The 11th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment
(Three Years)
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Unit History
The 11th Regt. Mass. Vol. Inf., known locally as the Boston Volunteers, was raised largely through the influence of George Clark, Jr., an old militia officer, who became its first colonel. Eight companies were recruited at 179 Court Street, Boston, after which, May 9, 1861, the regiment was ordered to Fort Warren, where two other companies were added. Here it was mustered into the service June 13, 1861, On June 17 the regiment was transferred to Camp Cameron, North Cambridge. It left the State for Washington, D. C., June 29, and was located on the Treasury grounds near the White House.
It was one of the three Massachusetts regiments present at First Bull Run, July 21, 1861, being brigaded with the 5th Massachusetts and 1st Minnesota in Franklin's Brigade, Heintzelman's Division of McDowell's army. Here it lost 88 men, 21 being killed or mortally wounded. In August it became a part of the famous Hooker Brigade. During the early fall it was encamped at Bladensburg, did picket duty on the Potomac above Washington, assisted in building forts to protect the capital, and finally, about October 1, was transferred to Budd's Ferry on the lower Potomac, where it passed the winter of 1861-62.
In the spring of 1862 it embarked for the Peninsula, where as a part of Grover's Brigade, Hooker's Division, Heintzelman's (3d) Corps it participated in the siege of Yorktown, the battle of Williamsburg, May 5, and the battle of Fair Oaks, June 25. In the other actions of the Peninsular campaign it was not heavily engaged. After the battle of Malvern Hill it retired to Harrison's Landing, where it remained until the middle of August, when it was transferred to the defenses of Washington.
Joining Gen. Pope's army near Warrenton, Jc., as a part of Grover's Brigade, Hooker's Division, it was engaged at Catlett's Sta., August 27, and was heavily engaged near Groveton (Manassas), August 29, where it led the assault on the famous railroad embankment, losing 28 officers and men killed or mortally wounded, including its lieutenant colonel, George E. Tileston.
After the Second Bull Run campaign was ended the regiment was encamped near Alexandria until November. Gen. Carr now succeeded Gen. Grover in command of the brigade. After Fredericksburg, where the regiment suffered small loss, it encamped near Falmouth for the winter of 1862-63.
As a part of Carr's Brigade, Berry's Division, Sickles' (3d) Corps, the 11th lost heavily at Chancellorsville May 3, 1863, and suffered still more severely at Gettysburg, July 2, while defending the line of the Emmittsburg road. Here 37 officers and men were killed or mortally wounded. The regiment was active in the fall campaign near the Rappahannock in October, participated with loss in the Mine Run campaign in the latter part of November, and helped cover the retreat of the army to its old camps near Brandy Sta., where it spent the winter of 1863-64.
In the spring of 1864 the 11th was made a part of Brewster's Brigade, Mott's Division, Hancock's (2d) Corps. In the battle of the Wilderness, May 5 and 6, 1864, the regiment was heavily engaged on the Plank road with severe loss. At Spottsylvania, May 12, it participated in Hancock's assault on the Bloody Angle. About May 20 it received the recruits and re-enlisted men of the 1st Mass. Inf., which had completed its term of service. It participated with slight loss in the operations near the North Anna and at Cold Harbor, On June 12, the date of the expiration of service of the regiment, enough men re-enlisted to preserve its identity as the 11th Mass. Battalion, to which were added two companies of recruits and re-enlisted men of the 16th Regt. The colonel of the 11th, William Blaisdell, was killed before Petersburg, June 23, 1864, while temporarily commanding the "Corcoran Legion." The 11th was engaged before Petersburg in the operations of the summer and fall of 1864, was in the pursuit of Lee's army in April, 1865, and was near Appomattox the day of the surrender. Returning to Massachusetts, on July 14, 1865, the regiment was mustered out at Readville.
Regiment lost during service 11 Officers and 153 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 Officers and 95 Enlisted men by disease. Total 261.
Assignments
SERVICE.--Advance on Manassas, Va., July 16-21, 1861. Battle of Bull Run July 21. Moved to Bladensburg August 10, thence to Budd's Ferry October 27. Duty in that vicinity until April, 1862. Ordered to Fortress Monroe, Va., April 7. Siege of Yorktown, Va., April 16-May 4. Affair at Yorktown April 26 (Cos. "A" and "G"). Battle of Williamsburg May 5. Battle of Fair Oaks, Seven Pines, May 31-June 1. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Oak Grove, near Fair Oaks, June 25. Savage Station June 29. White Oak Swamp and Glendale June 30. Malvern Hill July 1 and August 5. At Harrison's Landing until August 15. Movement to Fortress Monroe, thence to Centreville August 15-26. Bristoe Station August 26-27. Kettle Run August 27. Catlett's Station August 28. Groveton August 29. Bull Run August 30. Chantilly September 1. Camp near Fort Lyon until September 13, and near Fairfax Seminary until October 20. At Munson's Hill until November. At Fairfax Station November 2-25. Operations on Orange & Alexandria R. R. November 10-12. Rappahannock Campaign December, 1862, to June, 1863. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. "Mud March" January 20-24, 1863. Operations at Rappahannock Bridge and Grove Church February 5-7. At Falmouth until April 27. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5. Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 11-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg July 1-4. Wapping Heights July 23. Moved to New York July 30-August 1, and duty there until October. rejoin Corps at Union Mills October 17. Advance to the Rappahannock November 7-8. Kelly's Ford November 7. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Payne's Farm November 27. Duty near Brandy Station until May, 1864. Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6-7. Rapidan Campaign May-June. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7. Spottsylvania May 8-12, Spottsylvania C. H. May 12-21. Assault on the Salient at Spottsylvania G. H. May 12. Harris Farm, Fredericksburg Road, May 19. North Anna River May 23-26. Line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. (Old members left front June 12. Mustered out June 24, 1864.) Veterans and Recruits consolidated to a Battalion of 5 Companies June 12. Before Petersburg June 16-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Jerusalem Plank Road June 22-23, 1864. Demonstration on north side of the James July 27-29. Deep Bottom July 27-28. Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30 (Reserve). Demonstration on north side of the James River August 13-20. Strawberry Plains August 14-18. Peeble's Farm, Poplar Grove Church, September 29-October 2. Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher's Run, October 27-28. In front of Fort Morton November 5. Expedition to Weldon Railroad December 7-11. Watkin's House March 25, 1865. Appomattox C. H. March 28-April 9. Crow's House March 31. Fall of Petersburg April 2. Sailor's Creek April 6. High Bridge and Farmville April 7. Appomattox C. H. April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. March to Burkesville April 11-13, and duty there until May 2. March to Washington, D.C., May 2-15. Grand Review May 23. Mustered out June 14, 1865.
