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Loomis' Battery

Members shown (left to right:) #1 Matt Switlik, #2 Colleen Switlik, #3 Brian Shopshire, #4 Don Lutz, and Gunner Bill Vecchioni

Past

Loomis' Battery, formally the Coldwater Artillery prior to the war, was mustered into active service in May 1861, at Fort Wayne, Detroit. The Battery left Detroit for three years' service with 120 men, six bronze six-pounder smoothbore guns and 200 horses. Originally designated Battery "A", 1st Michigan Light Artillery, the Battery was soon to become known as "Loomis' Battery" after its Captain Cyrus O. Loomis.

The Battery's first significant engagement was at Rich Mountain, in what is now West Virginia, July 11th 1861, where it aided in the capture of 700 prisoners and numerous guns. The guns were later given to the unit as a reward for good service. General McClellan soon after gave it orders to replace the bronze pieces with six ten-pounder Parrot rifles.

Loomis' Battery was called on to participate in many battles and skirmishes throughout West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia. Early in 1862 the Battery came under command of General Ormsby M. Mitchell of Cincinnati, a noted astronomer and mathematician who devised an optical cannon sight for the battery to try. Weeks later a gun from the battery disabled a Confederate locomotive at Bowling Green Kentucky at the range of two miles, stalling an evacuation and resulting in capture of large stores of supplies. Also while under Mitchell, the Battery acted as cavalry in pursuit of John Hunt Morgan and placed a section of its guns on the homeland steamer "Tennessee" built by the 1st Michigan Engineers and Mechanics, where they patrolled and engaged guerilla forces around Huntsville, Alabama.

On October 8th, 1862 Loomis' Battery played a key role at Perryville, Kentucky. It did so again at Stone's River. It was very active in a host of skirmishes in 1863 until the loss of all but one of its guns at Chickamauga on September 19th, 1863 when its commander, Lt. VanPelt was killed along with thirty-four of his men we killed, wounded or captured. Several of the latter died in Andersonville.

Although three of the guns were recaptured and returned within two days, and the other two we recovered in 1864, the battery remained in garrison at Chattanooga for the rest of the year. Twenty-two of the veterans reenlisted in January 1864 and were supported with replacements from the Coldwater Michigan area. All Mustered out of Federal service at Jackson Michigan on July 28th, 1865.

Shortly after the war a Loomis' Battery Association formed and met annually in Coldwater Michigan until after its 50th Anniversary in 1911.

Present

The present day counterpart of Loomis' Battery was formed in Detroit in July 1960, by John Hooper and Fred Kaiser Sr. Of the nine members on the first roster, one now remains active with the passing of Fred Kaiser Sr. early in 1996.

The original aims of the club were twofold, to "encourage a feeling of historical significance by producing a "living memorial" to the soldiers of the Civil War", and "to enjoy the fruits of our National Heritage in a colorful pageant stimulated by the good fellowship of a sincere organization". To this day, these goals remain central to our unit.

With a current membership of 18, the Battery continues in this vein by remaining within the N-SSA competition circuit for musket activity, but as in the past, retains a broad agenda in the field of Civil War interpretation. For Twenty-five years, the Battery was known for its high public profile in area parades and activities which are noe known as "living history". Its use of borrowed original bronze six-pounders presented an artillery impression at Michigan events which set a local standard for excellence. With the loss of its six-pounders in 1987, and advancing median age of its membership, parades are now rare, but public activities continue with displays and military craft demonstrations with a Civil War Traveling Forge at Greenfield Village and other locations. The Unit is now a 501 (c) (3) educational non-profit corporation for such demonstrations.

The Battery has no shortage of artillery equipment available to it, in spite of the loss of its much beloved trophy CSA six-pounders. Several members of the Battery own Civil War field guns, currently numbering about 18 guns and mortars. This number includes one of the original 10 pounders Parrots used by the original Loomis' Battery 1861-65. These are displayed frequently under the Battery Guidon, and a Process is in place to put a club owned replica six-pounder back on the Battery's carriage and limber.

Loomis' Battery is traditionally known as a cannon shooting organization, more so than a musket team. Innovation in cannon shooting has been a continual process since we sponsored the first long-range Artillery match near Jones, Michigan in 1964. Many members have participated at annual historic artillery exercises at Camp Ripley, Minnesota and Fort McCoy Wisconsin. More recently our efforts have focused at Camp Grayling, Michigan. An annual Long-range Artillery match and sharpshooter match, in its 12th Year, is sponsored by the Battery. Ranges utilized in this match vary and are up to 1000 yards, and enjoyed by other teams of the Northwest Territory such as the 7th Wisconsin, 1st South Carolina, and 5th Battery Michigan Light Artillery.

Loomis' Battery welcomes any new recruits who have a sincere interest in historic artillery of the Civil War.