Overview
The 17th Indiana Light Battery was an artillery unit organized in Indiana for Union service during the American Civil War. Mustered in at Indianapolis on May 20, 1863, the battery served in the Eastern Theater, primarily in the Middle Department and the Shenandoah Valley. The unit is noted for its participation in several key engagements in 1863 and 1864, and for its service in both garrison and field operations.
The battery was commanded by Captains Milton L. Minor and Hezekiah Hinkson. It was active in the defense of Harper’s Ferry and took part in the Shenandoah Valley campaigns under General Sheridan. The 17th Indiana Light Battery mustered out of service in June 1865.
Organization & Service
The 17th Indiana Light Battery was organized at Indianapolis during the winter of 1862 and officially mustered into service on May 20, 1863. Shortly after, on July 5, 1863, the battery departed Indiana for Baltimore, Maryland. The unit spent the summer and fall of 1863 in Baltimore, aside from a brief expedition to Gettysburg.
On December 28, 1863, the battery arrived at Harper’s Ferry, where it was primarily stationed, except for a short period at Frederick City. While at Harper’s Ferry, the battery participated in engagements in July and at Charlestown in October 1863. Through 1864, the battery remained in the area, joining in the operations of General Sheridan’s army in the Shenandoah Valley. The 17th Indiana Light Battery was engaged at Maryland Heights and Halltown, and took part in the movement against Confederate General Early. The battery fought at the Opequon (Third Winchester), Fisher’s Hill, New Market, and Cedar Creek. At Cedar Creek, the battery lost three guns in the morning but recovered them later in the day as Union forces regained the field.
After the conclusion of the Shenandoah Valley campaign, the battery was stationed at Frederick City and later at Winchester, Virginia. It remained there until June 19, 1865, when it returned to Indianapolis with three officers and 108 men. Captain Milton L. Minor died in October 1864, and Lieutenant Hezekiah Hinkson was promoted to captain to fill the vacancy.
Research This Regiment Further
If you’d like to explore this unit’s history in more depth, regimental histories and Civil War reference works offer valuable detail.
Engagements & Campaigns
- Baltimore garrison duty (Summer–Fall 1863)
- Expedition to Gettysburg (1863)
- Harper’s Ferry (July 1863)
- Charlestown (October 1863)
- Maryland Heights (1864)
- Halltown (1864)
- Opequon (Third Winchester, September 19, 1864)
- Fisher’s Hill (September 21–22, 1864)
- New Market (1864)
- Cedar Creek (October 19, 1864)
Casualties
- Opequon: 6 men wounded
- Fisher’s Hill, New Market, and Cedar Creek: 5 men killed, 15 wounded, 20 horses killed
- Cedar Creek: 3 guns lost in the morning, recovered in the evening
Some details are incomplete in surviving primary sources.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Captain Milton L. Minor (died October 1864)
- Captain Hezekiah Hinkson (promoted from lieutenant)
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 17th Indiana Light Battery, including officers and enlisted men who served during its term of service, is available on the regiment’s roster page. This resource provides names, ranks, and additional service details valuable for genealogical research.
To view the complete roster, visit the 17th Indiana Light Battery Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, various volumes (Middle Department, Shenandoah Valley operations)
- 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)