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Captain Henry Dillion, 1861 ca.

Waist-up carte-de-visite portrait of Captain Henry Dillon, 6th Battery, 6th Wisconsin Light Artillery, in military uniform. View the original source document: WHI 69858

The 6th Wisconsin Light Artillery, also known as the "Buena Vista Artillery," was organized at Racine and mustered into service on October 2, 1861. From Racine it moved to St. Louis, Missouri, on March 15-16 and then to New Madrid, Missouri, on March 19-20, 1862.

During its service it moved through Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama, and Georgia. It participated in the battles of Corinth, Raymond, Jackson, Champion Hill, Nashville (though not actively engaged), and the sieges of Corinth and Vicksburg. Soldiers who chose not to re-enlist mustered out in October 1864.

The remaining men mustered out at Madison on July 3, 1865. The Battery lost 29 men during service. One officer and six enlisted men were killed. Twenty-two enlisted men died from disease.

• View a longer history

• View the roster

• View a list of casualties

• View original documents

• View assignments to brigades, divisions, corps and armies

[Source: Estabrook, Charles E, ed. Records and sketches of military organizations: population, legislation, election and other statistics relating to Wisconsin in the period of the Civil War. (Madison, 1914?)]