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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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