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16th Massachusetts Infantry
in the Civil War

Regimental History
Sixteenth Infantry. — Cols., Powell T. Wyman, Thomas R. Tannatt, Gardner Banks; Lieut.-Cols., George A. Meacham, Daniel S. Lamson, Gardner Banks, Waldo Merriam, Samuel W. Richardson; Majs., Daniel S. Lamson, Waldo Merriam, Samuel W. Richardson, Matthew Donovan. The 16th was mustered in for three years at Camp Cameron, North Cambridge, from June 29 to Aug. 1, 1861, and was mustered out on July 27, 1864, the reenlisted men and recruits being then transferred to the 11th battalion. The regiment was composed mainly of men from Middlesex county. Co. A, was the Cambridge City Guard ; Co. B, the Winthrop Guard from Holliston ; Co. C, the Union Guard ; Co. D, the Hill Cadets from Lowell; Co. E, the Wiley Light Infantry; Co. G, the Butler Rifles; Co. I, the Newton Guards, and Co. K, the Watertown Volunteers. The 16th left the state on Aug. 17, 1861, and was ordered to Camp Hamilton near Hampton, Va., where it remained during the winter of 1861-62. In May, 1862, it was assigned to the Army of the Potomac and moved to Suffolk, where it fought its first battle. Its records show participation in the battles at Fair Oaks, Glendale, Malvern hill, Kettle run and Chantilly, but it was ordered to Washington at the time of the battle of Antietam. The year's work closed with the battle of Fredericksburg. At Gettysburg the losses were very heavy. Then, with the Army of the Potomac, the regiment marched southward ; participated in the Mine Run campaign; went into winter quarters at Brandy Station ; continued with the same branch of the army through the next spring and early summer and fought in all the battles of its renowned campaigns. Out of a total strength of 1,220 men, 211 were killed or died of wounds.

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

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