BTC Notes: The Richmond Fayette, Hampden, Thomas, and Blount’s Lynchburg Artillery

Note: The BTC Notes series serves as a way to gather important information about a given source on the Siege of Petersburg like a book, article, essay, map, etc.

Subject: The Richmond Fayette, Hampden, Thomas, and Blount’s Lynchburg Artillery by Robert H. Moore, II

Important Points:

Fauquier Artillery (Co. A, 38th Virginia Artillery Battalion)

• On June 26, 1864, Co. A, 38^th Virginia Artillery Battalion (the Fauquier Artillery), had the following:
  • 4 guns
  • 7 officers present
  • 71 men present
  • 81, effective present and absent
  • 135, aggregate last month
  • 140, aggregate this month¹

• 4 x 12-lb. Napoleons (January 1865)²
• The battery lost two guns (presumably Napoleons) at Sailor’s Creek on April 6, 1865.³

Richmond Fayette Artillery (Co. B, 38th Virginia Artillery Battalion)

• The Richmond Fayette Artillery appears to have had 2 x 10-lb. Parrott Rifles and 2 x 3-inch Rifles throughout the Siege of Petersburg.  After Williamsburg they were given two Federal guns (type not identified in the text), but before Sharpsburg they had “two ten-pounders, one twelve-pounder howitzer, and four six-pounder smoothbores.”  At the end of the Confederate attempt to take New Bern in early 1864, the Fayette artillery was given two captured 3-inch rifles, and the text mentioned that the battery still had the two captured Federal guns from Williamsburg.  Putting these pieces together, the only portion of the battery from September 1862 which could have been the captured Federal guns at Williamsburg were the two 10-lb. Parrotts.  This gives the battery its armament for the entire Siege of Petersburg, and the text mentions they were retained up until after the surrender at Appomattox Court House.  I am a bit unclear if all four guns were retained until Appomattox or if Moore is referring only to the 3-inch rifles.  It appears he is referring to all four guns, and Sibley shows the same setup in a report from December 28, 1864.⁴
• On June 26, 1864, Co. B, 38^th Virginia Artillery Battalion (the Richmond Fayette Artillery), had the following:
  • 5 guns
  • 3 officers present
  • 67 men present
  • 73, effective present and absent
  • 112, aggregate last month
  • 117, aggregate this month⁵

• Lieutenant William I. Clopton was in command of the battery on at least September 29, 1864 and October 27, 1864.⁶
• Clopton wrote various letters from the trenches in December 1864, indicating he was present.⁷
• 2 x 10-lb. Parrotts, 2 x 3-inch Rifles, 1 x 8-inch Columbiad (January 1865)⁸

Richmond Hampden Artillery (Co. C, 38th Virginia Artillery Battalion)

• On June 26, 1864, Co. C, 38^th Virginia Artillery Battalion (the Richmond Hampden Artillery), had the following:
  • 4 guns
  • 3 officers present
  • 59 men present
  • 68, effective present and absent
  • 122, aggregate last month
  • 127, aggregate this month⁹

• Captain John E. Sullivan was elected commander of the Hampden Artillery some time in October 1864, though his roster entry indicates he was promoted to Captain in April 1864.¹⁰
• 4 x 12-lb. Napoleons, 1 x 12-lb Mountain Howitzer (January 1865)¹¹

Blount’s Lynchburg Artillery (Co. D, 38th Virginia Artillery Battalion)

• Either this battery or the other Lynchburg battery had 2 x 20-lb. Parrotts in April 1864.¹²
• On June 26, 1864, Co. C, 38^th Virginia Artillery Battalion (Blount’s Lynchburg Artillery), had the following:
  • 4 guns
  • 3 officers present
  • 84 men present
  • 94, effective present and absent
  • 138, aggregate last month
  • 142, aggregate this month¹³

• Captain Blount was promoted to Major and placed in command of the battalion in late October 1864.  James W. Dickerson was elected Captain of the battery, to replace Blount, on October 31, 1864.¹⁴
• 4 x 12-lb. Napoleons (January 1865)¹⁵
• Captain Dickerson was wounded at Sailor’s Creek on April 6, 1865.¹⁶
• Image of Joseph G. Blount is available on page 128, owned by “A Rockaway in Talbot”.  Ask permission to post. ¹⁷

38^th Virginia Artillery Battalion

• Captain Blount was promoted to Major and placed in command of the battalion in late October 1864.¹⁸
• On November 30, 1864, Lt. Colonel Edgar F. Moseley was decapitated by a shell, and Blount took over command of his battalion.  As a result, the new commander of the 38^th Virginia Artillery Battalion was Major R. M. Stribling, who commanded until the end of the war.¹⁹
• In January 1865 the 38^th VA Arty Bn had 18 pieces of artillery.²⁰
• Image of Robert M. Stribling is available on page 129, owned by William C. Stribling, Jr.  Ask permission to post. ²¹

Sources: