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18th Independent Battery Indiana Light Artillery

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18th Independent Battery Indiana Light Artillery
Colonel Eli Lilly in 1885
ActiveAugust 14, 1862 – September 16, 1865
CountryUnited States
AllegianceUnion
BranchArtillery
Engagements
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Eli Lilly
Insignia
1st Division, XIV Corps
4th Division, XIV Corps
Military unit
Indiana U.S. Volunteer Light Artillery 1861-1865
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18th Independent Battery Indiana Light Artillery 18th Independent Battery Indiana Light Artillery
Lilly's war recruitment poster
A recruitment poster for the 18th Battery

The 18th Independent Battery Indiana Light Artillery, also known as Lilly's Hoosier Battery and Lilly's Battery, was a civil war regiment formed in Indiana during the American Civil War. The regiment was formed at the end of 1860 by 22-year-old Eli Lilly, an Indianapolis pharmacist. He had recruitment posters placed around the city and recruited primarily among his friends and classmates. The unit were first issued 6 "Rodman Guns" (3-inch ordnance rifle) and was manned by 156 men. The Battery members stated preference to 3" Ordnance Rifles over the 10 pound Parrott Rifle due to its tendency to bursting. The unit mustered in Indianapolis where it was drilled during 1861, excelling at their skill with firing accuracy. Lilly was elected captain of the unit in August 1862 when the unit was deployed to join the Lightning Brigade (1st Brigade - Wilder, 4th Division - Reynolds, 14th Corp. - Thomas) commanded by Col. John T. Wilder.

A total of 52 recruits were from Montgomery County, Indiana 49 from Putnam County, Indiana 20 from Vigo County, Indiana 20 from Indianapolis, 8 from Fountain, Indiana, 6 from Madison, Indiana, and single digits from Hendrix and Shelby County, Indiana.

A total of 77 men were from Indiana, 26 from other free states, 14 from slave states, 7 foreigners (5 Irishmen, 1 Englishman, and 1 Prussian) 27 men unknown.

A total of 78 men gave their occupations as farmers, 27 as other occupations (blacksmith, bricklayer, brickmaker, luther, carpenter, carriage maker, clerk, cooper, druggist, engineer, harness maker, horticulturist, mechanic, miller, nurseryman, painter, physician, saddler, shoemaker, silversmith, student, tanner, teacher, wagonmaker, and woolen factory attendant). One man listed "none", and 16 unknown. Of the 156 men who enlisted in 1862, only 77 were present when the battery mustered out in 1865.

The unit first saw action in the Battle of Hoover's Gap, and was later in the Second Battle of Chattanooga and the Battle of Chickamauga. The unit was enlisted for three years, and most members left the unit in the end of 1863. Several members, including Lilly reenlisted when their term expired, but were assigned to new units.

References

Footnotes

  1. It acquired the names due to the movement speed that was gained by mounting the brigade, and also by the hatchets/tomohawks that Wilder had issued initially. See Lightning Brigade article for more.

Citations

  1. ^ Madison, p. 2–4

Sources

See also

Indiana military units in the Civil War
Heavy artillery
Light artillery batteries
Cavalry
Infantry regiments (3 month enlistments)
Infantry regiments (1 year enlistments)
Infantry (3 year enlistments)
See also: List of Civil War regiments by state
Indiana in the American Civil War
People
Places
  • Battles
  • raids
Related
See also: Indianapolis in the American Civil War
History of Indiana
Early history

1700–1799
1800–1816
1817–1899
1900–1999
Since 2000
By topic
By city and locale
See also: History of the United States, History of the Midwestern United States and Portal:Indiana
WikiProject Indiana's History Department


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