January 20: The 6th Massachusetts Light Artillery was organized and mustered at Camp Chase in Lowell, Massachusetts. The unit was equipped with four twelve-pounder Napoleons. Their basic uniforms consisted of sky blue kersey trousers, a Massachusetts State belt plate (illustration below), boots, forage caps, and artilleryman’s shell jackets.  They were issued the M1840 artillery saber and the Colt Navy revolver.

February 3: The 6th Massachusetts Light Artillery sailed from Boston, Massachusetts for Ship Island, Mississippi on the steamer "Idaho".

March 3: They arrived at Ship Island, Mississippi, at which time they were attached to the 2nd Brigade, Department of the Gulf.

April 2 to 3: Assigned to the expedition to Biloxi, Mississippi.

April 4 to 5: Assigned to the expedition to Pass Christian, Mississippi.

April 15 to 28: Their duty at Ship Island, Mississippi ended. The 6th Massachusetts participated in operations against Forts St. Phillip and Jackson.

May 1: The 6th Massachusetts was assigned to participate in the occupation of New Orleans, Louisiana.

May 9 to 10: Assigned to the expedition to the New Orleans & Opelousas Railroad.

May 12: Most of the members of the 6th Massachusetts Light Artillery were moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. One section of the 6th Massachusetts remained in Algiers, Louisiana until June.

May 14 to 29: Reconnaissance to Warrenton.

June 20 to July 26: William’s expedition to Vicksburg, Mississippi and operations against Vicksburg.

June 22: Sent to Ellis Cliff.

June 24: Sent to Hamilton Plantation (near Grand Gulf), Mississippi.

July 26 to August 21: The 6th Massachusetts was assigned to duty at Baton Rouge, Louisiana. During their time in Baton Rouge, the 6th Massachusetts was photographed in formation along with the 2nd and 4th Massachusetts Light Artillery units. Notable in the photograph is the fact that they wore mounted services jackets along with trousers with the distinctive artillery stripe along the outside trouser seam, forage caps, and saber belts.

August 21 to 22: The 6th Massachusetts Light Artillery was ordered to evacuate Baton Rouge, Louisiana and move on to Carrollton. It would not be until February 19, 1984, some eighteen months later, that their contributions in the action at Baton Rouge would be officially recognized by the issuance of General Orders No. 25 in which they were directed to add the name "Baton Rouge" to their company colors. Of the damage done to the town of Baton Rouge, the chaplain of a Massachusetts regiment would say, "The town, what there is left of it, is a deserted, desolate place. The streets are forsaken, the stores are closed. To the east of us are a large number of stacks of chimneys which are all that is left of what six months ago were elegant residences."

August 22 to October: Assigned to duty in Carrollton.

October: Attached to the Reserve Brigade, Department of the Gulf, which ended in January 1863.

October 24 to November 10: Participated in operations in La Fourche District.

October 25: The 6th Massachusetts was involved in the capture of Donaldsonville, Louisiana.

October 27: During the action at Georgia Landing (near Labadieville), Louisiana, the 6th Massachusetts played an active role. It would not be until the issuance of General Orders No. 25 on February 19, 1864, almost sixteen months later, that their role would be recognized officially. In General Orders No. 25, they were directed to add the names of four actions in which they had distinguished themselves, of which Georgia Landing was one.

November 10 to February 1863: Assigned to duty near Thibodeaux, Louisiana.

January: Removed from the Reserve Brigade, the 6th Massachusetts was attached to Artillery, 1st Division, 19th Army Corps, Department of the Gulf, through August.

January 11 to 15: Sent with the expedition to Bayou Teche, Louisiana.

January 14: The 6th Massachusetts engaged in an action with the steamer "Cotton". For this action, thirteen months later (on February 19, 1864) they were directed to add the name "Cotton" to their company colors because of their distinguished performance in the field.

February 22: They moved to Brashear City, Louisiana and then to Bayou Boeuf, Louisiana with duty in Bayou Boeuf until April 2.

April 9 to May 14: Participated in operations in Western Louisiana.

April 11 to 20: The 6th Massachusetts was a participant in the Teche Campaign.

April 12 to 13: Fort Bisland (near Centreville), Louisiana was the site of an action in which the 6th Massachusetts played a significant part. As a result, they would be officially recognized on February 19, 1864 with the issuance of General Orders No. 25 in which they were directed to add the name "Bisland" to their company colors.

April 14: Assigned to Jeanerette, Louisiana.

April 14 to 20: Participated in the pursuit to Opelousas, Louisiana.

May 4 to 17: Sent with the expedition to Alexandria, Louisiana.

May 17 to 25: The Battery moved from Alexandria, Louisiana to Port Hudson, Louisiana in preparation for their participation in the siege of Port Hudson, one of the three most strategically important points on the Mississippi River.

May 25 to July 9: Siege of Port Hudson, Louisiana.

May 27 to June 14: Assaults on Port Hudson, Louisiana.

July 9: Surrender of Port Hudson, Louisiana. It would not be until more than seven months later on February 19, 1864 that the 6th Massachusetts would be recognized for its contribution in defeating the Confederate forces at Port Hudson. The recognition took the form of General Orders No. 25 in which they were directed that the name "Port Hudson," along with several other names of actions, was to be inscribed upon their colors because of their distinguished service.

July 11: Moved to Donaldsonville, Louisiana; they saw duty there until July 30.

July 12 to 13: Cox’s Plantation.

July 15: In a report to Captain Carruth, Assistant Adjutant-General which was written by Colonel and Acting Brigadier-General Nathan A.M. Dudley concerning engagement on the La Fourche (near Donaldsonville, Louisiana), two sections of the 6th Massachusetts Battery were mentioned as being temporarily assigned to Dudley to help provide artillery support. The action which took place is detailed in his report, which may be fairly summarized as an action which resulted in the Union forces being driven from the field. During this time, the 6th Massachusetts lost one Napoleon which had been sent to the rear by about one mile for repairs, an event which was evidently beyond Colonel Dudley’s ability to explain. In his report, he said, "I am unable to account for the loss of the Napoleon gun belonging to the Sixth Massachusetts Battery. It was reported disabled early in the morning, and I directed it to be sent to the rear for repairs. It was taken 1 mile to the rear of our advance, nearly remounted, and, notwithstanding the artificers had fully one hour to withdraw it, they failed to do so."

July 31 to September 25: Duty at Thibodeaux, Louisiana. In correspondence on July 29 from Brigadier-General Richard Arnold, Chief of Artillery to General Stone, Chief of Staff, it was recommended that the 6th Massachusetts Light Artillery remain under the command of Captain Carruth in Thibodeaux. The recommendations of all the batteries mentioned, including the 6th Massachusetts, was "with a view of bringing the batteries under their proper commanders, as well as the best dispositions for re-equipment and drill for future operations." This became a document entitled Special Orders No. 184, Headquarters Department of the Gulf. On that same date, by order of Major-General Banks, Brigadier-General Charles P. Stone was announced as Chief of Staff at Headquarters Department of the Gulf.

August: Attached to Reserve Artillery, Department of the Gulf, to October 1863.

September 8: In correspondence from the Office of the Chief of Artillery in New Orleans, the 6th Massachusetts was listed as one of ten batteries of artillery of the Nineteenth Army Corps to accompany an expedition being organized at that time. They listed four Napoleons as their armaments, the number and type of cannons with which they had begun the War. Apparently, the Napoleon reported as lost on July 15th had either been recovered or replaced by this date.

September 25: From Thibodeaux, Louisiana, the 6th Massachusetts Light Artillery moved to Algiers, Louisiana and from there to Berwick, Louisiana on October 6.

October: Attached to Artillery, 1st Division, 19th Army Corps through June 1864.

October 6: Moved to Berwick, Louisiana.

October 11 to November 7: Western Louisiana "Teche" Campaign. Rejoined Division at Carrion Crow Bayou, Louisiana.

November 17 to January 7, 1864: Assigned to duty at New Iberia, Louisiana.

January 7: Moved to Franklin, Louisiana with duty there until March 3.

February 19: While in Franklin, Louisiana, the 6th Massachusetts received notification of official recognition for their notable roles in several actions. General Orders No. 25, issued by Assistant Adjutant General Richard B. Irwin from the New Orleans Headquarters for the Department of the Gulf, directed that the names of the following actions be inscribed upon their colors because of their distinguished service:

Baton Rouge
Georgia Landing
Cotton
Bisland
Port Hudson

Those would comprise the only actions which would be authorized for inscription upon their colors during the War, for the remainder of the War would find the 6th Massachusetts Light Artillery doing duty primarily as an occupation force in New Orleans.

March 3: The 6th Massachusetts moved from Franklin, Louisiana to New Orleans, Louisiana.

April 13 to 20: To receive some respite from the War, the 6th Massachusetts was transported from New Orleans to Boston, Massachusetts. They enjoyed a month’s leave in order to take care of affairs at home after an absence of more than two years and two months.

May 23 to June 8: Their time home at an end, the 6th Massachusetts was transported from Boston, Massachusetts back to New Orleans, Louisiana.

June: Attached to the Reserve Artillery, Department of the Gulf, the 6th Massachusetts was assigned to the defenses of New Orleans, Louisiana through July 1865. They continued as occupation troops through July 20th, 1865, after which they were moved to Readville, Massachusetts.

July 21 to August 1: The 6th Massachusetts Light Artillery was transported back north to Readville, Massachusetts.

August 7: The War at an end, the 6th Massachusetts Light Artillery was mustered out in Readville, Massachusetts. At the time the Battery was mustered out, six enlisted men had been killed or mortally wounded, and one officer and fifty enlisted men had died as a result of disease for a total of fifty-seven fatalities. As was so very true of virtually every Federal company during the War, more men succumbed to the heat and disease than died from shot and shell.

The names of the actions which the 6th Massachusetts Light Artillery were directed to inscribe upon its colors all took place between the summer of 1862 and the summer of 1863.

During the course of its service, the 6th Massachusetts Light Artillery saw duty in Mississippi and Louisiana.