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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
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