Overview
Independent Pennsylvania Battery C (also known as Thompson’s Battery) was a light artillery unit organized at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and mustered into United States service on November 6, 1861, for a three-year term. Serving in the Union Army, the battery operated primarily in the Eastern Theater and was attached to various divisions and corps throughout its service. The battery was noted for its active participation in major campaigns and received commendations for its performance in several key battles.
Organization & Service
Battery C was organized at Pittsburgh and mustered in on November 6, 1861, under the command of Captain James Thompson. Initially assigned to the 2nd Division, 3rd Corps, Army of the Potomac, the battery participated in the battle of Cedar Mountain in August 1862, followed by skirmishes near the Rappahannock River. It was engaged at the Second Battle of Bull Run, Chantilly, South Mountain, and Antietam.
Following Antietam, Battery C was transferred to the 2nd Division, 1st Corps, and took part in the battle of Fredericksburg in December 1862 and the Chancellorsville campaign in the spring of 1863. Due to heavy casualties, Battery C was consolidated with Battery F under Captain Thompson and assigned to McGilvray’s Brigade, Artillery Reserve, Army of the Potomac. The combined batteries fought at Gettysburg, where they sustained significant losses but were commended for their effective and continuous service.
After Gettysburg, the battery continued to serve actively, participating in actions at Mitchell’s Ford, Mine Run, and Morton’s Ford. In early 1864, original members whose terms had expired were mustered out, while many reenlisted, allowing the battery to continue as a veteran organization. The unit spent the winter at Brandy Station and, in the spring of 1864, was ordered to Washington, D.C., for refitting and equipment. Battery C then served in the defenses of Washington, with a brief period of duty at Harper’s Ferry, until the end of its service. The battery was mustered out at Pittsburgh on June 30, 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
- Cedar Mountain
- Skirmishes near the Rappahannock
- Second Bull Run
- Chantilly
- South Mountain
- Antietam
- Fredericksburg
- Chancellorsville Campaign
- Gettysburg
- Mitchell’s Ford
- Mine Run
- Morton’s Ford
- Defenses of Washington
- Harper’s Ferry (brief duty)
Casualties
Battery C suffered heavy losses in several engagements, particularly at Gettysburg. Specific casualty figures are not consistently reported in primary sources.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Captain James Thompson
- Other officers and acting commanders are not consistently listed in available primary sources.
Regimental Roster
The full roster of Independent Pennsylvania Battery C (including officers and enlisted men who served during its three-year term) is available on the regiment’s roster page. This resource is valuable for genealogists and researchers seeking information on individual soldiers.
To view the complete roster, visit the Independent Pennsylvania Battery C Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, various volumes and parts (Army of the Potomac, Artillery Reserve reports)
- Pennsylvania State Adjutant General’s Reports
- 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. 1