2nd U.S. Artillery, Battery E

The 2nd U.S. Artillery, Battery E was an artillery battery that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The unit fought at the battles of First Bull Run in 1861 and Yorktown, the Seven Days, Second Bull Run, Chantilly, Antietam, and Fredericksburg in 1862. The following year, Battery E moved to the western theater where it served at Vicksburg and Knoxville. In 1864, the unit transferred back to the eastern theater where it fought at the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Totopotomoy, and Cold Harbor. For the rest of the war it became part of the Washington D.C. garrison.

Service
At Washington, D. C, January, 1861. Attached to Schenck's Brigade, Tyler's Division, McDowell's Army, Northeast Virginia, June to August, 1861. Artillery Division, Army of the Potomac, to October, 1861. Porter's Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862. Artillery Reserve, Potomac, to May, 1862. 5th Brigade, Artillery Reserve, 5th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to September, 1862. Artillery, 1st Division, 9th Army Corps, to December, 1862. Artillery, 3rd Division, 9th Army Corps, to February, 1863. Artillery, 1st Division, 9th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to April, 1863. District of Central Kentucky, Dept. of the Ohio, to June, 1863 Artillery Reserve, 9th Army Corps, Dept. of the Ohio, to August, 1863. Artillery, 1st Division, 9th Army Corps, Dept. of the Ohio, to March, 1864. Reserve Artillery, 9th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to June, 1864. Camp Barry, Washington, D. C., 22nd Army Corps, to November, 1864. Consolidated with Battery "C" 2nd Artillery August 24, 1864. 1st Separate Brigade, 22nd Army Corps, November, 1864, to October. 1865.

History
Advance on Manassas, Va., July 16–21, 1861. Occupation of Fairfax Court House July 17. Battle of Bull Run July 21. Duty in the Defenses of Washington until March, 1862. Moved to the Virginia Peninsula. Siege of Yorktown April 5–May 4. Near Williamsburg May 4. Seven days before Richmond June 25–July 1. Turkey Bridge June 30. Malvern Hill July 1. At Harrison's Landing until August 16. Movement to Centreville, Va., August 16–28. Battle of Groveton August 29. Battle of Bull Run August 30. Chantilly September 1. Maryland Campaign September 6–22. Battle of Antietam September 16–17. Warrenton or Sulphur Springs November 15. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12–15. "Mud March" January 20–24. Moved to Newport News February 10, and duty there until March 19. Movement to Kentucky March 19-23. Duty in District of Central Kentucky until June. Moved to Vicksburg, Miss., June 7–14. Siege of Vicksburg June 14–July 4. Advance on Jackson, Miss., July 4–10. Siege of Jackson July 10–17. Moved to Covington, thence to Crab Orchard, Ky., August 4–18. March to Knoxville, Tenn., September 10–26. Knoxville Campaign November 4–December 23. Action at Campbell's Station November 16. Siege of Knoxville November 17–December 5. Repulse of Longstreet's assault on Fort Saunders November 29. Operations in East Tennessee until March, 1864. Ordered to Annapolis, Md. Rapidan (Va.) Campaign May 4–June 7. Wilderness May 5–7. Spotsylvania May 8–21. Totopotomoy May 28–31. Cold Harbor June 1–7. Bethesda Church June 1–3. Ordered to Washington, D. C., and duty in the Defenses of that city until October 1865.

Armament
During the Battle of Antietam, 2nd U.S. Artillery, Battery E was equipped with four 20-pounder Parrott rifles and led by Lieutenant Samuel Nicholl Benjamin. Several days after the battle, on 22 September 1862, the battery's personnel numbered three officers and 97 enlisted men. A return from 1 October listed three officers and 90 enlisted men. No casualties were reported at Antietam.

Battery E, still armed with four 20-pounder Parrotts and led by Benjamin, was assigned to defend Fort Sanders at Knoxville. The other defenders were Captain William W. Buckley's Battery D, 1st Rhode Island Light Artillery (six 12-pounder Napoleons), one section of Captain Jacob Roemer's 34th Independent Battery New York Light Artillery (two 3-inch Ordnance rifles), 120 soldiers from the 79th New York Volunteer Infantry, 100 men from the 2nd Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment, 80 men from the 20th Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment, and 75 men from the 29th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment. The Battle of Fort Sanders began after 6:00 am on 29 November 1863 when Confederate brigades assaulted the fort but were repulsed with loss.

Commanders

 * Captain J. Howard Carlisle (1st Bull Run, Seven Days)
 * Lieutenant Samuel Nicholl Benjamin (2nd Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Vicksburg, Fort Sanders)
 * Lieutenant James S. Dudley (Wilderness)
 * Lieutenant Samuel B. McIntire (Cold Harbor)