UNIT HISTORY

Cherokee Artillery Van Den Corput's Battery

The Cherokee Artillery unit was organized on Aug. 10, 1860 and, in April of 1861, were ordered to join Gen. Phillip's Brigade of Georgia Troops at Big Shanty. On June 13, 1861 they were mustered into state service for the war as Co. A of Stovall's Battalion of Artillery (later known as the 3rd Georgia Battalion).

On Aug. 10, 1861 they departed for Virginia with three 6 pounder guns furnished by the State of Georgia and one iron rifled gun from the Noble Foundry in Rome, Georgia.(*)

During October and November of 1861, The Cherokee Artillery  was stationed at Goldsboro, North Carolina, and from November of 1861 until September of 1862, they served in eastern Tennessee guarding against Union and Pro-Union forces. In September and October of 1862 they were involved in the Kentucky Campaign, though not in action. Then, sometime during October or November, of 1862 they returned to eastern Tennessee.

In January of 1863, the unit was ordered to Vicksburg, Mississippi where they served as an artillery battery at Warrenton until May of 1863. On May 16, 1863 they fought in the Battle of Champion Hill, Mississippi where all of their guns were captured except the iron Noble gun. On July 4, 1863 the majority of the company surrendered with the Army of Vicksburg. Sgt. Johnson and a section, plus the iron rifled gun, were with Ector's Brigade east of Jackson, Mississippi. In September of 1863, the company was paroled, reorganized, and re-equipped.

In November of 1863 they fought in the Battles of Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge. At the Battle of Chattanooga on November 24th, the Cherokee had four 12 pounder Napoleons and was part of Carnes’ Artillery Battalion, Stevenson’s Division of Breckenridge’s Corps. At about 10am, after a dense fog lifted, the Cherokee opened fire throwing 33 shells into Hooker’s assaulting columns on the western slope.

On May 15, 1864 at Resaca, Georgia, the company advanced 80 yards in front of fortifications to a natural depression. Upon unlimbering their cannons, they were immediately overrun by two Union brigades. The Cherokee Artillery fought to save their guns but they were overwhelmed. In the Atlanta Campaign they had no cannons, so their troops were parceled out to reinforce depleted companies. In December of 1864 they served in the Nashville Campaign. On April 12, 1865 the company was captured in the Battle of Salisbury, North Carolina along with the other 1,700 defenders by Stoneman's 16,000 Union troops. They were sent north to a prisoner-of-war camp at Camp Chase, Ohio where they were eventually paroled and sent home by October of 1865.

(*) It is said the first attempt to buy the guns for the battery was in purchasing them from a firm in Philadelphia and from Belgium. However, both these shipments were intercepted before they reached the Mississippi River.

18TH INDIANA BATTERY, LIGHT ARTILLERY, (LILLY'S BATTERY)

The 18th Indiana Battery of Light Artillery was organized at Indianapolis and mustered into service on August 14, 1862 with Captain Eli Lilly in command.

The company initially served at various posts at Cincinnati and throughout Kentucky. In June, of 1863, the 18th was assigned to Wilder's Mounted Brigade. It participated in Rosecrans' East Tennessee Campaign in the succeeding months. During the battle of Hoover's Gap, Tennessee, the Confederate forces were well positioned, but Wilder's Brigade attacked and pushed the Confederate forces through the Gap. With effective fire, Lilly's Battery drove the Confederates from the field. The effective aim and deadly fire of the 18th Battery was also experienced by the charging rebel columns of General Longstreet's Corps during the battle of Chickamauga, on September 19, 1863.

Beginning in May of 1864, Lilly's Battery marched with General Sherman's army on the campaign against Atlanta during which it participated in numerous engagements, including those which occurred at Resaca, Cassville, Stilesboro and Lost Mountain. Later, it was among the Union forces that pursued General Hood's troops after the Confederate defeat at Chattanooga.

The 18th Indiana Battery, Light Artillery, Lilly's Brigade, participated in the following campaigns: Kentucky, 1862; Roscrans' Campaign in Tennessee 1863; East Tennessee, 1863 - 1864; against Atlanta, 1864; Pursuit of Hood, 1864; Wilson's Raid through Alabama and Georgia, 1864 - 1865; Tennessee, 1865.

     Battle Flag of the 18th Indiana USA    (from the State of Indiana website)                                            Battle Flag of Van Den Corput's Battery CSA

Special Announcement!!   Come on Guys!!! I Know You've Got Em!
    To all members of the Cherokee Artillery, the website needs your help!  We need your pictures, we know you guys have got some good ones stashed away.  Please go through your old pictures, pick out a few and send them to the Quartermaster  so they can be added to the site.  Remember to put on them who, where and when.  
    Also we know some of you have some great stories to tell about past events and friends who are no longer with us. Feel free to write them down and send them in so we can share them with some of us who were not so lucky to be there. 
 
    The Cherokee Artillery went to Villa Rica and helped open the Georgia SCV Reunion with a salute to the 200th Birth year of President Jefferson Davis. There were 9 guns on the line and the Cherokee handled themselves in a most dignified manner.  The host camp served everyone a fried catfish dinner that was excellent and was enjoyed by all.  Special thanks go out to Sgt. John Harrison, Cpl. Stan Landers, Pvt. Brian Byrd and Pvt. Daniel Fisher for representing our unit.

    The Cherokee Artillery was again invited to participate in the 1812 Overture at McCellan this year.  If you missed it you missed a grand time.  Before the concert Capt. Scott grilled hamburgers and hotdogs on his grill.( I really didn't know it would cook anything but chicken wings) Our lovely ladies, and a couple of ugly guys, brought potatoe salad, fruit, elderberry cobbler, stuffed eggs,brownies and other treats.  The concert people also supplied us with Cokes and BBQ sandwiches and potatoe chips. There was plenty of opportunity to teach the public about Light Artillery during the War before the concert. During the concert we were a BANG with the locals. Afterwards we retired to the Motel rooms provided us and changed and made a dash to the SWIMMING POOL!!  After a good nights sleep we were able to return home well rested and full from the contental breakfast served by the motel.

   The next meeting of the Cherokee will be Monday July 7 at the Rome Senior Center on Riverside Parkway at 7:30 pm.  Remember guest are welcome and Members are expected!!

Upcoming Events: