Reminiscences of the Cleveland Light Artillery

This vivid memoir traces the humble beginnings of a remarkable volunteer artillery unit in Ohio, beginning with the spirited Cleveland Grays of 1837. Their early enthusiasm for military drill and a chance encounter with a seasoned Buffalo artillery company sparked an “artillery fever” that led nine dedicated men to form a gun squad, practicing in a modest barn and soon earning praise at regional gatherings like Fort Meigs. By the mid‑1840s the squad had grown into the independent Cleveland Light Artillery, boasting its own 12‑pound guns, uniforms, and a purpose‑built armory, all funded by the members themselves.

Listeners will be immersed in the gritty details of drills, marches, and the camaraderie that defined these early volunteers as they marched over a hundred miles to a large encampment at Wooster, Ohio. The narrative captures the pride, discipline, and community spirit that propelled the unit from a local militia to a force ready to serve on the Union’s battlefields, offering a rich portrait of pre‑Civil War military life in the Midwest.