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46th
Massachusetts Infantry
in the Civil War
| Regimental History |
| Forty-sixth Infantry. — Cols., George Bowler, William S. Shurtleff;
Lieut.-Cols., William S. Shurtleff, Lucius B. Walkley; Majs., Lucius B. Walkley, Samuel B.
Spooner. The recruits of this regiment were obtained in Hampden county through the efforts
of Rev. George Bowler of Westfield, the men rendezvoused at Camp N. P. Banks, Springfield,
and were mustered in from Sept. 24 to Oct. 30, 1862, for the nine months' service. The
total enrolment of the regiment was 43 officers and 954 men. The casualties during service
were 1 killed and 32 who died by accident or disease. It was ordered to New Berne, where
it arrived on Nov. 15, and was attached to Col. Horace C. Lee's brigade, composed of the
3d, 5th, 25th, 27th and 46th Mass. infantry. Cos. A and K, under Capt. Spooner, were soon
detached for duty at Newport barracks, and in December the rest of the regiment took part
in the Goldsboro expedition, under command of Lieut.-Col. Shurtleff. Col. Bowler, on
account of illness, resigned his commission on Jan. 23, 1863. The regiment saw no more
active service until March, remaining encamped near the junction of the Neuse and Trent
rivers. On March 13 it participated in the reconnaissance on the Trent road, and the
following month six companies formed part of the garrison at Plymouth, on the Roanoke
river, while Cos. A and I, under Maj. Spooner, remained behind in the defenses of New
Berne. In May, these two companies were sent to Batchelder's creek, and displayed
commendable bravery in the defense of an advanced redoubt after the rest of the Union
forces had been driven back in confusion during the attack on May 23. Sergt. A. S. Bryant
of Co. A was rewarded for bravery on this occasion by promotion to sergeant-major and
awarded a medal from congress. Shortly before the term of service expired, more than 100
members of the regiment enlisted in the 2nd Mass. heavy artillery, then being organized.
The 46th was ordered to Fortress Monroe on June 23. Its term of service had nearly expired
on their arrival at this point, and the regiment volunteered for further service during
Lee's invasion of the North. It was assigned to Gen. Tyler's brigade in the defenses of
Baltimore until July 6, when it was attached to Gen. Briggs' brigade, and performed
outpost and picket duty on Maryland heights until July 11. It then joined the Army of the
Potomac at Funkstown, and while marching south with it into Virginia in pursuit of Lee,
was ordered to return to Massachusetts for muster out. It reached Springfield July 21, and
was mustered out on the 28th at Hampden Park. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 1
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