Organization
The Seventh Light Artillery Battery (7th Wisconsin Light Artillery Battery), also known as the Badger State Flying Artillery, organized at Camp Utley, Racine, WI, and mustered into the service of the United States on the October 4, 1861. The battery left the state on March 15th, 1862, traveling to New Madrid, Missouri.
Active Duty
The 7th Battery was in charge of siege guns until the surrender of Island No. 10 on April 8, 1862. The unit stayed in Missouri until June 1862 when they were transferred to Tennessee. There they assisted forces operating in the middle of Tennessee. For some months thereafter, the Seventh Battery engaged in active pursuit of rebel raiders in western Tennessee and participated in the action at Parker’s Cross Roads on December 30th and 31st, 1862. Afterwards, the 7th Battery used Jackson, Tennessee as their headquarters. During this time the battery accompanied expeditions into various parts of western Tennessee and northern Mississippi.
For a short period in June 1863, they stationed at Corinth, Missouri. In late June, the Seventh Battery transferred to Memphis, Tennessee, which became their headquarters for the rest of their time in service. From this point, the battery participated in many expeditions against Confederate forces, including the action at Guntown, Mississippi on June 10, 1864, and the defense of Memphis on August 1, 1864. Afterwards, the battery remained at Memphis until they mustered out of service on July 6, and honorably discharged on July 20, 1865.
Casualties of 7th Wisconsin Independent Battery Light Artillery
The seventh battery lost 1 officer and 9 soldiers to mortal wounds, and 19 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).