12th Indiana Light Battery in the American Civil War

Overview

The 12th Indiana Light Battery was an artillery unit organized in Indiana for Union service during the American Civil War. The battery was recruited at Jeffersonville and officially organized at Indianapolis in December 1861, mustering in on January 25, 1862. Serving in the Western Theater, the battery participated in several major campaigns and was notable for its service at Fort Negley in Nashville and its involvement in key battles in Tennessee and Georgia.

The 12th Indiana Light Battery served with distinction, operating siege guns and field artillery, and was recognized for its effective action during the defense of Nashville and the battles around Chattanooga. The unit remained active through the end of the war, mustering out in July 1865.

Organization & Service

The 12th Indiana Light Battery was recruited at Jeffersonville and organized at Indianapolis in December 1861. The battery mustered into Federal service on January 25, 1862, under the command of Captain George W. Sterling. It departed Indiana for Louisville on February 22, 1862, where it was temporarily attached to Thomas’ division of Buell’s Army of the Ohio. The battery moved with the division to Nashville, Tennessee, and then to Savannah on the Tennessee River, arriving too late to participate in the Battle of Shiloh.

Following the resignation of Captain Sterling, Captain James E. White assumed command. The battery took part in the siege of Corinth, Mississippi, and subsequently moved with the Army of the Ohio as far as Stevenson, Alabama, before returning to Nashville on August 18, 1862. There, the battery was stationed in Fort Negley, manning siege guns for the remainder of its service. During the Confederate attack on Nashville on November 5, 1862, the battery played a significant role in repelling the forces of Breckenridge, Forrest, and Morgan.

After the Battle of Chickamauga in September 1863, half of the battery, under Lieutenant James A. Dunwoody, was detached and sent to Chattanooga, where it participated in the battles of Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge. This detachment returned to Nashville after the Union victories. In January 1864, forty-eight men reenlisted as veterans. Captain White resigned in March 1864, and Lieutenant Dunwoody was promoted to captain. The battery continued to serve at Nashville, actively engaging in the Battle of Nashville in December 1864. On December 23, 1864, thirty non-veterans were mustered out as their terms expired. The battery was kept at full strength and mustered out on July 7, 1865, with five officers and 170 men present for discharge.

Engagements & Campaigns

• Siege of Corinth (April–May 1862)
• Defense of Nashville, including action at Fort Negley (November 5, 1862, and throughout the war)
• Battles of Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge (November 1863, detachment)
• Battle of Nashville (December 15–16, 1864)

Casualties

Specific casualty figures for the 12th Indiana Light Battery are not detailed in the primary sources. At the time of mustering out in July 1865, the battery had five officers and 170 men present for discharge.

Some details are incomplete in surviving primary sources.

Field Officers & Commanders

• Captain George W. Sterling
• Captain James E. White
• Captain James A. Dunwoody

Regimental Roster

The full roster of the 12th Indiana Light Battery, including officers and enlisted men who served during its term, is available for genealogical and historical research. This roster provides names, ranks, and service details as recorded in official state and federal records.

To view the complete roster, visit the 12th Indiana Light Battery Roster page.

Sources & References

• Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, various volumes
• Indiana Adjutant General’s Report
• Dyer, Frederick H., A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
• Fox, William F., Regimental Losses in the American Civil War
• The Union Army, Vol. 3, Federal Publishing Company, 1908