What Light Artillery Battery had the highest casualty rate in a single engagement during the Civil War?

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The “Ragged Old First” (1st Texas Infantry) nickname was now painfully fitting. Of the 226 that had gone into battle, 45 had been killed, 141 wounded. That's an 82 percent casualty rate, and would stand as the worst toll for any regiment, Confederate or Union, during a Civil War battle.

What Light Artillery Battery had the highest casualty rate in a single engagement during the Civil War? Please name the battery and engagement.
 
Your post leads to an important point. Cushing was kllled and Watson was severely wounded. Commanding a battery was dangerous to an extent not reflected by the battery's overall casualty rate. Names like Kirby, Woodruff, Dimick, Wilkeson, Hazlett, and Rorty - young officers all - died at their guns. At Gettysburg a number of other Union battery commanders were wounded.

Here's a quick list of battery commanders who were killed or wounded at Gettysburg:

Capt. G.T. Stevens (w)
Capt. Gilbert H. Reynolds (w)
Lt. James Stewart (w)
Lt. James Davison (w)
Capt. James M. Rorty (k)
Lt. Albert Sheldon (w)
Lt. T. Frederick Brown (w)
Lt. George A. Woodruff (mw)
Lt. Alonzo H. Cushing (k)
Lt. John K. Bucklyn (w)
Lt. Francis W. Seeley (w)
Lt. Charles Hazlett (k)
Lt. Malbone Watson (w)
Lt. Bayard Wilkeson (mw)
Lt. Chandler P. Eakin (w)
Lt. Gulian V. Weir (w)
Capt. John Bigelow (w)
Capt. Patrick Hart (w)
Capt. James Thompson (w)

Capt. John C. Fraser (mw)
Capt. Edward S. McCarthy (w)
Capt. Henry H. Carlton (w)
Capt. Pichegru Woolfolk, Jr. (w)
Capt. Joseph Norcom (w)
Capt. William D. Brown (mw)
Capt. Richard C.M. Page (w)
Capt. John T. Wingfield (w)

Ryan
 
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I can't recall specific battles, but I'm sure I've read a number of instances of batteries suffering horsw casualties in battle to the point where most of the battery could no longer be moved.
As I recall, Bigelow's 9th Massachusetts Battery at Gettysburg lost 82 horses killed.
 
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Parson’s Battery was overrun at Perryville. Several batteries were overrun during the first day of Stones River. At Missionary Ridge, CSA batteries that were not overrun pushed their guns off the back side of the ridge to avoid capture.

A battery only had about 100 men, so answering the question of which had the most casualties in one action is not a particularly fruitful question. What it has brought to my mind is which battery suffered the most casualties during the war?
 
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As I recall, Bigelow's 9th Massachusetts Battery at Gettysburg lost 82 horses killed.
A good point. I think that pretty much happened during their second "stand". From its earlier stand, and lacking time to limber, the battery actually had to retire their guns by a combination of recoil and prolonge - not often actually resorted to much during the war. I guess it beats the routine use of drag ropes during the AWI.
 
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A good point. I think that pretty much happened during their second "stand". From its earlier stand, and lacking time to limber, the battery actually had to retire their guns by a combination of recoil and prolonge - not often actually resorted to much during the war. I guess it beats the routine use of drag ropes during the AWI.
I would have really liked to see how the fire by prolonge actually worked. It must have been quite a vigorous drill.
 
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I would like to remind everyone that the terrain of Shiloh was very different from that of Gettysburg. Small fields of 10 to 20 acres with tall trees and some scrub/thickets along with creeks, ravines and steep banks limited the scope and range of artillery along the banks of the Tennessee River.
Regards
David
 
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Third Co., Richmond Howitzers, of which my great grandpa, John Winn, was a member and present. He survived the war. I stood at the exact spot where the battery was located. It was really peaceful and we were the only two people present. I'm not a spiritual person but I admit to having some strong emotions and "vibes."
At which battlefield?
 
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I would have really liked to see how the fire by prolonge actually worked. It must have been quite a vigorous drill.
The 1861 Instructions addresses this - and retire by prolonge - in "School of the Section" (IIRC). The prolonge also was used for other tasks, such as the process for changing a wheel. I'm guessing that the crews preferred the loading and firing drill.
 
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The 1861 Instructions addresses this - and retire by prolonge - in "School of the Section" (IIRC). The prolonge also was used for other tasks, such as the process for changing a wheel. I'm guessing that the crews preferred the loading and firing drill.
At STRI we have done regular artificers programs. We dismounted the wheels & greased axils. Tipping the gun on its muzzle to dismount the barrel & leave it standing with a tripod is especially cool. As you well know, there is nothing like laying on hands to really understand something.

In Bristol, England we hoisted a 12 pound cannon aboard using a bull whip from the main yard of the HMS Rose from a Zodiac. It was fired to open a festival in the harbor. Read all you want, actually doing it is a very different thing.
 
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At STRI we have done regular artificers programs. We dismounted the wheels & greased axils. Tipping the gun on its muzzle to dismount the barrel & leave it standing with a tripod is especially cool. As you well know, there is nothing like laying on hands to really understand something.

In Bristol, England we hoisted a 12 pound cannon aboard using a bull whip from the main yard of the HMS Rose from a Zodiac. It was fired to open a festival in the harbor. Read all you want, actually doing it is a very different thing.
Agree. I'd also wager that during the ACW Federal batteries, at least, didn't spend a whole lot of time at drill using the prolonge. Not like the AWI, where Royal Artillery practice required at least two crew members be assigned to the drag ropes as part of the loading and firing drill. That had to be a "Royal" p-in-the-a, working those every time the gun recoiled or the guns were advanced or retreated (and keeping in mind the weight of those heavy bracket-style trails and the side boxes). I actually had the experience of trying to maneuver a replica 12 lb gun using that. There definitely was a better way of making a living.
 
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Agree. I'd also wager that during the ACW Federal batteries, at least, didn't spend a whole lot of time at drill using the prolonge. Not like the AWI, where Royal Artillery practice required at least two crew members be assigned to the drag ropes as part of the loading and firing drill. That had to be a "Royal" p-in-the-a, working those every time the gun recoiled or the guns were advanced or retreated (and keeping in mind the weight of those heavy bracket-style trails and the side boxes). I actually had the experience of trying to maneuver a replica 12 lb gun using that. There definitely was a better way of making a living.
Better thee than me.
 
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Better thee than me.
One interesting aspect of the work the matrosses (crew members other than gunners) had to do in the Royal Artillery during the 18th century - including the AWI - is that the drivers assigned to the RA were civilians who worked for a different entity under the Board of Ordnance (the RA and the Royal Engineers were both also organized under the Board - not under the Army - but were military rather than civilian organizations). These guys had a disconcerting tendency to bolt - with the horses - whenever the lead started flying. Although they were subject to orders by the gun commanders, that didn't seem to stop them. So there may have been situations where the crew assigned to the drag ropes had even more work then expected. One solution to this (and the chronic shortage of horses) in the AWI was to maximize the use of the light 3 pounders called "butterflies" and "grasshoppers" (based on their carriages). Those could be hauled by one horse or even by four crew members shouldering the gun using the so-called "Irish Method".
 
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Battery B, 4th U. S. at Antietam lost 9 killed, 31 wounded. Plenty of infantrymen filled in (as mentioned in a previous post) so I am not sure if they are included in his count.
You've identified an issue I also raised, because Union batteries at least occasionally had to dragoon recruits from neighboring regiments. I haven't seen anything stating which unit got "credit". I suspect the regiment did, but don't know.
 
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You've identified an issue I also raised, because Union batteries at least occasionally had to dragoon recruits from neighboring regiments. I haven't seen anything stating which unit got "credit". I suspect the regiment did, but don't know.

The regiment definitely would have those casualties who were serving the guns in an ad hoc manner. Those were on semi-permanent loan were, in my experience, listed under the battery's roster.

Ryan
 
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