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4th United States Artillery, Battery K

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Muster In: Unit existed prior to the Civil War.1
Muster Out: Unit existed after the Civil War.2

Commander(s):
Bvt. Captain John W. Roder
Commander Image

Lieutenant Edward S. Smith
Commander Image

Commander 3
Commander Image

First Offensive Order of Battle: Artillery Brigade | II Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army3,4,5

  • Commander: Lieutenant John W. Roder (at least June 14-18, 1864)6
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons: 6 x 12-lb. Napoleons (March 31, 1864)7

Second Offensive Order of Battle: Artillery Brigade | II Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army8,9,10

  • Commander: Lieutenant John W. Roder (at least June 19-22 and June 30, 1864)11,12
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Third Offensive Order of Battle: Artillery Brigade | II Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army13,14

  • Commander: Lieutenant John W. Roder (July 31, 1864)15
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle: Artillery Brigade | II Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army16,17

  • Commander: Lieutenant John W. Roder (August 31, 1864)18
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Fifth Offensive Order of Battle: Artillery Brigade | II Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army19

  • Commander:
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Sixth Offensive Order of Battle: Artillery Brigade | II Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army20

  • Commander: Lieutenant John W. Roder (October 31, 1864)21
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: The 4th United States, Battery K accompanied the Third Division, Second Corps, Army of the Potomac during the Battle of Boydton Plank Road on October 27-28, 1864.22

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle: Artillery Brigade | II Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army23

  • Commander: Lieutenant John W. Roder (December 31, 1864)24
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Eighth Offensive Order of Battle: Artillery Brigade | II Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army25,26,27

  • Commander:
    • Brevet Captain John W. Roder (Roder temporarily commanded the Secod Corps Artillery Brigade when Bvt. Liieutenant Colonel John G. Hazard took a leave of absence starting February 16)(January 31 & February 1-16, 1865)28,29
    • Lieutenant Edward S. Smith (February 28, 1865)30
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: This unit is listed in the casualty returns for the Battle of Hatcher’s Run, February 5-7, 1865, implying it was present during the Eighth Offensive and the battle.31

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle: Artillery Brigade | II Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army32,33

  • Commander: Brevet Captain John W. Roder (March 31, 1865)34
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Dyer’s/Sifakis’ Compendium Info:
Siege of Petersburg Battles35:

  • Before Petersburg June 16-18.
  • Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865.
  • Jerusalem Plank Road June 22, 1864.
  • Deep Bottom July 27-29.
  • Strawberry Plains August 14-18.
  • Hatcher’s Run October 27-28.
  • Warren’s Raid on Weldon Railroad December 7-14.
  • Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run, February 5-7, 1865.
  • Watkins’ House March 25.
  • Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9.
  • Hatcher’s Run, Boydton Road, March 30-31.
  • White Oak Road March 31.
  • Sutherland Station April 2.
  • Sailor’s Creek April 6.
  • High Bridge April 7.
  • Appomattox Court House April 9.
  • Surrender of Lee and his army.

Bibliography:

    Siege of Petersburg Documents Which Mention This Unit:

    Sources:

    1. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    2. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    3. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), p. 222
    4. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), p. 545
    5. Supplement to the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Part I, Reports, Vol. 7, pp. 219-222
    6. Supplement to the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Part I, Reports, Vol. 7, pp. 219-222
    7. Volume 3 (Ordnance Returns for the First Quarter, January-March, 1864); 4th United States Artillery, Battery K Entry, Page 161; Summary Statements of Quarterly Returns of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores on Hand in Regular and Volunteer Army Organizations, 1862-1867, 1870-1876. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M1281, Roll 1); Records of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, 1797-1969, Record Group 156; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C.: Not many returns exist for June 30, 1864, and none exist past that, so I’ve made the decision to include the March 31, 1864 ordnance return data in the absence of better information.  I’ll add more immediate reports of tube numbers and types as they are found.
    8. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), p. 222
    9. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), p. 545
    10. Supplement to the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Part I, Reports, Vol. 7, pp. 219-222
    11. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), p. 545
    12. Supplement to the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Part I, Reports, Vol. 7, pp. 219-222
    13. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), page 254
    14. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 3 (Serial Number 82), page 731
    15. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 3 (Serial Number 82), page 731
    16. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 2 (Serial Number 88), page 614: “Organization of the Army of the Potomac…August 31, 1864”
    17. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 1 (Serial Number 87), page 117: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (August 1864)”
    18. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 2 (Serial Number 88), page 614: “Organization of the Army of the Potomac…August 31, 1864”
    19. 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. 1299.
    20. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 460: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)”
    21. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 460: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)”
    22. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 1 (Serial Number 87), page 155: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces…Boydton Plank Road, Va., October 27-28, 1864”
    23. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 1117: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864)
    24. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 1117: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864)
    25. 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 327: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865)
    26. 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 741: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 1865)
    27. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 96), page 65: “Return of Casualties in the Union forces at Hatcher’s Run (otherwise known as Dabney’s Mill, Armstrong’s Mill, Rowanty Creek, and Vaughan Road)… (February 5-7, 1865)”
    28. 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 327: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865)
    29. 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 741: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 1865)
    30. 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 741: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 1865)
    31. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 96), page 65: “Return of Casualties in the Union forces at Hatcher’s Run (otherwise known as Dabney’s Mill, Armstrong’s Mill, Rowanty Creek, and Vaughan Road)… (February 5-7, 1865)”
    32. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 568: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865)
    33. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 584: “Return of casualties in the Union Forces commanded by Lieut. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, March 29-April 9, 1865”
    34. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 568: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865)
    35. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
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