23rd Indiana Independent Battery Light Artillery

Organized at Indianapolis, Ind., and mustered in November 8, 1862. On duty at Indianapolis, Ind., guarding Confederate prisoners till July, 1863. Ordered to Louisville, Ky., July 4. Attached to District of Louisville, Ky., Dept. of the Ohio, to September, 1863. Artillery, Willcox's Left Wing forces, 23rd Army Corps, Dept. of the Ohio, to January, 1864. District of the Clinch, Dept. of the Ohio, to April, 1864. Artillery, 1st Division, 23rd Army Corps, Dept. of the Ohio, to August, 1864. Artillery, 3rd Division, 23rd Army Corps, Army of the Ohio, to February, 1865, and Dept. of North Carolina to June, 1865.

SERVICE. — Operations against Morgan in Kentucky July, 1863. Duty at Indianapolis, Ind., till September. Left State for Camp Nelson, Ky., September 16. March to Cumberland Gap September 24-October 3, thence to Morristown October 6-8. March to Greenville and duty there till November 6. Moved to Bull's Gap and duty there till December. March across Clinch Mountain to Clinch River December. Duty in District of the Clinch till April, 1864. Atlanta (Ga.) Campaign May 1-September 8. Demonstrations on Rocky Faced Ridge and Dalton, Ga., May 8-13. Battle of Resaca May 14-15. Operations on line of Pumpkin Vine Creek and battles about Dallas, New Hope Church and Allatoona Hills May 25-June 5. Operations about Marietta and against Kenesaw Mountain June 10-July 2. Lost Mountain June 15-17. Muddy Creek June 17. Assault on Kenesaw June 27. Nickajack Creek July 2-5. Chattahoochie River July 5-17. Siege of Atlanta July 22-August 25. Utoy Creek August 5-7. Flank movement on Jonesboro August 25-30. Lovejoy Station September 2-6. Pursuit of Hood into Alabama October 1-26. Nashville Campaign November-December. Columbia, Duck River, November 24-27. Columbia Ford November 28-29. Battle of Franklin November 30. Battle of Nashville December 15-16. Pursuit of Hood to the Tennessee River December 17-28. At Clifton, Tenn., till January 16, 1865. Movement to Washington, D.C., thence to Fort Fisher, N. C., January 16-February 9. Operations against Hoke February 11-14. Fort Anderson February 18-19. Capture of Wilmington February 22. Campaign of the Carolinas March 1-April 26. Advance on Goldsboro March 6-21. Occupation of Goldsboro March 21. Advance on Raleigh April 10-14. Occupation of Raleigh April 14. Bennett's House April 26. Surrender of Johnston and his army. Duty at Greensboro till June. Mustered out July 2, 1865.

Battery lost during service 2 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 17 Enlisted men by disease. Total 19.

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion, Part 3, p. 1118

Official Reports of the Campaign in North Alabama and Middle Tennessee, November 14, 1864 — January 23, 1865: No. 142. Report of Capt. Giles J. Cockerill, Battery D, First Ohio Light Artillery, of operations November 22-December 1, 1864.

No. 142.

Report of Capt. Giles J. Cockerill, Battery D, First Ohio Light Artillery,

of operations November 22-December 1, 1864.

HDQRS. BATTERY D,.FIRST OHIO LIGHT ARTILLERY,      

Near Columbia, Tenn., December 30, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of operations of the batteries of Third Division, Twenty-third Army Corps, from the 22d day of November, 1864, on which day they moved from Pulaski, Tenn., to the 1st day of December, 1864, at which time they arrived at Nashville, Tenn.:

Late in the day, November 21, 1864, I received orders to have the batteries of the division in readiness to move early the following day, 22d instant. In compliance, I notified the commanding officers of the batteries — Fifteenth and Twenty-third Indiana and Battery D, First Ohio Light Artillery — of the division of the import of the order. Agreeably to your order, the batteries marched on the 22d instant, taking the road leading to Lynnville, Tenn.; reached Lynnville about 1 p.m.; went into camp short distance out from the town. Remained here until 2 p.m. of the day following, when I received orders to prepare to move at once. This order was immediately transmitted to Captain Harvey and Lieutenant Wilber, commanding, respectively, the Fifteenth and Twenty-third Indiana Batteries, and shortly thereafter the batteries were in line of march in direction of Columbia, Tenn., marching until 7 p.m., and when distant about six miles from Columbia, where they halted for the night. 3 a.m. the day following, 23d instant, I received orders to have the batteries in readiness to move immediately. This order I at once transmitted to the battery commanders of the division, and soon thereafter they were on the road marching in direction of Columbia, Tenn. When near Columbia I left the Lynnville and Columbia pike and crossed to the Mount Pleasant pike, which I reached about 8 a.m., and just as the advance of the enemy's cavalry was nearing town (Columbia), driving before them our own cavalry. I at once placed one section of Battery D, under Lieutenant Vincent, on the left of and near the pike, near the residence of Mrs. Wilson, and 600 or 700 yards in advance of the main line, and in rear of this section, on the main line, I stationed the Twenty-third Indiana Battery. Just to the right of the pike, and on the same line with the Twenty-third Indiana Battery, I stationed the other section of Battery D, First Ohio Volunteer Artillery, under Lieutenant Reed, and still farther to the right I placed the Fifteenth Indiana Battery, on the main line. These positions they maintained until the night of the 25th instant, when, in obedience to orders, I withdrew them to the opposite side of the river (Duck) and placed them in park. While in position on south side of the river there were expended on the 25th instant a total of 198 rounds shell — 84 by Fifteenth Indiana Battery and 114 rounds by Battery D, First Ohio Volunteer Light Artillery. During the 26th and 27th of November the batteries remained in park. On the morning of the 28th instant the batteries were again placed in positions which were, in my opinion, well calculated to dispute the crossing of the river by the enemy — the Twenty-third and one section of the Fifteenth Indiana Batteries in such positions as to command the ferry or ford; the other section of Fifteenth Indiana Battery farther to the right and near the residence of Mrs. Brown; Battery D, First Ohio Volunteer Light Artillery, to their left, on the line with Colonel Casement's brigade, commanding other crossing of the river. During the engagements of the 29th instant one section of Battery D, First Ohio Volunteer Light Artillery, under Lieutenant Reed, was moved to different parts of the line and used with good effect at different times, silencing the guns on the enemy's extreme left. In these positions there were expended on the 28th and 29th instant a total of 834 rounds shell, 40 rounds canister, and 5 rounds case-shot — by Fifteenth Indiana Battery, 333 rounds shell and 40 rounds canister; by Twenty-third Indiana Battery, 297 rounds shell; and by Battery D, First Ohio Volunteer Light Artillery, 204 rounds shell and 5 rounds case-shot. In obedience to orders the batteries were withdrawn early in the night of 29th instant, and immediately took up line of march on Columbia and Franklin pike, reaching Franklin 7 a.m. 30th instant. Crossed the river Big Harpeth, and one battery (Battery D, First Ohio Volunteer Light Artillery) was placed in Fort Granger, from which position it expended 160 rounds shell and 3 rounds case-shot. The Fifteenth and Twenty-third Indiana Batteries were placed in park after crossing the river, where they remained during the day. About 2 a.m. December 1 moved out, in obedience to orders, in direction of Nashville, where I arrived 12 m. December 1, 1864.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. J. COCKERILL,  

Capt. and Chief of Arty., Third Div., Twenty-third Army Corps.

 Capt. THEO. Cox,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Third Div., 23d Army Corps.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 45, Part 1 (Serial No. 93), p. 431-2

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Luman Harris Tenney: November 17, 1863

Sent Lewis to Russelville to see about rations. June came with load of flour weighing 4,000. 2nd. N. Carolina and 23rd Ind. Batt. in our Brigade drew rations. Saw post Commissary. No rations. Things begin to look a little dubious. Considerable running about for one day. Rode from Gap to camp with Lt. Pearson.

SOURCE: Frances Andrews Tenney, War Diary Of Luman Harris Tenney, p. 97