Overview
The 10th New York Independent Battery was an artillery unit organized in New York City and mustered into United States service for three years on April 9, 1862. Serving with the Union Army, this battery participated in several major campaigns in the Eastern Theater of the Civil War. It was also known as the 2nd Excelsior Battery, having been organized for the Excelsior Brigade under state authority dated October 1, 1861.
This unit is distinct from the battery initially recruited by Captain Edwin S. Jenny, which became Battery F, 3rd New York Artillery, in early 1862.
Organization & Service
The 10th New York Independent Battery was recruited and organized in New York City as the 2nd Excelsior Battery for the Excelsior Brigade. It was mustered into federal service for a three-year term on April 9, 1862, and departed New York the following day. Upon entering service, the battery was attached to the 2nd Corps of the Army of Virginia. It saw action at Cedar Mountain and participated in Pope’s Virginia Campaign, including engagements at Rappahannock Station, Rappahannock River, Sulphur Springs, Groveton, and the Second Battle of Bull Run.
Following these operations, the battery was assigned to the 12th Corps at Antietam and later to the 3rd Corps, where it fought at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. At Chancellorsville, the battery sustained casualties, with 13 men wounded and 5 missing. During the Battle of Gettysburg, the battery served by detachments in different batteries and suffered 2 killed and 3 wounded. After Gettysburg, the battery was stationed in Washington, D.C., performing garrison duty for the remainder of its service. On June 21, 1864, under the command of Lieutenant T. C. Bruen, the battery was transferred to the 6th New York Battery, concluding its independent existence.
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
- Cedar Mountain
- Pope’s Virginia Campaign (including Rappahannock Station, Rappahannock River, Sulphur Springs, Groveton, Second Bull Run)
- Antietam
- Fredericksburg
- Chancellorsville
- Gettysburg (served by detachments)
- Washington, D.C. Garrison Duty
Casualties
- Killed in action: 3
- Died of disease: 9
- Wounded at Chancellorsville: 13
- Missing at Chancellorsville: 5
- Killed at Gettysburg: 2
- Wounded at Gettysburg: 3
Some details are incomplete in surviving primary sources.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Captain John T. Bruen
- Lieutenant T. C. Bruen (commanded at time of transfer, June 21, 1864)
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 10th New York Independent Battery, including officers and enlisted men who served during its three-year term, is available for genealogical and historical research. The roster provides names, ranks, and service details as recorded in official state and federal records.
To view the complete roster, visit the 10th New York Independent Battery Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volumes XII, XIX, XXI, XXV
- New York State 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
- Contemporary wartime reports and returns