"1st and 2nd Rockbridge Batteries 1865" Topic

Hi,
Can anyone tell me what artillery equipment these batteries had at this time period,I believe it included 20pdr Parrotts at one time ?
I don't suppose the guns would have been repainted red as was,I believe,the case very early in the War ?
Cheers G

From the looks of things, the 1st Rockbridge artillery was in winter quarters from September 29th, 1864 until they joined in the retreat from Richmond. It appears they lost their guns when Forts Gilmore and Harrison were overrun and the battery forced to withdraw. They surrendered 3 officers and 21 men at Appomattox.

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Info I have on the 1st and 2nd

Armed with three 6-lb. Smoothbores and one 12-lb. Howitzer on June 30, 1861.

They were armed with three 6-lb. Smoothbores, one 12-lb. Howitzer and two 10-lb. Parrotts in April 1862.

During the Seven Days Battles (June 25-July 1, 1862), they were armed with two 6-lb. Smoothbores, two 12-lb. Howitzers and two 10-lb. Parrotts and were in action at White Oak Swamp (June 30, 1862).

armament cosisted of two 20-lb. and two 10-lb. Parrotts from August to October 1862.

The Rockbridge gunners defended the heights of Fredericksburg during the Chancellorsville campaign (May 1-4, 1863), aided in the capture of Winchester with four 20-lb. Parrotts, bombarded the Union lines on Culp's Hill at Gettysburg (July 1-3, 1863),

During the defense of Richmond they were armed with two 3-inch Rifles and two 10-lb. Parrotts, the battery continued to man the defenses of Richmond until April, 1865.

2nd Rockbridge
Armed with two 6-lb Smoothbores, one 3-inch Rifle and one 10-lb Parrott during August and September 1863.

At Gettysburg (July 1-4, 1863), armed with four 3-inch rifles, as part of the 3rd Corps, Army of Northern Virginia

They were involved in the Petersburg Siege from June 1864-April 1865, being in action at The Crater (July 30) and the Final Assault on April 2. During Decemeber they were armed with three 24-lb Howitzers.

Colours is anyone's guess

The 2nd Battery was also deployed into the defensive works on the Petersburg/Richmond lines. In September of 1864, they were armed with 3X 24lb Howitzers and 1X 8" howitzer.

Their positions were overrun on 2nd April1865. During the retreat towards Appomattox, they had 2 guns, likely the 24lb howitzers, but it isn't specified.

More here:

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As to colors, CS Ordnance regulations called for "liquid olive", same as for federal guns, caissons, limbers, chests,etc. It is doubtful that any other color was used for replacement guns and carriages. Why? First off, the arsenals were equipped to provide one color for the Ordnance department's use. Iron tubes, of course, were painted with a gloss black enamel, and bronze tubes left natural and polished. 2nd, it was difficult, at best, for a battery to get any non-regulation paint while in the field, or even when in works. In addition to that, any request to repaint their guns and carriages, etc, would have to go all the way up the chain of command, and it's quite unlikely that it would be approved.

Go with the green.

1st Rockbridge Artillery was originally equipped with the six guns of the VMI Cadet Battery- 4- 6lb Guns (cast for the cadets and 400lbs lighter than the standard 6lb Gun IIRC) and 2 – 12b Howitzers. All the guns came from Waterveleit Arsenal. 5 of the guns still exist: The 4- 6lbrs Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in front of Jackson's statue at VMI and one of the 12lb Howitzers at Limits Gate on VMI. The 2nd 12lb Howitzers is at the bottom of the Potomac near WIlliamsport. That the guns exist at all is due to the thanks of Henry Dupont.