Twelfth Wisconsin Light Battery. — Capts., William A. Pile, William
Zickerick; First Lieuts., William Zickerick, Edward G. Harlow, William
Miles, Lorenzo D. Immel, Marcus Amsden, Sylvester C. Cheney, Philander
H. Cody; Second Lieuts., William H. Hamilton, Marcus Amsden, Samuel E.
Jones, Philander H. Cody, Henry Marks, Sylvester C. Cheney, Henry
Turner. This battery was organized in the winter of 1862 and was
mustered in by squads during March, 1863. It was sent to Jefferson
barracks, Mo., as mustered, with the understanding that it was to be
attached to the 1st Mo. artillery as the 12th Wis. battery. Capt. Pile,
a Missourian, who had been given special authority by Gov. Harvey to
recruit the battery, refused to acknowledge Gov. Harvey's authority
after leaving the state and proceeded to distribute the men according to
his own pleasure. On July 18 the governor revoked his commission with
the approval of the war department, William Zickerick succeeding him. A
number of the recruits were temporarily attached to a Missouri battery
in March, pending the completion of the battery's organization, and were
engaged in the siege of Island No. 10. In May two sections of the
battery joined Halleck's forces before Corinth, whither the other
section had preceded them, and on the 29th one section, under Lieut.
Zickerick, destroyed a redoubt commanding a railroad. The battery joined
in pursuit of the enemy, then camped at Clear creek and remained in that
vicinity until August. It was then at Jacinto, Miss., until Oct. 1,
though it took part in the battle of Iuka in September, and in the
meantime was reinforced by 71 recruits. It was engaged at Corinth in
October and was on garrison duty there until Nov. 8. It was then in the
movement through Mississippi and Tennessee until Jan. 4, 1863, when it
was assigned to guard duty near Germantown. It was in camp at Memphis
from Feb. 8 to March 1, then moved toward Vicksburg and took part in the
"Yazoo Pass" expedition. In the campaign in the rear of Vicksburg it was
in action at Port Gibson, Raymond and Champion's hill, and was then
engaged in the siege of Vicksburg until the surrender. It then engaged
in various movements through Mississippi, Tennessee and Alabama until
Jan. 9, 1864, when it was placed on garrison duty at Huntsville. In June
it was then ordered to Kingston, Ga., thence to Allatoona on garrison
duty, and was active in the celebrated defense of Allatoona in October.
It was with Sherman on the march to the sea and on Jan. 14, 1865, moved
to Beaufort, S. C, thence to Columbia, and on to Goldsboro. In April it
went into camp, 4 miles from Raleigh, and left there on the 29th for
Washington, where it participated in the grand review. It was mustered
out at Madison, June 26, 1865. Its original strength was 99. Gain by
recruits, 209; substitutes, 3; reenlistments, 31; total, 342. Loss by
death, 30; missing, 1 ; desertion, 2; transfer, 81 ; discharge, 105;
mustered out, 123.
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