The regiment and its batteries were organized at St. Louis, Missouri from the 1st Missouri Infantry and mustered in for a three year enlistment on September 1, 1861 under the command of Captain George W. Schofield.

Artillery, 1st Division, Army of Southwest Missouri, to July 1862.

District of Eastern Arkansas, Department of the Missouri, to October 1862.

Artillery, 13th Division, XIII Corps, Department of the Tennessee, to March 1863.

Defenses of New Orleans, Louisiana, Department of the Gulf, to August 1864.

Battery A, 1st Missouri Light Artillery mustered out of service August 23, 1865.

Moved to Pocahontas, Ark., April 5–11, then to Jacksonport May 3, and to Batesville March 24.

March to Augusta June 20-July 4, then to Clarksville and Helena, Ark., July 5–14.

Action at Hill's Plantation, Cache River, July 7.

Expedition to Yazoo Pass, and operations against Fort Pemberton and Greenwood February 24-April 8.

Ordered to New Orleans, La., August 6, then to Carrollton, and duty there until October.