On November 23, 1862 the regiment would be reorganized as the 2nd Connecticut Heavy Artillery.  Over the next 18 months, they would be assigned to garrison duty around Washington, DC, serving at Forts Worth, Ellsworth and Williams.

In May 1864, during US Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant’s Overland Campaign the 2nd Connecticut Heavy Artillery would be brought south to reinforce the Army of the Potomac.  The regiment was assigned to US Brigadier General Emory Upton’s Second Brigade, US Brigadier General David Russell’s First Division of US Major General Horatio Wright’s VI Army Corps.  They arrived at Spotsylvania Court House after the battle.  Moving with the Army of the Potomac, they would see some action at the North Anna River.  Their first significant fighting would take place, on June 1, at the crossroads of Cold Harbor.(ii)  Ordered to break the Confederate’s entrenched lines, the 2nd Connecticut would attack CS Lieutenant General James Longstreet’s 1st Corps, of CS General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia.  The fighting would be intense, with Colonel Kellogg leading from the front.  With Kellogg advancing, his hat on the tip of his extended sword, his brave men would cut through abatis, constantly under fire, and approach within 20 yards of the Confederate works.  Under tremendous pressure from the front, and enfilade fire from their left side, the 2nd Connecticut would suffer terribly.  The brave Colonel Kellogg would be killed instantly, by two minie balls, to the head.  Forced to retreat, the 2nd would suffer 323 casualties – 129 of which were killed.  This would be one of the highest percentage losses, for any Federal regiment, during the Civil War.

After the Battle of Cold Harbor, the 2nd Connecticut Heavy Artillery would move, with the Army of the Potomac, to Petersburg, Virginia.  They would participate in the Battle of Jerusalem Plank Road, while at Petersburg.  In July, with CS Lieutenant General Jubal Early’s attack of the Washington defenses, Wright’s VI Corps would be sent to her defense.  The 2nd would take part, on July 12, in the repulse of Early’s Army of the Valley near Fort Stevens – north of Washington City.  The VI Corps would be sent in pursuit of Early, towards the Shenandoah Valley.

On August 7, 1864, US Major General Philip Sheridan would be assigned command of the Middle Military Division.  His command included the newly formed Army of the Shenandoah, comprised of Wright’s VI Corps, US Brigadier General George Crook’s Army of West Virginia (later designated the VIII Corps) and US Brigadier General William H. Emory’s XIX Corps.  The 2nd Connecticut Heavy Artillery was now commanded by Colonel Ronald S. MacKenzie.  They remained in the Second Brigade, of the First Division of the VI Corps.  They were a heavy artillery regiment, in name only.  During the battles of the 1864 Valley Campaign, they would fight as an infantry regiment, at all the significant battles: Battle of Opequan (also known as Third Winchester) on September 19, Battle of Fisher’s Hill on September 21–22 and the Battle of Cedar Creek on October 19.  While they were called “green” upon their arrival at Spotsylvania Court House, barely four months earlier, they were now a veteran fighting unit – with a proven battle record.  Again, they piled up significant casualties.(iii)

The 2nd Connecticut Heavy Artillery regiment would remain with the Army of the Shenandoah, until December, when they were sent back to the Army of the Potomac, at Petersburg.  On December 28, 1864, MacKenzie was promoted brigadier general, with command of the 2nd passing to Lieutenant Colonel James Hubbard.  Hubbard would be quickly promoted to colonel of the regiment.  On April 2, 1865 the 2nd Connecticut Heavy Artillery would fight in the breakthrough, at Petersburg.  During Robert E. Lee’s retreat, the 2nd would fight at Sailor’s Creek, on April 6, and at Appomattox Court House, on April 9.  After Lee’s surrender, they would be stationed at Farmville, and Burkesville – leaving on April 23.(iv)

Their last official duty was participating in the Grand Review, of the Federal Armies,at Washington City, on June 8.  They would remain in Washington until August, and muster out of Federal service on August 18, 1865.  During just two years of active fighting, the regiment would suffer a total of 427 casualties.

(i) The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System was used to research this article.
(ii) The Battle of Cold Harbor, at Wikipedia, was used to research this article.
(iii) The Valley Campaigns of 1864, at Wikipedia, was used to research this article.
(iv) The Battle of Sailor’s Creek, and Appomattox Court House, at BattlefieldPortraits.com, was used to research this article.

The Washington Artillery Battalion was originally organized in 1838.  It would see service during the Mexican War.  Originally called the Native American Battery, it would be reorganized in 1852 and receive its new designation: Washington Artillery.  The 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Companies would be involved in many of the largest battles, in the east, including First Manassas, Fair Oaks, The Seven Days, Second Manassas, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg.  They would remain with the Army of Northern Virginia through the surrender at Appomattox Court House.  The 5th Company was organized in New Orleans in April, and May 1862.  The 150 artillerists in the 5th Company would elect W. Irving Hodgson as their captain.  On March 6, 1862 they would be officially mustered into the Confederate service.(i)  Assigned to CS General Albert Sidney Johnston’s army, they would arrive at Corinth Mississippi on April 1, and be assigned to CS Brigadier General Patton Anderson’s Brigade.

J.W. Scott, who had enlisted in March 1862, would be with his artillery company at the Battle of Shiloh.  His battery would push towards US Major General William T. Sherman’s camp in the early morning hours of April 6.  With their four cannon unlimbered, firing double cannister, they would suffer greatly by musketry fire coming from infantry troops still in their tents.  After pushing through the Crossroads area of the battlefield, they would be engaged with Federal divisions commanded by brigadier generals Benjamin Prentiss, and W.H.L. Wallace.  This area be forever known as the Hornet’s Nest, and would experience some of the most brutal fighting at Shiloh.  Over the two days of fighting, at Shiloh, the 5th Company would fire over 700 artillery rounds.  Captain Hodgson, in his official report, stated, “The badly torn wheels and carriages of my battery from Minie balls will convince any one of the close proximity to the enemy in which we were.”(ii)  He complimented Scott for his gallantry at Shiloh.

The 5th Company would stay with the Army of Tennessee through the end of the Civil War.  In 1864 Scott would be promoted corporal.  He would suffer two wounds during the war, the first being at Kolb’s Farm, during the fighting at Kennesaw Mountain and the second being at Overall Creek, during CS Lieutenant General John Bell Hood’s 1864 Tennessee Campaign.  He would leave the army when he was paroled, along with the rest of his company, on May 10, 1865.

After the war, Scott would reside in Mississippi, with his last known public record being in Grand Lake, Arkansas in 1899.  His date of death is unknown.  Corporal Scott served the Confederacy bravely and should be considered an American HERO.

(i) 5th Company, Washington Artillery was used to research portions of this article.  The manuscript can be read here.
(ii)  Coddington, Ronald S., Faces of the Confederacy, Pgs. 23–24.

John Morton's Confederate battery monument.

Originally organized on July 1, 1861, as CS Captain Thomas K. Porter’s Light artillery company, this battery would be attached to CS Brigadier General Simon Bolivar Buckner’s Division at Fort Donelson.  The battery would be surrendered on February 16, after Porter was injured, severely enough, to have his leg amputated.

The battery, being exchanged, at Vicksburg, in September, 1862, then lieutenant John W. Morton would take command.  Ordered east, to Murfreesboro, it was attached to CS Brigadier General  General Nathan Bedford Forrest’s cavalry.  Telling CS General Braxton Bragg, that he had Freeman’s battery, and needed no additional artillery support, Forrest would end up referring him to CS Brigadier General Joseph Wheeler.  Wheeler would send Morton back to Forrest’s command, on December 5.

Forrest was raiding northwest Tennessee at this time.  Disillusioned by Morton’s youth, Forrest did not have a lot of confidence in the young lieutenant.  This would change on December 31, 1862, at the battle of Parker’s Crossroads.

Retiring back through west Tennessee, Forrest expected to make a crossing of the Tennessee River, and enter northern Mississippi, to refit.  Running into part of US Brigadier General Jeremiah Sullivan’s command, near Parker’s Crossroads, Forrest would deploy Freeman’s Battery, and young Morton’s battery, in an advance position.  The exceptional command of both batteries, would push US Colonel Cyrus Dunham’s brigade south of the crossroads.  John Morton would be instrumental in their early success, against the Federal army.  Unfortunately, with the arrival of US Colonel John Fuller’s brigade, Forrest would become surrounded.  He would make a fantastic escape, to the Tennessee River, keeping the majority of his command together.

Morton earned Bedford Forrest’s praise, and would become the youngest artillery captain in the Confederate army.