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Massachusetts Light Artillery, 14th Battery

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Muster In: Organized at Readville and mustered in February 27, 1864.1

Muster Out:  Mustered out June 16, 1865.2

Commander(s):
Captain Joseph W. B. Wright
JosephWBWright14thMABttyv95p4866L3

Lieutenant Samuel Chapin
Commander Image

Commander 3
Commander Image

First Offensive Order of Battle: Artillery | First Division | IX Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army4,5

  • Commander: Captain Joseph W. B. Wright (June 17, 1864)6
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Second Offensive Order of Battle: Artillery | First Division | IX Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army7,8

  • Commander: Captain Joseph W. B. Wright (June 30, 1864)9
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Third Offensive Order of Battle: Artillery Brigade | IX Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army10,11

  • Commander: Captain Joseph W. B. Wright (July 31, 1864)12
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle:

Artillery | First Division | IX Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army (at least August 18-21, 1864 during the Battle of Globe Tavern)13

Artillery Park | Reserve Artillery | Army of the Potomac | Union Army (at least after August 21, 1864)14

  • Commander: Captain Joseph W. B. Wright (August 31, 1864)15
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Fifth Offensive Order of Battle: Artillery Park | Reserve Artillery | Army of the Potomac | Union Army16

  • Commander:
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: The 14th Massachusetts Battery joined Major John Hazard and the Second Corps Artillery Brigade temporarily on September 30, 1864.  On October 1, 1864, one of its sections was placed in Fort Bross.17

Sixth Offensive Order of Battle: Artillery Park | Reserve Artillery | Army of the Potomac | Union Army18

  • Commander: Captain Joseph W. B. Wright (October 31, 1864)19
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle: Artillery Park | Reserve Artillery | Army of the Potomac | Union Army20

  • Commander: Captain Joseph W. B. Wright (December 31, 1864)21
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Eighth Offensive Order of Battle:

Artillery Park | Reserve Artillery | Army of the Potomac | Union Army (January 1-15, 1865)

Artillery Brigade | VI Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army (January 15-February 28, 1865)22,23

  • Commander:
    • Lieutenant Samuel Chapin (January 31, 1865)24
    • Captain Joseph W. B. Wright (February 28, 1865)25
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle:

Artillery Brigade | VI Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army

Artillery Park | Reserve Artillery | Army of the Potomac | Union Army26,27,28

  • Commander: Captain Joseph W. B. Wright (March 31, 1865)29
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: Temporarily attached to Ninth Corps during the Ninth Offensive.30
  • Note: This unit is listed in the casualty returns for the Battle of Fort Stedman, March 25, 1865, implying it was present during the battle.31

Dyer’s/Sifakis’ Compendium Info:
Siege of Petersburg Battles32:

  • Before Petersburg June 16-18.
  • Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865.
  • Actions on the Petersburg line June 21, 22, 23, 24, July 10, 11. 12, 13. 14. 15, 16 and 17.
  • Mine Explosion July 30.
  • Weldon Railroad August 18-21.
  • Action on Petersburg line October 11.
  • Duty at Fort Merriam, Defenses of City Point, Va., October 25, 1864, to January 15, 1865.
  • Ordered to Petersburg front January 15.
  • Assault on and capture of Petersburg April 2.
  • At City Point April 4 to May 3.

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 W. B. Wright image.  MOLLUS-Mass Civil War Photograph Collection, Vol. 95, Page 4866L.  United States Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle, PA. ↩
    4. 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. 229 ↩
    5. 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. 549 ↩
    6. “The Siege of Petersburg.” The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), June 21, 1864, p. 1, col. 1-3: “The Second Maine Battery, Captain Thomas, and Fourteenth Massachusetts, Captain Wright, posted in the rear of the ravine above mentioned, did splendid service in this assault.  A cannon belonging to the Rebel battery in front was blown up by one of their shells.  The woods just in its rear bore evidence of tremendous shelling, and on the space where the fire had been concentrated, a considerable number of dead were found, killed by shot and shell.” ↩
    7. 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. 229 ↩
    8. 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. 549 ↩
    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. 549 ↩
    10. 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 261 ↩
    11. 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 735 ↩
    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 735 ↩
    13. 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 126: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (August 1864)”: What was the status of this unit in August 1864 at various times?  Was it attached to the Artillery Brigade of the IX Corps through the Battle of Globe Tavern from August 18-21, 1864 and then transferred to the Artillery Park of the AotP’s Reserve Artillery, or did it belong to the Artillery Park for most of the month, and was just temporarily loaned to the First Division, Ninth Corps, AotP during the Globe Tavern Operation?  More research is needed. ↩
    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 612: “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 2 (Serial Number 88), page 612: “Organization of the Army of the Potomac…August 31, 1864” ↩
    16. 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. 1297. ↩
    17. 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. 1297. ↩
    18. 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 458: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)” ↩
    19. 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 458: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)” ↩
    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 1115: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 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 1115: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864) ↩
    22. 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 331: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865) ↩
    23. 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 744: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 1865) ↩
    24. 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 331: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865) ↩
    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 744: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 1865) ↩
    26. 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 565: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 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 71: “Return of Casualties in the Union forces at Fort Stedman… (March 25, 1865)” ↩
    28. 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 581: “Return of casualties in the Union Forces commanded by Lieut. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, March 29-April 9, 1865” ↩
    29. 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 565: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865) ↩
    30. 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 565: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 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 71: “Return of Casualties in the Union forces at Fort Stedman… (March 25, 1865)” ↩
    32. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩

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