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38th
Massachusetts Infantry
in the Civil War
| Regimental History |
| Thirty-eighth Infantry. — Col., Timothy Ingraham; Lieut.-Cols.,
David K. Wardwell, William L. Rodman, James P. Richardson; Majs., David K. Wardwell,
William L. Rodman, James P. Richardson, Charles F. Allen. Seven companies recruited at
Camp Stanton, Lynnfield, were composed of men from Plymouth county for the most part, and
were mustered in on Aug. 21, 1862, for three years. The remaining companies, A, B and F,
recruited at Cambridge, were mustered in on Aug. 22, at Camp Day, North Cambridge. The
regiment carried on its rolls a total of 80 officers and 1,036 enlisted men. Its losses
during service were 4 officers, and 72 enlisted men killed or died of wounds; 2 reported
missing; 138 died by accident or disease; 9 as prisoners, and 42 deserted. It left Boston,
Aug. 26, 1862, and arrived at Baltimore the following day. Col. Ingraham was serving as
lieutenant-colonel of the 18th Mass. infantry, when commissioned in the 38th, and did not
assume command until Sept. 3. It moved out on the Liberty road on Sept. 9, and occupied
Camp Cram for several weeks. On Oct. 11 marching orders were received, the regiment being
called out on account of Stuart's cavalry raid, but it was re-called soon after starting,
and occupied a position on the outskirts of Baltimore until Nov. 9. Moving then to Hampton
Roads, it remained on transports for a month, when it sailed for Louisiana, arriving at
Carrollton Jan. 1, 1863. It was assigned to the 3d brigade, 3d division, 19th corps. Col.
Ingraham was appointed to command the 1st brigade, same division, and did not again return
to the regiment. While at Camp Kearny, where the regiment remained until March, the men
suffered much from sickness. In March the 38th embarked for Baton Rouge, joined in the
advance to Port Hudson and encountered the enemy at Fort Bisland April 12, 1863. On May 22
the regiment landed above Port Hudson, joined in the assault on the fortifications on the
27th, and shared in the subsequent siege operations. After the surrender it embarked for
Donaldsonville, but returned on Aug. 1 to Baton Rouge, where it spent the winter of
1863-64. It took part in the Red River expedition, garrisoned Alexandria for a time,
participated in the engagement at Cane river, and late in the month of July, was ordered
to Washington. It then joined Gen. Sheridan's Army of the Shenandoah and at the battle of
the Opequan displayed great courage and coolness under conditions of unusual difficulty,
as its brigade, through a mistake, had been deprived of its support. The battles of
Fisher's hill and Cedar creek followed, and in Jan., 1865, the regiment was ordered to
Savannah, Ga., where it remained for about five weeks. On March 5, orders came to move
north to Kinston, N. C, via Hilton Head, Wilmington and New Berne, but as its services
proved unnecessary at Kinston, it encamped at Morehead City until April 8. The rest of
April was spent at Goldsboro on guard duty, and on May 1, the regiment returned to
Savannah, where varied duties occupied the men until the close of their term of service. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 1
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