4th Field Battery, Texas Light Artillery

HISTORICAL NOTES: The Texas 4th Field Artillery Battery, AKA Van Dorn Light Artllery was organized on July 1, 1861. Surrendered at Arkansas Post, Arkansas on Jan. 11th 1863. It was armed with four guns on April 1, 1864. Designated as the 4th Field Artillery Battery on Nov. 19th 1864. It was armed with two 12-lb. Howitzers and two 12-lb. Napoleons in May 1865.

The unit was surrendered by General E. K. Smith, commanding Trans-Mississippi Department, on May 26th 1865. OFFICERS:

Captain William T. Mechling

Captain Horace Haldeman

BATTLES:

Arkansas Post - January 4-11, 1863

Red River Campaign - March-May 1864

Camden Expedition - March-May 1864

Mansfield - April 8, 1864

Pleasant Hill - April 9, 1864

ROSTERS: The roster of this unit contains the names of 371 men.

Bibliography for Research:
Crute, Joseph Units of the Confederate States Army Midlothian, VA: Derwent Books, 1987. Concise summary of the units service.

Hatch, Orin M. Confederate Military History Vol. 7 - Texas Davenport, IA Eastern Digital Resources. First Printed 1899. Atlanta. E484C65.1987v12. Contains numerous, scattered references to Texas units.

Southern Historical Society The Southern Historical Society Papers. Cartersville, GA: Eastern Digital Resources, 1998.

U. S. Government Printing Office. Official Records of the American Civil War Davenport, IA. Eastern Digital Resources.

Rigdon, John C. - Editor Texas Civil War Soldiers Index. 1996. Davenport, IA Eastern Digital Resources.