2nd Heavy Artillery Regiment
Civil War
Governor Morgan's Second Regiment United States Light Artillery; Palmer's Artillery; Latson's Artillery

History
The following is taken from New York in the War of the Rebellion, 3rd ed. Frederick Phisterer. Albany: J. B. Lyon Company, 1912.

Mustered in by companies: August 23 to December 12, 1861
Mustered out: September 29, 1865

Col. John W. Latson received authority from the War Department, July 24, 1861, to recruit a regiment of artillery; of this the National Union Rangers formed part. Col. Jeremiah Palmer received authority from the Governor of the State to recruit a regiment of artillery, known as Governor Morgan's Light Artillery. August 24th Colonel Latson's authority was revoked, and October 18th these two organizations were consolidated, forming eight companies, and the new organization designated the 2d Regiment of Artillery. Captain Maguire's company of the Latson Artillery became Company A; the companies of Captains Kitching, Hogg, Jones, Klinck, Houseman, Clarke and Smith, became Companies B, C, D, E, F, G and H, respectively. December 5, 1861, there was assigned to the regiment, completing its organization, the so-called third battalion of the Morgan Artillery and the Flushing Artillery. The companies of Captains Griffin, Joslin and Halstead, of the Morgan Artillery, became Companies I, K and M, and the Flushing Artillery, Capt. Thomas L. Robinson, Company L; the men of Company M of the Morgan Artillery were assigned to Companies I and M. The regiment was organized at Staten Island for a service of three years. The companies were mustered in the United States service at Staten Island, A and E October 2; B August 23; C and D September 18; F, G and H October 15; I and K December 11; L November 18; M December 12, 1861. In June, 1862, a number of Indians, members of Company F, were discharged. November 19, 1863, Battery L, which served detached from the regiment since March, 1862, as a light battery, was permanently detached and became the 34th Battery; it was replaced by a new company in January, 1864. At the expiration of its term of service, those entitled thereto were discharged, and the regiment retained in the service. June 27, 1865, the regiment was consolidated into eight companies, the men of Company I being transferred to Companies A and E; those of K to A, C and F; of L to B, C, D and H; and of M to A, G and H; and the members of the 9th Artillery, not discharged on the muster-out of their regiment, were transferred to it as Companies I, K, L and M.

The companies were recruited principally: A (Company B of John W. Latson's Regi-ment of Light Artillery, Horse Artillery, 1st Regiment U. S. Volunteers), on Staten Island; B (1st Regiment Heavy Artillery), on Staten Island; C, D, E and F, at New York city; G at Utica; H (Carthage Battery), at Waterloo and Carthage; I, formed partly of Latson's Light Artillery and the Morgan Artillery at New York city and Norwich; K (Morgan Artillery), at Frankfort, Mohawk, Tompkinsville and Herkimer; L (Flushing or Hamilton Light Artillery, originally Artillery Company, 15th Militia), at Flushing; and M (Morgan Artillery), at Utica, Little Falls, Trenton Falls, Russia, Taberg, Camboy, Holland Patent, Rochester and Sand Bank. The second Company L was recruited principally at Frankfort, Schuyler, Hamilton, German Flats, Richfield, Warren, Utica, Exeter, Camden, Stark, Otsego, Burlington, Norwich and Watertown.

The first eight companies left the State November 7, 1861; Company L December 2d; and Companies I, K and M December 12, 1861; and the regiment (except first Company L for which see 34th Battery) served at and near Washington, D. C., in the Military District of Washington, from March, 1862; in Sturgis' Brigade, Military District of Washington, from May, 1862; in the Reserve Corps, Army of Virginia, from June, 1862; in the defenses of Washington, from September, 1862; in the artillery defenses of Alexandria, from January, 1863; and in the 22d Corps from February, 1863; in Tyler's Artillery Division, 2d Corps, Army of Potomac, from May 18, 1864; in the 2d Brigade, 1st Division, 2d Corps, from May 29, 1864; in the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 2d Corps, from July, 1864; in the 1st Brigade, DeRussy's Division, 22d Corps, from June, 1865, as heavy artillery and infantry. September 29, 1865, commanded by Col. Joseph N. G. Whistler, it was honorably discharged and mustered out at Washington, D. C.

During its service, the regiment lost by death, killed in action, 5 officers, 105 enlisted men; of wounds received in action, 5 officers, 101 enlisted men; of disease and other causes, 250 enlisted men; total, 10 officers, 456 enlisted men; aggregate, 466; of whom 71 enlisted men died in the hands of the enemy.

Battles and Casualties Table from Phisterer

Civil War Newspaper Clippings

2nd Artillery National Flag

Battery L Guidon

Unit Roster

Further Reading
This is meant to be a comprehensive list. If, however, you know of a resource that is not listed below, please send an email to int-historians@ng.army.mil with the name of the resource and where it is located. This can include photographs, letters, articles and other non-book materials. Also, if you have any materials in your possession that you would like to donate, the museum is always looking for items specific to New York's military heritage. Thank you.

Armes, George Augustus. Ups and downs of an army officer, by Col. George A. Armes. Washington, D. C.: 1900.

Bushnell Family papers, 1857-1955.
Abstract: Three volumes of Civil War letters of Lucius T. Bushnell (1839-1905) to and from friends and relatives, 1861-65; also a diary, 1864, and an album of photographs of his fellow soldiers in Company E, 2nd New York Heavy Artillery. Diaries of Lucius T. Bushnell, 1857-59 and 1877-1905, some with typed transcriptions; diaries of his wife, Rosetta S. Hammond (1842-1915) for the years 1857, 1859 and 1864-66; diaries of Horace Chester Bushnell (1867-1948) for the years 1903-1929, 1937, 1939, and 1949-55; and the 1903 diary of Bessie Bushnell (1889-1910).
The collection also includes a personal account book of Lucius T. Bushnell, 1860; an autograph book, 1882-88, and a personal account book, 1892-1902, of Horace Chester Bushnell; and an album of assorted advertising and calling cards, c.1880-c.1900.
Located at the Gilbertsville Free Library, Commercial Street, Gilbertsville, New York 13776.

"Fort C.F. Smith, Co. L, 2d New York Artillery."
Abstract: Photograph of a group of soldiers with cannon and caisson.
hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3c15177 (link opens new window)
Original located at the Library of Congress.

Gale, W. Hector. Roster of the Second New York Artillery a list of the survivors together with their post office addresses. Free Press Print.

Haas, James E. This gunner at his piece: College Point, New York & the Civil War, with biographies of the men who served. Baltimore, MD : Gateway Press, 2002.

Horn, John (John Edward) The destruction of the Weldon Railroad, Deep Bottom, Globe Tavern, and Reams Station, August 14-25, 1864 Lynchburg, Va. H.E. Howard, Inc. 1991.
Thank you to Chris Duryea for pointing out the section on the 100th, 152nd and 2nd Artillery.

Irving, Theodore. "More than conqueror;"or, rnemorials of Col. J. Howard Kitching, Sixth New York artillery, by the author of "The conquest of Florida." New York: Hurd and Houghton, 1873.

Military Records, 1758-1924, 1861-1864 (bulk). Abstract: Andrew Finch Jr. memorandum book includes names of men enlisted in militia in 1758 and men in Captain DuBois' Co.
of 1st Battalion, New York Regiment, 1770; Finch's orderly book kept at Valley Forge, 1778; record of military appointments of Gaylord Campbell, 17th Regiment of Riflemen, 1830-33. Civil War records include Regimental Order book of 34th New York Regiment, 1862-63; Regimental Description book of 34th New York Regiment and other records of the 34th Regiment and 2nd New York Artillery, 7 vols., 1861-89. Also record of World War I discharges for Herkimer County, 1919-24; and several other miscellaneous pieces.
Located at the Herkimer County Historical Society, 400 North Main Street, Herkimer, New York 13350.

Miller, Delavan S. Drum taps in Dixie, memories of a drummer boy, 1861-1865, by Delavan S. Miller. Watertown: Hungerford-Holbrook co., 1905.

Roback, Henry. The veteran volunteers of Herkimer and Otsego counties in the War of the rebellion, being a history of the 152d N.Y.V., with scenes, incidents, etc., which occured in the ranks of the 34th N.Y., 97th N.Y., 121st N.Y., 2d N.Y. heavy artillery, and 1st and 2d N.Y. mounted rifles. Also the active part performed by the boys in Blue who were associated with the 152d N.Y.V. in Gen. Hancock's Second army corps, during Grant's campaign, from the Wilderness to the surrender of Gen. Lee at Appo-mattox court house, Va. Compiled and edited by Henry Roback. Little Falls: [Utica, Press of L. C. Childs & Son, 1888].

Roemer, Jacob. Reminiscences of the War of the rebellion, 1861-1865, by Bvt.-Maj. Jacob Roemer, Battery L, Second N.Y. artillery, and Thirty-fourth N.Y.V.V. ind. Lt. battery. Edited by L. A. Furney. Published by the estate of Jacob Roemer. Flushing: [Press of the Flushing Journal], 1897.

Roster of the Second New York artillery, a list of the survivors together with their post office addresses, by W. Hector Gale, Secretary, Second New York artillery association. Oneida: Free Press print, 1887.

Items the museum holds are in bold.

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