1st Pennsylvania Light Artillery, D Battery Unit History

CURRENT UNIT HISTORY:

The modern 1st Pennsylvania, D Battery was formed some 15 years ago because we wanted to be 'our own unit', to be able to attend what events WE wanted to attend and to do what we wanted to do at the event. Hence the nickname, "Rebels In Blue"

Our unit is not politically motivated, we belong to no organization which would tell us what we can and cannot do, or which events to do or not to do. 

The 1st Pennsylvania was chosen as our portrayal because my wife's great-great-great- uncle James W Butler enlisted in the 1st PA at the age of 17 in 1861. He went on to become a career soldier, serving for 38 years!

We do several events on an annual basis, and some others as a one time shot (pun intended!). When not in the field, the unit sponsors the JROTC  Honor Guard program at Dixie Hollins High School. During the high school football season I teach the Honor Guard cadets the drill and they use the cannon at their home football games to signal various events such as the opening ceremony, kick off, half time, end of game and hopefully, touchdowns! We also fire for certain ceremonial events such as Veterans Day celebrations and other events as called upon.

Veterans' Day 2004

HISTORY OF THE ORIGINAL 1ST PENNSYLVANIA LIGHT ARTILLERY, D BATTERY

 43rd Pennsylvania Volunteers
1st Light Artillery
Battery D
Recruited in Philadelphia County

Organized as part of the Reserve Corps, the 1st Pennsylvania Light Artillery comprised eight original batteries mustered into service in June, 1861. A ninth battery, Battery "I" was formed in March, 1865 from the surplus recruits of the other batteries. The eight original batteries never acted as a unified force, being parcelled out to battalions and brigades in different divisions and corps. As a result, the individual batteries saw much varied action with both the Army of the Potomac and the Army of the James.

BATTERY D

Units Attached To

                        Date                                                     Unit

June 20, 1861                                Organized at Philadelphia
August 05, 1861                             Ordered to Washington, D.C.
October 1861 to March 1862        Attached to Buell's Division, Army of the Potomac
March 1862 to September 1862   Artillery, 1st Division, 4th Army Corps, Army Potomac
September 1862 to May 1863       Artillery, 3rd Division, 6th Army Corps, Army Potomac
May 1863 to June 1863                 Artillery Brigade, 6th Army Corps
June 1863 to August 1863            Camp Barry, Defenses of Washington, D.C.
August 1863 to December 1863   Unattached, Artillery, Department West Virginia
December 1863 to January 1864 1st Brigade, 1st Division, West Virginia
January 1864 to April 1864           Wheaton's Brigade, Department West Virginia
April 1864 to January 1865           Artillery Brigade, Department West Virginia
January 1865 to May 1865            1st Separate Brigade, Department West Virginia
May 1865 to June 1865                 2nd Infantry Division, West Virginia

Engagements

                            Date                                          Event

August 1861 to March 1862           Camp Barry and in the Defenses of Washington
March 1862                                      Ordered to the Virginia Peninsula
April 05 to May 04, 1862                 Siege of Yorktown
May 05, 1862                                   Battle of Williamsburg
May 31 to June 01, 1862                Battle of Fair Oaks or Seven Pines
June 25 to July 01, 1862                Seven days before Richmond
June 29, 1862                                  James River Road near Fair Oaks
June 29, 1862                                  Savage Station
June 30, 1862                                  Charles City Cross Roads and Glendale
July 01, 1862                                    Malvern Hill
Until August 16, 1862                      At Harrison's Landing
August 16-26                                    Movement to join Pope
August 26                                          Sulphur Springs
September                                         Maryland Campaign
September 16-17                              Battle of Antietam, Md. (Reserve)
Until October 29                                Duty in Maryland
October 29-November 19                 Movement to Falmouth, Va..
December 12-15                               Battle of Fredericksburg
January 20-24, 1863                        "Mud March"
Until April                                           At Falmouth
April 27-May 6                                   Chancellorsville Campaign
April 29-May 2                                   Operations at Franklin's Crossing
May 03                                                Maryes Heights
May 03-04                                          Fredericksburg Salem Heights
May 04                                                Banks' Ford
June,1864                                          Ordered to Washington, D.C.
Until August, 1864                             Duty at Camp Barry
August, 1864                                      Ordered to and duty at Harper's Ferry, W. Va.
August to November                          Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign
September 3                                       Berryville
September 19                                     Battle of Opequan, Winchester
September 22                                     Fisher's Hill
October 19, 1864                               Battle of Cedar Creek
Until June, 1865                                Duty at Maryland Heights and in Dept. of West Virginia
June 30, 1865                                    Mustered out

Lost during service 11 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 18 Enlisted men by disease. Total 30.
 

SOURCE

A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion

Dyer, Frederick Henry

Part III, Page 1572

Morningside Press, Dayton Ohio, 1879