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Richmond Fayette Virginia Artillery (Macon’s VA Battery)

Editor’s Note: Do you have information on this unit’s role at the Siege of Petersburg?  Please contact us using the Contact button in the menu at the top of the screen.  We are happy to exchange information with other researchers.

Note: This unit was also known as Company B of the 38th Virginia Light Artillery Battalion.

Note: Captain Macon was so often absent from his battery during the Siege of Petersburg that he was called into a Board of Inquiry during September 1864.  I need to look at his Compiled Service Records (CSRs) to try to better define the times during which he was present or absent.

Muster In: Organized by the conversion of Company F, 1st Virginia Artillery Regiment, to artillery service in early 1861.1
Muster Out: April 9, 18652

Commander(s):
Lieutenant William I. Clopton
Commander Image

Lieutenant Lewis Booker
Commander Image

Lieutenant Benjamin H. Robinson (section only)
Commander Image

First Offensive Order of Battle: Read’s Artillery Battalion | Artillery | Department of North Carolina and Southern Virginia | Confederate Army3

  • Commander:
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons: 2 x 10-lb. Parrotts, 2 x 3-inch Rifles, (1 x gun?)4

Second Offensive Order of Battle: Read’s Artillery Battalion | Artillery | Department of North Carolina and Southern Virginia | Confederate Army5

  • Commander: Lieutenant William I. Clopton (at least June 22, 1864)6
  • Unit Strength: 70 officers and men PFD (June 26, 1864)7
  • Weapons: 2 x 10-lb. Parrotts, 2 x 3-inch Rifles, 1 x gun (June 26, 1864)8,9

Third Offensive Order of Battle: Read’s Artillery Battalion | Artillery | Department of North Carolina and Southern Virginia | Confederate Army10

  • Commander:
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons: 2 x 10-lb. Parrotts, 2 x 3-inch Rifles, (1 x gun?)11

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle: 38th Virginia (Read’s) Artillery Battalion | Artillery | Department of North Carolina and Southern Virginia | Confederate Army12

  • Commander:
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons: 2 x 10-lb. Parrotts, 2 x 3-inch Rifles, (1 x gun?)13

Fifth Offensive Order of Battle: 38th Virginia (Read’s) Artillery Battalion | Artillery | Department of North Carolina and Southern Virginia | Confederate Army14,15

  • Commander: Lieutenant William I. Clopton (at least September 29, 1864)16,17
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons: 2 x 10-lb. Parrotts, 2 x 3-inch Rifles, (1 x gun?)18
  • Note: The Richmond Fayette Artillery was thought to have gone to the north side of the James on September 28, 1864 and was temporarily attached to the First Corps Artillery, Army of Northern Virginia.19

Sixth Offensive Order of Battle: 38th Virginia (Read’s) Artillery Battalion | Artillery | Fourth Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army20

  • Commander:
    • Lieutenant William I. Clopton (at least October 27, 1864)21,22
    • Captain Miles C. Macon (commanding two heavy guns north of Appomattox, NOT commanding battery)22
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons: 2 x 10-lb. Parrotts, 2 x 3-inch Rifles, (1 x gun?)24

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle: 38th Virginia (Read’s) Artillery Battalion | Artillery | Fourth Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army25,26

  • Commander:
    • Captain Miles C. Macon (November & December 1864)27,28
    • Lieutenant William I. Clopton (at least through portions of December 1864)(December 1864)29,30
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons: 2 x 10-lb. Parrotts, 2 x 3-inch Rifles, (1 x 8-inch Columbiad?)(December 26, 1864)31

Eighth Offensive Order of Battle: 38th Virginia Artillery Battalion | Artillery | Fourth Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army32,33,34

  • Commander:
    • Captain Miles C. Macon (January 1865)35
    • None listed. (February 1865)36
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons: 2 x 10-lb. Parrotts, 2 x 3-inch Rifles, 1 x 8-inch Columbiad37,38

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle: 38th Virginia Artillery Battalion | Artillery | Fourth Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army39,40

  • Commander:
    • Lieutenant Lewis Booker (captured March 25)(March 1865)41
    •  

      ? (after Lewis was captured)(March 1865)42

    •  

      No battery commander listed. (April 1-2, 1865)43

    •  

      Lieutenant Benjamin H. Robinson (section only)(April 1-2, 1865)44

  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons: 2 x 10-lb. Parrotts, 2 x 3-inch Rifles, (1 x 8-inch Columbiad?)45

Dyer’s/Sifakis’ Compendium Info:
Siege of Petersburg Battles46:

  • Petersburg Siege (June 1864-April 1865)
  • Petersburg (June 17, 1864)
  • Appomattox Court House (April 9, 1865)

Bibliography:

Siege of Petersburg Documents Which Mention This Unit:

Sources:

  1. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Virginia by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 69-70
  2. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Virginia by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 10-11
  3. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., p. 115
  4. Moore, Robert H., II. The Fayette, Hampden, Thomas, and Blount Artillery (H.E. Howard: 1991), pp.14, 96-97: The Richmond Fayette Artillery appears to have had 2 x 10-lb. Parrott Rifles and 2 x 3-inch Rifles throughout the Siege of Petersburg.  After Williamsburg they were given two Federal guns (type not identified in the text), but before Sharpsburg they had “two ten-pounders, one twelve-pounder howitzer, and four six-pounder smoothbores.”  At the end of the Confederate attempt to take New Bern in early 1864, the Fayette artillery was given two captured 3-inch rifles, and the text mentioned that the battery still had the two captured Federal guns from Williamsburg.  Putting these pieces together, the only portion of the battery from September 1862 which could have been the captured Federal guns at Williamsburg were the two 10-lb. Parrotts.  This gives the battery its armament for the entire Siege of Petersburg, and the text mentions they were retained up until after the surrender at Appomattox Court House.  I am a bit unclear if all four guns were retained until Appomattox or if Moore is referring only to the 3-inch rifles.  It appears he is referring to all four guns, and Sibley shows the same setup in a report from December 28, 1864.
  5. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., p. 115
  6. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., p. 115
  7. Moore, Robert H., II. The Fayette, Hampden, Thomas, and Blount Artillery (H.E. Howard: 1991), p. 117: 3 officers and 67 men on June 26, 1864
  8. Moore, Robert H., II. The Fayette, Hampden, Thomas, and Blount Artillery (H.E. Howard: 1991), p. 117: On June 26, 1864, the battery had “5 guns.” The only question is what tube type the fifth gun was.  It could possibly be the 12-lb. howitzer they had in September 1864, but I have no way to confirm this at present.  More research is needed.
  9. Moore, Robert H., II. The Fayette, Hampden, Thomas, and Blount Artillery (H.E. Howard: 1991), pp.14, 96-97: The Richmond Fayette Artillery appears to have had 2 x 10-lb. Parrott Rifles and 2 x 3-inch Rifles throughout the Siege of Petersburg.  After Williamsburg they were given two Federal guns (type not identified in the text), but before Sharpsburg they had “two ten-pounders, one twelve-pounder howitzer, and four six-pounder smoothbores.”  At the end of the Confederate attempt to take New Bern in early 1864, the Fayette artillery was given two captured 3-inch rifles, and the text mentioned that the battery still had the two captured Federal guns from Williamsburg.  Putting these pieces together, the only portion of the battery from September 1862 which could have been the captured Federal guns at Williamsburg were the two 10-lb. Parrotts.  This gives the battery its armament for the entire Siege of Petersburg, and the text mentions they were retained up until after the surrender at Appomattox Court House.  I am a bit unclear if all four guns were retained until Appomattox or if Moore is referring only to the 3-inch rifles.  It appears he is referring to all four guns, and Sibley shows the same setup in a report from December 28, 1864.
  10. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 124
  11. Moore, Robert H., II. The Fayette, Hampden, Thomas, and Blount Artillery (H.E. Howard: 1991), pp.14, 96-97: The Richmond Fayette Artillery appears to have had 2 x 10-lb. Parrott Rifles and 2 x 3-inch Rifles throughout the Siege of Petersburg.  After Williamsburg they were given two Federal guns (type not identified in the text), but before Sharpsburg they had “two ten-pounders, one twelve-pounder howitzer, and four six-pounder smoothbores.”  At the end of the Confederate attempt to take New Bern in early 1864, the Fayette artillery was given two captured 3-inch rifles, and the text mentioned that the battery still had the two captured Federal guns from Williamsburg.  Putting these pieces together, the only portion of the battery from September 1862 which could have been the captured Federal guns at Williamsburg were the two 10-lb. Parrotts.  This gives the battery its armament for the entire Siege of Petersburg, and the text mentions they were retained up until after the surrender at Appomattox Court House.  I am a bit unclear if all four guns were retained until Appomattox or if Moore is referring only to the 3-inch rifles.  It appears he is referring to all four guns, and Sibley shows the same setup in a report from December 28, 1864.
  12. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 134
  13. Moore, Robert H., II. The Fayette, Hampden, Thomas, and Blount Artillery (H.E. Howard: 1991), pp.14, 96-97: The Richmond Fayette Artillery appears to have had 2 x 10-lb. Parrott Rifles and 2 x 3-inch Rifles throughout the Siege of Petersburg.  After Williamsburg they were given two Federal guns (type not identified in the text), but before Sharpsburg they had “two ten-pounders, one twelve-pounder howitzer, and four six-pounder smoothbores.”  At the end of the Confederate attempt to take New Bern in early 1864, the Fayette artillery was given two captured 3-inch rifles, and the text mentioned that the battery still had the two captured Federal guns from Williamsburg.  Putting these pieces together, the only portion of the battery from September 1862 which could have been the captured Federal guns at Williamsburg were the two 10-lb. Parrotts.  This gives the battery its armament for the entire Siege of Petersburg, and the text mentions they were retained up until after the surrender at Appomattox Court House.  I am a bit unclear if all four guns were retained until Appomattox or if Moore is referring only to the 3-inch rifles.  It appears he is referring to all four guns, and Sibley shows the same setup in a report from December 28, 1864.
  14. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 142
  15. Sommers, Richard J. “Grant’s Fifth Offensive at Petersburg: A Study in Strategy, Tactics, and Generalship.  The Battle of Poplar Spring Church, the First Battle of the Darbytown Road, the Second Battle of the Squirrel Level Road, the Second Battle of the Darbytown Road (Ulysses S. Grant, Virginia).” Doctoral Thesis. Rice University, 1970. Print. p. 1311.
  16. Moore, Robert H., II. The Fayette, Hampden, Thomas, and Blount Artillery (H.E. Howard: 1991), p. 120
  17. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 142
  18. Moore, Robert H., II. The Fayette, Hampden, Thomas, and Blount Artillery (H.E. Howard: 1991), pp.14, 96-97: The Richmond Fayette Artillery appears to have had 2 x 10-lb. Parrott Rifles and 2 x 3-inch Rifles throughout the Siege of Petersburg.  After Williamsburg they were given two Federal guns (type not identified in the text), but before Sharpsburg they had “two ten-pounders, one twelve-pounder howitzer, and four six-pounder smoothbores.”  At the end of the Confederate attempt to take New Bern in early 1864, the Fayette artillery was given two captured 3-inch rifles, and the text mentioned that the battery still had the two captured Federal guns from Williamsburg.  Putting these pieces together, the only portion of the battery from September 1862 which could have been the captured Federal guns at Williamsburg were the two 10-lb. Parrotts.  This gives the battery its armament for the entire Siege of Petersburg, and the text mentions they were retained up until after the surrender at Appomattox Court House.  I am a bit unclear if all four guns were retained until Appomattox or if Moore is referring only to the 3-inch rifles.  It appears he is referring to all four guns, and Sibley shows the same setup in a report from December 28, 1864.
  19. Sommers, Richard J. “Grant’s Fifth Offensive at Petersburg: A Study in Strategy, Tactics, and Generalship.  The Battle of Poplar Spring Church, the First Battle of the Darbytown Road, the Second Battle of the Squirrel Level Road, the Second Battle of the Darbytown Road (Ulysses S. Grant, Virginia).” Doctoral Thesis. Rice University, 1970. Print. p. 1311.
  20. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 150
  21. Moore, Robert H., II. The Fayette, Hampden, Thomas, and Blount Artillery (H.E. Howard: 1991), p. 120
  22. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 150
  23. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 150
  24. Moore, Robert H., II. The Fayette, Hampden, Thomas, and Blount Artillery (H.E. Howard: 1991), pp.14, 96-97: The Richmond Fayette Artillery appears to have had 2 x 10-lb. Parrott Rifles and 2 x 3-inch Rifles throughout the Siege of Petersburg.  After Williamsburg they were given two Federal guns (type not identified in the text), but before Sharpsburg they had “two ten-pounders, one twelve-pounder howitzer, and four six-pounder smoothbores.”  At the end of the Confederate attempt to take New Bern in early 1864, the Fayette artillery was given two captured 3-inch rifles, and the text mentioned that the battery still had the two captured Federal guns from Williamsburg.  Putting these pieces together, the only portion of the battery from September 1862 which could have been the captured Federal guns at Williamsburg were the two 10-lb. Parrotts.  This gives the battery its armament for the entire Siege of Petersburg, and the text mentions they were retained up until after the surrender at Appomattox Court House.  I am a bit unclear if all four guns were retained until Appomattox or if Moore is referring only to the 3-inch rifles.  It appears he is referring to all four guns, and Sibley shows the same setup in a report from December 28, 1864.
  25. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 158
  26. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 167
  27. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 158
  28. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 167
  29. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 167
  30. Moore, Robert H., II. The Fayette, Hampden, Thomas, and Blount Artillery (H.E. Howard: 1991), p. 121: Clopton wrote various letters from the trenches in December, indicating he was present.
  31. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Virginia by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 10-11
  32. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 176
  33. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 1178: “Organization of the Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by General R. E. Lee, January 31, 1865”; This list contains many commanders who were not there.  They were the “official” commanders but may have been gone on leave.  I have used none of the leaders from this list as a result.
  34. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 186
  35. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 176
  36. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 186
  37. Moore, Robert H., II. The Fayette, Hampden, Thomas, and Blount Artillery (H.E. Howard: 1991), pp.14, 96-97: The Richmond Fayette Artillery appears to have had 2 x 10-lb. Parrott Rifles and 2 x 3-inch Rifles throughout the Siege of Petersburg.  After Williamsburg they were given two Federal guns (type not identified in the text), but before Sharpsburg they had “two ten-pounders, one twelve-pounder howitzer, and four six-pounder smoothbores.”  At the end of the Confederate attempt to take New Bern in early 1864, the Fayette artillery was given two captured 3-inch rifles, and the text mentioned that the battery still had the two captured Federal guns from Williamsburg.  Putting these pieces together, the only portion of the battery from September 1862 which could have been the captured Federal guns at Williamsburg were the two 10-lb. Parrotts.  This gives the battery its armament for the entire Siege of Petersburg, and the text mentions they were retained up until after the surrender at Appomattox Court House.  I am a bit unclear if all four guns were retained until Appomattox or if Moore is referring only to the 3-inch rifles.  It appears he is referring to all four guns, and Sibley shows the same setup in a report from December 28, 1864.
  38. Moore, Robert H., II. The Fayette, Hampden, Thomas, and Blount Artillery (H.E. Howard: 1991), p. 122: Moore specifically mentions a fifth gun, an 8-inch Columbiad, as being present in January 1865.  This gun or another one may have been present throughout the siege as well.
  39. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 195
  40. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 204
  41. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 195
  42. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 195
  43. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 204
  44. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 204
  45. Moore, Robert H., II. The Fayette, Hampden, Thomas, and Blount Artillery (H.E. Howard: 1991), pp.14, 96-97: The Richmond Fayette Artillery appears to have had 2 x 10-lb. Parrott Rifles and 2 x 3-inch Rifles throughout the Siege of Petersburg.  After Williamsburg they were given two Federal guns (type not identified in the text), but before Sharpsburg they had “two ten-pounders, one twelve-pounder howitzer, and four six-pounder smoothbores.”  At the end of the Confederate attempt to take New Bern in early 1864, the Fayette artillery was given two captured 3-inch rifles, and the text mentioned that the battery still had the two captured Federal guns from Williamsburg.  Putting these pieces together, the only portion of the battery from September 1862 which could have been the captured Federal guns at Williamsburg were the two 10-lb. Parrotts.  This gives the battery its armament for the entire Siege of Petersburg, and the text mentions they were retained up until after the surrender at Appomattox Court House.  I am a bit unclear if all four guns were retained until Appomattox or if Moore is referring only to the 3-inch rifles.  It appears he is referring to all four guns, and Sibley shows the same setup in a report from December 28, 1864.
  46. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Virginia by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 10-11
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