"The Civil War ~ Wabasha Co. Minn. ~ 1st Battery Minnesota Volunteer Light Artillary"

The Great Rebellion ~ The American Civil War
Accounts of Action and Rosters of the Men From
Wabasha County, Minnesota

THE 1ST BATTALION MINNESOTA VOLUNTEER LIGHT ARTILLERY


Was organized in October, 1861, and rendezvoused at Fort Snelling until ordered to St. Louis, Missouri, in December, 1861. From St. Souis it went to Pittsburgh Landing in February, 1862, and engaged in the following marches, battles, sieges and skirmishes: At Shiloh, April 5 and 6, 1862; siege of Corinth, April, 1862; at Corinth on October 3 and 4, 1862, and marched from Corinth to Oxford, Mississippi, and from Oxford to Memphis, Tennessee; was assigned in November, 1862, to the 17th Army Corps, and veteranized in January, 1864.

This battery was ordered to Cairo, Illinois, and from there to Huntsville, Alabama; from there to Altoona, Georgia, and from there to Ackworth, Georgia. Participated in the battle of Kennesaw Mount; was at Atlanta July 22 and 28; and was in Sherman's campaign through Georgia and the Carolinas.

Discharged at Fort Snelling, Minnesota, June 30, 1865, having been in active service three years and eight months. The following is a list of the volunteers for this battery from Wabasha county:

FIRST BATTERY LIGHT ARTILLERY

List compiled by Jerry Anderson

Parentheses are around alternate spellings and initials found in the book.
Names in red are linked to their biographies which are from
"Biographies & Historical Sketches of Wabasha County, Minnesota"

NameRankTownRemarks
Albert W AllenPrivateElgindsch 6/3/1865
James BoazPrivateLake Citydsch with battery
Alfred B BrucePrivateElgindsch with battery
Ozias (W) BurdickPrivatePlainviewdsch with battery
Douglas R (R D)CasePrivatePlainviewpromo corp dsch with battery
John Casaden (Cassaden)PrivateGlasgowdsch with battery
James (M) CheathamPrivatePlainviewdsch with battery
Nelson CheathamPrivatePlainviewdied 2/27/1864 at Vicksburg Miss
Andrew (G) CrawfordPrivatePlainviewdsch with battery
John Cronkite (Conkite)PrivatePlainviewdsch with battery
John DavisonPrivateLake Citydsch with battery
Chas (W) DonaldsonPrivatePlainviewdsch with battery
Miles DunningPrivateWab Codsch 6/30/65 also served in 16th WI Inf Co A
David (H) Duryea (Duryee)PrivateGlasgowdsch with battery
Absalom ElliottPrivateElgindied 6/17/1864 at St Louis MO
Reuben FarnumPrivatePlainviewdsch with battery
Brigham FosterPrivatePlainviewdsch with battery
Warner FreerPrivateElgindsch with battery
Wm FurlongPrivatePlainviewdsch with battery
Thomas GibsonPrivatePlainviewdied 5/6/1864 at Mound City IL
Levi (S) GoddardPrivatePlainviewdsch with battery
David Grieve (Greeve)PrivatePlainviewdsch with battery
Dennison (J) Griffling (Griffing)PrivatePlainviewtrans to Veteran Reserve Corp 7/29/64
Joseph (D) Griffling (Griffing)PrivatePlainviewdsch with battery
Wm H Griffling (Griffing)PrivatePlainviewdsch with battery
George R HallPrivatePlainviewdsch in hospital
David HartPrivateElgindsch with battery
Henry HartPrivateElgindsch with battery
Henry HilgidickPrivate Lake Citydsch with battery
Andrew (D) HowisonPrivatePlainviewdsch with battery
Thomas HuddlestonPrivateGlasgowdsch 12/16/64
Ira HumphreyPrivatePlainviewdsch with battery
Abiel E KibbePrivatePlainviewdsch with battery
Creniss LaRue (Lakne)PrivatePlainviewdsch with battery
Joseph LathermanPrivateElgincapt Bentonville NC 3/21/65 returned 6/22/65
Alfred (W) LathropPrivatePlainviewdsch with battery
Elijah (D) LathropPrivatePlainviewdsch with battery
Joseph (W) Marcus (Marcyes)PrivatePlainviewdsch with battery
Charles (E) MurphyPrivatePlainviewdsch 6/30/65
Charles PiercePrivate Wabasha dsch dsbl 7/21/1862
John W PloofPrivatePlainviewdsch with battery
John W PogsonPrivateElgindsch with battery
Albert PomeroyPrivatePlainviewdsch with battery
Alfred PomeroyPrivatePlainviewdsch with battery
Albert RogersPrivate Oakwood promo corp veteran dsch 6/30/1865
John D RossPrivatePlainviewpromo 2nd Lt dsch with battery
Thomas SmithPrivatePepindsch 6/30/65
Robert H SmythPrivatePlainviewdsch with battery
John (W) Studaburken (Studaberkin)PrivatePlainviewdsch with battery
Charles SutfinePrivatePlainviewdsch with battery
Eugene (T) WilsonPrivatePlainviewdsch with battery
Edward WelchPrivateGreenfielddsch 6/30/1865


Biography of Hon. George R. Hall


On June 29, 1836, the hearts of Samuel and Betsey (Wyman) Hall, farmers of Stansted county, Canada East, were made happy by the birth of their second child, the subject of this sketch. The family continued to reside in Canada until George had reached his fifteenth year, when they came to eastern Wisconsin and found a home in Racine county. Six years later, and four years after the death of the father, the family came to Wabasha county. Mr. Hall, in the spring of 1858, located a pre-emption claim on section 4 in Plainview township, on Greenwood prairie. For eight years he followed the life of a pioneer farmer on this place. Soon after disposing of this farm, he bought another of one hundred and forty acres on the same section. This place he sold in 1873, and the same year purchased eighty acres on section 37, in the adjoining township of Highland. This farm he enlarged by the purchase of one hundred and sixty acres adjacent thereto, and in the spring of 1883 sold to Mr. Burgess. Mr. Hall bought a house and lot in the village of Plainview, and moved to town in the spring of 1880. He is agent for the Laird-Norton Lumber Co., of Winona, which has a branch business in Plainview. Mr. Hall enlisted in the 1st bat. Minn. Light Art., December 31, 1863. Owing to ill health, saw but little active service, and was discharged on May 25, 1865. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, a Royal Arch Mason, and a member of the board of supervisors. In the winter of 1877 he represented the Plainview district in the state legislature. His politics are republican. Electa A. Austin, of Racine county, Wisconsin, became his wife October 17, 1858. They have four children: Ida L. (wife of the Rev. F. B. Cowgill, a Methodist Episcopal clergyman and member of the Minnesota conference), Ella Mary (a teacher in Winona county), Inez M. and Nellie Gertrude, living at home.


Biography of Ira J. Humphrey


Ira was born in Steuben county, New York, October 25, 1826, his parents being William and Hannah (Harris) Humphrey, the former a native of New York State and the latter of Virginia. He received a common-school education. July 15, 1849, he espoused Mary A. Randall, a native of Orange county, New York, then in her twentieth year. Her parents, William and Anna (Davenport) Randall, were both born in the same state. Mr. Humphrey continued to reside at the old home until 1854, when he removed to Illinois; from here he went to Vernon county, Wisconsin, and again to Tunnel City, Wisconsin, where he kept hotel, and Mrs. Humphrey opened a millinery store. In 1861 they came to Highland, and took up the eighty acres on section 20, where they still reside. Mr. Humphrey served eighteen months in the 1st Minn. bat., which was with Sherman in his famous march to the sea. Mr. Humphrey is an excellent farmer, and indifferent politician and a genial man. Mrs. Humphrey has established a local reputation as a prophetess. This worthy couple have been blessed with three sons, James, Milo and Charles, now residents of Brown county, Dakota.