The 2nd Massachusetts Battery (or 2nd Battery, Massachusetts Light Artillery) was an

artillery Artillery consists of ranged weapons that launch Ammunition, munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during sieges, and l ...

battery Battery or batterie most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source * Battery indicator, a device whic ...

that served in the Union army during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. The unit was initially known as "Cobb's Light Artillery" for its first commander,

Major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

Moses Cobb. An experienced officer of the Massachusetts militia, Cobb was selected to organize and command the battery on April 20, 1861, however he did not go with the unit when it departed for the field. The unit was later known as "Nim's Battery" after its subsequent commanding officer, Capt. Ormand F. Nims. It was one of the Massachusetts regiments organized in response to President Abraham Lincoln's call on May 2, 1861, for volunteer troops to serve a term of three-years. The 2nd Massachusetts Battery was the first unit of artillery to be recruited in Massachusetts for three-years service. The battery trained at Camp Adams in

Quincy, Massachusetts Quincy ( ) is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the largest city in the county. Quincy is part of the Greater Boston area as one of Boston's immediate southern suburbs. Its population in ...

, and was mustered into federal service on July 31, 1861. Departing the

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

area on August 8, the battery first served

garrison A garrison is any body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it. The term now often applies to certain facilities that constitute a military base or fortified military headquarters. A garrison is usually in a city ...

duty near

Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...

and in operations in eastern Maryland. In February 1862, it was assigned to the

Department of the Gulf The Department of the Gulf was a command of the United States Army in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War, Civil War. History United States Army (Civil War) Creation The ...

under Major General

Benjamin F. Butler Benjamin Franklin Butler (November 5, 1818 – January 11, 1893) was an American major general of the Union Army, politician, lawyer, and businessman from Massachusetts. Born in New Hampshire and raised in Lowell, Massachusetts, Butler was a ...

and shipped for

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

on April 19. The regiment saw combat during the early stages of the

Siege of Vicksburg The siege of Vicksburg (May 18 – July 4, 1863) was the final major military action in the Vicksburg campaign of the American Civil War. In a series of maneuvers, Union Major General Ulysses S. Grant and his Army of the Tennessee crossed th ...

, and suffered badly from disease and general debility during the operations. After Maj. Gen.

Nathaniel P. Banks Nathaniel Prentice (or Prentiss) Banks (January 30, 1816 – September 1, 1894) was an American politician from Massachusetts and a Union Army, Union general during the American Civil War, Civil War. A millworker, Banks became prominent in local ...

took command of the Department of the Gulf, the battery participated in the Siege of Port Hudson, Louisiana. They also saw action during the Second Bayou Teche Campaign in western Louisiana and the Red River Campaign, during which their guns were captured at the

Battle of Sabine Crossroads The Battle of Mansfield, also known as the Battle of Sabine Crossroads, on April 8, 1864, in Louisiana formed part of the Red River Campaign during the American Civil War, when Union forces were attempting to occupy the Louisiana state capit ...

. They were resupplied with new guns in May 1864. The original volunteers were mustered out on August 16, 1864, having served their three-year term. Some of these chose to reenlist and, receiving new recruits, the unit went on to serve an additional year, seeing action during operations against Fort Blakeley, Alabama. The unit was mustered out on August 11, 1865.

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References

* * * * * {{American Civil War , expanded=CTCBS Artillery units and formations of the American Civil War Military units and formations established in 1861 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865 Units and formations of the Union army from Massachusetts

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