14th Rhode Island Heavy Artillery Regiment (Colored)

HISTORICAL NOTES: The 14th Rhode Island Heavy Artillery Regiment (Colored) was organized in Providence, Rhode Island in August 1863. The regiment served for three years and had a number of different titles, including:

14th Rhode Island Heavy Artillery: The original name of the regiment

14th Rhode Island Heavy Artillery Corps d'Afrique: Another name for the regiment

8th U.S. Heavy Artillery (Colored): The regiment's name was changed to this on April 4, 1864

8th U.S. Colored Artillery (Heavy): Another name for the regiment

11th U.S. Colored Artillery (Heavy): The regiment's name was changed to this on May 21, 1864

The 14th served in the Louisiana bayou and had the highest casualty rate of any Rhode Island unit. It officially ceased to exist when the designation of the regiment was first changed to 8th United States Colored Heavy Artillery Regiment on April 4, 1864, and later to 11th United States Colored Heavy Artillery Regiment on May 21, 1864.

As the regiment served in two different locations it never assembled as a whole until after it had been mustered out of service. The regiment's commander, Colonel J. Hale Sypher, served on court martial duty throughout the regiment's service and never exercised operational control over the regiment.

The de facto commander of the regiment was Lieutenant Colonel Nelson Viall, who was noted for his concern for the well-being of his soldiers. Viall had previously served as colonel of the 2nd Rhode Island Infantry but accepted a reduction in rank to serve with the 14th Rhode Island. After the war he served as the warden of the Rhode Island State Prison from 1869 until his death in 1903.

The 11th mustered out of service October 2, 1865, at New Orleans, Louisiana.

OFFICERS:

Colonel J. Hale Sypher

Lieutenant Colonel Nelson Viall

ASSIGNMENTS: The regiment served unattached, XIII Corps, Department of the Gulf, to May 1864 (1st Battalion). Defenses of New Orleans, Department of the Gulf, to October 1865. SERVICE: The units of the regiment were originally trained on organized on Dutch Island in Narragansett Bay. There were three battalions formed. The 1st and 3rd Battalions served together at Camp Parapet in New Orleans. The 2nd Battalion was stationed at English Turn in Plaquemine near New Orleans.

The 1st Battalion moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, December 19–30, 1863, then to Pass Cavallo, Texas, December 31, 1863 – January 8, 1864. The 1st Battalion assigned to garrison duty at Fort Esperanza, Matagorda Island, Texas, until May 19, 1864. Moved to Camp Parapet, New Orleans, La., May 19–23; joined 3rd Battalion and served duty there until July 1864. Ordered to Port Hudson, Louisiana, and garrison duty there until April 1865. Duty at Brashear City and New Orleans until October 1865.

The 2nd Battalion moved to New Orleans January 8 - February 3, 1864. Duty in the Defenses of New Orleans at English Turn and at Plaquemine until October 1865. Expedition from Brashear City to Ratliff's Plantation May 14–16, 1865 (detachment). Action at Indian Village, Plaquemine Parish, on August 6, 1864, in which three soldiers were captured and later executed by insurgent forces.

The 3rd Battalion moved to New Orleans, April 3–15, and duty at Camp Parapet until October 1865. The regiment was mustered out of service on October 2, 1865. ROSTERS:

The composite rosters of this unit contain the names of 2094 men.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. Vol. 2. Cartersville, GA: Eastern Digital Resources, 1998. Ref. See p. 1222 (1 photocopied page) for a concise summary of the regiment's service.


REFERENCES:
Dyer, Frederick H. - A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
The Union Army by Federal Publishing Company, 1908 - Volume 1