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29th
Massachusetts Infantry
in the Civil War
| Regimental History |
| Twenty-ninth Infantry. — Cols., Ebenezer W. Pierce, Thomas W. Clarke
; Lieut.-Cols., Joseph H. Barnes, Willard D. Tripp, Charles D. Browne; Majs., Charles
Chipman, Charles T. Richardson, John M. Deane. This regiment was formed by the addition of
three new companies, Dec. 13, 1861, to Jan. 13, 1862, to the seven companies called the
1st battalion, Mass. infantry, which was among the first three years' troops to leave the
state and reinforced the 3d and 4th regiments. It was mustered out at Tenallytown, Md.,
July 29, 1865. The total membership was 919, of whom 30 were killed or died of wounds and
31 died of disease. The regiment was posted at Newport News until May 10, 1862, when it
embarked for Ocean View and marched to Norfolk. Though an American regiment, it was
assigned to the "Irish brigade," encamped at Fair Oaks and was engaged at that
place, Gaines mill, Savage Station and Malvern hill, in all of which the conduct of the
troops was praised by Gen. Meagher. The regiment then moved by way of Yorktown and
Fredericksburg to the support of Gen. Pope at Centerville and was engaged at Fairfax Court
House. At Antietam it made a gallant charge. It next moved south with the Army of the
Potomac and encamped a short time at Falmouth, where it was transferred from the Irish
brigade to the 1st brigade, 1st division, 9th corps. At Fredericksburg it was held in
reserve and it escaped the "Mud March." Ordered west in March, 1863, the 29th
was located at Paris, Ky., during April. In May proceeded to Vicksburg, where it arrived
at the end of the siege and joined in the pursuit of the Confederate forces at Jackson,
Miss. The next field of action was in East Tennessee in the battles of Blue Springs,
Campbell's station and the siege of Knoxville. The marches in East Tennessee were
difficult and the men suffered from cold, insufficient clothing and lack of food, yet in
Jan., 1864, a number of them reenlisted and became a veteran regiment. The remainder was
attached to the 36th Mass. infantry. After a short furlough the veterans arrived in
Washington on May 18, 1864, and were assigned to the Army of the Potomac. At Cold Harbor
their duties were comparatively light, but at Petersburg 3 color-bearers were shot in
quick succession during a gallant charge and volunteers rescued the flag. The winter of
1864-5 was spent at Battery No. 11, in the vicinity of Fort Stedman and in the battle
there on March 25, 1865, the battery was taken and retaken. Color-bearer Conrad Homan
received a medal of honor because he was the first to enter when the battery was
recaptured. On the journey home the regiment paraded in New York at the request of the New
England society and was given a dinner and a complimentary address by Gen. Burnside. The
seven original companies served the Union cause in the field longer than any other
regiment, always with honor to themselves and to their country. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 1
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