CIVIL WAR INDEX
Primary Source Material
on the Soldiers and the Battles
Home The Armies The Soldiers The Battles Civilians Articles
If this website has been useful to you, please consider making a Donation.

Your support will help keep this website free for everyone, and will allow us to do more research. Thank you for your support!

3rd Battery Massachusetts Light Artillery
in the Civil War

Regimental History
Third Battery, Light Artillery.— Capts., Dexter H. Follett, Augustus P. Martin. This battery carried on its rolls 11 officers and 250 enlisted men. Its loss during service was 1 officer, 11 men killed or died of wounds, and 11 men by accident or disease. The battery was recruited in the summer of 1861, by Dexter H. Follett, from among the friends of Senator Henry Wilson, colonel of the 22nd infantry. It was mustered into the U. S. service Oct. 5, 1861, and left for Washington on the 8th, in company with the 22nd infantry. It passed the winter of 1861-62 in and around Washington and took part in the advance of the Army of the Potomac into Virginia in the spring of 1862. One-half of the battery was engaged on April 5 in front of Yorktown, and again at Hanover Court House, May 27. It was in reserve at the battle of Mechanicsville, took part at Gaines' mill, losing 1 gun and 3 caissons, and its next engagement was at Malvern hill, July 1, where it suffered no loss. During the remainder of the year it was in no serious engagement and was not again in action as a whole until the battle of Gettysburg. It accompanied the 5th corps in all its movements ; a section under Lieut. Cargill shared in a reconnoissance to Leesburg, Va., reached Fredericksburg the day after the battle; took part in the "Mud March" in Jan., 1863, and was in position, but not actively engaged at Chancellorsville. After Gettysburg it shared the marches of the 5th corps during the summer and autumn but was not in action. It went into winter quarters at Bealeton Station, Va., remaining there from Dec, 1863, to May 1, 1864, when it joined the 5th corps at Culpeper, and fought with it in the battle of the Wilderness, being one of the few batteries there engaged. On May 8 it went into position at Laurel hill, where it remained for 5 days, frequently in action. Its loss here was 9 wounded, including Capt. Martin. An order reduced all the batteries to 4 guns at this time and 2 of its gums were turned in to the ordnance department. It was engaged at the North Anna river, and Shady Grove Church, Va., from May 30 to June 3, having 2 men and 13 horses killed and 1 man wounded. It sustained no loss at Cold Harbor, and moved to Petersburg on June 18, being almost continuously in action until Aug. 13, 1864, but suffering a loss of only 2 men killed. It accompanied the 2nd division, 5th corps, in the expedition against the Weldon railroad, and on Aug. 23, 1864, relieved the 11th battery near Globe tavern, remaining there until the expiration of its term of service. At the end of that month the reenlisted men and recruits were transferred to the 5th Mass. battery, and the remainder of the command, 3 officers and 86 men reached Boston, Sept. 9. After a furlough of a week they were mustered out on the 16th.

Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing Company, 1908 - Volume 1

Whats New
Bibliography
About Us


 

Copyright 2010 by CivilWarIndex.com
A Division of Pier-Pleasure.com