1st U.S. Artillery Battery I
1st United States Artillery Battery I was also known as Rickett’s Battery. The unit was organized in 1821 from recruits from New York City and Suffolk County, Massachusetts. The battery was part of the 2nd Corps Artillery Brigade and consisted of 6 Napoleons and 113 men. They suffered 25 casualties during the battle.
Among the casualties was the battery commander, Lt. George A. Woodruff (1840-1863). Woodruff was an 1861 graduate of West Point from Marshall, Michigan. He was mortally wounded on July 3 and died the next day. Command then devolved upon Lt. Tully McCrea (1839-1918), an 1862 graduate of the Point born in Mississippi (but lived in Urbana, Ohio before entering the Academy). McCrea eventually retired a Brig. General.
1st U.S. Artillery Battery I
2nd Corps Artillery Brigade
Engaged: 6 Napoleons and 113 men; 1 killed, 24 wounded
Monument: Hancock Avenue at Ziegler’s Grove
Tags: Gettysburg, II Corps, Monument Project, us regulars, Ziegler Grove
Jenny,
Battery I, 1st US has an unfortunate CW history. The battery, with which young T. J. Jackson won his brevets in Mexico, was under Ricketts’ command at First Bull Run while facing, among others, Jackson’s command. Ricketts was severely wounded in that battle. Woodruff took over the battery later in 1861, but relinquished command to Edmund Kirby. They switched off command as they alternated illnesses, with Kirby eventually “winning out”. He was mortally wounded at Chancellorsville, and while under the care of Mrs. Ricketts received a deathbed promotion to Brigadier General from Lincoln himself.
Thank you for the more detailed history of Battery I, Harry. I greatly appreciate when people can add some good information to the basic sketches of the units I have provided.
Doing research on Tully McCrea, part of Battery I.