The Federal Artillery is the Union Artillery unit of the
Re-enactors of the American Civil War (RACW)
The unit portrays several Union Artillery Batteries during the American Civil War.
The Union army early in the war reorganized its artillery to have one type of cannon for each battery. This made re-supply, training and operations much easier. When two or more artillery batteries were formed together in the Union army they formed an Artillery Brigade.
Many of our members do “first person impression” of the Civil War artilleryman.
The Federal Artillery portrays the XI Corps Artillery Brigade made up of the following artillery batteries:
- 1st Ohio Light Artillery, Battery “K” that fields a 12 pdr. bronze Napoleon cannon and limber. This is the largest cannon in use on the west coast.
- 13th New York Independent Artillery Battery that fields a 3” Ordnance Rifle and Limber.
- 5th U.S. Artillery, Battery “D” that fields and uses a 10 LB Parrott Rifle cannon and Limber.
These are the three most common types of cannon used during the Civil War and we are the only unit on the west coast that has this complete selection of cannon types in use.
We are a “family oriented” group that trains and uses all members in the different roles of an artillery group.
Although we are members of the Re-enactors of the American Civil War (RACW), we are operated by the Field Artillery Re-enactors Association (FARA) which is a California non-profit corporation organized for the education of the public and students about the American Civil War. We are an exempt organization under the IRS 501 C3 tax code as a Public Charity.
Officers of the Federal Artillery
- Chief of Artillery, XI Corps Artillery Brigade Commander
Captain Rick LaPorta—1st Ohio Light Artillery, Battery “K”
– 13th Independent Artillery Battery
-5th US Artillery, Battery “D”
