CHATHAM ARTILLERY

1st Battalion - 118th Field Artillery Regiment
"Hickory's Howitzers"

The 1st Battalion, 118th Field Artillery Regiment, traces its lineage to the 118th Field Artillery which was organized on 18 April 1751 in the Georgia Militia in the District of Savannah as four independent volunteer companies, 3 of foot and one of horse. It was mustered into service of the colony 11 June 1751 at Savannah under the command of Captain Noble Jones.

It was reorganized on 2 April 1757 as the 1st Regiment of Foot Militia, Division of Savannah, under the command of Colonel Noble Jones; in January 1776 with two battalions (Savannah and Christ Church Parish in the 1st Battalion). It was disbanded on 29 January 1778 at Savannah when the city was captured by the British.

It was reorganized in 1782 in the Georgia Militia as the 1st Regiment (Savannah and Chatham County in the 1st Battalion), 1st Brigade, 1st Division. The 1st Battalion (Chatham Battalion), 1st Regiment, expanded, reorganized, and was redesignated in 1784 as the 1st Regiment (Chatham Regiment), 1st Brigade, 1st Division. It reorganized in March 1793 to consist of the 1st (or city) Battalion in Savannah and the 2nd (or county) Battalion in Chatham County; and reorganized again wholly in Savannah in December 1807.

The Savannah Volunteer Guards (Organized in 1802) and the Republican Blues (Organized in 1808) were mustered into Federal service in east Florida in June 1812 as elements of Colonel David Newman's provisional battalion of Georgia Volunteers; and mustered out of Federal service in October 1812. Heavy Artillery Company (organized in 1812) mustered into Federal service 19 October 1812 at Fort Jackson, Georgia; and mustered out of Federal service 23 November 1812.

The unit was mustered into Federal service on 22 January 1815 at Savannah as the 1st Regiment, Georgia Volunteers; and mustered out of Federal service on 23 February 1815 (the volunteer companies in the 1st Regiment, Georgia Militia, reorganized on 13 December 1829 as the Chatham Legion; while the Irish Jasper Greens, organized in 1842, were mustered into Federal service on 12 June 1846 at Columbus as Company F, 1st Regiment, Georgia Volunteers; and mustered out of Federal service 26 May 1847 at New Orleans, LA).

The Volunteer companies (Chatham Legion) were withdrawn on 20 January 1852 from the 1st Regiment and reorganized as the Independent Volunteer Battalion of Savannah to consist of the following companies:

• Chatham Artillery (organized in 1785)
• Savannah Volunteer Guards (organized in 1802)
• Republican Blues (organized in 1808)
• Phoenix Riflemen (organized in 1812)
• Irish Jasper Greens (organized in 1842)
• German Volunteers (organized in 1845)
• DeKalb Riflemen (organized in 1850)

The 1st Regiment, Georgia Militia, reorganized with new companies - hereafter separate lineage.

The unit was redesignated on 17 May 1856 as the Independent Volunteer Regiment of Savannah; on 20 December 1859 as the 1st Volunteer Regiment of Georgia. It was ordered into active state service on 2 January 1861 to take possession of Fort Pulaski in the Savannah harbor and mustered into Confederate service by elements May-July 1861.

The Chatham Artillery detached from the regiment on 28 September 1861 and reorganized as an independent light battery (Claghorn's or Wheaton's Georgia battery); they surrendered 26 April 1865 near Greensboro, NC.

A portion of the regiment was captured on 11 April 1862 at the surrender of Fort Pulaski

The Savannah Volunteer Guards detached from the regiment on 11 April 1862 and were expanded, reorganized, and redesignated as the 18th Battalion, Georgia Infantry: they surrendered on 26 April 1865 at Appomattox Court House, VA.

The Phoenix Riflemen detached from the regiment and were expanded, reorganized, and redesignated as the 13th Battalion, Georgia Infantry: they were absorbed on 23 December 1862 by the 63d Georgia Volunteer Infantry Regiment.

The regiment itself reorganized in October 1862 as the 1st Georgia Volunteer Infantry Regiment upon exchange of elements captured at Fort Pulaski. It consolidated in April 1865 with the 57th and 63d Georgia Volunteer Infantry Regiments and was redesignated as the 1st Georgia Composite Infantry Regiment. It surrendered on 26 April 1865 near Durham, NC.

The former 1st Volunteer Regiment (Chatham Regiment) of Georgia reorganized on 26 September 1872 in the Georgia Volunteers at Savannah as the 1st Infantry Regiment. Its elements consolidated with elements of the 2d and 4th Infantry Regiments and mustered into Federal service on 11 May 1898 at Griffin as the 1st Georgia Volunteer Infantry: it mustered out of Federal service on 18 November 1898 at Macon and resumed state status as the 1st Regiment of Infantry (The Georgia Volunteers were redesignated on 21 December 1899 as the Georgia State Troops: and on 1 October 1905 as the Georgia National Guard).

The unit was drafted into Federal service on 5 August 1917. It converted and was redesignated on 23 September 1917 as the 118th Field Artillery and assigned to the 31st Division. It demobilized 14-18 January 1919 Camp Gordon, GA.

Reorganized in 1921 in the Georgia National Guard as the 1st Field Artillery, its Headquarters was Federally recognized on 30 December 1921 at Savannah. The unit was redesignated on 27 April 1922 as the 118th Field Artillery and assigned to the 30th Division. Battery A (Chatham Artillery) was withdrawn on 17 April 1925 and reorganized as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 55th Field Artillery Brigade, an element of the 30th Division.

The 118th Field Artillery and Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 55th Field Artillery Brigade, was inducted into Federal service on 16 September 1940 at Savannah. Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 55th Field Artillery Brigade, reorganized and was redesignated on 7 February 1942 as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (Georgia part), 30th Division Artillery; the 118th Field Artillery was concurrently broken up and its elements reorganized and were redesignated as elements of the 30th Infantry Division as follows:

• Headquarters and Headquarters Battery and the 1st battalion as the 118th Field Artillery Battalion
• 2d Battalion as the 230th Field Artillery Battalion

After 7 February 1942 the above units underwent changes as follows:

• Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 30th Division Artillery, inactivated on 20 November 1945 at Fort Jackson, SC. It was redesignated on 5 July 1946 as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (Georgia part), 48th Division Artillery. It was reorganized and Federally recognized on 18 June 1947 at Savannah; and on 1 November 1955 as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 48th Armored Division Artillery.
• The 118th Field Artillery Battalion inactivated on 20 November 1945 at Fort Jackson, SC. It was relieved on 5 July 1946 from assignment to the 30th Infantry Division. It reorganized and was Federally recognized on 21 April 1947 at Savannah before being reorganized and redesignated on 1 November 1955 as the 118th Armored Field Artillery Battalion and assigned to the 48th Armored Division
• The 230th Field Artillery inactivated on 20 November 1945 at Fort Jackson, SC. It was relieved on 5 July 1946 from assignment to the 30th Infantry Division and assigned to the 48th Infantry Division. It reorganized and was Federally recognized on 22 April 1947 at Savannah, before being reorganized and redesignated on 1 November 1955 as the 230th Armored Field Artillery Battalion (the 48th Infantry Division concurrently reorganized and was redesignated as the 48th Armored Division).

The 118th and 230th Field Artillery Battalions consolidated on 1 July 1959 and the consolidated unit was reorganized and redesignated as the 118th Field Artillery, a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental system, to consist of the 1st and 2d Howitzer Battalions, elements of the 48th Armored Division. It reorganized on 16 April 1963 to consist of the 1st, 2d, and 3d Battalions, elements of the 48th Armored Division. The regiment was broken up on 1 January 1968 and its elements reorganized and were redesignated, with Headquarters, Headquarters and Service Battery, 1st Battalion, consolidated with Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 48th Armored Division Artillery, and the consolidated unit reorganized and was redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 118th Artillery Group (remainder of regiment - hereafter separate lineage). It was redesignated on 9 May 1978 as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 118th Field Artillery Brigade.

It consolidated on 1 September 1992 with the 230th Field Artillery which was constituted on 14 December 1967 in the Georgia Army National Guard as the 230th Artillery, a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System, organized on 1 January 1968 from existing units to consist of the 1st Battalion, an element of the 30th Infantry Division and redesignated on 1 May 1972 as the 230th Field Artillery. It was reorganized on 1 December 1973 to consist of the 1st Battalion, an element of the 48th Infantry Brigade before being withdrawn on 1 June 1989 from the Combat Arms Regimental System and reorganized under the United States Army Regimental System with Headquarters at Waycross (1st Battalion ordered into active Federal service on 30 November 1990 at home stations: released on 27 March 1991 from active Federal service and reverted to state control).

The resulting consolidated unit reorganized and was redesignated as the 118th Field Artillery, a parent regiment under the United States Army Regimental System, with Headquarters at Savannah, to consist of the 1st Battalion, an element of the 48th Infantry Brigade.

As part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the 1-118th FA took over responsibility for a part of 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division's area of operations previously patrolled by 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in Taji, Iraq.