3rd Independent Battery, Minnesota Light Artillery

Brief History
The 3rd Independent Battery, Minnesota Light Artillery was organized at Fort Snelling, Minnesota from the enlisted men of the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th Regiments, Minnesota Infantry. This occured from February 2 to May 1, 1863. The 1st Section mustered out at Fort Abercrombie, and the rest of the Battery mustered out at Fort Wadsworth by 27 February, 1866.

For more information on this regiment see the following:


 * Wikipedia, (accessed 9 Dec 2010) article on the 3rd Minnesota Light Artillery Battery.


 * The Civil War Archives. (accessed 9 Dec 2010) Brief history of 3rd Independent Battery Light Artillery.

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 following counties of origin are taken from the Adjutant General's Report, found on the Internet Archives web site. The rosters show the men who served in each regiment, their residences, dates of enlistment and mustering out, and other remarks. Also see the Dalby Database, a site from Minnesota, searchable by men, counties, regiments and companies.

Men from the 3rd Independent Battery were not divided into seperate companies.

Company Third Battery - made of men from many different counties. See Dalby Database. (Enter Company's name as THIRD, Regiment's name as LIGHT ARTILLERY to bring up the roster.

Adjutant General's Report Roster information is found on pages 800 to 804.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 400 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

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 ‘Minnesota 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.


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


 * Carley, Kenneth, and Richard Moe. Minnesota in the Civil War: An Illustrated History. (Minnesota Historical Society Press, c2000). Book of battle histories, photographs, short biographies and a roster of the different regiments with their officers, beginning on page 204. Google book (Not all pages are shown). Other libraries with this book.


 * Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion Compiled and Arranged from Official Records of the Federal and Confederate Armies : [Minnesota]. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1993). . FS Library US/CAN Fiche 6084700. Other libraries with this book.


 * Minnesota. Minnesota in the Civil and Indian Wars 1861-1865. (St. Paul, Minn: Electrotyped and printed for the State by the Pioneer Press Company, 1890).. FS Library US/CAN Book 977.6 H2bc. Other libraries with this book. Click on the FS Library Collection link to view this book online. It contains detailed histories and rosters of each Minnesota Military Unit.


 * United States. War Department. Record and Pension Office. Compiled Records Showing Service of Military Units in Volunteer Union Organizations. (Washington, District of Columbia : The National Archives, c1964).FS Library US/CAN Film 1488542. Other libraries with this microfilm. View online at Internet Archives.