Overview
The 18th New York Independent Battery, also known as the “Black Horse Artillery” or “Billinghurst Battery,” served as an artillery unit for the Union Army during the American Civil War. Organized at Rochester, New York, the battery was mustered into United States service for a three-year term on September 13, 1862. The unit primarily operated in the Department of the Gulf, participating in several significant campaigns and battles in Louisiana and Alabama.
This battery was noted for its service in the Western Theater, particularly in the campaigns around Port Hudson and Mobile. It was attached to the 19th Army Corps and played a role in both siege and field operations.
Organization & Service
The 18th New York Independent Battery was recruited and organized by Captain Albert G. Mack at Rochester, New York. The unit was mustered into federal service for three years on September 13, 1862. Shortly after organization, the battery departed New York on December 2, 1862, and joined Sherman’s Division in the Department of the Gulf.
Upon arrival in the Gulf region, the battery was attached to the 19th Army Corps. It saw action at Fort Bisland, the Amite River, and Plains Store, and was actively engaged in the siege of Port Hudson, Louisiana. The battery participated in the assaults on Port Hudson on May 27 and June 14, 1863. Following the surrender of Port Hudson, the unit was stationed in the defenses of New Orleans and took part in the engagement at Bayou La Fourche in July 1863.
In November 1864, the battery joined the expedition to Clinton and Liberty Creek, Louisiana. At the end of 1864, 117 members of the battery were transferred to the 25th New York Battery. In the spring of 1865, the remaining members participated with General Canby’s forces in the siege of Mobile, Alabama, including actions at Spanish Fort, Fort Blakely, and Mobile itself. The battery was mustered out of service under Captain Mack at Rochester, New York, on July 20, 1865.
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
- Fort Bisland (Louisiana), April 1863
- Amite River (Louisiana), 1863
- Plains Store (Louisiana), May 1863
- Siege of Port Hudson (Louisiana), May–July 1863 (including assaults on May 27 and June 14)
- Bayou La Fourche (Louisiana), July 1863
- Expedition to Clinton and Liberty Creek (Louisiana), November 1864
- Siege of Mobile (Alabama), March–April 1865
- Spanish Fort (Alabama), March–April 1865
- Fort Blakely (Alabama), April 1865
- Mobile (Alabama), April 1865
Casualties
- Killed or mortally wounded: 4 enlisted men
- Died of disease and other causes: 23 enlisted men
- Total losses: 27 enlisted men
Field Officers & Commanders
- Captain Albert G. Mack
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 18th New York Independent Battery, including names and service details of its members, is available on the regiment’s roster page. This resource is valuable for genealogical research and for those seeking information about individual soldiers who served in the battery.
To view the complete roster, visit the 18th New York Independent Battery Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Vol. XV, XXVI, XXXIV, XXXVIII
- 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 reports and returns from the Department of the Gulf