The 6th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment
(Volunteer Militia)
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Unit History
Three Months
The 6th Regt. Mass. Vol. Mil., "Minute Men," was summoned to Boston by Special Order No. 14, issued on the afternoon of April 15, 1861, from the office of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts. At 7 o'clock on the evening of the 17th the regiment, fully armed and equipped, entrained for Washington. While passing through Baltimore, Md., April 19, a detachment of four companies, C, D, I, and L, under Captain Albert S. Follansbee, was set upon by a mob, and in the street fighting which followed four members of the detachment were killed and thirty-six wounded, the first soldiers to fall in the Civil War. This regiment was the first to arrive in Washington completely uniformed and equipped for service. It was at first quartered in the Senate Chamber in the Capitol. Mustered into the service April 22, it was soon transferred to the Relay House near Baltimore. In the occupation of Baltimore and in doing guard duty at or near the Relay House the regiment was occupied until July 29, when it entrained for Massachusetts. Reaching Boston on the 1st of August, on the following day it was mustered out of the service.
Lost during service 4 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded.
Nine Months
Under the call of August 4, 1862, for 300,000 militia to serve nine months, 19,080 being assigned to the quota of Massachusetts, the 6th Regt. again volunteered for duty, thus helping to avoid the employment of the draft to raise troops in this Commonwealth. Its rendezvous was at Camp Henry Wilson, Lowell, Mass. Its companies were mostly mustered in on August 31, but Company F was not mustered until September 8. Proceeding to Washington and thence to Fort Monroe, the regiment was engaged during the fall and winter in the Blackwater region, and during the spring participated in the defense of Suffolk, Va., when that city was menaced by a large force under Gen. Longstreet. At Carrsville, Va., May 14-16, 1863, the regiment was engaged with loss. The siege of Suffolk being ended, on the 26th of May the regiment left for Boston, where it arrived on the 29th. Proceeding to Lowell, on June 3 it was mustered out of the service.
Regiment lost during service 2 Officers and 11 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 18 Enlisted men by disease. Total 31.
One Hundred Days
In the middle of July, 1864, the 6th Regt. entered upon its third term of service, being mustered in between the 14th and 19th of the month for one hundred days. Proceeding to Washington, it was assigned to a post in the rear of Fort C. F. Smith on Arlington Heights, where it remained until August 21. It was then transferred to Fort Delaware on Pea Patch Island in Delaware Bay, where for a time it guarded a camp of 7000 Confederate prisoners. On the 19th of October the regiment entrained for Massachusetts, reaching Boston on the 21st. On October 27 it was mustered out of the service for the third and last time at Readville, Mass.
Lost during service 10 Enlisted men by disease.
Assignments
9 months Militia:
SERVICE.--Duty at Suffolk until May, 1863. Expedition to Western Branch Church October 3-4, 1862. Expedition to Blackwater October 24-26 and November 17-19. Skirmish at Lawrence's Plantation November 17. Expedition to Beaver Dam Church December 1-3. Action on the Blackwater near Franklin December 2. Expedition to Zuni December 11-13. Action at Zuni December 11. Action at Deserted House January 30, 1863. Siege of Suffolk April 12-May 4. Siege of Suffolk raised May 4. Operations on Seaboard & Roanoke Railroad May 12-26. Holland House May 15-16. Moved to Boston May 26-29, and there mustered out June 3, 1863.
