The Springfield Illinois Light Artillery arrived at Bolivar and was assigned to a brigade commanded by
Mason Brayman. On 15–20 December 1862, two sections participated in an expedition against Confederate raiders under
Nathan Bedford Forrest. Vaughn's Battery performed garrison duty at Bolivar from November 1862 until 18 June 1863. Brayman's Bolivar garrison also included the
43rd Ohio,
12th Michigan,
43rd Illinois, and
61st Illinois Infantry Regiments on 30 January 1863. The battery was parceled out to guard the
Memphis and Charleston Railroad with one section each at
Moscow,
Collierville, and
Germantown through 23 August 1863. The unit traveled to
Helena, Arkansas on 24 August–2 September 1863, then joined
Frederick Steele's expedition to Little Rock on 2–10 September 1863. In the expedition's order of battle, Colonel James M. True's Independent Brigade included the notation, "Ill. Battery, Capt. Thomas F. Vaughan". On 5 August 1863, Steele began his campaign by marching from Helena to the
White River with two infantry divisions and one cavalry brigade. Steele met
John Davidson's 6,000 Union cavalry and the combined 13,000-man force advanced west from
DeValls Bluff on 18 August. True's brigade joined later and increased Steele's force to 14,500 soldiers, of whom only 10,500 men were present for duty.
Sterling Price entrenched most of his 7,749 Confederate troops on the north bank of the
Arkansas River, with a weaker force watching the south bank. The Springfield Illinois Light Artillery fought at the
Battle of Bayou Fourche and the subsequent capture of Little Rock on 10 September. On the evening of 9 September, Federal engineers began constructing a pontoon bridge at Terry's Ferry on the Arkansas River downstream from Little Rock. The next morning, the bridge was fired on by Confederate artillery, but it was quickly silenced by a converging bombardment by several Union batteries deployed on the north bank. By 10:00 am, Union infantry secured a bridgehead on the south bank and Davidson's cavalry began crossing. Meanwhile, Steele advanced along the north bank with the bulk of his infantry to confront Price's defenses. On the south bank, Davidson's cavalry brigades under
John Montgomery Glover and
Lewis Merrill moved west to Bayou Fourche where
John S. Marmaduke organized a defensive position. Supported by artillery firing from the north bank of the Arkansas River, Glover's brigade turned the Confederate left flank. When Price saw that his north bank defenses were outflanked by the Union advance along the south bank, he ordered Little Rock to be evacuated. Vaughn's Battery performed garrison duty at Little Rock from September 1863 until March 1864. One section was sent to defend
Lewisburg, Arkansas between 19 October 1863 and 15 March 1864. First Lieutenant Stillings resigned on 18 February 1864 and Second Lieutenant Thomas was promoted to fill the vacancy. Another 72 men were recruited into the battery, most of them in December 1863 and January 1864, but several joined the unit in 1865. The wagoner, one sergeant, and one private drowned in the Arkansas River at Little Rock. Others died or deserted. One private was sentenced to
Alton Military Prison on 2 May 1863 to serve out his term of enlistment. preserves the Civil War era Springfield, Illinois capitol. On 17 March 1864, the Springfield Illinois Light Artillery was reunited and participated in Steele's
Camden Expedition from 23 March–3 May 1864. During the campaign, Vaughn's Battery was part of the artillery contingent of
Frederick Salomon's 3rd Division. Steele's effective force numbered 13,000 troops of which about 2,500 became casualties. There was a skirmish at
Okolona on 2–3 April. The
Battle of Prairie D'Ane occurred on 9–12 April. Steele's VII Corps seized
Camden but was unable to maintain its position because Confederate cavalry wrecked two supply convoys at
Poison Spring and
Marks' Mills. On 26 April, Steele's force abandoned Camden and marched back toward Little Rock. The Federal column reached the
Saline River on 29 April and paused while the engineers built a pontoon bridge across the rain-swollen stream. The
Battle of Jenkins' Ferry was fought on 30 April. Though outnumbered, Salomon's soldiers improvised defensive positions on the south bank and repulsed repeated Confederate assaults during the morning. After the last attack ended at 12:30 pm, Salomon's division withdrew across the river and destroyed the pontoon bridge. The Federals reported 63 killed, 413 wounded, and 45 missing, while Confederate returns showed 86 killed, 356 wounded, and one missing. Steele's force continued its retreat to Little Rock. Vaughn's Battery was on garrison duty at Little Rock from May 1864 to June 1865. First Lieutenant Colby resigned on 28 June 1864 and Second Lieutenants Rosette and John Schaefer of Wenona were promoted to first lieutenant. Second Lieutenant James Irwin of
Chatham was promoted to first lieutenant on 19 July 1864. First Lieutenant Thomas resigned on 17 September 1864. The other new second lieutenants were Ward Bertram and Albert Flood of Springfield and William M. Gillmore of Wenona. The battery was ordered to Springfield, Illinois, on 25 June and mustered out 30 June 1865. During its service one enlisted man was killed in battle and 22 enlisted men died by disease. ==See also==