1st Battalion, North Carolina Heavy Artillery - Confederate

Brief History
1st Battalion, North Carolina Heavy Artillery was organized at Wilmington, North Carolina during the late spring of 1863 with four companies. In March, 1865, the few remaining men were assigned to Hagood's Brigade as infantry. Surrendered with the Army of Tennessee.

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin
The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 895 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

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. Each of the following companies included smaller contingents from other counties, the state of South Carolina, and men whose county of residence is unknown.


 * Company A, “The Clark Artillery." Organized May 15, 1862. Members of the company were principally from New Hanover County (76 men) and Robeson County (59 men). Total enrollment in the company was 190 men.


 * Company B, “The River Guards.” Organized May 2, 1862. Members of the company were principally from New Hanover County (119 men), Duplin County (88 men), and Sampson County (21 men). Total enrollment in the company was 238 men.


 * Company C. Organized April 9, 1862. Members of the company were principally from Robeson County (65 men), Bladen County (40 men), Columbus County (30 men), Brunswick County (26 men), and New Hanover County (25 men). Total enrollment in the company was 215 men.


 * Company D. Organized January 13, 1864, with the transfer of contingents from Companies A (25 men), B (30 men), and C (32 men), 1st Battalion N.C. Heavy Artillery. Members of the company were principally from Robeson County (62 men) and Duplin County (31 men). Total enrollment in the company was 138 men.

The above information about the companies comes from 1st Battalion North Carolina Heavy Artillery.

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 ‘North Carolina 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.


 * North Carolina in the Civil War describes many sources, specifically for North Carolina, 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.


 * Birdsong, James C. (James Cook). Brief sketches of the North Carolina State troops : in the war between the states. (Raleigh, North Carolina : Josephus Daniels, 1894),