6th Battery Volunteer Artillery (Grosse Tete Flying Artillery, 6th Field Battery, West's, Yoist's)
Iberville
From Sifakis, Compendium of C.S. Armies: Louisiana, 11-12:
Nickname: Grosse Tete Flying Artillery
Organization: Organized from paroled and exchanged men from the Pointe Coupee Artillery Battalion and transfers from the 1st Confederate Artillery Battery Regulars ca. December 1863. Designated as the 6th Field Artillery on November 19, 1864. It was armed with two 12-lb. Howitzers and two 2.90" Rifles in May 1865. Surrendered by General E.K. Smith, commanding Trans-Mississippi Department, on May 26, 1865.
First Commander: John A. A. West, CPT [promoted MAJ August 3, 1864]
Captain: John Yoist
Assignments: Artillery, District of West Louisiana, Trans-Mississippi Department (Nov 63); Semmes' Horse Artillery Battalion, Green's Cavalry Division, District of West Louisiana, Trans-Mississippi Department (Nov 63-Sep 64); 1st (Semmes') Horse Artillery Battalion, 2nd (Maxey's) Texas Cavalry Division, 1st Corps, Trans-Mississippi Department (Sep 64-Mar 65); 1st (Semmes') Horse Artillery Battalion, 1st Corps, Trans-Mississippi Department (Mar-May 65)
Battles: Red River Campaign (May 10-22, 1864); Mansfield (April 8, 1864); Pleasant Hill (April 9, 1864); Blair's Landing (April 12, 1864); Wilson's Landing, Red River (May 2, 1864); Mansura (May 16, 1864); Yellow Bayou (May 18, 1864)
From Bergeron, LA Confed. Units, 26-27:
"This batter was organized about December, 1863, from paroled and exchanged prisoners, many from the Pointe Coupee Artillery Battalion, and from men detached from Captain Oliver J. Semmes's 1st Confederate Battery. The battery had two 12-pounder howitzers and two 10-pounder Parrott rifles, all captured from the enemy. At the Battle of Mansfield, April 8, 1864, the battery supported General Alfred MOUTON's division, and the rifled section followed behind the attacking soldiers and fired at the retreating enemy. The battery participated in the Battle of Pleasant Hill, April 9, in support of General Horace Randal's Texas brigade. On April 12, the battery's howitzer section fought at Blair's Landing on Red River. The battery fought at Monett's Ferry on April 23. At Wilson's Landing on the Red River below Alexandria, the battery on May 3 fired on and helped capture the transport steamer City Belle with 200 prisoners. Two days later, the cannons disabled the gunboats Signal and Covington in the same area, leading to the capture of the vessels. The battery fought at Mansura on May 16 and at Yellow Bayou on May 18. From the summer of 1864 until the end of the war, the battery served as part of Major Oliver J. Semmes' Horse Artillery Battalion in central and southern Louisiana. Orders designated the battery as the 6th Louisiana Field Battery on November 19, 1864. The men surrendered at Alexandria on June 1, 1865."
CSRC, M320, roll 49
ROSTER