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Federal Battery

1st Pennsylvania Light Artillery, Battery B

Organized: Philadelphia; mustered in 8/5/1861
Disbanded/Mustered out: 6/28/1864

 

Commanding Officer on the Antietam Campaign:
  Capt. James H. Cooper

 

Arms:
  4   3-in. Ordnance Rifle

 

This Battery's Chain of Command:
  Army - Army of the Potomac
  Corps - First Army Corps
  Division - 3rd Division, 1st Corps
  Brigade - 3rd Division, 1st Corps Artillery


Unit history

"Henry T. Danforth, who served in Bragg's regular battery in the Mexican war, was its first captain, from which he was promoted to the lieutenant-colonelcy of the regiment. He was killed in action at Charles City Cross Roads, Virginia. Our next captain was James H. Cooper, who commanded more than three years, till August 8, 1864, refusing all promotions."

On the Antietam Campaign

"At Antietam, on the evening of September 16, we advanced with the skirmish line, and with the brave 'Bucktails' opened the battle near the 'East Wood.'

"Next morning and day we were in position on Poffenberger's ridge whereon were thirty guns. Here we shelled and engaged the enemy south of us, towards the Dunker Church, protected the Union right, and repulsed an effort made by the enemy during the afternoon."
(from the Gardner speech)

Statistics

Initial Strength: 67; Wounded (WIA): 2;
Losses, % of Initial Strength: 3%

Battlefield Tablets for this Unit

Tablet #1: First Army Corps - 16 Sep, 2 PM to 16 Sep, 6 PM
Tablet #15: Meade's Division, First Army Corps - 16 Sep, 2 PM to 16 Sep, 8 PM
Tablet #120: Army of the Potomac - 17 Sep, 5 AM to 17 Sep, 12 PM
Tablet #11: Meade's Division, First Army Corps - 17 Sep, 6 AM to 17 Sep, 9 AM

References & Notes

See a brief unit history, sketched in an 1889 speech by Lt Gardner at the dedication of the Battery's monument on Cemetery Hill at Gettysburg - extracted online.

We have 3 individuals in the AotW database who were on the Maryland Campaign with this unit:

 

Co. Rank Name Casualty? Details*
--CaptCooper, James H        We have some details for this person
--PvtFarrell, George Washington        We have some details for this person
--PvtWeekly, Jacob U.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person

 

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