Overview
Independent Pennsylvania Battery H (Light Artillery) was organized at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and mustered into United States service on October 21, 1862, for a three years’ term. This unit served as an independent light artillery battery in the Union Army, primarily in the Eastern Theater. Its members were recruited largely from Pittsburgh and the surrounding area. Battery H was one of nine independent Pennsylvania light batteries (A through I) that served separately during the Civil War, each earning commendations for their service.
Organization & Service
Battery H was organized at Pittsburgh and mustered in on October 21, 1862. Shortly after organization, the battery joined Union forces at Hagerstown, Maryland, and was attached to the command of General Morell. In December 1862, the battery was ordered to Washington, D.C., where it remained on duty through the winter and into the spring of 1863. In the spring, Battery H was transferred to Alexandria, Virginia, where it performed provost (garrison and security) duty for an extended period.
Battery H continued its provost assignments in Alexandria until January 1865, when it was ordered back to Camp Barry in Washington, D.C. The battery completed its service at Camp Barry and was mustered out at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on June 18, 1865. Throughout its term, Battery H served primarily in defensive and garrison roles rather than in major field campaigns.
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
- Duty at Hagerstown, Maryland (late 1862)
- Garrison and provost duty at Washington, D.C. (December 1862 – Spring 1863)
- Provost duty at Alexandria, Virginia (Spring 1863 – January 1865)
- Garrison duty at Camp Barry, Washington, D.C. (January – June 1865)
Casualties
Specific casualty figures for Independent Pennsylvania Battery H are not detailed in available primary sources. The battery primarily performed garrison and provost duties, which generally resulted in lower combat casualties compared to field units.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Captain John J. Nevin
- Captain William Borrowe
- Captain Edward H. Nevin, Jr.
Regimental Roster
The full roster of Independent Pennsylvania Battery H (Light Artillery), including officers and enlisted men who served during its three years’ term, is available on the regiment’s roster page. This resource provides names, ranks, and additional service details valuable for genealogical and historical research.
To view the complete roster, visit the Independent Pennsylvania Battery H (Light Artillery) Roster page.
Sources & References
- The War of the Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I
- Pennsylvania Adjutant General’s Report, relevant volumes
- Dyer, Frederick H., A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
- Federal Publishing Company, The Union Army, Vol. 1 (1908)