Overview
The 15th Ohio Independent Battery Light Artillery served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Organized at Camp Dennison, Ohio, the battery was mustered into federal service on February 1, 1862, for a three-year term. As a light artillery unit, it played a supporting role in several major campaigns and battles in the Western Theater, including the sieges of Corinth, Vicksburg, and Atlanta. The battery was composed of both veterans and recruits and remained active until the close of the war.
The 15th Ohio Battery was attached to various divisions and corps throughout its service, operating under the Army of the Tennessee and later participating in the campaigns of General William T. Sherman. The battery was mustered out on June 20, 1865, at Columbus, Ohio.
Organization & Service
The 15th Ohio Independent Battery Light Artillery was organized at Camp Dennison and mustered in on February 1, 1862. Shortly after, it was ordered to Cincinnati and embarked for Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. However, upon reaching Paducah, Kentucky, the battery received new orders from General W. T. Sherman and disembarked, subsequently reporting to General Ulysses S. Grant at Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee.
The battery was assigned to the 4th Division, Army of the Tennessee, and participated in the advance on and siege of Corinth, Mississippi. In October 1862, it took part in the battle of Metamora, where it sustained two men wounded. In April 1863, the battery was engaged at Coldwater, Mississippi, suffering one man killed, one mortally wounded, two slightly wounded, and the loss of seven horses.
During the siege of Vicksburg, the 15th Ohio Battery held a position on Hall’s Ferry Road, southeast of the city, and later moved to within 200 yards of the Confederate works. The battery expended over 2,300 rounds of ammunition and had several men disabled, though none were killed. At the battle of Jackson, Mississippi, the battery was stationed on the extreme right of the Federal line, with two men wounded and 223 rounds fired.
The unit participated in the Meridian expedition, operating at Meridian, Enterprise, and Quitman, Mississippi, and was involved in the destruction of Confederate infrastructure. After reenlisting as veterans, the battery was furloughed home and, upon return, joined Sherman’s army in northern Georgia. The 15th Ohio Battery was engaged in the battles around Kennesaw Mountain, the capture of the Augusta railroad, and the engagements of July 22 and July 28, 1864, during the Atlanta Campaign. It also fought at Jonesboro and Lovejoy’s Station.
Following the fall of Atlanta, the battery took part in the siege of Savannah and marched with Sherman through the Carolinas, being present at the surrender of General Johnston’s Confederate army. The battery was mustered out of service at Columbus, Ohio, on June 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
- Siege of Corinth (Mississippi)
- Battle of Metamora (October 1862)
- Engagement at Coldwater, Mississippi (April 1863)
- Siege of Vicksburg (May–July 1863)
- Battle of Jackson, Mississippi (July 1863)
- Meridian Expedition (Mississippi, February 1864)
- Atlanta Campaign (including Kennesaw Mountain, July 22 and July 28, 1864)
- Capture of Augusta Railroad
- Battles of Jonesboro and Lovejoy’s Station
- Siege of Savannah (December 1864)
- Campaigns through the Carolinas (including Columbia, South Carolina, and Goldsboro, North Carolina)
- Surrender of Johnston’s Confederate Army (April 1865)
Casualties
During its service, the 15th Ohio Independent Battery Light Artillery sustained the following reported casualties:
- Battle of Metamora: 2 men wounded
- Engagement at Coldwater: 1 man killed instantly, 1 mortally wounded, 2 slightly wounded
- Siege of Vicksburg: several men disabled, none killed
- Battle of Jackson: 2 men wounded
Total losses for the entire service term are not fully detailed in available primary sources.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Captain Edward Spear
- Captain James Burdick
- First Lieutenant Adrian A. Burrows
- First Lieutenant Edwin F. Reeve
- First Lieutenant Charles N. Moore
- First Lieutenant Lyman Bailey
- Second Lieutenant William H. H. Crowell
- Second Lieutenant George R. Caspar
- Second Lieutenant Stiles E. Sturges
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 15th Ohio Independent Battery Light Artillery, 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 15th Ohio Independent Battery Light Artillery Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volumes 10, 17, 24, 38, 39, 47 (reports and correspondence involving the 15th Ohio Battery)
- Ohio Roster Commission, “Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio in the War of the Rebellion”
- 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, Volume 2