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1st Rockbridge Virginia Artillery (Graham’s VA Battery)

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Muster In: Organized April 12, 1861 and mustered in on April 29, 1861.1
Muster Out: April 9, 18652

Commander(s):
Captain Archibald Graham
Commander Image

Commander 2
Commander Image

Commander 3
Commander Image

First Offensive Order of Battle: 1st Virginia (Hardaway’s) Artillery Battalion | Carter’s Artillery Division | Artillery Defenses | Department of Richmond | Confederate Army3

  • Commander: ?4,5
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons: 4 x 20-lb. Parrott Rifles6

Second Offensive Order of Battle: 1st Virginia (Hardaway’s) Artillery Battalion | Carter’s Artillery Division | Artillery Defenses | Department of Richmond | Confederate Army7

  • Commander:
    • ? (June 19-24, 1864)8
    • Captain Archibald Graham (June 25, 1864 on)9,10
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons: 4 x 20-lb. Parrott Rifles11

Third Offensive Order of Battle: 1st Virginia (Hardaway’s) Artillery Battalion | Carter’s Artillery Division | Artillery Defenses | Department of Richmond | Confederate Army12

  • Commander: Captain Archibald Graham (at least July 27 and 31, 1864)13,14,15,16
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
    • 4 x 20-lb. Parrott Rifles (July 1-27, 1864)(all guns captured on July 27, 1864)17,18,19,20
    • 2 x 10-lb. Parrott Rifles, 2 x 3-inch Ordnance Rifles (July 28-31, 1864)21

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle:

1st Virginia (Hardaway’s) Artillery Battalion | Artillery Defenses | Department of Richmond | Confederate Army (August 1-7, 1864)22

1st Virginia (Hardaway’s) Artillery Battalion | First Corps Artillery | First Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army (August 7-31, 1864)23

  • Commander: Captain Archibald Graham (at least August 23, 1864)24,25,26
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Fifth Offensive Order of Battle: 1st Virginia (Hardaway’s) Artillery Battalion | First Corps Artillery | First Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army27,28

  • Commander: Captain Archibald Graham29,30,31
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
    • 5 “guns” (?)(September 29, 1864)32
    • 4 x 10-lb. Parrott Rifles (September 30, 1864)33

Sixth Offensive Order of Battle: 1st Virginia (Hardaway’s) Artillery Battalion | First Corps Artillery | First Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army34

  • Commander: Captain Archibald Graham35,36
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle: 1st Virginia (Hardaway’s) Artillery Battalion | First Corps Artillery | First Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army37,38

  • Commander: Captain Archibald Graham (November & December 1864)39,40,41
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons: 2 x 3-ich Rifles, 2 x 10-lb. Parrotts (December 28, 1864)42

Eighth Offensive Order of Battle:

1st Virginia (Hardaway’s) Artillery Battalion | First Corps Artillery | First Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army (January 1-18, 1865)43,44

Hardaway’s Artillery Battalion | First Corps Artillery | First Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army (January 18-February 28, 1865)45

  • Commander: None listed. (January & February 1865)46,47
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: The 1st Virginia Artillery Battalion was dissolved on January 18, 1865.  At some point in late January or early February 1865 the Battalion was transferred back to the Second Corps Artillery, as other elements of that corps’ artillery moved to the Siege of Petersburg from the Shenandoah Valley.48

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle: Hardaway’s Artillery Battalion | First Corps Artillery | First Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army49,50

  • Commander:
    • None listed. (March – April 2, 1865)51,52
    • Captain Archibald Graham (at least April 7 and 9, 1865)53
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
    • 2 x guns (April 3, 1865)54
    • 2 x guns, 1 x (spiked) 3-inch Ordnance Rifle (April 7-9?, 1865)55

Dyer’s/Sifakis’ Compendium Info:
Siege of Petersburg Battles56:

  • Petersburg Siege (June 1864-April 1865)
  • 1st Deep Bottom (July 27, 1864)57,58
  • 3rd New Market Heights (September 29, 1864)
  • Appomattox Court House (April 9, 1865)

Bibliography:

Siege of Petersburg Documents Which Mention This Unit:

Sources:

  1. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Virginia by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 84-86 ↩
  2. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Virginia by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 84-86 ↩
  3. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., p. 117 ↩
  4. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., p. 117: Captain Archibald Graham was absent June 6-24, 1864. ↩
  5. Driver, Robert J, Jr. The 1st and 2nd Rockbridge Artillery (H.E. Howard: 1987), p. 67: Archibald Graham’s roster entry indicates he was sick in the hospital at least June 12-24, 1864.  He was consistently present from July-December 1864 and surrendered his company at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. ↩
  6. Driver, Robert J, Jr. The 1st and 2nd Rockbridge Artillery (H.E. Howard: 1987), pp. 41-42, 50: The battery had 4 x 20-lb. Parrotts by mid-June 1864 and appear to have kept that arrangement until their 20-lb. Parrotts were captured at First Deep Bottom on July 27, 1864. ↩
  7. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., p. 117 ↩
  8. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., p. 117: Captain Archibald Graham was absent June 6-24, 1864. ↩
  9. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., p. 117: Captain Archibald Graham was absent June 6-24, 18684. ↩
  10. Driver, Robert J, Jr. The 1st and 2nd Rockbridge Artillery (H.E. Howard: 1987), p. 50: A member of the battery mentioned in a letter on June 24, 1864 that the captain agreed with him on the foolishness of their position at that time.  Archibald Graham was the only captain of the battery in 1864-65, so he must have been present on or near that date. ↩
  11. Driver, Robert J, Jr. The 1st and 2nd Rockbridge Artillery (H.E. Howard: 1987), pp. 41-42, 50: The battery had 4 x 20-lb. Parrotts by mid-June 1864 and appear to have kept that arrangement until their 20-lb. Parrotts were captured at First Deep Bottom on July 27, 1864. ↩
  12. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 127 ↩
  13. Driver, Robert J, Jr. The 1st and 2nd Rockbridge Artillery (H.E. Howard: 1987), p. 51: It is inferred in the text that Captain Archibald Graham was present on July 31, 1864. ↩
  14. Driver, Robert J, Jr. The 1st and 2nd Rockbridge Artillery (H.E. Howard: 1987), p. 67:Archibald Graham’s roster entry indicates he was sick in the hospital at least June 12-24, 1864.  He was consistently present from July-December 1864 and surrendered his company at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. ↩
  15. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 127 ↩
  16. “The Rockbridge Battery.” Richmond Examiner. August 1, 1864, p. 2 col. 6 ↩
  17. Driver, Robert J, Jr. The 1st and 2nd Rockbridge Artillery (H.E. Howard: 1987), pp. 41-42, 50: The battery had 4 x 20-lb. Parrotts by mid-June 1864 and appear to have kept that arrangement until their 20-lb. Parrotts were captured at First Deep Bottom on July 27, 1864. ↩
  18. “The War News.” Richmond Examiner. July 28, 1864, p. 1 col. 1: “We have no particulars of the fight except that the enemy were so far successful as to capture four of our cannon…By a letter received late last night we learn that the guns captured belonged to the First Rockbridge battery, Captain Graham.  They were 20 pounder Parrott guns, taken from the enemy at Harper’s Ferry.” ↩
  19. “The War News.” Richmond Examiner. July 29, 1864, p. 2 col. 1: This is a REALLY detailed account with a letter from a member of the battery. ↩
  20. “The Rockbridge Battery.” Richmond Examiner. August 1, 1864, p. 2 col. 6: Here is ANOTHER REALLY detailed account from a member of the battery. ↩
  21. Driver, Robert J, Jr. The 1st and 2nd Rockbridge Artillery (H.E. Howard: 1987), pp. 50-51: The unit was rearmed the day after losing their previous guns. ↩
  22. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 136 ↩
  23. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 129 ↩
  24. Driver, Robert J, Jr. The 1st and 2nd Rockbridge Artillery (H.E. Howard: 1987), p. 51: A member of the battery in a letter or diary entry mentions the captain (Archibald Graham) being present on August 23, 1864. ↩
  25. Driver, Robert J, Jr. The 1st and 2nd Rockbridge Artillery (H.E. Howard: 1987), p. 67:Archibald Graham’s roster entry indicates he was sick in the hospital at least June 12-24, 1864.  He was consistently present from July-December 1864 and surrendered his company at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. ↩
  26. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 129 ↩
  27. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 138 ↩
  28. Sommers, Richard J. “Grant’s Fifth Offensive at Petersburg: A Study in Strategy, Tactics, and Generalship.  The Battle of Poplar Spring Church, the First Battle of the Darbytown Road, the Second Battle of the Squirrel Level Road, the Second Battle of the Darbytown Road (Ulysses S. Grant, Virginia).” Doctoral Thesis. Rice University, 1970. Print. p. 1311. ↩
  29. Driver, Robert J, Jr. The 1st and 2nd Rockbridge Artillery (H.E. Howard: 1987), p. 67:Archibald Graham’s roster entry indicates he was sick in the hospital at least June 12-24, 1864.  He was consistently present from July-December 1864 and surrendered his company at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. ↩
  30. Field, Ron. Combat 2: Union Infantrymen Versus Confederate Infantrymen: Eastern Theater 1861-65 (Osprey: 2013), p. 61: Graham was in command at New Market Heights on September 29, 1864. ↩
  31. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 138 ↩
  32. Field, Ron. Combat 2: Union Infantrymen Versus Confederate Infantrymen: Eastern Theater 1861-65 (Osprey: 2013), p. 58: Osprey books have no notes, so I’m not sure where Field got this information from.  Field shows one more gun than the battery had just a day later.  More research is needed. ↩
  33. Driver, Robert J, Jr. The 1st and 2nd Rockbridge Artillery (H.E. Howard: 1987), pp. 51-52: The battery was armed with 4 x 10-lb. Parrotts on September 30, 1864.  No mention is made of when this change occurred. ↩
  34. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 147 ↩
  35. Driver, Robert J, Jr. The 1st and 2nd Rockbridge Artillery (H.E. Howard: 1987), p. 67: Archibald Graham’s roster entry indicates he was sick in the hospital at least June 12-24, 1864.  He was consistently present from July-December 1864 and surrendered his company at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. ↩
  36. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 147 ↩
  37. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 156 ↩
  38. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 163 ↩
  39. Driver, Robert J, Jr. The 1st and 2nd Rockbridge Artillery (H.E. Howard: 1987), p. 67: Archibald Graham’s roster entry indicates he was sick in the hospital at least June 12-24, 1864.  He was consistently present from July-December 1864 and surrendered his company at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. ↩
  40. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 156 ↩
  41. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 163 ↩
  42. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Virginia by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 84-86 ↩
  43. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 172 ↩
  44. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 1176: “Organization of the Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by General R. E. Lee, January 31, 1865”; This list contains many commanders who were not there.  They were the “official” commanders but may have been gone on leave.  I have used none of the leaders from this list as a result. ↩
  45. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 182 ↩
  46. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 172 ↩
  47. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 182 ↩
  48. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 1093: “Return of casualties in the Union Forces commanded by Lieut. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, March 29-April 9, 1865” ↩
  49. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 191 ↩
  50. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 201 ↩
  51. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 191 ↩
  52. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 201 ↩
  53. Driver, Robert J, Jr. The 1st and 2nd Rockbridge Artillery (H.E. Howard: 1987), pp. 55-56: Captain Archibald Graham was present and in command of the battery at the Battle of Cumberland Church on April 7 and at the surrender at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. ↩
  54. Driver, Robert J, Jr. The 1st and 2nd Rockbridge Artillery (H.E. Howard: 1987), p. 53: The 1st Rockbridge Artillery was forced to leave two of its four guns with the Otey VA Artillery on the night of April 2/3, 1865.  Driver did not  specifically state which guns or if the four guns were the same or different tube types.  More research is needed. ↩
  55. Driver, Robert J, Jr. The 1st and 2nd Rockbridge Artillery (H.E. Howard: 1987), p. 55: Sometime after the Battle of Cumberland Church the battery picked up 1 spiked 3-inch Ordnance Rifle on the road to Appomattox. ↩
  56. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Virginia by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 84-86 ↩
  57. “The War News.” Richmond Examiner. July 29, 1864, p. 2 col. 1: This is a REALLY detailed account with a letter from a member of the battery. ↩
  58. “The Rockbridge Battery.” Richmond Examiner. August 1, 1864, p. 2 col. 6 ↩

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