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1st Regiment Alabama Siege Artillery (African Descent)
Encyclopedia
The 1st Regiment Alabama Siege Artillery (African Descent) was an artillery
regiment
recruited from African-Americans that served in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
. The regiment was renamed the 6th US Colored Heavy Artillery. Under the leadership of Major Lionel Booth, the 6th US Colored Heavy Artillery fought at the Battle of Fort Pillow
on April 12, 1864. The regiment had a strength of 8 Officers and 213 men.
and Memphis, Tennessee
, as well as Corinth, Mississippi
on June 20, 1863 after Federal troops occupied the area.
The regiment was redesignated the 6th U.S. Regiment Colored Heavy Artillery on March 11, 1864. On March 17, Lieut-Colonel Thomas J. Jackson was placed in command of the regiment. The next day he turned the command over to newly promoted Major Lionel F. Booth. The regiment arrived at Fort Pillow on March 29 and, being the senior officer, Major Booth was placed in command of the fort.
On April 12, the fort was attacked by approximately 3000 troops lead by General James R. Chalmers and Confederate Cavalry Corps commander, General Nathan B. Forrest. The battery took positions inside the inner fort walls. However, the Confederates had occupied the surrounding bluffs that allowed them to fire down into the fort. Early in the morning, Major Bradford was shot through the heart by a Confederate sniper. The command of the fort fell to the in-experienced Major William F. Bradford, the commander of the 13th Tennessee Cavalry(US). The command of the 6 Heavy Artillery probably fell to Captain Charles Epeneter, who also was wounded in the head.
The Battery operated two 12-pound howitzers at the northern embrasures or openings in the parapet. Several days before the battle, two 10-pound Parrotts were brought to Fort Pillow. These pieces were placed outside the fort at the beginning of the battle, but were soon moved inside the fort. Wooden platforms were hastily erected adjacent to two open embrasures facing south. During the final assault on the fort, all Union artillery was largely ineffective because the guns could not be depressed enough to fire upon the Confederates on the steep terrain below. Two other cannon, 6-pound James Rifles, were placed in the center two embrasures and manned by a section of men from Company D, 2nd US Colored Light Artillery.
The regiment suffered many casualties at the battle, but unlike many newspaper reports, all of the black soldiers were not killed. Fifty-six were taken prisoner by the Confederates. Most of them were taken to Mississippi and Alabama and returned to hard labor. Whereas the white captors of the Bradford's 13th Tennessee Cavalry(US) were sent to Andersonville Prison (Andersonville National Historic Site) where a large percentage died. Several of the black prisoners escaped and many of those missing in action eventually returned to their unit.
After the losses at the Battle of Fort Pillow, the survivors were reformed into the 11th US Colored Troops infantry regiment.
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
recruited from African-Americans that served in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. The regiment was renamed the 6th US Colored Heavy Artillery. Under the leadership of Major Lionel Booth, the 6th US Colored Heavy Artillery fought at the Battle of Fort Pillow
Battle of Fort Pillow
The Battle of Fort Pillow, also known as the Fort Pillow Massacre, was fought on April 12, 1864, at Fort Pillow on the Mississippi River in Henning, Tennessee, during the American Civil War. The battle ended with a massacre of surrendered Federal black troops by soldiers under the command of...
on April 12, 1864. The regiment had a strength of 8 Officers and 213 men.
Service
The 1st Siege Artillery was raised at LaGrange, LaFayetteLafayette, Tennessee
Lafayette is a city in Macon County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 3,885 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Macon County....
and Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, as well as Corinth, Mississippi
Corinth, Mississippi
Corinth is a city in Alcorn County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 14,054 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Alcorn County. Its ZIP codes are 38834 and 38835.- History :...
on June 20, 1863 after Federal troops occupied the area.
The regiment was redesignated the 6th U.S. Regiment Colored Heavy Artillery on March 11, 1864. On March 17, Lieut-Colonel Thomas J. Jackson was placed in command of the regiment. The next day he turned the command over to newly promoted Major Lionel F. Booth. The regiment arrived at Fort Pillow on March 29 and, being the senior officer, Major Booth was placed in command of the fort.
On April 12, the fort was attacked by approximately 3000 troops lead by General James R. Chalmers and Confederate Cavalry Corps commander, General Nathan B. Forrest. The battery took positions inside the inner fort walls. However, the Confederates had occupied the surrounding bluffs that allowed them to fire down into the fort. Early in the morning, Major Bradford was shot through the heart by a Confederate sniper. The command of the fort fell to the in-experienced Major William F. Bradford, the commander of the 13th Tennessee Cavalry(US). The command of the 6 Heavy Artillery probably fell to Captain Charles Epeneter, who also was wounded in the head.
The Battery operated two 12-pound howitzers at the northern embrasures or openings in the parapet. Several days before the battle, two 10-pound Parrotts were brought to Fort Pillow. These pieces were placed outside the fort at the beginning of the battle, but were soon moved inside the fort. Wooden platforms were hastily erected adjacent to two open embrasures facing south. During the final assault on the fort, all Union artillery was largely ineffective because the guns could not be depressed enough to fire upon the Confederates on the steep terrain below. Two other cannon, 6-pound James Rifles, were placed in the center two embrasures and manned by a section of men from Company D, 2nd US Colored Light Artillery.
The regiment suffered many casualties at the battle, but unlike many newspaper reports, all of the black soldiers were not killed. Fifty-six were taken prisoner by the Confederates. Most of them were taken to Mississippi and Alabama and returned to hard labor. Whereas the white captors of the Bradford's 13th Tennessee Cavalry(US) were sent to Andersonville Prison (Andersonville National Historic Site) where a large percentage died. Several of the black prisoners escaped and many of those missing in action eventually returned to their unit.
After the losses at the Battle of Fort Pillow, the survivors were reformed into the 11th US Colored Troops infantry regiment.
See also
- Battle of Fort PillowBattle of Fort PillowThe Battle of Fort Pillow, also known as the Fort Pillow Massacre, was fought on April 12, 1864, at Fort Pillow on the Mississippi River in Henning, Tennessee, during the American Civil War. The battle ended with a massacre of surrendered Federal black troops by soldiers under the command of...
- Memphis Battery Light Artillery (African Descent)Memphis Battery Light Artillery (African Descent)The Memphis Battery Light Artillery was an artillery battery that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The unit was also called 1st Tennessee Battery .-Service:...
, aka Battery D, 2nd US Colored Light Artillery - List of Alabama Union Civil War regiments