Organized at Nashville, Tennessee, early 1864. Not to be confused with Battery “A”, later “C”, which was a Louisiana Battery.
A report by Colonel R. D. Mussey, Commissioner for the Organization of Colored Troops, dated October 10, 1864, stated: “Josiah V. Meigs, a native Tennessean, received permission in January last to raise a battery of Light Artillery at this place (Nashville). This is Battery “A”, 2nd U. S. Colored Light Artillery.”
On February 4, 1864, Adjutant General L. Thomas wrote: “It is important that the armament for Captain J. V Meigs’ battery be ordered at once, as all his men will be enlisted long before the battery can get here.” Dyer’s Compendium placed the date of organization as April 30, 1864. Colonel Mussey’s report of October 10 continued: “The battery is full, and has been stationed here. It has but recently gotten horses. The men are pretty well advanced in the school of the piece, and have had a few mounted drills.”
On November 1, 1864, at the time of General Nathan B. Forrest’s raid on Johnsonville, a call for volunteers from the quartermaster forces at Nashville was made, to go to the re-enforcement of Johnsonville. Colonel J. C. Peterson commanded the detachment, and listed as part of the force, one section Battery “A”, Lieutenant Meigs, two Napoleon guns, 30 men. Colonel Mussey reported: “The behaviour of the colored troops at Johnsonville, was, I am informed by several eye-witnesses, excellent. A section of Meigs’ Battery made excellent practice, dismounting one of the guns of a battery placed by the rebels on the opposite shore, causing the battery several times to move its position.”
This section remained at Johnsonville until November 25, when it was ordered back to Nashville by General George H. Thomas. The battery was placed on garrison duty at Nashville and in Middle Tennessee until it was mustered out of service January 13, 1866. On November 30, and again on December 31, 1864, the battery was reported as commanded by Lieutenant Jerry Lewis.