Confederate Ancestor: Gustavus Emile Vautrot in the 2nd Alabama Light Artillery Battalion

Chapter 4: Gustavus Emile Alonzo Sieur Vautrot:

Gage’s Artillery Battery, Company “B”, 2^nd Light Artillery Battalion (Alabama Continentals) and sometimes referred to as Company “K”, Hallonquist’s Battalion (Lt. Col James H. Hallonquist). 

Gustavus Emile S. Vautrot (son of Francois Vautrot and Marie Moyaux Moyeaux) was born January 26, 1826 in Alsace, France, and died November 12, 1866 in Mobile, Alabama. He married Marie Josephine Pillet on July 21, 1851 in Mobile, Alabama, daughter of Julien Pillet and Madeleine Elizabeth Chartier.

He was born in France. He got married to Mary Josephine Pillett on 22 July 1851 in Mobile, Alabama. He died in October 1866. Children: George Stewart Vautrot (1852-1918), who married Mary Agnes Murray (1859-1932) in 1877. They had a daughter: Katherine Samuella Vautrot (born Aug 29, 1878 in Mobile; died in Shreveport, La on Feb 20, 1949).

 Gustavus Emile (Alonzo) Sieur Vautrot served in the Confederate Army with the rank of 1^st Corporal in the Continentals, Company E, Alabama Light Artillery. He enlisted October 10, 1861 at the age of 35 in Mobile, Alabama by Captain Charles Gage. Gustavus Vautrot was detached on May 28, 1862, as a “Printer”, under “special service”, per order of Brig General John Horace Forney. He was “dropped from roll” in order for him to perform that “special service.” When Gus Vautrot enlisted, he initially joined for 12 months; later on, he enlisted “for the war.” When he enlisted in October 1861, he was ranked as a Corporal. In February 1862, his rank is listed as “Staff Sergeant.” On Feb 28, 1862, he was listed on the Company Muster Roll record as “Sick in Quarters” In October 1862, his Company Muster Roll shows that he “enlisted for 3 years or the war.”

 Gus Vautrot, as a Corporal in the 2^nd Alabama Light Artillery, was paid $12/month. He was always paid every 3 months for 2 months of service, which was $24.

 According to a letter from the Alabama State Archives: an original roll of the Alabama Continentals Company B (really Company E), shows Gus Vautrot a member of that outfit and enrolled as 2^nd Corporal. T.F. O’Rourke of Mobile furnished the department in 1930 with a roll of Gage’s Battery of Artillery, which outfit was organized in Mobile in October 1861, of men who had served in the old Alabama Artillery Unit and Gustavus Vautrot is shown as a corporal in the that and that it surrendered at Meridian, Mississippi about May 1, 1865.

He is listed as an employee of a Mobile newspaper following the Civil War.

Burial: November 13, 1866, Catholic Cemetery; Mobile, Alabama.

Marriage: July 21, 1851, Mobile, Alabama.
Children of Gustavus Emile S. Vautrot and Marie Josephine Pillet are:

                     i.George Stewart Vautrot, b. August 06, 1852, Mobile, Alabama, d. September 17, 1918, Mobile, Alabama.

                   ii.Philip Vautrot, b. 1854, Mobile, Alabama.

                 iii.Cecilia Vautrot, b. 1855, Mobile, Alabama.

                 iv.Gustavus P. Vautrot, b. 1856, Mobile, Alabama, d. Aft. 1920, Macon City, Bibb County, Georgia.

                   v.Francis Claude Vautrot, b. December 1858, Mobile, Alabama, d. March 11, 1859, Mobile, Alabama.

                 vi.+Joseph Aloysius Vautrot, b. May 11, 1860, Mobile, Alabama, d. March 03, 1943, Mobile, Alabama.

               vii.Peter Vautrot, b. May 25, 1867, Mobile, Alabama.

 

Gage's battery was organized at Mobile in October 1861, and remained under the command of Captain Charles P. Gage in the defenses of the city until the following spring. Sent north, it suffered severely at Shiloh, where its conduct was highly commended by Generals Withers and Chalmers. It then returned to Mobile, and was used in the defenses until the fall of the city. Lieuts. James H. Hill and James T. Hutchisson were promoted, and commanded the battery at different times.

The 2nd Alabama Light Artillery Battalion, Companies “A”-“F”, was formed at Mobile in January 1862, with five companies later reduced to three. It was attached to the Department of the Gulf, and after January, 1864, the Department of Alabama, Mississippi, and East Louisiana. The unit was stationed at or near Mobile throughout the war and participated in the conflicts at Forts Gaines and Morgan, Spanish Fort, and Fort Blakely. With 64 officers and men, it surrendered on 4 May 1865.

Armaments: Co. "A", four 6-lb. Smoothbores (between 28 Nov 1863 and 5 Jan 1864); four 12-lb. Napoleons (between 1 May 1864 and 21 Feb 1865); Co. "E", two 3-in. Rifles and two 12-lb. Howitzers (on 6-7 April 1862); Co. "F", four 12-lb. Napoleons (between 29 March 1864 and 16 Dec 1864)

 

Gage's Artillery Battery, Company "E", 2nd Light Artillery Battalion

Gage's Battery was organized at Mobile, AL on 10 October 1861 and remained there in the city defenses at Ft. Gaines until the spring of 1862. Sent to Corinth, MS, on 4 March 62, the unit then marched toward TN and fought at Shiloh (6-7 April) under Brig. Gen'l James R. Chalmers and suffered many casualties. It was reorganized, 28 April 1862, and was then stationed at Mobile until 12 April 1865. The Company was variously stationed at Ft. Morgan, Ft. Gaines, Spanish River Battery, Battery McIntosh, Hitchcock's Press, Battery "B", and Battery Gladden. At that time, the city was evacuated and on 4 May 1865, the small company surrendered with the Dept. of Alabama, Mississippi, and East Louisiana.

Commanding officers: Capts. Charles P. Gage, James Hill, and James H. Hutchisson

Armaments: two 3-inch Rifles, and two 12-lb. Howitzer (as of 6-7 April 1862)

Gage’s Battery was organized at Mobile, AL on 10 October 1861 and remained there in the city defenses at Ft. Gaines until the spring of 1862. Sent to Corinth, MS, on 4 March 62, the unit then marched toward TN and fought at Shiloh (6-7 April) under Brig. Gen’l James R. Chalmers and suffered many casualties. It was reorganized, 28 April 1862, and was then stationed at Mobile until 12 April 1865. The Company was variously stationed at Ft. Morgan, Ft. Gaines, Spanish River Battery, Battery McIntosh, Hitchcock’s Press, Battery “B”, and Battery Gladden. At that time, the city was evacuated and on 4 May 1865, the small company surrendered with the Dept. of Alabama, Mississippi, and East Louisiana.

Waters' Artillery Battery, Company "B", 2nd Light Artillery Battalion

This command was organized at Mobile on 16 October 1861, with men and officers were from that city mustered in on the 31st. The battery remained in the defense of that city until the spring of 1862 when it moved to Corinth. It was in the Kentucky Campaign losing lightly at Munfordville, and none at Perryville. It suffered severely at Murfreesboro, where it was in Manigault's brigade. At Chickamauga, the battery was engaged without loss; but at Missionary Ridge it lost three guns, and half its force was captured. The other half were distributed in Cobb's (KY) and Mayberry's (TN) battery (January 1864), and served till the end.

Waters' Battery: 2nd Battalion, Alabama Light Artillery