3rd Massachusetts Militia Regiment

Last updated
3rd Massachusetts Volunteer Militia Regiment
3rd Massachusetts Militia Regimental Colors.jpg
ActiveApril 16, 1861–July 23, 1861 and September 23, 1862–June 26, 1863
CountryFlag of the United States (1861-1863).svg  United States of America
Allegiance Union
Branch Union Army
Type Infantry
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Col. David Wardrop
Col. Silas P. Richmond

The 3rd Massachusetts Volunteer Militia Regiment was a peacetime regiment of infantry that was activated for federal service in the Union Army for two separate tours during the American Civil War. The regiment consisted of companies from Plymouth and Bristol Counties. [1]

Contents

During their first "90 days" term, the regiment mainly served garrison duty in the vicinity of Fortress Monroe on the Virginia Peninsula. Shortly after arriving in Virginia, they took part in the destruction of the Gosport Navy Yard in Norfolk, Virginia on April 20, 1861. [2] The regiment was again activated in September 1862 for a term of nine months, training at Camp Joe Hooker in Lakeville, Massachusetts. [3] The 3rd Massachusetts was stationed in New Bern, North Carolina, participated in several expeditions and saw minor combat including the Battle of Goldsborough Bridge and the Siege of Little Washington. [2]

Earlier units

Other units dating back to the 18th century were given the designation 3rd Regiment Massachusetts Militia. Such regiments were organized and disbanded several times. These included a regiment that was organized in 1775, served during the Revolutionary War, and fought at the Battle of Saratoga among other engagements. [4] During the reorganization of the Massachusetts militia in 1840, the 3rd Massachusetts was designated as part of the Second Brigade of the First Division of the Volunteer Corps of Massachusetts Militia. [5]

In 1858, Colonel David W. Wardrop of New Bedford, Massachusetts was appointed to command the 3rd Massachusetts. Wardrop had trained with the Massachusetts militia for much of his life, first with the Boston Fusiliers and later with the City Guards of New Bedford. Although not a career soldier, he was respected for his knowledge of military tactics. [6] Wardrop commanded the unit during its first term of service in the field during the Civil War. [1]

90 days term

The USS Merrimack burning during the destruction of the Norfolk Navy Yard by Union troops, including the 3rd Massachusetts Burning of USS Merrimack, 1861.png
The USS Merrimack burning during the destruction of the Norfolk Navy Yard by Union troops, including the 3rd Massachusetts

The 3rd Massachusetts was organized for active service on April 15, 1861 in response to President Lincoln's call for 75,000 troops to put down the insurrection in the southern states. Despite the various companies being dispersed over a large area of southeastern Massachusetts, Col. Wardrop managed to get word to the captains under his command during the night of April 15–16. [7] The 3rd Massachusetts was among the first Massachusetts regiments to report for service in Boston on April 16. [1] The unit was therefore one of several Massachusetts regiments which became known as the "Minutemen of '61," in reference to the Minutemen who turned out in April 1775 during the Battles of Lexington and Concord. [8]

The 3rd Massachusetts reported to Boston with an incomplete roster of seven out of ten companies. Three newly recruited companies were therefore added to the unit to fill out their ranks. These three new companies, primarily from the Boston area, had enlisted for three years as opposed to the 90 day service for which the bulk of the regiment had enlisted. After the 3rd Massachusetts was mustered out in July 1861, the new companies were eventually transferred to the 29th Massachusetts to serve out the remainder of their term. [9]

The regiment arrived via ship at Fortress Monroe, a Union foothold on the Virginia coast, in the morning of April 20, 1861. That afternoon, they were loaded on board the USS Pawnee and taken to the Gosport Navy Yard across Hampton Roads at Norfolk. The Navy yard, its vessels, and valuable stores were expected to fall into Confederate hands. Therefore, the 3rd Massachusetts was given orders to set fire to all buildings, vessels and stores. Col. Wardrop felt the strategic location could be defended and offered to deploy the 3rd Massachusetts to hold the position. This request was denied and details were ordered to go about firing the Navy yard. The 3rd Massachusetts returned aboard the Pawnee which towed the USS Cumberland to Fortress Monroe, saving the frigate from falling into enemy hands. In executing this assignment, the 3rd Massachusetts claimed that they were the first Union troops to make an incursion on territory held by the Confederacy. [10]

During May and June 1861, the 3rd Massachusetts was garrisoned at Fortress Monroe and conducted occasional patrols beyond the fort. On July 1, the regiment was ordered to occupy the town of Hampton, Virginia just four miles from the fort. Confederate forces were massing nearby at Big Bethel and the post was considered a dangerous one due to the proximity of the enemy and the secessionist sentiments of the local population. One soldier of the 3rd Massachusetts was shot and beaten while at Hampton, though he survived. [11]

On July 16, the regiment marched to Fortess Monroe and boarded a steamship for Boston. They were mustered out at Camp Wightman on Long Island in Boston harbor on July 22. [12]

9 months term

Col. Silas P. Richmond, commanding officer of the 3rd Massachusetts during its second enlistment Richmond, Silas P.jpg
Col. Silas P. Richmond, commanding officer of the 3rd Massachusetts during its second enlistment

The regiment was again activated for federal service following Lincoln's call in August 1862 for 300,000 troops to serve for nine months. The 3rd Massachusetts reported to Camp Joe Hooker in Lakeville, Massachusetts and was mustered in on September 23, 1862. The regiment at this time was composed of newly recruited companies and was virtually a different regiment, in terms of its roster, than the original 90 day incarnation. During this term, the regiment was commanded by Col. Silas P. Richmond who had trained in the Massachusetts militia for more than ten years and fought with John Brown during the Bleeding Kansas crisis. [13] The unit trained at Camp Joe Hooker for roughly a month, moved to Boston on October 22, 1862, and that day boarded two ships bound for Beaufort, South Carolina. From there they proceeded by rail to New Bern, North Carolina which served as the base of operations for the Union's Department of North Carolina commanded by Maj. Gen. John G. Foster. [1]

The Union occupied several key positions along the North Carolina coast, however the interior was controlled by Confederate forces which frequently threatened or besieged Union strongholds. The 3rd Massachusetts took part in several patrols and expeditions aimed at disrupting Confederate supply lines in the interior and dislodging Confederate forces encroaching on Union positions. [2] In November, Company I of the regiment was detached and shipped to Plymouth, North Carolina where they served garrison duty apart from the regiment for five months. Confederates attacked the Plymouth on December 10, 1862 and Company I suffered the first battle casualties of the 3rd Massachusetts—two killed, several wounded and 14 prisoners. [12]

The most significant operation in which the 3rd Massachusetts was engaged was the Goldsborough Expedition in December 1862. Maj. Gen. Foster marched virtually all of his available forces from New Bern, numbering approximately 12,000, to disrupt the Confederate supply line to Virginia along the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad by destroying the Goldsborough Bridge (roughly 60 miles from New Bern). [14] This expedition was executed in coordination with Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside's assault on Fredericksburg, Virginia. During this expedition, the regiment took part in the Battles of Kinston, White Hall and Goldsborough Bridge. [2] The 3rd Massachusetts was engaged in only minor skirmishing during this expedition. On December 17, Foster's force reached Goldsborough and destroyed the railroad bridge. The 3rd Massachusetts destroyed approximately three miles of the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad outside of Goldsborough after which they were engaged with the enemy while part of a rear guard action. [15] The regiment reached New Bern on December 21 having suffered casualties of six wounded. [16]

On December 30, 1862, the regiment was assigned to Brigadier General Charles A. Heckman's brigade and prepared to march for a southward expedition to South Carolina. However, the weapons that the 3rd Massachusetts had been issued upon reaching North Carolina were of poor quality being antiquated Austrian muskets confiscated from a captured southern blockade runner. [17] The weapons were inspected and condemned and the 3rd Massachusetts was reassigned to Col. James Jourdan's brigade occupying the defenses of New Bern. The 3rd Massachusetts was stationed at Fort Totten, guarding the land approaches to New Bern and remained with Col. Jourdan's brigade until the end of their service. [18]

During their months serving garrison duty in the vicinity of New Bern, the 3rd Massachusetts was frequently employed in digging trenches and occasionally participated in brief expeditions and patrols. On March 6, 1863, the regiment marched on a five-day expedition with Brig. Gen. Henry Prince's division in Jones and Onslow Counties. On April 7, the regiment left New Bern, were shipped across the Neuse River and joined a column commanded by Brig. Gen. Francis B. Spinola. This column marched swiftly in an attempt to relieve Union forces and break the Siege of Little Washington. Strong resistance from Confederate artillery, however, caused the column to turn back to New Bern. This rapid expedition of thirty miles and frequent skirmishing was remembered as the most exhausting mission in which the 3rd Massachusetts took part. [19]

The regiment left New Bern on June 11, 1863 and embarked for Boston. On reaching Boston, the men were furloughed for several days to return home and then reported to Camp Hooker on June 22. The regiment was mustered out in Lakeville on June 26, 1863. [20]

See also

Notes

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">28th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 28th Massachusetts Infantry regiment was the second primarily Irish American volunteer infantry regiment recruited in Massachusetts for service in the American Civil War. The regiment's motto was Faugh a Ballagh

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John M. Deane</span> United States Army Medal of Honor recipient (1840–1914)

John Milton Deane was an American Civil War Medal of Honor recipient and a major in the United States Army.

Burnside's North Carolina Expedition was a series of engagements fought along the North Carolina Coast between February and June 1862. The expedition was part of Winfield Scott's overall Anaconda Plan, which aimed at closing blockade-running ports inside the Outer Banks. The amphibious operation was carried out primarily by New England and North Carolina troops under Brig. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside and assisted by the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron under Captain Louis M. Goldsborough.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">51st Massachusetts Infantry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 51st Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was a regiment of infantry that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment was assigned to Major General John G. Foster's Department of North Carolina, later designated as the XVIII Corps. While based in New Bern, North Carolina, the 51st Massachusetts took part in several expeditions involving numerous units from Foster's command and were engaged in the Battle of Kinston, the Battle of White Hall and the Battle of Goldsborough Bridge, among other engagements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">21st Massachusetts Infantry Regiment</span> American Civil War Union Army regiment

The 21st Massachusetts Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was organized in Worcester, Massachusetts and mustered into service on August 23, 1861.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">7th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 7th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union army during the American Civil War. It was formed on June 15, 1861, in Taunton. Its original commander was Colonel Darius N. Couch who would eventually be promoted to command the II Corps of the Army of the Potomac and, after that, the Department of the Susquehanna.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">29th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 29th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union army of the United States during the American Civil War. The regiment was organized in December 1861 when three new companies were attached to a battalion of seven Massachusetts companies that had been in active service since May 1861. These seven companies had been recruited to fill out the 3rd Massachusetts and 4th Massachusetts regiments and had signed on for three years of service. When the 3rd and 4th Massachusetts were mustered out in July 1861, the seven companies that had signed on for three years were grouped together to form a battalion known as the Massachusetts Battalion. Finally, in December 1861, three more companies were added to their roster to form a full regiment and the unit was designated the 29th Massachusetts.

Joseph Cushing Edmands was a volunteer soldier in the Union Army during the American Civil War who attained the grade of colonel and in 1866 was awarded the honorary grade of brevet brigadier general.

23rd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union army during the American Civil War. It was formed on 28 September 1861 in Lynnfield, Massachusetts, though some of the men were not mustered until the regiment's arrival to Annapolis, Maryland on 5 December, and comprised 6 companies from Essex County, Massachusetts and 1 each from Bristol, Plymouth, Middlesex and Worcester. An ex-militia officer, John Kurtz, was commissioned its colonel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">17th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 17th Massachusetts was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">45th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment</span> Military unit

45th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union army during the American Civil War. The regiment trained at Camp Meigs in Readville, Massachusetts before traveling to North Carolina, where they fought in the Battle of Kinston in December 1862, and in skirmishes in and around New Bern, North Carolina in the spring of 1863. They suffered heavy casualties in battle and due to fever. In June they returned to Boston, where they patrolled the streets to quell any draft riots, and were discharged on July 21. They were commanded by Colonel Charles R. Codman (1829-1918).

The 40th Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment was a three-year infantry regiment of the Union Army that served in the Department of Virginia and North Carolina, the Army of the Potomac, and the Department of the South during the American Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">5th Massachusetts Militia Regiment</span> Military unit

The 5th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Militia was a peacetime infantry regiment that was activated for federal service in the Union army for three separate tours during the American Civil War. In the years immediately preceding the war and during its first term of service, the regiment consisted primarily of companies from Essex County as well as Boston and Charlestown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">6th Massachusetts Militia Regiment</span> Peacetime infantry regiment

The 6th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Militia was a peacetime infantry regiment that was activated for federal service in the Union army for three separate terms during the American Civil War (1861-1865). The regiment gained notoriety as the first unit in the Union Army to suffer fatal casualties in action during the Civil War in the Baltimore Riot and the first militia unit to arrive in Washington D.C., in response to President Abraham Lincoln's initial call for 75,000 troops. Private Luther C. Ladd of the 6th Massachusetts is often referred to as the first Union soldier killed in action during the war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">43rd Massachusetts Infantry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 43rd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was a regiment of infantry that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The unit was first formed in September 1862 in response to President Abraham Lincoln's call for 300,000 men to serve for nine months. The nucleus of the regiment was the Second Battalion Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, a unit dating to 1798 known as the Boston Light Infantry and nicknamed the "Tigers." The 43rd Massachusetts therefore became known as the "Tiger Regiment."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">8th Massachusetts Militia Regiment</span> Military unit

The 8th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Militia was a peacetime regiment of infantry that was activated for federal service in the Union Army for three separate tours during the American Civil War. The regiment consisted almost entirely of companies from Essex County, Massachusetts. The Cushing Guards, established 1775, were Company A based in Newburyport. The Lafayette Guards, created 1825, were Company B from Marblehead. Company C, the Sutton Light Infantry, organized in 1805 as the Marblehead Light Infantry, was also from Marblehead. The Lynn Light Infantry, chartered in 1852 was Company D. Company E was the Beverly Light Infantry, organized in 1814. The second Lynn company was Company F, the City Guards, organized in 1814. The Gloucester unit in the regiment was Company G, the American Guards, first organized in 1788. The third and last Marblehead company was H, the Glover Light Guards, created in 1852 and named in honor of John Glover of the Revolution. The Salem Light Infantry, Company J, had been created in 1805 and in 1859 had taken up Zouave drill and were thence known as the Salem Zouaves. The lone non-Essex company was Company K, the Allen Guards, created in 1806, that came to the regiment from Berkshire County's reorganized old Tenth Militia regiment, and based in Pittsfield.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">4th Massachusetts Militia Regiment</span> Military unit

The 4th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, sometimes known as the 4th Massachusetts Infantry, was a peacetime regiment of infantry that was activated for federal service in the Union Army for two separate tours during the American Civil War. Most of the companies were from Norfolk County, Massachusetts. The regiment had its headquarters in Quincy, Massachusetts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">44th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 44th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was a regiment of infantry that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Its nucleus was the 4th Battalion Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, known as the "New England Guards". An old state militia unit dating back to the Revolution, the 4th Battalion was called upon to serve garrison duty at Fort Independence shortly after the beginning of the Civil War. After President Abraham Lincoln's August 1862 call for 300,000 men to serve for nine months the 4th Battalion was given permission to recruit to a full regiment and to muster into federal service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">46th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 46th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was a regiment of infantry that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Its members volunteered in answer to President Abraham Lincoln's August 1862 call for 300,000 men to serve for nine months. The regiment gathered in Springfield, Massachusetts and consisted almost entirely of men from Hampden County. The primary recruiter was Rev. George Bowler who soon became Colonel in command of the regiment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">7th Massachusetts Battery</span> Military unit

The 7th Massachusetts Battery was an artillery battery that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The original core of the unit was a company of infantry known as the Richardson Light Guard. The company initially served provost duty at Fortress Monroe, was eventually trained in light artillery drill, and reorganized on March 17, 1862 as the 7th Massachusetts Battery.

References