Tag: 2nd US Artillery (Battery M)

Wikipedia says: Constituted 1 June 1821 in the Regular Army as the 2nd Regiment of Artillery and organized from existing units with headquarters at Baltimore, Maryland. The lineages of some of the units that initially made up the 2nd U.S. Artillery include campaign credit for the War of 1812.

The 2nd U.S. Artillery took part with distinction in the Mexican War, with Captain James Duncan receiving three brevets–major, lieutenant-colonel, and colonel—for his actions in the war.

Twelve batteries of the 2nd US Artillery served throughout the American Civil War, and Battery M fired the first shot of the Union Army at the First Battle of Bull Run. At the time, the battery was commanded by 2LT Peter Conover Hains.