9th New York Artillery Heavy in the American Civil War

Overview

The 9th New York Artillery (Heavy) was a Union regiment organized in Auburn, New York, and mustered into United States service for three years on September 8–9, 1862. Originally raised as the 138th New York Infantry, the regiment was converted to heavy artillery in December 1862 and redesignated as the 9th New York Artillery (Heavy). The regiment was recruited primarily from Cayuga and Wayne counties, with Company M, initially organized as the 22nd New York Light Battery at Lockport, joining in February 1863. Company L was organized at Albany and joined in December 1863. The regiment served in the defenses of Washington before seeing extensive field service in 1864–1865, participating in major campaigns and battles in the Eastern Theater.

The 9th New York Artillery (Heavy) is noted for its high casualty rate and was included by Fox in his list of the three hundred fighting regiments of the Civil War. The regiment built several forts around Washington, D.C., and later fought in some of the war’s most significant engagements, including Cold Harbor, Monocacy, and Cedar Creek.

Organization & Service

The regiment was organized at Auburn, New York, and mustered in for three years’ service on September 8–9, 1862, under Colonel Joseph Welling. Initially designated the 138th New York Infantry, it left the state on September 12, 1862, and was stationed in the defenses of Washington, D.C. On December 9, 1862, the regiment was converted to heavy artillery and redesignated as the 9th New York Artillery (Heavy) ten days later. Company M, originally the 22nd New York Light Battery, was transferred to the regiment in February 1863, and Company L joined in December 1863.

While stationed around Washington, the regiment constructed Forts Simmons, Mansfield, Bayard, Gaines, and Foote. The regiment remained in the capital’s defenses until May 1864, when it was ordered to the front. On May 18, 1864, the 9th left Alexandria, Virginia, and was assigned to Colonel B. F. Smith’s (3rd) Brigade, Ricketts’ (3rd) Division, VI Corps, Army of the Potomac. Its first major engagement was at Cold Harbor, where two battalions fought as infantry while the third battalion (Companies C, I, L, and F) was detached with the artillery brigade. The detached battalion rejoined the regiment in October 1864.

Between May 1864 and the end of the war, the regiment participated in the battles of Monocacy, the Opequon (Third Winchester), Cedar Creek, the siege and fall of Petersburg, Sailor’s Creek, Fort Stevens, Snicker’s Gap, Charlestown, Halltown, Smithfield, Hatcher’s Run, and Appomattox. The regiment was mustered out at Washington, D.C., on July 6, 1865, under Colonel James W. Snyder. Men not entitled to discharge were consolidated into four companies and transferred to the 2nd New York Artillery on June 27, 1865. The total enrollment of the regiment was 3,227.

Engagements & Campaigns

• Defenses of Washington, D.C. (construction of Forts Simmons, Mansfield, Bayard, Gaines, and Foote)
• Cold Harbor (June 1864)
• Monocacy (July 1864)
• Snicker’s Gap
• Charlestown
• Halltown
• Smithfield
• The Opequon (Third Winchester, September 1864)
• Cedar Creek (October 1864)
• Hatcher’s Run
• Siege of Petersburg
• Fall of Petersburg (April 1865)
• Sailor’s Creek
• Appomattox (April 1865)
• Fort Stevens

Casualties

• Killed or mortally wounded: 7 officers, 196 enlisted men
• Died of disease and other causes: 4 officers, 246 enlisted men (including 41 who died in Confederate prisons)
• Total deaths: 453
• Total killed and wounded: 824
• Total enrollment: 3,227
• At Monocacy, the regiment suffered 305 killed, wounded, and missing—the highest loss for any regiment in that battle

Field Officers & Commanders

• Colonel Joseph Welling
• Colonel William H. Seward, Jr.
• Colonel Edwin P. Taft
• Colonel James W. Snyder
• Lieutenant Colonel William H. Seward, Jr.
• Lieutenant Colonel Edwin P. Taft
• Lieutenant Colonel James W. Snyder
• Lieutenant Colonel William Wood
• Major Edwin P. Taft
• Major Truman Gregory
• Major William Wood
• Major Anson S. Wood
• Major William R. Wasson
• Major Charles Burgess
• Major Sullivan B. Lamoreaux
• Major James Snyder
• Major Irwin Squyer

Regimental Roster

The complete roster of the 9th New York Artillery (Heavy), including officers and enlisted men, is available on the regiment’s roster page. This resource provides names, ranks, and service details valuable for genealogical and historical research.

To view the full roster, visit the 9th New York Artillery (Heavy) Roster page.

Sources & References

• Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volumes 27, 36, 40, 43
• Annual Report of the Adjutant-General of the State of New York
• Dyer, Frederick H., A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
• Fox, William F., Regimental Losses in the American Civil War
• Contemporary regimental and state histories