BATTERY A

1st Ohio Light Artillery, Battery A is a nonprofit volunteer educational organization of American Civil War re-enactors. The Battery is a 501c3 not for profit group and may accept donations and sponsorships. Battery A partners with the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB, a state agency). The unit's purpose is to promote the Ohio Statehouse and its identity as a site of civic involvement, education, and visitation; and also to promote awareness of state government and the state legislature.

Battery A accomplishes this by educating the public about Ohio's role in the Civil War and by fostering interest in and study of Ohio and American history through living history activities. These activities include instructional talks, demonstrations, ceremonies, and reenactments of battle, camp, and civilian life in mid-19th century America. These activities take place at the Ohio Statehouse and elsewhere, and involve the safe use and demonstration of some or all of the four original civil war cannons that reside at the Ohio Statehouse.

Battery A and its cannons always portray a U.S. Army unit, and an Ohio unit whenever possible. Also whenever possible, the Battery should portray the historical Battery A, 1st Ohio Light Artillery. At events away from the Statehouse, individuals may "galvanize" with Confederate units, but the guns are always Federal and are always operated by U.S. troops.

The following is the text of Battery A's state charter:

Whereas it may be of great use to the Government of the People of the United States now engaged in the Operations for preserving the Union in America, to have a Battery of Artillery employed in the education of said Government and People, as well as to take part in the mobile operations of the campaign season to enlighten the populace of our state and nation. We do therefore Hereby Constitute and commission...

Battery A 1st Ohio Statehouse Light Artillery

You are therefore ordered to use your best endeavors to keep the said battery in good Order and Discipline. The Battery is to observe and follow such Orders and Directions from time to time as the Shall Receive from the Commander in Chief, their Major, or any other superior officer, According to the Rules and Discipline of War.

Given at Columbus the 8th day of August, 1996

Senator Richard H. Finan, Chairman The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board

Battery A includes a group of civilian re-enactors who support the educational mission of the organization, and participate in Battery functions.

This page is presented in fond memory of our first Captain Greg Brown.

Highlights of Re-enacting History with the Statehouse Guns:

1996

Battery A Founded
Re-dedication of restored Statehouse, July
Mesopotamia, OH, September

1997

Training in Newark, OH
Statehouse Encampment, Columbus, OH
Granville, OH
Battle of Buffington Island, Portland, OH
135th Antietam, PA, September 12-17
-appeared in National Park Service film on Antietam [1999?]
Somerset, OH

1998

Training at Robbins Crossing, Hocking Tech.
Statehouse Encampment, Columbus, OH
135th Gettysburg, PA, July 1-5
Battle of Buffington Island, Portland, OH
Granville, OH

1999

Training at Robbins Crossing, Hocking Tech.
Granville, OH
Battle of Buffington Island, Portland, OH
Statehouse Encampment, Columbus, OH
135th Cedar Creek, VA, October

2000

Sayler's Creek, VA, April 6-8
Crabill House, Springfield, OH, June 3-4
Statehouse Encampment, Columbus, OH, September 8-10
Mesopotamia, OH, September 16-17
Cedar Creek, VA

2001

Grant's Birthplace, New Richmond, OH, April 20-22
Battle of Buffington Island, Portland, OH, July 21-22
Statehouse Encampment, September 20-23
Perryville, KY, October 6-7
Rushville, OH

2002

Civil War Ball at the Statehouse, Columbus, OH, April 20
Civil War Show, Mansfield, OH, May 4-5
Battle of Buffington Island, Portland, OH, July 19-21
140th Antietam, PA, September, 13-15
Perryville, KY, October 4-6

2003

Ohio Bicentennial Celebration, Chillicothe, OH, March 1
Smeck Farm, Baltimore, OH, April 4-6
Civil War Show, Mansfield, OH, May 3-4
Infirmary Mound Park, Granville, OH, June 27-29
Marriage of Carol Ice & Larry Foote
Ohio Bicentennial Wagon Train, Muskingum County, OH, June 30
140th Buffington Island, Portland, OH, July 18-20
140th Gettysburg, PA, August 23-24
Lisbon, Lisbon, OH, August 22-24
Canal Winchester Bicentennial, Canal Winchester, OH, August 31-September 1
*140th Morgan's Raid, Vinton County, OH, September 4-7
Timeline at Ohio Statehouse, Columbus, OH, September 20

2004

Smeck Farm, Baltimore, OH, April 23-25
Infirmary Mound Park, Granville, OH, June 26-27
Statehouse Encampment, Columbus, OH, July 17
Battle of White Lick Creek, Mooresville, IN, September 18-19
140th Battle of Franklin/Spring Hill, Franklin, TN, October 1-3

2005

Wildwood Park, Toledo, OH, May 20-21
Buffington Island, Portland, OH, July 15-17
Taking Possession of the Statehouse, Columbus, OH, July 22-23
Battle on the Ohio-Erie Canal, Zoar, OH, September 17-18

2006

Basic Training, Gallipolis, OH, April 28-29
Winter Ball at the Statehouse, January 28
Statehouse Encampment, Columbus, OH, May 12-13
Wildwood Park, Toledo, OH, May 19-21
Infirmary Mound Park, Granville, OH, June 23-25
1st Manassas, Cedar Creek, VA, July 21-23
Perryville, Perryville, KY, October 6-8

2007

Statehouse Encampment, Columbus, Ohio, May 11-12
Wildwood Park, Toledo, Ohio, May 18-20
Arilington National Cemetery, Washington, D.C., May 30
Battle of Buffington Island, Portland, Ohio, July 20-22
Battle on the Erie Canal, Zoar, Ohio, Sept. 15-16
Mill Springs, Kentucky, Sept. 28-30

2008

Lincoln Statue Rededication, Lytle Park, Cincinnati, Ohio, Feb. 8
Statehouse Encampment, Columbus, Ohio, May 9-10
Woodsfield, Ohio, May 30-31
145th Gettysburg Re-enactment, Gettysburg, Penn., July 3-6
Wildwood Park, Toledo, Ohio, Sept. 13-14

2009

Statehouse Encampment, Columbus, Ohio, April 24-25
Muster on the Maumee, Ft. Meigs, Ohio, June 19-21
Battle on the Ohio-Erie Canal, Zoar, Ohio, Sept. 19-20
Perryville, Kentucky, Oct. 3-4

2010

Statehouse Encampment, Columbus, Ohio, May 7-8
Hale Farm, Bath, Ohio, August 13-15
Wildwood Metro Park, Toledo, Ohio, September 19-20

2011

150th Anniversary of the Civil War event, Columbus, Ohio, April 10
Statehouse Encampment, Columbus, Ohio, May 6-7
*150th Anniversary of Philippi, West Virginia, June 4-5
Hale Farm, Bath, Ohio, August 12-14
Zoar Village, Zoar, Ohio, September 16-18

2012

150th Anniversary of Shiloh, Tennessee, March 28-April 2
150th Anniversary of Andrews Raiders & Medal of Honor, Columbus, Ohio, April 12
Statehouse Encampment, Columbus, Ohio, May 11-12
Hale Farm, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, August 10-12
150th Anniversary of Antietam, Maryland, September 14-16
*150th Anniversary of Perryville, Kentucky, October 6-7

2013

Ohio Village, Columbus, Ohio, April 20-21, May 25-26, July 20
Statehouse Encampment, Columbus, Ohio, May 10-11
150th Gettysburg events, Pennsylvania, June 28-July 7
*150th Morgan’s Raid, Jackson, Ohio, August 16-18
150th Chickamauga, Georgia, September 19-22

2014

Statehouse Encampment, Columbus, Ohio, May 9-10
Hale Farm, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, May 16-18
*150th Resaca, Georgia, May 16-18
Ohio Village, Columbus, Ohio, June 21-22
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, August 29-September 1
*150th Cedar Creek, Virginia, October 17-19

2015

150th Repose of Lincoln and Statehouse Encampment, Columbus, Ohio, April 29
150th Anniversary Mustering Out at the Ohio Statehouse, Columbus, Ohio, May 17
Ohio Village, Columbus, Ohio, June 27-28
Zoar Village, Zoar, Ohio, September 19-20
*Remembrance Day, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, November 6

2016

Camp Putnam, Marietta, Ohio, April 23-24
Statehouse Encampment, Columbus, Ohio, April 29
*20th Anniversary Reunion, Cambridge, Ohio, June 11-12
Fort Meigs, Perrysburg, Ohio, June 18-19
Perryville, Kentucky, October 7-9

2017

Statehouse Encampment, Columbus, Ohio, April 29
Ohio Village, Columbus, Ohio, June 24-25
*Hale Farm, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, August 12-13
*Zoar Village, Zoar, Ohio, September 9-10
*Cedar Creek, Virginia, October 14-15

2018

Statehouse Encampment, Columbus, Ohio, April 30
*Philippi, West Virginia, June 1-3
155th Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, July 5-8
*Lorena in Zanesville, Ohio,  July 28-29
*McConnelsville, Ohio,  August 3-5
*Hale Farm, Bath, Ohio, August 10-12
*Camp Wildcat, Livingston, Kentucky, October 20-21

2019

Statehouse Encampment, Columbus, Ohio, April 29
*New Market, Virginia, May 18-19
Ohio Village, Columbus, Ohio, June 21-23
*Zoar, Ohio, September 20-22
Mill Springs, Nancy, Kentucky, November 1-3

2020

Statehouse Encampment, Columbus, Ohio, April 29

*Philippi, West Virginia, June 5-7

*McConnelsville, Ohio, July 10-12

*Lorena at Zanesville, Ohio, July 24-25

*Hale Farm, Bath, Ohio, August 8-9

*Sidney, Ohio, September 19-20

*Camp Wildcat, Livingston, Kentucky, October 18-20

2021

*Philippi, West Virginia, June 4-6

*Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, July 2-5   

*Zoar, Ohio, September 18-19

*Camp Wildcat, Kentucky, October 16-17

*Stones River, Lebanon, Tennessee, October 22-24

2022

Statehouse Encampment, Columbus, Ohio, April 29

*Philippi, West Virginia, June 4-6                                               

*Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, July 1-3                                                          

*Hale Farm, Bath, Ohio, August 13-14                                      

*Sidney, Ohio, September 17-18                                                

*Camp Wildcat, Kentucky, October 15-17

*Statehouse cannon did not attend this event.

Battery A, 1st Ohio Statehouse Light Artillery is an educational organization that participates in Civil War reenactments and commemorations at the Ohio Statehouse and at other sites. Battery A also helps teach history by bringing the concept of "living history" to all Ohioans.

The organization, modeled after a Civil War-era Union Army artillery unit, is commissioned by the State of Ohio and partners with Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board. The Battery focuses on the Civil War because the Statehouse was completed in 1861, and the Battery's living history efforts complement the recently restored capitol.

The soldiers of Battery A are not only trained to demonstrate the Statehouse's restored, Civil War-era guns, but also to talk about the everyday life of a soldier, including work, clothing, diet, medical care, battle and recreation.