Overview
The 7th Indiana Light Battery served as an artillery unit for the Union Army during the American Civil War. Organized at Indianapolis in November 1861, the battery was mustered into service on December 2, 1861. It participated in major campaigns in the Western Theater, including actions in Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia. The battery was notable for its involvement in the Atlanta Campaign and its consolidation with other Indiana batteries late in the war.
Organization & Service
The 7th Indiana Light Battery was organized at Indianapolis and mustered in on December 2, 1861. It was initially ordered to Louisville, Kentucky, where it was attached to Nelson’s division of Buell’s Army of the Ohio. The battery moved with the division to Nashville, Tennessee, shortly after the city’s evacuation in February 1862. From Nashville, it proceeded to Pittsburg Landing, arriving after the Battle of Shiloh had concluded.
Following the resignation of Captain Samuel J. Harris, Lieutenant George R. Swallow was promoted to captain. The battery participated in the siege of Corinth, Mississippi, and, after the city’s evacuation, moved to Huntsville, Alabama, where it remained through the summer of 1862. It then joined the pursuit of Confederate forces under Bragg to Louisville, Kentucky, and took part in the Battle of Perryville. After returning to Nashville, the battery was assigned to the 3rd Division and fought in the three-day Battle of Stones River, where it received commendation from the division commander for its performance.
The battery remained near Murfreesboro until June 1863, then participated in the campaign toward Chattanooga, including the battles of Chickamauga and Missionary Ridge. In January 1864, a majority of the men reenlisted as veterans and were furloughed home. Upon their return, the battery joined Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign, reaching Ringgold, Georgia, in May 1864. With Captain Swallow promoted to major of the 10th Indiana Cavalry, Lieutenant Otho H. Morgan was promoted to captain. The battery was engaged in the skirmishes and battles of the Atlanta Campaign before returning to Chattanooga, where it was stationed for the remainder of its service.
On December 7, 1864, the original officers and non-veterans were mustered out, leaving 117 veterans and recruits. The 8th Indiana Battery was consolidated with the 7th on March 13, 1865, and Lieutenant William Stokes of the 8th was commissioned captain of the combined unit. Twenty-four veterans from the 5th Indiana Battery joined on April 5, 1865. The battery remained at Chattanooga until ordered to Indianapolis, where it was mustered out on July 20, 1865, with 3 officers and 183 men present, representing the 5th, 7th, and 8th Indiana batteries.
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
- Siege of Corinth (May 1862)
- Pursuit of Bragg to Louisville (September–October 1862)
- Battle of Perryville (October 8, 1862)
- Battle of Stones River (December 31, 1862 – January 2, 1863)
- Chickamauga Campaign (September 1863)
- Battle of Missionary Ridge (November 25, 1863)
- Atlanta Campaign (May–September 1864)
Casualties
Specific casualty figures for the 7th Indiana Light Battery are not fully detailed in available primary sources. Losses occurred in several major engagements, but comprehensive totals are not provided in Dyer’s Compendium or the Indiana Adjutant General’s reports.
Some details are incomplete in surviving primary sources.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Captain Samuel J. Harris
- Captain George R. Swallow
- Captain Otho H. Morgan
- Captain William Stokes (after consolidation with 8th Indiana Battery)
Regimental Roster
The complete roster of the 7th Indiana Light Battery, including officers, non-commissioned officers, and enlisted men, 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 full roster, visit the 7th Indiana Light Battery Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, various volumes and parts
- 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, Federal Publishing Company, 1908, Vol. 3