WTK: Artillery Group attached to a Cavalry unit?

[66illinois]

Question for the Board:

I found mention while doing some light reading about a Confederate Artillery group was "attached" to a cavalry unit. The gun they were in charge of was a "light" easily manageable piece, that could be brought into action with less men than a "standard" field cannon.

My question would be related to the overall chain of command and apperance of the artillery group.....would the cannoniers' be dressed like the cavalry unit or still be designated with "red" (as opposed to yellow on the trousers, jacket, hat, etc.).

I ask this in the vaguest of terms.....not necessarily specific to a certain cavalry unit or an artillery unit as organized during the War.


Has anyone heard of a CSA cavalry unit lugging around an artillery piece...we know of mounted and dismounted (without horses) cavalry units specifically of course.

I thank you,


George A.
Bossier City, Louisiana.

[tompritchett]

Has anyone heard of a CSA cavalry unit lugging around an artillery piece...we know of mounted and dismounted (without horses) cavalry units specifically of course.

Are you referring to reenacting units or historical units? If the latter, yes it was done.

[ScottWashburn]

Especially in the early days of the war you would find "legions" which were sort of mini-brigades often containing infantry, cavalry and artillery in a regimental-sized unit. They tended to disappear as the war went on.

[GaWildcat]

I believe Mosby had a field piece for a little while

[Dave Myrick]

Large bodies of cavalry, both blue and grey operated with artillery attached. They were known as horse artillery and served to support the cavalry in its mission to fix the enemy in position once located. I thought everyone knew of J.E.B. Stuart's affinity for Pelham. There were others or certain, Pennington, and Dilger for example on the Federal to name but a few.

Notice though I said that they were attached to and not part of the cavalry. They retained their branch identity.

These units do not include those "legions" refered to by Mr. Washburn.

So to summarize, batteries were assigned to serve with and support cavalry units but they retained their individual unit identites.

Dave Myrick