The 3rd Massachusetts Infantry Regiment
(Volunteer Militia)
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Unit History
Three Months
The 3d Regt. Mass. Vol. Mil., "Minute Men," was summoned to Boston by Special Order No. 14, issued on the afternoon of April 15, 1861, by Adjutant General Schouler. Company C of Cambridge was the first Massachusetts company actually raised for the war. Embarking for Virginia at Central Wharf, Boston, April 18, it sailed for Fort Monroe, arriving at its destination on the 20th, two hours after the 4th Regt. Almost immediately it took part in the destruction of the Gosport Navy Yard. It formed a part of the garrison of Fort Monroe until July, when it removed to Hampton, Va., where it remained most of the time until its return to Boston on the 19th of the month. On July 23 it was mustered out of the United States service.
Four companies, D, E, I, and M, which had enlisted for three years and had joined the regiment in May, remained in the service, and became Companies B, D, E, and I of the 29th Regt., which was then being organized.
Nine Months
Under the call of August 4, 1862, for 300,000 militia for nine months, 19,080 being the number assigned to the quota of Massachusetts, the 3d Regt. again volunteered for duty and was sent to Camp Joe Hooker at Lakeville, Mass., to recruit to war strength. Eight companies were mustered into the service on the 23d of September and the remaining two on the 26th. Destined for duty in the department of North Carolina, the regiment embarked on the 22d of October and reached Beaufort on the 26th, the same day as the 5th Regt., and proceeded by rail to Newbern. It was not very actively engaged until December 11, when it started on the Goldsboro expedition, which occupied eleven days. Present at Kinston, Whitehall, and Goldsboro, the regiment suffered only slight loss, being little engaged. On January 26, 1863, it moved to Camp Jourdan near Fort Totten on the defenses of Newbern. After having been engaged in several minor expeditions, one for the relief of Washington, N. C., in June, its term of service having expired, it was ordered to Massachusetts. Embarking on the 11th of the month, on the 16th it arrived in Boston, and was mustered out at its old rendezvous, Camp Joe Hooker, Lakeville, Mass., June 26.
N.B. Company "I" having been detached from the regiment Nov. 30, 1862 and sent to Plymouth N. C., was there engaged with a force of Confederate troops, Dec. 10, losing two men killed or mortally wounded and several prisoners.
Regiment lost 1 Enlisted man killed and 17 Enlisted men by disease. Total 18.
Assignments
9 months Militia:
Duty at New Berne. N. C., until December, 1862. (Co. "I" detached at Plymouth and Elizabeth City November 30, 1862, to April, 1863.) Action at Plymouth December 10, 1862 (Co. "I"). Foster's Expedition to Goldsboro December 11-22. Action at Kinston December 14. Whitehall December 16. Goldsboro December 17. Duty at New Berne until June, 1863. Expedition to Trenton, Pollocksville, Young's Cross Roads and Swansborough March 6-10. Reconnoissance to Pollocksville March 15-16. Expedition to relief of Little Washington April 7-10. Expedition toward Kinston April 16-21 and to Batchelor's Creek May 23-24. Moved to Boston June 11-16. Mustered out Juno 26, 1863.
