Ninth Wisconsin Light Battery. — Capts., Cyrus H. Johnson, James H.
Dodge, Watson D. Crocker; First Lieuts., James H. Dodge, Watson D.
Crocker, John A. Edington; Second Lieuts., John A. Edington, Henry A.
Hicks, Albert Helliwell. This battery, known as the Randall Battery, was
organized and mustered into service on Jan. 27, 1862. It remained at
Racine until March 18, when it proceeded in company with the 8th and
10th batteries to St. Louis. On April 3 it embarked for Leavenworth,
Kan., where it prepared for a march across the plains. On the 26th it
proceeded by way of Fort Kearny and Julesburg, to Denver, reaching there
on June 2 after a march of 700 miles. On June 4 it proceeded to Fort
Union, New Mex., and soon afterward Lieut. Crocker with the left section
marched to Fort Lamed and remained there until Dec, 1864. On July 5, the
right section marched to Fort Lyon, where it joined the center section.
These two sections remained in Colorado until April 26, 1864, either at
the fort or at Denver, making frequent marches to the distant frontier.
The most noteworthy of these was made by Lieut. Edington with one
section in June, 1863. The march was a distance of 240 miles and it was
made in three days — the quickest in the history of the war at that
date. In April, 1864, the battery marched to Council Grove, Kan., where
it remained as garrison of the town, escorting trains and U. S. mail
coaches over the road until August, when it went to Fort Riley. In July
Lieut. Edington with one section joined in an expedition against the
Indians at Fort Larned. Late in August he joined an expedition to Smoky
Hill, where the Indians were defeated in a well contested engagement. In
July, 1863, Lieut. Crocker and the left section held Fort Larned with
its large and valuable government supplies against the combined forces
of the Indians in that locality. In Oct., 1864, Capt. Dodge, with 4
guns, joined the command of Gen. Curtis and participated in the campaign
against Price in Missouri and Arkansas. In the battle at Westport the
battery broke the charge of a column, 6,000 strong, three successive
times. In Dec. 1864, this portion of the battery proceeded to Fort
Leavenworth, where soon afterward it was joined by the other detachments
preparatory to reorganization of the veterans. The aggregate distance
marched by the battery and detached section during these three years was
nearly 15,000 miles. The veteran battery was organized Jan. 27, 1865,
with Lieut. Crocker as Captain. On March 26 Lieut. Edington with one
section marched to Fort Scott and remained there until June 16, when he
proceeded to Fort Riley. This section left Fort Riley for western Kansas
and was mustered out at Fort Leavenworth Sept. 30. The original strength
of the battery was 155. Gain by recruits, 63; reenlistments, 78; total,
296. Loss by death, 6; transfer, 1; discharge, 56; mustered out, 233.
|