and would have been with the graduating class of 1851, but like so many men who start at West Point, he did not make to graduation.  He did however serve in the United States First Dragoons.  At the beginning of the Civil War he was a commissioned officer with the 1st Rhode Island Light Artillery.  Following the Battle of Fredericksburg, Tompkins was promoted to Colonel.  He would spend the rest of the war as the Chief of Artillery for the 6th Corps of the Union Army.  Ending the war with a brevet of Brigadier General of Volunteers, which he received on 13 March 1865.

There were two Rhode Island Batteries serving with the 6th Corps; the 1st Rhode Island Batteries C and G.  Both of these units were held in reserve during the battle.

The 1st Rhode Island Battery C came on the field at Gettysburg under the command of Captain Richard Waterman.  Waterman was born in Providence, RI, 29 January 1839 the son of William and Martha Waterman.  He graduated in 1858 from Brown University.

This Battery had moved around within the Army of the Potomac, and hadn't become permanent members of the 6th Corps until 15 June 1863.  They reported to the field with six 3 inch Ordnance Rifles.  The men were kept in readiness, but weren't called in for relief until the threat had passed.  They didn't have any casualties during the Battle of Gettysburg.

Captains Waterman and Adams

back of photo

1st Rhode Island Battery G was commanded by Captain George W Adams.  They had also only joined the 6th Corps in June 1863.  They reported to the field with six 10 Pound Parrotts.  The men were held in reserve throughout the Battle.

[This will be continued tomorrow....]