Watson Battery, Louisiana Artillery (Confederate)

Brief History
Watson Light Artillery, organized at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, during the early fall of 1861. The battery was equipped by a wealthy planter named A.C. Watson from Tensas Parish. The unit participated in Shiloh and Corinth and then served at Port Hudson as heavy artillery they until surrendered and were captured on July 9, 1863. After parole, the men joined a Mississippi battery and the unit was abolished. The men were exchanged, but the unit was not reorganized.

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin
Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived though not always. After many battles, companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.


 * Many men from Orleans Parish

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 280 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Other Sources

 * Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in ‘Louisiana in the Civil War’ and ‘United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865’ (see below).


 * National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is searchable by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information.


 * Louisiana in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for Louisiana, and how to find them.. These include compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 describes and explains United States and Confederate States records, rather than state records, and how to find them. These include veterans’ censuses, compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.