Fourteenth Battery Massachusetts Volunteer Light Artillery
Three Years

Acton men who served in the 14th Battery Massachusetts Volunteer Light Artillery:

Albert Rouillard

George Rouillard (P.O.W.)

Regimental history from Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines in the Civil War, compiled and published by the Adjutant General:

The 14th Batty. Mass. Vol. Lt. Arty. was organized under Special Order No. 48, A. G. O. Mass., dated January 14, 1864. In this order Joseph W. B. Wright of Boston, who had served in the 1st Batty. Lt. Arty. M. V. M. (3 months), the 1st Batty. Mass. Vol. Lt. Arty. (3 years), and Co. "L" 2d Regt. Mass. Vol. Hy. Arty., was designated as captain, and the battery was ordered into camp at Readville.

Captain Philip Tyler had been transferred from the 13th Battery in December, 1863, but his efforts to recruit the 14th Battery failed, and his commission was cancelled, hence his personal record does not appear in the roster of the officers of either organization.

Most of the officers of the 14th Battery were commissioned on the 25th of February and the enlisted men were mustered in two days later. Ordered to Annapolis, Md., April 4, it proceeded thither and from there to Washington, D. C., where it was quar­tered at Camp Marshall. Here on April 22 and 24 it received its guns and horses, and on the 26th crossed the Long Bridge and joined the 9th Corps, being assigned to Steven­son's (2d) Division. The Rappahannock River was reached April 30 and was crossed May 4 when the 9th Corps started for the Wilderness. The Rapidan was crossed by the battery May 5, and it remained in reserve during the battle of the Wilderness, it being impossible to use much artillery owing to the wooded character of the country.

At Spottsylvania, May 10, it was in action near the Ny River, and on the 12th it crossed the Ny and was heavily engaged in repulsing an attack of the enemy. Here the battery lost five men wounded. Genl. Thomas G. Stevenson commanding the 2d Division was killed on the 10th.

The battery next moved to the North Anna River arriving May 23. On this day it lost two men captured, both of whom died in Andersonville prison. From the 24th to the 26th inclusive the battery was in action without loss. Proceeding via the Pamun­key River toward Cold Harbor, it was engaged near the Totopotomoy, June 1, and at Bethesda Church, June 2 and 3. It was under fire on the Cold Harbor front from the 6th to the 12th when it started for the James River. Crossing on June 14, it moved to the Petersburg front where it went into action on the 17th. From the 21st to the 24th it was again engaged losing two men killed and one mortally wounded. Early in July it was in a movement to the Weldon Railroad, returning on the 9th. It was now in various positions until July 30 when it was stationed in front of the Crater fort, being designated to follow up the column of assault, if the attack should prove successful.

On August 21 it was sharply engaged losing two men killed and two mortally wounded. Detached from the 9th Corps September 1, it was transferred to the Reserve Artillery of the Army of the Potomac and was stationed at several places in the rear near the City Point road and Prince George Court House. On October 1 it was assigned to the 2d Corps and returned to the front. On the 25th it was transferred to Fort Merriam in the defenses of City Point where it remained until midwinter.

On January 15 the battery was assigned to the 6th Corps and went into camp near the Weldon Railroad. From February 9 to March 15 it was posted at Fort Welch on the Union left. It was now returned to the 9th Corps, one section being posted in Battery X near Fort Stedman and the other in Battery XIV near Fort Haskell. When Fort Sted­man was captured in the early morning of March 25 the section in Battery X fell into the enemy's hands after a determined resistance in which Lieutenant Nye was killed, four men wounded, and 11 taken prisoners. But by the mid forenoon the guns were retaken and Fort Stedman was recaptured with many prisoners.

On March 29 and again on April 1 and 2 the battery was heavily engaged in the bombardment of Petersburg and in supporting the assault of April 2. After the evacua­tion of the city April 3, it withdrew from the front and joined the Reserve Artillery at City Point. Here it remained a month, then marched to Fairfax Seminary near Washing­ton where it remained until the 4th of June. Returning to Massachusetts, it reached Readville, June 6, and here June 15,1865, the men were mustered out of the United States service.

 

Regimental history from A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion, by Frederick Dyer:

Organized at Readville and mustered in February 27, 1864. Left State for Annapolis, Md., April 4, 1864; thence ordered to Camp Marshall, Washington, D.C. Ordered to Join 9th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, in the field, and moved to Rappahannock Station, Va., April 26-30. Attached to Artillery, 1st Division, 9th Army Corps, to July, 1864. Artillery Brigade, 9th Army Corps, to August, 1864. Artillery Reserve, Army of the Potomac, to June, 1865. Duty with 2nd Army Corps October, 1864; with Artillery Brigade, 6th Army Corps, January to March, 1865; with Artillery Brigade, 9th Army Corps, to June, 1865.

SERVICE.--Rapidan Campaign May-June, 1864. Battles of the Wilderness, Va., May 5-7. Spottsylvania May 8-12. Spottsylvania C. H. May 12-21. Assault on the Salient, Spottsylvania C. H., May 12. North Anna River May 23-26. Line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Bethesda Church June 1-3. Before Petersburg June 16-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Actions on the Petersburg line June 21, 22, 23, 24, July 10, 11. 12, 13. 14. 15, 16 and 17. Mine Explosion July 30. Weldon Railroad August 18-21. Action on Petersburg line October 11. Duty at Fort Merriam, Defenses of City Point, Va., October 25, 1864, to January 15, 1865. Ordered to Petersburg front January 15. Assault on and capture of Petersburg April 2. At City Point April 4 to May 3. March to Fairfax C. H. May 3-13, and duty there until June 4. Moved to Readville, Mass., June 4-6. Mustered out June 16, 1865.

Battery lost during service 1 Officer and 9 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 9 Enlisted men by disease. Total 19.