16th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment explained
The 16th Massachusetts was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War formed of volunteers from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Service
The 16th Massachusetts was organized at Camp Cameron in North Cambridge, Massachusetts, June 25, 1861. It mustered into federal service for a three-year enlistment on June 29, 1861 under the command of Colonel Powell Tremlett Wyman.
The 16th Massachusetts mustered out of service on July 27, 1864. Veterans and recruits were transferred to the 11th Massachusetts Infantry.
Affiliations, battle honors, detailed service, and casualties
Organizational affiliation
Attached to:
- Fort Monroe, Department of Virginia, to May 1862.
- 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Department of Virginia, to June 1862.
- 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, III Corps, Army of the Potomac, to March 1864.
- 1st Brigade, 4th Division, II Corps, to May 1864.
- 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, II Corps, to July 1864.
List of battles
The official list of battles in which the regiment bore a part:
Detailed service
1861
1862
- Garrison duty at Fortress Monroe, Va., September 1, 1862 to May 8, 1862.
- Occupation of Norfolk May 10.
- Moved to Suffolk May 17,
- Joined the Army of the Potomac at Fair Oaks June 13.
- Nine-Mile Road, near Richmond, June 18.
- Seven Days before Richmond June 25-July 1.
- Oak Grove, near Fair Oaks, June 25.
- White Oak Swamp and Glendale June 30.
- Malvern Hill July 1 and August 5.
- Duty at Harrison's Landing until August 15.
- Movement to Fortress Monroe, then to Centreville August 15–26.
- Bristoe Station, Kettle Run, August 27.
- Battles of Groveton August 29,
- Second Bull Run August 30,
- Chantilly September 1.
- Duty at Fort Lyon and at Fairfax Station, defenses of Washington, until October 30,
- Munson's Hill until November 2.
- At Fairfax Station until November 25.
- Operations on Orange & Alexandria Railroad November 10–12.
- Battle of Fredericksburg, December 12–15.
- Rappahannock Campaign December 1862 to June 1863.
1863
- "Mud March" January 20–24, 1863.
- At Falmouth until April 27.
- Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6.
- Gettysburg Campaign June 11-July 24.
- Battle of Gettysburg, July 1–3.
- Wapping Heights, Va, July 23.
- Bristoe Campaign October 9–22.
- Advance to the Rappahannock November 7–8.
- Kelly's Ford November 7.
- Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2.
- Payne's Farm November 27.
1864
- Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6–7, 1864.
- Duty near Brandy Station until May 1864.
- Overland Campaign May–June.
- Battle of the Wilderness May 5–7,
- Spotsylvania May 8–12,
- Spotsylvania Court House May 12–21.
- Assault on the Salient, Spotsylvania Court House, May 12.
- Harris' Farm, Fredericksburg Road, May 19.
- North Anna River May 23–26.
- Ox Ford May 23–24.
- On line of the Pamunkey May 26–28.
- Totopotomoy May 28–31.
- Cold Harbor June 1–12.
- Siege of Petersburg
- Left front for muster out July 11.
Casualties
The regiment lost a total of 245 men during service; 16 officers and 134 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 2 officers and 93 enlisted men died of disease.
Commanders
- Colonel Powell Tremlett Wyman - killed in action at the Battle of Glendale
- Colonel Thomas R. Tannatt
- Lieutenant Colonel Waldo Merriam - commanded at the Battle of Gettysburg until wounded in action on July 2, 1863
- Major Gardner Banks - commanded at the Second Battle of Bull Run
- Captain Matthew Donovan - commanded the Battle of Gettysburg after Ltc Merriam was wounded
See also
References
Sources
- Book: Bowen, James L . Massachusetts in the War 1861–1865 . 1889 . Springfield, MA . Clark W. Bryan & Co . 281–289 . en . PDF . August 8, 2015 . registration . 02014318 . 1986476 .
- Book: Dyer, Frederick Henry . Frederick H. Dyer . A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion . Dyer Pub. Co. . . 1908 . 8697590 . 09005239 . en . PDF . August 8, 2015 . 25, 41, 158, 293. 296, 1253 . B01BUFJ76Q. registration.
- Book: Eicher . David J. . David J. Eicher . McPherson . James M. . James M. McPherson . McPherson . James Alan . James Alan McPherson . The Longest Night: A Military History of the Civil War . . 2001 . New York, NY . 990 . en . 6 July 2020 . registration . 978-0-7432-1846-7 . 231931020 . 2001034153 . PDF .
- Book: Esposito, Vincent J. . West Point Atlas of American Wars . . 1959 . New York City . 978-0-8050-3391-5 . 60298522 . 6 July 2020 . registration . HTML .
- Book: Federal Publishing Company. Military Affairs and Regimental Histories of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, And Delaware. Federal Publishing Company. The Union Army: A History of Military Affairs in the Loyal States, 1861–65 – Records of the Regiments in the Union army – Cyclopedia of battles – Memoirs of Commanders and Soldiers.. I. 1908 . Madison, WI. 694018100 . PDF . 174-175 .
- Book: Hall, Charles Winslow . Regiments and Armories of Massachusetts. An historical narration of the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia. With portraits and biographies of Officers, past and present, etc.. I. 1900a . Boston . W.H. Potter & Co. . 559765857 . en . PDF . August 8, 2015 . registration.
- Book: Hall, Charles Winslow . Regiments and Armories of Massachusetts. An historical narration of the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia. With portraits and biographies of Officers, past and present, etc.. II. 1900b . Boston . W.H. Potter & Co. . 559765857 . en . PDF . August 8, 2015 . registration.
- Book: Headley, Phineas Camp . Massachusetts in the Rebellion: a Record of the Historical Position of the Commonwealth, and the Services of the Leading Statesmen, the Military, the Colleges, and the People, in the Civil War of 1861–65 . Walker, Fuller & Co . Boston, MA . PDF . 1866 . 8406829 . en . August 8, 2015 . 224–225 . registration .
- Book: Higginson, Thomas Wentworth (State Historian . Massachusetts in the Army and Navy During the War of 1861–65 . I . Wright and Potter Printing Co, State Printers . Boston, MA . 1896 . 1049652105 . 50, 51-55, 75-76, 92, 95, 97, 100, 103-104, 115, 117-119, 122, 124, 137, 139, 224-225, 565, 569 . en . PDF . August 8, 2015 . registration .
- Book: Higginson, Thomas Wentworth (State Historian . Massachusetts in the Army and Navy During the War of 1861–65 . II . Wright and Potter Printing Co, State Printers . Boston, MA . 1895 . 02014316 . 1049652105 . 176, 183–184, 226, 235 . en . PDF . August 8, 2015 . registration .
- Book: Johnson . Robert Underwood . Buel . Clarence Clough . Robert Underwood Johnson . Clarence Clough Buel . Robert Underwood Johnson . Clarence Clough Buel . The Opening Battles . . Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: Being for the Most Part Contributions by Union and Confederate officers: Based upon "The Century War Series" . I . 1887 . New York City . 784 . 48764702 . .
- Book: Johnson . Robert Underwood . Buel . Clarence Clough . Robert Underwood Johnson . Clarence Clough Buel . Robert Underwood Johnson . Clarence Clough Buel . The Struggle Intensifies . . Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: Being for the Most Part Contributions by Union and Confederate officers: Based upon "The Century War Series" . II . 1887 . New York City . 786 . 48764702 . .
- Book: Johnson . Robert Underwood . Buel . Clarence Clough . Robert Underwood Johnson . Clarence Clough Buel . Robert Underwood Johnson . Clarence Clough Buel . The Tide Shifts . . Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: Being for the Most Part Contributions by Union and Confederate officers: Based upon "The Century War Series" . III . 1887 . New York City . 778 . 48764702 . .
- Book: Johnson . Robert Underwood . Buel . Clarence Clough . Robert Underwood Johnson . Clarence Clough Buel . Robert Underwood Johnson . Clarence Clough Buel . Retreat with Honor . . Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: Being for the Most Part Contributions by Union and Confederate officers: Based upon "The Century War Series" . IV . 1887 . New York City . 778 . 48764702 . .
- Book: McPherson, James M. . James M. McPherson . Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era . Oxford University Press . Oxford History of the United States . 1988 . Oxford, UK . 904 . PDF . 978-0-19-503863-7 . 7577667 .
- Web site: Mink . Eric J. . Armament in the Army of the Potomac at Fredericksburg . Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania NMP Staff . Mysteries & Conundrums . November 30, 2008 . . November 14, 2020 .
- Book: Roberts, Robert B. . Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States . Macmillan . 1988 . New York . 0-02-926880-X . 396–397 .
- Book: Schouler, William . William Schouler . Annual Report of the Adjutant-General, December 31, 1861 . 1861 . Boston, MA . Adjutant General's Office, Commonwealth of Massachusetts . en . PDF . August 8, 2015 . registration .
- Book: Schouler, William . William Schouler . A History of Massachusetts in the Civil War . E.P. Dutton & Co . Boston, MA . 1868 . 189-190, 310, 316, 337, 387, 508, 536, 619, 649 . 02014327 . 2662693 . en . PDF . August 8, 2015 . registration .
- Book: Stevens, Jesse F . Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines in the Civil War . Norwood Press . Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines in the Civil War in Eight Volumes . 2 . 1931 . Norwood, MA . 409–491 . 31027863 . 11485612 . en . PDF . December 15, 2021 .
- Web site: Historical Digression . Patrick . Browne . May 2015 . Civil War Training Camps in Massachusetts, Part One .
- Web site: Boston Harbor I - Camp Cameron . American Forts Network . 13 July 2020. .
- News: Camp Cameron: A Civil War Camp in Somerville . Dan . Sullivan . June 13, 2011 . Somverille Patch.
External links
