Robert,

The Caroline Light Artillery was organized for the war on July 23, 1861 in Caroline County under the command of Capt. Thomas Rowe Thornton. It was one of the Virginia batteries sent to the Dept. of South Carolina and Georgia. It returned to Virginia in 1863 and was assigned to Lightfoot's Artillery Battalion in the defenses of Richmond for the rest of the war. In its term of service approximatelt 280 men served in the battery at one time or another. Apparently Capt. Thornton was its only commander in 4 years. It was quite unusual for a battery to have only one commander in its term of service. Records indicate it was surrendered at Appomattox. A good reference to obtain would be Caroline, Parker, and Stafford Virginia Light Artillery of the Virginia Regimental History Series, available from

H. E. Howard, Inc.
Rt. 2 Box 496H
Appomattox, Virginia 24522