Recruitment and Training
The Fourth Wisconsin Light Artillery Battery (4th Wisconsin Light Artillery Battery) organized at Beloit, Wisconsin, then transferred to Camp Utley, Racine. They mustered into the service of the United States on October 1, 1861.
Active Duty
The battery left the state January 21, 1862, ordered to Baltimore, Maryland. From there they traveled to Washington, D.C.. Then they traveled to Fortress Monroe, Virginia, arriving there on January 28, 1862. They remained on duty in Virginia until that September. During that time the engagement between Monitor and Merrimac took place on March 8, with the Fourth Light Artillery firing the gun "Union" during the action.
In September 1862, the battery transferred to Camp Hamilton in Virginia, remaining on duty there until January 11, 1863, when they transferred to Suffolk, Virginia. The Battery served in various locations within Virginia until May 1864. In May 1864, the Fourth Battery was assigned to the Artillery Brigade of the 1st Division, 18th Army Corps. With this assignment they took part Division in the advances made on Richmond and Petersburg.
The battery participated in various Union force movements, among them the battles of Drewry’s Bluff from May 12th to 16th, the assault on Petersburg from June 16th to 18th, and Malvern Hill, July 14, 1864. The Fourth Battery further accompanied the Union Cavalry on several raids about Richmond, and once passed around the entire city. On July 3 , 1865, The Fourth Battery mustered out of the service of the United States at Richmond, Virginia. They returned to Madison, Wisconsin and disbanded shortly after.
Casualties of the 4th Wisconsin Independent Battery Light Artillery
During their service, the battery lost 3 men to mortal wounds and 22 to disease, for a total of 25 men lost.
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).