The unit was formed in Richmond County NC in April, 1862, and commanded by Captain Lewis H. Webb for the duration of the war. It was named after General Henry William Harrington, a Revolutionary War General from Richmond County, N.C. In error it was reported as a Virginia company (perhaps due to being from Richmond County) and by Special Order No. 112, the North Carolina Harrington Light Artillery became the 12th VA Bat. Co. D. Lacking cannons, it initially served manning and setting up the heavy artillery at Battery 7 near Mechanicsville. After the Seven Days Battle, it received two six pounder smooth bores and two twelve pound howitzers, the howitzers being the same artillery pieces of Manly's Battery (Ellis Light Artillery) originally captured from the Fayetteville arsenal. The unit joined with Crenshaw's battery in the pursuit of Union troops toward Malvern Hill and Harrison's Landing. From there the company went to Petersburg, then Ivor Station and South Quay. While stationed for six months in the vicinity of Franklin, VA, part of the unit engaged Union cavalry at Joyner's Bridge along the Blackwater, and also went with General Pryor on the foraging expedition toward Suffolk that resulted in the Battle of Deserted House (or Battle of Kelly's Store). It also participated in the Siege of Suffolk. During the Gettysburg campaign the unit was moved back to Petersburg and marched primarily along the rivers to meet threatened attacks of the enemy.
In November 1863, the unit was transferred to the 13th NC Bat. Co A and was moved to North Carolina. It went to Batteries Gatling and Anderson near Fort Fisher guarding the coast and protecting blockade runners. After the attack on the Masonboro Salt Works, it was moved to protect it and there disabled a blockader with its two 3 inch rifled guns. It was then ordered back to Weldon. From its base in Weldon, it marched and countermarched wherever there was a threat of Union attack (Goldsboro, Tarboro, Blackwater, Coleraine, Jackson). In the end, cut off by Sherman's troops twenty of its men joined the few others that could be mounted to become cavalry and attempted to make their way to join General Johnston's forces. The remainder of the unit under General Baker's lead with three days rations then attempted to find a crossing of the Neuse River in order to reach Johnston's forces. All fords along the Neuse River were found to be guarded by Sherman's cavalry. Finally with supplies exhausted and notified that General Johnston had surrendered, the forces under General Baker surrended to Sherman.
An account in "War Talks of Confederate Veterans" on the Last Days of Johnston's Army describes its last days prior to its surrender under General Baker.
See also Branch, Harrington and Staunton Hill Artillery By Jeffrey C. Weaver, Published by H.E. Howard, 1997
See also HISTORIES OF THE SEVERAL REGIMENTS AND BATTALIONS FROM NORTH CAROLINA IN THE GREAT WAR 1861-'65. EDITED BY WALTER CLARK, VOL IV.
Captain Webb's wartime diary is in the Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, UNC-Chapel Hill. http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/inv/w/Webb,Lewis_Henry.html