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16th New York Heavy Artillery

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Note: Most of the 16th New York Heavy Artillery served as infantry throughout its service in up to three distinct elements during the Siege of Petersburg.  The companies were split up into groups as follows:

  • Companies “E” and “H” attached to 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 10th Army Corps, Army of the James, July to December, 1864; then to Separate Brigade at Fort Pocahontas until June, 1865.
  • Companies “A,” “B,” “C,” “F,” “G,” “K” and “M” attached to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 10th Army Corps, Army of the James. July 27 to December 3, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 24th Army Corps, to March, 1865. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 10th Army Corps, Dept. of North Carolina, to July, 1865.
  • Company “L” attached to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 10th Army Corps, to December, 1864; thence to Artillery Brigade, 24th Army Corps, to July, 1865.

Muster In: Companies organized and mustered in as follows: Companies “A” and “B” at Albany, N.Y., September 28, 1863. Left State for Fortress Monroe, Va., October 14, 1863. Company “C” October 21, and left State for Fortress Monroe, October 22, 1863. Company “D” December 7, and left State for Fortress Monroe, Va., October 8, 1863. Company “E” at Riker’s Island, N.Y., December 16, 1863, and left State for Fortress Monroe, Va., December 16, 1863. Company “G” at Riker’s Island January 9, and left State for Fortress Monroe, Va., January 13, 1864. Company “F” at Elmira January 19. Company “H” February 8, 1864. Company “I” January 28. Company “K” February 2. Companies “L” and “M” at Auburn January 26, 1864.1

Muster Out:  Mustered out August 21, 1865.2

Commander(s):
Colonel Joseph J. Morrison
JosephJMorrison16thNYHAv130p66713

Major Thomas J. Strong
ThomasJStrong16thNYHAv080p40234

Major Frederick W. Prince
Commander Image

Captain Henry C. Thompson
Commander Image

Lieutenant Freeman F. Huntington
Commander Image

Commander 5
Commander Image

First Offensive Order of Battle: Fortress Monroe, Yorktown and Gloucester Point, Va.5

Second Offensive Order of Battle: Fortress Monroe, Yorktown and Gloucester Point, Va.7

Third Offensive Order of Battle:

Companies “A,” “B,” “C,” “F,” “G,” “K” “L” and “M”: Second Brigade | First Division | X Corps | Army of the James | Union Army10

  • Commander:
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Companies “E and “H”: First Brigade | Third Division | X Corps | Army of the James | Union Army11,12

  • Commander: Captain Henry C. Thompson (July 31, 1864)13
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle:
Companies “A,” “B,” “C,” “F,” “G,” “K” “L” and “M”: Second Brigade | First Division | X Corps | Army of the James | Union Army14,15

  • Commander: Major Thomas J. Strong (August 31, 1864)16
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: Only seven of the eight companies appear to have accompanied the Tenth Corps on the Second Deep Bottom expedition, but I do not know which company was left behind.  More research is needed.17

Companies “E and “H”: ?

  • Commander:
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Fifth Offensive Order of Battle:
Companies “A,” “B,” “C,” “F,” “G,” “K” “L” and “M”: Second Brigade | First Division | X Corps | Army of the James | Union Army18,19,20,21

  • Commander:
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: The main force of the 16th New York Heavy Artillery which served with 2/1/X/AotJ consisted of seven (7) companies at this time. I’m not sure which of the eight companies above was missing.22,23,24

Companies “E and “H”: Separate Brigade | Army of the James | Union Army25

  • Commander:
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: A detail of the 16th New York Heavy Artillery was operating with the Siege Artillery, Army of the James during the Fifth Offensive.26
  • Note: A detachment of the 16th New York Heavy Artillery was serving with the Artillery Brigade, Tenth Corps, Army of the James during this offensive.  I am unsure if this unit was serving artillery pieces or acted as extra duty men.  It’s possible this detachment was the missing 8th company discussed above.27

Sixth Offensive Order of Battle:

Companies “A,” “B,” “C,” “F,” “G,” “K” “L” and “M”: Second Brigade | First Division | X Corps | Army of the James | Union Army28,29

  • Commander: Major Frederick W. Prince (October 31, 1864)30
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: The main force of the 16th New York Heavy Artillery which served with 2/1/X/AotJ consisted of seven (7) companies at this time. I’m not sure which of the eight companies above was missing.31,32

Companies “E and “H”: Separate Brigade | Army of the James | Union Army33

  • Commander: Captain Henry C. Thompson34
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Detachment: Artillery Brigade | X Corps | Army of the James | Union Army35

  • Commander: Lieutenant Silas J. Truax (OCtober 31, 1864)35
  • Note: This unit (battery or infantry?) does not appear to have participated in the Battle of Fair Oaks and Darbytown Road on October 27-28, 1864 because it is not listed in the Union casualty returns for that battle.37

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle:

Second Brigade | First Division | X Corps | Army of the James | Union Army (November 1-December 3, 1864)38

Second Brigade | First Division | XXIV Corps | Army of the James | Union Army (December 3-31, 1864) 39

  • Commander: Major Frederick W. Prince (December 31, 1864)40
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: The 16th New York Heavy Artillery consisted of six (6) companies at this time.41
  • Note: A detachment of two companies of the 16th New York Heavy Artillery under Captain Henry C. Thompson was serving with the Separate Brigade, Army of the James at this time.42
  • Note: A detachment of the 16th New York Heavy Artillery under Lieutenant Silas J. Truax was serving with the Artillery Brigade of the Tenth (and after December 3, 1864 the Twenty-Fifth) Corps, Army of the James at this time.43
  • Note: On December 3, 1864, the X Corps and XVIII Corps of the Army of the James were reorganized into the XXIV Corps and the XXV Corps.

Eighth Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | First Division | XXIV Corps | Army of the James | Union Army44

  • Commander: Lieutenant Freeman F. Huntington (January 31, 1865)45
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: A detachment of two companies of the 16th New York Heavy Artillery under Captain Henry C. Thompson in January 1865 and under Captain John W. Hees in February 1865 was serving with the Separate Brigade, Army of the James at this time.46,47
  • Note: The 16th New York Heavy Artillery consisted of six (6) companies at this time.48
  • Note: The 16th New York Heavy Artillery and its brigade (2/1/XXIV/AotJ) were absent on an expedition to Fort Fisher, North Carolina on January 31, 1865.  The regiment had been pulled from the trenches near Richmond on January 3 (probably, as this is the date the rest of its brigade left), 1865, and would not return to the Siege of Petersburg.49,50

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle:

  • Main unit no longer present at the Siege of Petersburg.51
  • Note: Companies E and H of the 16th New York Heavy Artillery under Captain Henry C. Thompson was serving with the Separate Brigade, Army of the James at this time at Fort Pocahontas.52

Dyer’s/Sifakis’ Compendium Info:
Siege of Petersburg Battles53:

  • Engagement between White House and Army of the James while laying Army telegraph lines May 29, 1864.
  • Action at West Point, Va., June 20 (Cos. “D,” “E,” “H,” “I,” “L” and “M”).
  • Gloucester Point June 23.
  • Siege operations against Petersburg and Richmond July 27, 1861, to January 3, 1865.
  • Dutch Gap Canal August 8-19.
  • Signal Hill August 13.
  • Action at Dutch Gap Canal August 16 (Detachment).
  • Strawberry Plains August 14-18.
  • Chaffin’s Farm, New Market Heights, September 28-30.
  • Charles City Cross Roads October 1.
  • Darbytown and New Market Roads October 7.
  • Darbytown Road October 13.
  • Fair Oaks October 27-28.
  • In trenches north of the James River until January, 1865.

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. Joseph J. Morrison image.  MOLLUS-Mass Civil War Photograph Collection, Vol. 130, Page 6671.  United States Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle, PA. ↩
    4. Thomas J. Strong image.  MOLLUS-Mass Civil War Photograph Collection, Vol. 80, Page 4023.  United States Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle, PA. ↩
    5. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    6. Volume 14 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 16th New York Heavy Artillery Entry, Page 13; 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 7); Records of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, 1797-1969, Record Group 156; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C. ↩
    7. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    8. “Sixteenth New York Volunteer Artillery.” Sunday Mercury (New York, New York). July 24, 1864, p. 7 col. 2: “The Colonel was placed in command of this post on June 30, and has been busily engaged—assisted by his able staff—in placing everything in order to resist an attack of the enemy, which is nightly expected, and has succeeded admirably; and now, though we have but a small force, we are rather anxious than otherwise that the Rebs may have the temerity to make a demonstration.” ↩
    9. Volume 14 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 16th New York Heavy Artillery Entry, Page 13; 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 7); Records of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, 1797-1969, Record Group 156; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C. ↩
    10. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    11. 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 264 ↩
    12. 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 739 ↩
    13. 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 739 ↩
    14. 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 619: “Organization of the Army of the Potomac…August 31, 1864” ↩
    15. 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 119: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (August 1864)” ↩
    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 619: “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 119: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (August 1864)” ↩
    18. 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. 1303. ↩
    19. 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 133: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (September-October 1864)” ↩
    20. 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 145: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (September-October 1864)” ↩
    21. 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 146: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (September-October 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 133: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (September-October 1864)” ↩
    23. 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 145: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (September-October 1864)” ↩
    24. 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 146: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (September-October 1864)” ↩
    25. 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. 1302. ↩
    26. 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. 1302. ↩
    27. 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. 1303. ↩
    28. 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 465: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)” ↩
    29. 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 149: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces…Fair Oaks and Darbytown Road, Va., October 27-28, 1864” ↩
    30. 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 465: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)” ↩
    31. 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 465: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)” ↩
    32. 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 149: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces…Fair Oaks and Darbytown Road, Va., October 27-28, 1864” ↩
    33. 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 468: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)” ↩
    34. 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 468: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)” ↩
    35. 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 466: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)” ↩
    36. 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 466: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)” ↩
    37. 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 150: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces…Fair Oaks and Darbytown Road, Va., October 27-28, 1864” ↩
    38.  A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    39. 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 1124: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864) ↩
    40. 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 1124: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864) ↩
    41. 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 1124: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864) ↩
    42. 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 1128: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864) ↩
    43. 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 1127: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864) ↩
    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 334: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865) ↩
    45. 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 334: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865) ↩
    46. 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 339: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865) ↩
    47. 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 752: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 1865) ↩
    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 334: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865) ↩
    49. 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 334: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865) ↩
    50.  A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    51. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    52. 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 577: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865),[99. 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 593: “Return of casualties in the Union Forces commanded by Lieut. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, March 29-April 9, 1865” ↩
    53. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩

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    { 1 comment… add one }
    • Peter farrell December 22, 2016, 11:31 am

      Hello
      Great info compiled here. I am looking for any info on a “General Ludlow” or ” Sudlow” mentioned in cursive notes of a 16th NYHA company L veteran. Please contact if you wish. Thanks for the great info compiled.

      ∞

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