5th Massachusetts Battery | |
---|---|
Active | December 10, 1861 – June 12, 1865 |
Country | United States |
Branch | Union Army |
Type | Field artillery |
Size | Battery |
Part of | In 1863: Artillery Brigade (Martin), V Corps (Sykes) |
Engagements | American Civil War |
Commanders | |
1st | Captain Max Eppendorf |
2nd | Capt. George D. Allen |
3rd | Capt. Charles A. Phillips |
The 5th Massachusetts Battery (or 5th Battery, Massachusetts Light Artillery) was an artillery battery that served in the Union army during the American Civil War. It was one of the Massachusetts regiments organized in response to President Abraham Lincoln's call on May 2, 1861 for volunteer troops to serve a term of three-years. The battery trained at Camp Shouler in Lynnfield, Massachusetts and Camp Massasoit in Readville, Massachusetts. It departed Boston by steamship on December 25, 1861. [1]
For their first months of service, the members of the battery performed garrison duty at Capitol Hill in Washington and at Hall's Hill in Alexandria, Virginia. The battery was assigned to the First Division of the V Corps of the Army of the Potomac in preparation for the Peninsular Campaign in March 1862. They departed for Fortress Monroe on March 21. [2] During the Peninsular campaign, the battery was engaged in the Siege of Yorktown and the Seven Days Battles. In particular, it was very heavily engaged during the Battle of Gaines's Mill, losing 4 men killed in action, 22 horses and four out of six guns. For several months, this heavy loss resulted the temporary reassignment of the members of the 5th Massachusetts Battery to the 3rd Massachusetts Battery and the 4th Rhode Island Battery. The 5th Massachusetts Battery returned to Washington in September 1862 and was resupplied with guns in October. It rejoined the Army of the Potomac in time to participate in the Union advance into Northern Virginia in November and the Battle of Fredericksburg. [1]
In 1863, the battery took part in the Mud March, the Battle of Chancellorsville and was heavily engaged during the Battle of Gettysburg on July 2 and 3, firing 700 rounds and losing 7 men killed in action and 59 horses. [3] During the latter part of 1863, they took part in the Mine Run Campaign and at the end of the year went into winter camp at Rappahannock Station (now Remington, Virginia). [4] In 1864, they participated in Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign and the Siege of Petersburg. [4]
In September 1864, the recruits and reenlisted men of the 3rd Massachusetts Battery were consolidated with the 5th Massachusetts Battery. On October 3, those of the 5th Massachusetts Battery who had served out their term and did not reenlist went home. A total of 39 of the original members did reenlist for a second term of three years so that, with the addition of some new recruits, the battery continued to serve. They operated at various points along the Petersburg siege lines but for the most part the battery was stationed at Fort Hays to the south of Petersburg. [4] During the final assault on Petersburg on April 1 and 2, 1865, a detachment operating two guns of the battery took Confederate Battery 27 on the siege lines. This engagement was the last time the battery fired their guns in battle. [5] When the Confederates abandoned Petersburg, the battery was withdrawn to City Point, Virginia and remained there until May 3. On that day the unit began its return to Massachusetts, marching to Washington to turn in their guns and equipment. They reached Boston on June 3 and were mustered out at Camp Meigs on June 12, 1865. [4]
The 32nd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union army during the American Civil War. The nucleus of the regiment was a battalion of six companies raised in September 1861 to garrison Fort Warren, the largest fortification in Boston harbor. The battalion was originally known as the 1st Battalion Massachusetts Infantry or the Fort Warren Battalion.
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.
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.
Oliver Edwards was a machine company executive, an inventor, and a volunteer officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
Thomas Harrison Dunham, Jr. was a volunteer soldier in the Union Army during the American Civil War who rose from the rank of private to colonel and in 1867 was awarded the honorary grade of brevet brigadier general, to rank from March 13, 1865.
The 3rd Massachusetts Battery, was an artillery battery that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
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.
The 56th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was a regiment of infantry that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was one of the four "Veteran Regiments" raised in the winter of 1863–64. Recruits of these regiments were required to have served at least nine months in a prior unit. The regiment was attached to the IX Corps of the Army of the Potomac and took part in Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign in the spring of 1864. They were in extremely heavy combat during the campaign, suffering great casualties during engagements which included the Battle of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Courthouse, and the Battle of the Crater. They were involved in several assaults during the Siege of Petersburg in 1864 and participated in the spring 1865 battles which finally drove General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army from their entrenchments in Petersburg, leading to the end of the war at Appomattox Courthouse.
The 57th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was a regiment of infantry that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was one of the four "Veteran Regiments" raised in Massachusetts during the winter of 1863–64. Recruits of these regiments were required to have served at least nine months in a prior unit. Colonel William F. Bartlett, at age 24 already a veteran of three regiments, organized the recruiting and formation of the 57th Massachusetts and served as its first commanding officer.
The 1st Massachusetts Battery was a peacetime militia artillery battery that was activated for federal service in the Union army for two separate tours during the American Civil War. Prior to the war and during its first term of service, the unit was sometimes known as "Cook's Battery" after its commanding officer, Capt. Asa M. Cook. During its first term, the battery primarily served garrison duty in Baltimore, Maryland. Almost immediately after mustering out, the unit began preparing for a second term, this time volunteering to serve for three years. The battery was attached to the VI Corps of the Army of the Potomac during its second term and took part in some of the largest battles of the war including the Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, and Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign in the spring of 1864.
The 2nd Massachusetts Battery was an artillery battery that served in the Union army during the American Civil War. The unit was initially known as "Cobb's Light Artillery" for its first commander, Major Moses Cobb. An experienced officer of the Massachusetts militia, Cobb was selected to organize and command the battery on April 20, 1861, however he did not go with the unit when it departed for the field. The unit was later known as "Nim's Battery" after its subsequent commanding officer, Capt. Ormand F. Nims. It was one of the Massachusetts regiments organized in response to President Abraham Lincoln's call on May 2, 1861, for volunteer troops to serve a term of three-years. The 2nd Massachusetts Battery was the first unit of artillery to be recruited in Massachusetts for three-years service. The battery trained at Camp Adams in Quincy, Massachusetts, and was mustered into federal service on July 31, 1861.
The 4th Massachusetts Battery was an artillery battery that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The unit was sometimes known as "Manning's Battery" after its commanding officer, Capt. Charles H. Manning. It was one of the Massachusetts regiments organized in response to President Abraham Lincoln's call on May 2, 1861 for volunteer troops to serve a term of three-years. The core of the unit was a peace-time militia company known as the Salem Light Artillery. The battery trained at Camp Chase in Lowell, Massachusetts. It was assigned to the Department of the Gulf under Major General Benjamin F. Butler and departed Boston by steamship on November 20.
The 6th Massachusetts Battery was an artillery battery that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The unit was one of the Massachusetts regiments organized in response to President Abraham Lincoln's call on May 2, 1861 for volunteer troops to serve a term of three-years. The battery trained at Camp Chase in Lowell, Massachusetts. It was assigned to the Department of the Gulf under Major General Benjamin F. Butler and departed Boston by steamship on February 8, 1862. At that time, the unit comprised 145 men armed with two rifled and four smoothbore six-pounder field guns.
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.
The 11th Massachusetts Battery was an artillery battery that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was formed in response to President Abraham Lincoln's August 1862 call for 300,000 men to serve for nine months. Several months after completing their first term of service, the battery was reorganized for a second term of three years. It was recruited by Captain Edward J. Jones of Boston and consisted almost entirely of men from that city. The battery served a largely uneventful first term as garrison troops mostly in Centreville, Virginia. During their second term they were involved in heavy combat being part of the Army of the Potomac during Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign.
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The 14th Massachusetts Battery was an artillery battery that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was organized during the winter of 1863 - 1864 at Camp Meigs just outside of Boston. It was commanded by Captain Joseph W. B. Wright of Boston and consisted mostly of men from that city. The enlisted men were mustered into federal service on February 27, 1864. They departed Massachusetts on April 4, 1864, arrived at Annapolis and then moved to Camp Marshall in Washington, D.C. On April 22 and 24 they were outfitted with field guns and horses but had virtually no time to train in light artillery tactics before they were assigned to the IX Corps of the Army of the Potomac and joined Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign.
The 15th Massachusetts Battery was an artillery battery that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The unit was organized partly at Camp Chase in Lowell, Massachusetts and partly at Fort Warren during the winter of 1862-1863. The majority of its members were mustered into federal service on February 17, 1863. It was assigned to the Department of the Gulf commanded by Major General Nathaniel P. Banks and departed Massachusetts by steamship on March 9. During its term, the unit suffered from a large number of desertions and gained an unfortunate reputation despite the service of its many loyal members.
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