Organization
The Tenth Wisconsin Light Artillery Battery (10th Wisconsin Light Artillery Battery) organized at New Lisbon, Wisconsin, and mustered into the service of the United States at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, February 10, 1862. From here the battery was assigned to Camp Utley, Racine, Wisconsin. The unit left the state on the 18th of March, traveling to St. Louis, Missouri.
Active Duty
In April, they transferred to the army at Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee. The Tenth Battery took part in the advance on, and in the siege of Corinth, Missouri, from May 5 to 30, 1862. After the Siege of Corinth, they followed the movements of the army to Iuka, Missouri, and other points in that vicinity. Accompanying the movement northward, the battery reached Nashville, Tennessee, on September 14, and remained thereabouts, frequently on detached service and in encounters with the enemy.
In August 1863, the Tenth Battery followed the Rosecrans army in the advance against Chattanooga. They briefly stationed at various points along the line of the railway, protecting the lines of communication from the raids of the enemy. Early May 1864, the Battery was assigned to the Third Cavalry Division of the Army of the Cumberland, participating in the Atlanta Campaign taking place from May 1 to Sept. 8, 1864, accompanying the Cavalry Corps of Sherman's Army on most of its movements. The battery rendered a like service in the Savannah Campaign from November 15 to December 21, 1864, participating in many actions. These actions included the Campaign in the Carolinas from January 1 to April 26, 1865 and the battle at Averasborough, North Carolina on March 16, 1865.
On reaching Goldsboro, North Carolina, the men whose terms of service had expired were mustered out and the remainder of the members transferred to the Twelfth Light Artillery, with which organization such members served and were mustered out of the service with the Twelfth battery. The Veterans and recruits attached to the 12th Wisconsin Battery mustered out on April 20, 1865. Non-veterans were ordered to Madison, Wisconsin on April 12, and then mustered out April 26.
Casualties of the 10th Wisconsin Independent Battery Light Artillery
The Tenth Battery lost 3 soldiers to mortal wounds and 25 soldiers to disease.
For Further Research
Search our collections for photos and artifacts from Wisconsin in the Civil War. Read about other Wisconsin Civil War regiments. For detailed regimental histories of the U.S. Civil War, consult the Frederick H. Dyer, Compendium of the War of the Rebellion: Regimental Histories.
The histories above, unless otherwise noted, are adopted from Charles E. Estabrook, ed., Records and Sketches of Military Organizations, (Madison, 1914).