Captain Warren S. Lurty’s battery of horse artillery was officially organized on October 8, 1863 for duty in the mountains of western Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley. The men of the battery came from various other organizations of the Confederate Army as well as from the Roanoke area.

Lurty, a cousin of Gen. Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson, began organizing his artillery company in the Fall of 1862, but the unit did not take the field until 1863. Lurty had previously served in the Staunton Artillery.

The men of the battery were relatively green, but found themselves thrust into action attached to Brig. Gen. William L. Jackson’s Cavalry brigade, on October 13, 1863 at Falls Mill, West Virginia.

During the next several months the battery took part in fighting in the mountains of western Virginia, participating in the battle on Droop Mountain, West Virginia on November 6, 1863.

The battery was involved in minor engagements during the first few months of 1864. However with the coming of June, 1864 the unit was to see much more rigorous service, taking part in Jubal Early’s 1864 Shenandoah Valley campaign.

At the battle of Ninevah(Cedarville) the battery was almost completely wiped out. Captain Lurty himself was taken prisoner. The unit however, soldiered on in its diminished capacity for the remainder of the war.

After Early’s campaign in the Shenandoah was concluded, the battery continued to see duty in The Valley as well as western Virginia, ending the war attached to Maj. Gen. Thomas L. Rosser’s Cavalry Division.

Though the battery was in existence for only a short period of time, the ,last twelve months of the war had turned its members into bloodied veterans.

For a more detailed history of the battery see:

Graham’s Petersburg, Jackson’s Kanawha, and Lurty’s Roanoke Horse Artillery, by Robert H. Moore II

Part of The Virginia Regimental History Series, available from H.E. Howard, Publishers.

Assignments of The Roanoke Horse Artillery

Horse Artillery, Dept. of Western VA [October, 1863-May, 1864]

Horse Artillery Battalion, Ransom’s-Lomax’s Cavalry Division, Army of the Valley, Dept. of Northern VA [June, 1864-March, 1865]

Thomson’s Artillery Bn., Cavalry Corps, Army of Northern Virginia [March-April, 1865]

Engagements & Service

Falls Mill, West VA [October 13, 1863]

Bulltown, W VA [October 13, 1863]

Mill Point, W VA [November 5, 1863]

Droop Mountain, W VA [November 6, 1863]

Averell’s Raid [December, 1863]

Hunter’s Raid [May-June, 1864]

Narrows, VA [May 12, 1864]

Lynchburg Campaign [June, 1864]

Diamond Hill, VA [June 17, 1864]

Lynchburg, VA [June 17-18, 1864]

Liberty, VA [June 20, 1864]

Salem, VA [June 21, 1864]

Leetown, VA [July 3, 1864]

North Mtn. Depot, VA [July 4, 1864]

Hagerstown, MD [July 7, 1864]

Monocacy, MD [July 8-9, 1864]

Urbana, MD [July 10, 1864]

Rockville, MD [July 11, 1864]

Washington, D.C. [July 12, 1864]

Edwards Ferry, VA [July 14, 1864]

Snicker's Gap, VA [July 15, 1864]

Loudon County, VA [July 16, 1864]

Harper's Ferry, W VA [July 16, 1864]

Ashby's Gap, VA [July 18, 1864]

Berry's Ferry, VA [July 19, 1864]

Stephenson’s Depot, VA [July 20, 1864]

Kernstown, VA [July 23, 1864]

Mercersburg, PA [July 29, 1864]

Chambersburg, PA [July 30-August 1, 1864]

Cumberland, MD [August 2, 1864]

New Creek, W VA [August 4, 1864]

Shenandoah Valley, VA [August 5, 1864]

Moorefield, W VA [August 7, 1864]

Chambersburg, PA [August 9, 1864]

Charles Town, W VA [August 10, 1864]

Newtown, VA [August 11, 1864]

Charles Town, W VA [August 15, 1864]

Kernstown, VA [August 17, 1864]

New Creek, W VA [August 19, 1864]

Summit Point, VA [August 21, 1864]

Kearneyville, W VA [August 25, 1864]

Opequan Creek, VA [August 28, 1864]

Brandy Station, VA [September 1, 1864]

Bunker Hill, VA [September 2, 1864]

Berryville, VA [September 3, 1864]

Martinsburg, W VA [September 4, 1864]

Stephenson's Depot, VA [September 5, 1864]

Martinsburg, W VA [September 10, 1864]

Big Spring, W VA [September 10, 1864]

Darkesville, W VA [September 12, 1864]

3rd Winchester, VA [September 19, 1864]

Front Royal Pike, VA [September 21, 1864]

Fisher's Hill, VA [September 22-24, 1864]

Harrisonburg, VA [September 24, 1864]

Timberville, VA [September 24, 1864]

Gaines Crossroads, VA [September 25, 1864]

Port Republic, VA [October 1, 1864]

Shenandoah Valley, VA [October 2, 1864]

Tom's Brook, VA [October 8-9, 1864]

Cedar Creek, VA [October 19, 1864]

Strasburg, VA [October 19, 1864]

Stony Point, VA [October 19, 1864]

Bentonville, VA [October 23, 1864]

Milford, VA [October 26, 1864]

Beverly, W VA [October 29, 1864]

Nineveh(Cedarville), VA [November 12, 1864]

Front Royal, VA [November 22, 1864]

Berry's Ford, VA [December 17, 1864]

Madison Courthouse, VA [December 20, 1864]

Liberty Mills, VA [December 23, 1864]

Jack's Shop, VA [December 23, 1864]

Gordonsville, VA [December 24, 1864]