1st Independent Battery, Connecticut Light Artillery

Brief History
The 1st Connecticut Light Battery was organized at West Meriden and was mustered in October 26, 1861. It was mustered out June 11, 1865. This battery was composed of men from all parts of Connecticut.

For more information about the 1st Connecticut Light Battery and its history, see:


 * Regimental History - History of the First Connecticut Volunteer Light Battery, (accessed 9 Mar 2011). Connecticut Military Department


 * Beecher, Herbert W. and United States. Army. Connecticut Light Artillery Battery, 1st (1861-1865), History of the First Light Battery, Connecticut Volunteers, 1861-1865. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1991). Personal records and reminiscences. The story of the battery from its organization to the present time.  Available online at Library Archive, (accessed 9 Mar 2011).  Also available at the FamilySearch Library,
 * The Civil War Archive section, 1st Battery Light Artillery, (accessed 11 April 2012).

Companies in this Regiment 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.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 388 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Rosters

 * Connecticut. Adjutant General's Office, Catalogue of Connecticut volunteer organizations, with additional enlistments and casualties to July 1, 1864, (Hartford, Connecticut : Case, Lockwood, 1864), page 107. Available Online at Internet Archive, (accessed 8 Mar 2011).  Also available at the FamilySearch Library,  or FS Library US/CAN Film 1550802.


 * Adjutant General's Office, Catalogue of Connecticut volunteer organizations : (infantry, cavalry, and artillery,) in the service of the United States, 1861-1865, with additional enlistments, casualties, &amp;c., &amp;c., and brief summaries, showing the operations and service of the several regiments and batteries, (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1991), page 114. Includes index.  Online at Internet Archive, (accessed 8 Mar 2011).  Also available at the FamilySearch Library,  or

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 ‘Connecticut 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.


 * Connecticut in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for Connecticut, 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.


 * Footnote.com, (accessed 2 Apr 2011). (A subscription website, but is available for use at the FamilySearch Library and some Family History Centers). It has digital Civil War soldier service records and brief regiment histories (located at the bottom of some of the muster rolls).


 * The Civil War in the East, (accessed 9 Mar 2011). Timeline of the 1st Connecticut Light Artillery


 * United States. War Department. Record and Pension Office. CONNECTICUT 1st Cavalry 1st Heavy Artillery 2nd Heavy Artillery 1st-3rd Independent Battery, Light Artillery 1st Infantry, 3 months, 1861-3rd Infantry 5th Infantry 6th Infantry. (Washington, District of Columbia : The National Archives, 1964),.