1st Battalion, New York Light Artillery

Brief History
This regiment was organized at Elmira, Chemung, New York to serve three years; it mustered in October 17, 1861. Eight companies, commanded by Col. Guilford D. Bailey, left the State October 31, 1861, Companies I, K, L and M November 21, 1861. At the expiration of its term of service, those entitled thereto were discharged, and the regiment continued in service. Its service was as light artillery and by batteries in the Armies of the Potomac, Virginia, the Cumberland and Georgia. The field and staff were honorably discharged and mustered out under Col. Charles S. Wainwright at Elmira, June 21, 1865. The New York State Military Museum website has a unit history project page for the 1st Battalion, New York Light Artillery.

The Civil War in the East website gives a timeline for the involvement of 1st Battalion, New York Light Artillery in the war.

"Compendium of the War of the Rebellion" by Frederick H. Dyer contains no history for this unit.

Batteries in this Battalion with the Counties of Origin
Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived though not always. After many battles, companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.

Battery A - (Empire Battery) - Captain Thomas H. Bates, beginning July 31, 1861, recruited principally at Utica, Bridgewater, Clinton, and Sauquoit in Oneida County; Edmeston and Burlington in Otsego County; Little Falls in Herkimer County; Phoenix in Oswego County; South Brookfield in Madison County; Sherburne and New Berlin in Chenango County, and Jordan in Onondaga County.

Battery B, recruited by Capt. Rufus D. Pettit, principally at Elmira in Chemung County and Baldwinsville in Onondaga County, was mustered in the United States service August 30, 1861, at Elmira

Battery C, was principally recruited by Capt. John W. Tamblin, at Watertown, LeRay, Philadelphia, Alexandria, Rutland and Champion in Jefferson County; Wilna, and mustered in the service of the United States at Elmira in Chemung County, September 6, 1861.

Battery D, Capt. Thomas W. Osborne, was recruited principally at Watertown, Antwerp, Cape Vincent in Jefferson County, Gouverneur and Russell in St. Lawrence County,  Diana in Lewis County, Stone Mills, Pitcairn and Richville; and mustered in the United States service September 6, 1861, at Elmira.

Battery E, Capt. John Stocum, principally recruited at Bath inRensselaer County, Avon in Livingston County and Mitchellsville, was mustered in the United States service September 13, 1861, at Elmira.

Battery F, Capt. W. R. Wilson, was principally recruited at Oswego, Southport and Elmira in Chemung County and mustered in the United States service September 14, 1861, at Elmira.

Battery G, Capt. John D. Frank, principally recruited at Mexico in Oswego County, was mustered in the service of the United States September 24, 1861, at Elmira.

Battery H, Capt. Joseph Spratt, recruited principally at Watertown in Jefferson County and Lowville in Lewis County and mustered in the United States service October 10, 1861, at Elmira.

Battery I, recruited by Capt. Michael Wiedrich, under authority from the War Department, dated July 30, 1861, principally at Buffalo, Lancaster and Amherst in Erie County and Elmira in Chemung County was mustered in the service of the United States at Buffalo, October 1, 1861.

Battery K — Fort Plain Battery — Capt. Lorenzo Crounse, recruited principally at Fort Plain in Montgomery County, Stockbridge in Madison County, Jasper in Steuben County, Elmira in Chemung County and Canandaigua in Ontario County, was mustered in the United States service November 20, 1861, at Albany.

Battery L — Rochester Union Greys — Capt. John A. Reynolds, recruited principally at Rochester in Monroe County, Palmyra in Wayne County and Elmira in Chemung County was mustered in the United States service at Elrnira, November 17, 1861.

Battery M, Capt. Geo. W. Cothran, recruited principally at Rochester in Monroe County, Albany in Albany County, and Lockport in Niagara County, was mustered in the service of the United States at Rochester, October 14, 1861.

Other Sources

 * Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in ‘New York in the Civil War’ and ‘United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865’ (see below).


 * National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is searchable by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information.


 * New York in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for New York, and how to find them.. These include compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 describes and explains United States and Confederate States records, rather than state records, and how to find them. These include veterans’ censuses, compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * Phisterer, Frederick. New York in the War of the Rebellion, 1861 to 1865. Albany, New York : J.B. Lyon, 1912. Google Books, other libraries with this book,


 * The Union Army : a History of Military Affairs in the Loyal States, 1861-65, Records of the Regiments in the Union Army, Cyclopedia of Battles, Memoirs of Commanders and Soldiers, Reprint of original published: Madison, WI.: Federal Pub. Co., 1908. Other libraries with this book,


 * New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs. "Unit History Project : New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center at citing Frederick Phisterer, New York in the War of the Rebellion, 3rd ed. (Albany, N.Y.: J. B. Lyon Company, 1912).


 * Ames, Nelson. History of Battery G, First Regiment New York Light Artillery. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1992)


 * Hawks, Steve.The Civil War in the East. Database.


 * Remington, Cyrus Kingsbury. A record of Battery I, First N. Y. Light Artillery Vols. : otherwise known as Wiedrich's Battery, during the war of the rebellion, 1861-65 (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1992)