An Outline of the Campaigns and Engagements of the Washington Artillery of New Orleans

Product Description

OUTLINE OF THE CIVIL WAR CAMPAIGNS AND ENGAGEMENTS OF THE WASHINGTON ARTILLERY OF NEW ORLEANS

By Powell A Casey

The Washington Artillery is an old unit of the Louisiana National Guard. Organized in 1838, it has had continuous activity. Currently the battalion is the artillery of the 256^th Infantry Brigade of the Louisiana National Guard which is the “round-out” brigade of the regular 5^th Infantry Division(M) stationed at Fort Polk near Leesville, Louisiana.

Earlier publications on the Washington Artillery were William Miller Owen’s In Camp and Battle with the Battalion Washington Artillery and Napier Bartlett’s A Soldier’s Story of the War which cover mostly the battles of the Washington Artillery in the Virginia area giving but limited accounts of the fighting by the 5^th Company with the Army of Tennessee. Both of those books have been reprinted.

The Casey book gives a full account of all five batteries in the Civil War and according to the author shows why the four batteries in the Virginia area did not accompany General Longstreet’s First Corps westward to take part in the fighting with the Army of Tennessee. (The 5^th Company then commanded by Captain Slocomb was already at Chickamauga).

While the Casey book contains but a few of the sidelights contained in the Owen or Bartlett books which make interesting reading it gives a day by day account of the five batteries which should result in the gain of 10 or 11 campaign stars. It may also result in the loss of two campaign stars for the Battles of the Wilderness and of Spotsylvania since the Washington Artillery according to Casey was then engaged far to the South when these two battles were fought, though technically still a part of the First Corps.

But the most important part of the book is the extracts from the 1894 Souvenir Book of the Washington Artillery which shows color reproductions of four uniforms and the black and white reproduction of later uniforms of the Washington Artillery. Three of the colored uniforms are not for the Civil War period. Neither is the c1845 uniform of the 1^st Company, native American Battalion (Washington Artillery). The publication of these Civil War and other uniforms should settle many arguments regarding the types used at different periods.

This book should be part of any Civil War library or any library containing publications on the Washington Artillery of New Orleans.

THE AUTHOR

Powell A Casey was for many years a part of the Washington Artillery serving as a major in its second battalion (the 935^th F.A. Ba.) during World War II. Those services and the services of the first battalion of the Washington Artillery (141^st F.A. Artillery) are set out in his book The Story of the Washing Artillery in World War II published by Claitor’s Publishing Division but now out of print.

Colonel Casey was born at Kentwood, Louisiana but upon the death of his mother soon afterwards was with an older brother reared at nearby Tangipahoa, Louisiana by his maternal grandparents. He graduated from Spring Hill College with an AB degree in 1926 then taught at Jesuit High School in New Orleans while attending law school at night at Loyola University. After receiving his LLB degree in 1930 he practiced law privately in New Orleans for five years before joining the Law Department of the Standard Oil Company in January 1936. He continued with that company and its successors until August 1970 when he retired.

He has authored many articles for historical journals. His books have been Louisiana in the War of 1812 and The Story of the Washington Artillery in World War II, both now out of print. Other books published by Colonel Casey are Encyclopedia of Forts, Posts, Named Camps, and Other Military Installations in Louisiana 1700-1981, The Story of Camp Moore, and Life Among the Volunteers at Camp Moore.

Mr. Casey served on the Board of Directors of Confederate Memorial Hall for many years.

Bibliographic information

Title:    An Outline of the Civil War Campaigns and Engagements of the

Washington Artillery of    New Orleans

Author:            Powell A. Casey

Publisher:        Claitor’s Publishing Division, 1986

ISBN:   0875117635, 9780875117638

Length:   62 Pages

Hardcover – Dust Jacket

PRISTINE CONDITION