Artillery - Sergeant Major Role

[ejn]

Does anyone know what role an artillery Sergeant Major would have in battle conditions? If you can provide a reference even better.

I know batteries filled this rank, the 9th Battery Mass. Vols. had George Prescott as Sergt. Maj. The book "Instruction for Field Artillery" (1864) by French, Barry, and Hunt doesn't even list the rank as part of an artillery organization. "Andrews' Mounted Artillery Drill" also does not reference the Sergt. Maj.

Ed

[mladair]

Re: Artillery - Sergeant Major Role

I believe the Sergeant Major served at the regimental level. Michigan had one regiment of light artillery, with batteries A-M. Therefore, in Michigan there ended up being only one Sergeant Major, and I believe he served primarily an administrative role.

Michigan batteries never served together under one unified command. Most of them were scattered throughout the western theater of operations. Because they didn't serve together, the Federal government took to calling the batteries by numbers. Hence, Battery A was the 1st Michigan Battery, Battery B, the 2nd Michigan Battery, etc. We never had a Second regiment of light artillery, and later batteries were given numbers. After Battery M, comes the 13th Michigan Battery, then the 14th Michigan Battery.

[ejn]

Re: Artillery - Sergeant Major Role

The 9th Battery Mass. Vols. was a 6 gun detachment. I did some more digging, in the battey regimental and in the book "Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines in the Civil War" Prescott is listed a 1st Sergt. until August 16, 1863. But he is clearly listed in the roster report (March 7, 1863) as "Sgt. Major". There is no 1st Sergt. listed. Maybe the clerk got it wrong, but Bigelow needed to submit it in his name and Bigelow worked with General Barry on his Artillery manual. Bigelow should have known better.

But, there were Light Artillery Sergt. Majors, as seen in this photograph.

[private 3rd R I battery]

Re: Artillery - Sergeant Major Role

Does anyone know what role an artillery Sergeant Major would have in battle conditions? If you can provide a reference even better.

I know batteries filled this rank, the 9th Battery Mass. Vols. had George Prescott as Sergt. Maj. The book "Instruction for Field Artillery" (1864) by French, Barry, and Hunt doesn't even list the rank as part of an artillery organization. "Andrews' Mounted Artillery Drill" also does not reference the Sergt. Maj.

Ed

From what I belive there was only a frist Sgt was allowed in a battery and in Battle conditions I belive he hade no real post maybe except makeing sure no one runs off in the heat of battle. but if they where a officer short he would fill in the vacancy and often put them in the center section and leaving the two other more experienced section commanders protecting its flanks with their sections.


Thomas Rousseau