JOEL G.
OVERTON
15th Independent Battery
Artillery
Middle island
Joel G. Overton
Pvt. 15th and 32nd Independent Battery
Artillery
Middle Island
Joel G. Overton was born in 1841, and
worked as a farmer most of his life. Motivated by a sense
of duty to serve the cause, on August 26, 1862, he and
two local friends enlisted in the Army of the Potomac for
three years. He was twenty-one years old.
The three friends signed on in
Westchester, New York, and were mustered into the 15th
Independent Battery New York Volunteers. Captain Henry
McMahon commanded this Light Artillery Unit, with
recruits drawn from New York City and surrounding areas.
The unit had been organized on December 21, 1861, by
consolidating companies A and C of the 2nd battalion of
the New York Volunteers. It was later placed under the
command of Captain Patrick Hart and went on to receive
high praise and recognition for its valor under fire.
Overton served with this unit through
several major campaigns, including Gettysburg, the
Wilderness, Cold Harbor, Spotsylvania, Petersburg and
Weldon Railroad. For a while, he served with fellow
Middle Islander, Christopher Hassenger, on ambulance
train duty. They spent their time assisting and
transporting the wounded to the rear line hospitals.
Upon returning to the unit, they found
out that the 15th Battery had been assigned to the Fifth
Corps. This was a difficult task after coming out of the
heavy fighting at Gettysburg, Rappahannock Station, the
Wilderness and Mine Run. The Fifth Corps was thrust into
the Petersburg siege and the 15th was sent along to
provide support. The trenches at Petersburg were, as some
men described, "hell on earth." Overton saw his
unit take heavy casualties in the earthworks in front of
the city as both forces traded artillery rounds at close
range.
On the morning of August 18, 1864, the
15th Battery moved to a point on the Weldon Railroad.
Overton recalled digging in and practically burying
himself in the earthworks as artillery shells exploded
around his gun position. The men were commended for their
ability to handle the guns along a changing front and at
close range. The record shows that in no other battle was
artillery used so effectively. As a result, General Grant
succeeded in extending the Union Army's siege lines to
the west, cutting off Petersburg's primary rail
connection with Wilmington, North Carolina. This forced
the Confederates to unload supplies from the rail cars at
Stony Creek Station, then haul them by wagon thirty miles
to Petersburg.
Union artillery getting ready to go
into combat.
Overton was with the 15th when the
battery was transferred to the New York 32nd on February
14, 1865 at Harpers Ferry in Virginia. He did not serve
long with the 32nd, though, for he had already served
nearly three years. Overton was discharged in New York
City on July 14, 1865, and enjoyed his return to civilian
life.
Map showing Union and Confederate
lines around the Petersburg and Richmond areas.