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58th
Massachusetts Infantry
in the Civil War
| Regimental History |
| Fifty-eighth Infantry. — Col., John C. Whiton (Silas P. Richmond was
commissioned colonel Sept. 28, 1863, but resigned without being mustered, and the regiment
served its whole term under Lieut. -Col. Whiton) ; Lieut.- Col., John C. Whiton (Everett
C. Horton was commissioned lieutenant- colonel Aug. 31, 1864, but was discharged as major
on expiration of service) ; Majs., Barnabas Ewer, Jr., Everett C. Horton (not mustered).
The 58th was the last three years' infantry regiment mustered into the U. S. service to
leave for the front. Recruiting for the regiment began in Sept., 1863, but only eight
companies had been filled and mustered into service at Readville when the command was
called upon to leave the state in April, 1864. Co. I joined the regiment in June while it
was located in front of Cold Harbor, and Co. K joined the regiment Feb. 20, 1865, while it
was garrisoning Fort Meikle in front of Petersburg. Its total enrolment was 63 officers
and 953 enlisted men. Its losses while in service were as follows : Killed and died of
wounds, 10 officers and 99 enlisted men ; missing, 14 ; died by accident or disease, 1
officer and 76 enlisted men ; died as prisoners, 1 officer and 84 enlisted men ; total, 12
officers and 273 enlisted men. Leaving the state on April 28, 1864, the regiment reached
Alexandria, Va., on the 30th, and two days later arrived at Bristoe Station, where it was
assigned to the 1st brigade, 2nd division, 9th corps. It was engaged at the battle of the
Wilderness, suffering a loss of 34 killed, wounded and missing; shared with its corps in
the assault of May 12 at Spottsylvania, losing on this hotly contested field 13 killed, 90
wounded and 2 missing; was in frequent skirmishes until the 21st, when it moved toward the
North Anna river and reached the Totopotomoy on the 29th, skirmishing and maneuvering
almost constantly and sustaining a number of casualties. It shared in the assault at Cold
Harbor, June 3, and held an advanced position throughout the day exposed to a murderous
fire. Its loss on this day was 18 killed and 67 wounded. Maj. Ewer and Capts. McFarland
and Upham were among the slain. It was continuously on duty before Cold Harbor until the
12th, when it moved with the army to Petersburg and shared in the assault of the 17th. The
following day it met with further loss in the attempt to capture the Norfolk &
Petersburg railroad. It remained in the trenches before Petersburg until the 30th, when it
charged with its brigade into the chasm formed by the explosion of the mine, meeting with
heavy loss when the Confederates made their counter-charge in overwhelming force. Only a
remnant of the regiment escaped, its loss being 5 killed, 30 wounded and 84 captured. The
regiment, now much reduced in numbers, suffered another heavy loss on Sept. 30, when, in
the battle of Poplar Spring Church, nearly the whole command was captured. Out of upwards
of 100 engaged, only 1 officer and about a dozen men escaped. Its numbers were soon
increased by a small body of recruits from Massachusetts, and by convalescents and those
returning from detached service. It was not again engaged in active operations until the
following year and spent the winter at Hancock Station, garrisoning Fort Meikle. On April
2, 1865, it shared in the assault on Petersburg, and after the surrender was engaged in
guarding the railroad at Burkesville and Farmville until the 20th. It returned to
Alexandria on April 28, participated in the grand review in Washington, and on July 15 it
broke camp. It reached Readville July 18, and on the 26th was finally paid and discharged.
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Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 1
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