Battery K, 1st Illinois Light Artillery Regiment was an artillery battery from Illinois that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The battery was organized in January 1862 at Shawneetown and spent most of 1862–1863 on guard duty in western Kentucky. However, part of the battery participated in Grierson's Raid and the Siege of Port Hudson in 1863. The battery fought at Okolona, Tupelo, Spring Hill, and Franklin in 1864. The battery mustered out of Federal service in December 1864; new recruits and re-enlisted veterans transferred to Battery E, 1st Illinois Light Artillery Regiment.
Personnel
Battery K, 1st Illinois Light Artillery formed at Shawneetown, Illinois (now Old Shawneetown) and mustered into Federal service on 9 January 1862. The original officers were Captain Angrean Franklin of Vienna, Illinois, First Lieutenants Jason B. Smith and Joseph P. Shelton, both of Vienna, and Second Lieutenants William O. Stephenson of Vienna and James G. Helm of Metropolis. Franklin resigned on 31 March 1862 and was replaced as captain by Smith on 1 April 1862. First Sergeant Isaac W. Curtis of Metropolis was also promoted first lieutenant on that date. Other personnel were four sergeants, eight corporals, Quartermaster Joseph W. Franklin, Bugler Jasper N. Cross, Farrier William L. Marberey, and Blacksmith Ambrose H. Smith, and Wagoner George Clark. There were 74 men enrolled as private.
Battery K was part of the 1st Illinois Light Artillery Regiment which organized at Chicago, Springfield, Ottawa, and Cairo, Illinois. There were 12 batteries named A–M, not including J. The different batteries belonging to the regiment formed between 16 July 1861 (A and B) and 12 August 1862 (M), and enlisted for three years' service. Each battery served independently of the others. The regiment's original commander was Colonel Joseph Dana Webster.
Captain Smith resigned on 11 September 1864. First Lieutenant Shelton died on 13 December 1862. Second Lieutenant Stephenson resigned on 20 March 1863. Curtis was promoted captain on 11 September 1864 and mustered out when the battery consolidated with Battery E on 14 February 1865. Almost all the original soldiers were from Vienna, Metropolis, and Golconda, Illinois, though four were from Marion, Kentucky and one from Shawneetown. Re-enlisting as veterans on 20 March 1864 were 22 privates. Beginning in July 1862, 57 men were recruited into the battery. At consolidation, the veterans and recruits transferred to Battery E, 1st Illinois Light Artillery.
History
Grierson's Raid
Battery K was ordered to move to Cairo in March 1862. The unit was attached to the District of Columbus, Kentucky in March–November 1862. The battery remained in Cairo, Paducah, Kentucky, or within the District of Columbus until November 1862, and part of the unit continued serving there through October 1863. The battery was attached to XIII Corps in November–December 1862 and to XVI Corps in December 1862–March 1863. The unit was assigned to 6th Division, XVI Corps in March–October 1863. Battery K was assigned to 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, XVI Corps in October–November 1863.
One section of Battery K was detached to Benjamin Grierson's Cavalry Brigade, XIII Corps, Army of the Tennessee in November 1862–March 1863. Evidently, this section performed the most active service during 1863. The section took part in Ulysses S. Grant's Central Mississippi campaign in November 1862–January 1863. The unit participated in a reconnaissance from La Grange to Collierville, Tennessee on 5 November 1862. The section was in action at Ripley, Mississippi on 23 December and Bolivar, Tennessee on 24 December. The section was assigned to 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, XVI Corps in March–May 1863. While being stationed at Lagrange and Memphis, Tennessee until April 1863, the section went on an expedition from Lagrange on 8–13 March, including skirmishes at Covington, Tennessee on 9–10 March.