Confederate Units-Artillery
Capt. Stephen Adam's Battery Virginia Light Artillery (Raleigh)
a.k.a. Gauley Artillery
This company enlisted on June 22, 1861, and was captured
at Fort Donelson, TN, Feb. 16, 1862. After its exchange the
company was reorganized Aug. 24, 1862, and was assigned
Sept. 1, 1863 as Co. A, 30th Battalion Virginia Infantry.
Bryan's Battery (Monroe Artillery) (Monroe & Greenbrier)
Lewisburg, Monroe County, organized March 27, 1862, and
served in the 4th Brigade, Dept. of Western Virginia and in
McLaughlin's Battalion of Artillery.
Chapman's Battery Virginia Light Artillery (Monroe & Greenbrier)
a.k.a. Monroe "Dixie" Artillery Battery. Organized April 25, 1862 for
the war; records show Capt. Chapman died Sept. 28, 1864, and
some delay occurred in the appointment of his successor, which was
finally settled by the appointment of William A. Deas as captain,
March 21, 1865, who evidently never received notification of his
appointment prior to his surrender as 1st Lt. of Fry's Battery, April 9,
1865, evidently never having served as commander of this company.
This company served in McLaughlin's Battalion, which was also
commanded by J. Floyd King during 1865. Armed with two 3-inch
Rifles, one 12-lb Howitzer and one 24-lb Howitzer on Aug. 26-27, 1863.
Ordered to turn over its equipment to other batteries and report
to Richmond on March 17,, 1865, where it was presumably included
in Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865.
Chew's Battery Virginia Horse Artillery (Jefferson & Berkeley)
a.k.a. Capt. James W. Thomson's & Capt. John W. Carter's Co.
Served in 7th Regiment Virginia Cavalry; Pelham's, Beckham's,
Breatherd's, and Chew's Battalions of the Stuart Horse Artillery;
and in Thomson's Battery of Rosser's Cavalry Division. This was
formerly Capt. R. Preston Chew's Co. Va. Horse Artillery, and
Capt. John W. Thomson's Co. Va. Horse Artillery; originally
R.P. Chew's Co., 7th Regiment Virginia Cavalry; company
organized April 23, 1862. Captains: R. Preston Chew (promoted
to Major, March 14, 1864), James W. Thomson (to Major, March 1,
1865), and John W. Carter.
Capt. Napoleon B. French's Battery Virginia Light Artillery (Mercer)
Partly captured at Fort Donelson in 1862, reorganized as Co. B,
30th Battalion Virginia Sharpshooters, with some men joining
the 33rd (French's) Battalion Virginia Cavalry
Capt. Thomas E. Jackson's Co. Virginia Horse Artillery (Kanawha, Wayne,
Mason)
Organized May 2, 1863; composed of some former members of Capt.
Thomas E. Jackson's, formerly Capt. P. Hale's Co., Virginia Light
Artillery. (1st organization), 1861-1862, broken up by its capture at
Fort Donelson, TN, Feb. 16, 1862; recruits enlisted principally from
the Virginia State Line, and transfers from other organizations,
principally from the 8th Regiment Virginia Cavalry
Served in Jenkin's Cavalry Brigade, Lomax's Battalion Horse
Artillery, and P.P. Johnston's Battery Horse Artillery in 1865.
Kanawha Artillery (Kanawha, Mason & Wayne)
a.k.a. Capt. John Peter Hale's Co. and Capt. Thomas E. Jackson's Co.
(1st Organization) of Virginia Light Artillery.
Served in 1st Kanawha Regiment and as an independent Battery.
This was the 1st Organization of the Jackson's Battery (see above)
Capt. William M. Lowry's Co. Virginia Light Artillery (Monroe & Summers)
Centreville Rifles, Prince William County; formerly Co. C, Wise Legion
Artillery Virginia Volunteers; company enlisted June 8, 1861, and was
mustered July 2, 1861; reorganized May 15, 1862 as an independent
company; reported to have served in McLaughlin's Battalion Reserve
Artillery, which composed of independent batteries.
Capt. Warren S. Lurty's Co. Virginia Horse Artillery (Harrison, Webster,
Ritchie, Upshur, Lewis, Caloun, Marion, Greenbrier & Gilmer)
Organization completed Oct. 8, 1863. It was composed of transfers
from other companies; reported to have served in the Lomax Horse
Artillery Battalion, and afterwards in Maj. James W. Thompson's
Battalion Horse Artillery, both field organizations composed of
independent batteries. A report from Prisoner of War records show
Capt. Lurty was captured Nov. 12, 1864 and released June 17, 1865.
Served as an independent Battery and in W.L. Jackson's Brigade
McLanahan's Battery (Augusta, VA, and Randolph)
Served in the 1st Regiment Virginia Partisan Rangers. Part of the Staunton
Staunton Artillery Battery and Brig-Gen. John D. Imboden's Northwestern
Brigade. This article appeared in the Staunton Vindicator, Jan. 8, 1864.
"Lieut. Carter Berkely, of Captain McClanahan's Battery, Gen. Imboden's
command, is now in town recruiting for his company. This battery offers great
inducements to those who expect to enter the service, being a mounted battery,
(permission having been given to mount themselves) under excellent and accom-
plished officers and likely to operate near the homes of those living in the Valley.
Give Lieut. Berkely a call before going elsewhere."
Capt. Nathan Penick's Co. Virginia Light Artillery (Greenbrier partly)
Formerly Capt. John W. Lewis' Co. Virginia Light Artillery, this company
was mustered into service on April 3, 1862, for three years as a company
of Fitzgerald's 1st Regiment C.S. Light Artillery, which was never organized
or recognized by the A&IGO. Capt. John W. Lewis and 14 others have been
identified as former members of Capt. John W. Lewis' Co. H, which became
Co. E, 59th Regiment Virginia Infantry. This company subsequently served
as Co. A in both Garnett's and Richardson's Batteries Virginia Reserve
Artillery. Captains: John W. Lewis (resigned July 29, 1862, Nathan Penick.
Capt. Osmond B. Taylor's Co. Virginia Light Artillery (Berkeley partly)
This company was formerly Capt. John L. Eubank's Co. Virginia Light
Artillery; formerly Co. C, 12th Battalion Virginia Light Artillery; appears to
have been detached from the battalion prior to the Battle of Sharpsburg;
served in Lee's, Alexander's, and Huger's Batteries of Reserve Artillery;
mustered as Co. E of the last two organizations. Capt. James S. Brown's Co.
Virginia Light Artillery, Wise Artillery, was disbanded and the men and horses
assigned to Col. S.D. Lee's Battalion, and to this company per S.O. No. 209,
Hdqrs., Army of Northern Virginia, dated Oct. 4, 1862. Captains: John L.
Eubank (resigned March 28, 1863), Osmond B. Taylor
Western Artillery (Monroe)
(originally Capt. Louis A. Vawter's Co. Virginia Artillery)
Assigned as Co. C, 30th Battalion Virginia Sharpshooters, with many
men transferred to Co. D of same battalion.
Wise Artillery (Berkeley)
Co. B, 1st Regiment Virginia Light Artillery
Served as Capt. James S. Brown's Co. Virginia Light Artillery (see
above listing for this company), an independent Battery, then broken up and
the men assigned to Col. S.D. Lee's Battery of Artillery and Capt. Osmond B.
Taylor's Co. of Virginia Light Artillery
REFERENCES: Wallace, Lee A., Jr., "A Guide to Virginia Military Organizations,
1861-1865", Virginia Civil War Commission, 1964.
Linger, James Carter, "Confederate Military Units of West Virginia"
Privately Published, 2002 ed.
Sifakis, Stewart, "Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Virginia"
Facts on File, 1992.