The 34th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment
(Three Years)
If any information is missing, Incorrect or you want to add Information then Send us an
Unit History
The 34th Regt. Maw. Vol. Inf. was organized at Camp John E. Wool, Worcester, in the midsummer of 1862, and was composed of companies recruited in the five western counties of Massachusetts. The men were mustered in on various dates but largely on July 31. George D. Wells of Boston, lieutenant colonel of the 1st Mass. Regt., was made colonel. On Aug. 15 the regiment left Camp Wool for the seat of war, reaching Hunter's Chapel near Arlington, Va. on the 18th. Aug. 22 it proceeded to Alexandria and thence to Cloud's Mills. At Fort Ellsworth, Fort Lyon, and Upton's Hill the fall and winter and spring following were spent, the regiment having been twice temporarily brigaded with other regiments. Not until July 9, 1863, was it ordered away from the defenses of Washington.
On the above date it was sent to Harper's Ferry, where it occupied a position near Fort Duncan as a part of Gen. Negley's Brigade. On July 15 it crossed the Potomac, took possession of Harper's Ferry, and established itself on Camp Hill. Here Gen. Lockwood took command of the brigade. He was succeeded by Col. Wells October 15. This was then known as the let Brigade, let Division, Army of Observation. October 18 the 34th met the enemy at Ripon with slight lose. In raid-December, 1863, it led an expedition up the Shenandoah as far as Harrisonburg, returning to Harper's Ferry the 24th. On Feb. 1 it was sent by train to Cumberland, Md., returning a week later. It now remained at Harper's Ferry and vicinity until March 8, when it was ordered to Martinsburg where it remained about four weeks.
Attached to Sigel's command, as a part of Thoburn's Brigade, Sullivan's Division, Department of the Shenandoah, it proceeded to New Market, where it was engaged May 15, 1864, losing 221 officers and men, of whom 39 were killed or mortally wounded. In June, Gen. Hunter having succeeded Gen. Sigel in command of the department, the regiment participated in the Lynchburg expedition, being engaged at Piedmont, June 5, with a loss of 110, of whom 22 were killed or mortally wounded. Reaching the outskirts of Lynchburg the 17th, on the following day it lost 5 killed and 40 wounded. Then followed the retreat across the mountains of West Virginia to Gauley River, thence on to Point Pleasant on the Ohio River, from which point it proceeded back to Martinsburg and thence to its old camping ground at Harper's Ferry. Again crossing the Potomac it proceeded to Knoxville, thence to Berlin, where it recrossed, then marched to Snicker's Gap, where it was engaged July 18, with a low of 4 killed and 11 wounded.
The succeeding seven weeks were spent in marching and countermarching from Williamsport to Frederick, Md., and as far up the Shenandoah as Middletown near Cedar Creek. On Aug. 7, 1864, Gen. Sheridan took command in the Valley. The 34th was now a part of Wells' (1st) Brigade, Thoburn's (1st) Division, Crook's (8th) Corps, Army of the Shenandoah, and as such participated in Sheridan's Valley campaign.
At Opequan (Winchester), Sept. 19, it lost 7 killed and 97 wounded, several mortally. At Fisher's Hill, Sept. 22, it was engaged with slight loss. At Stickley's Farm, near 598 Cedar Creek, Oct. 13, it lost its colonel, Wells, now commanding the brigade, and 9 men killed, 48 wounded, and 40 missing. At Cedar Creek, Oct. 19, it lost 9 wounded (two mortally) and 32 missing.
Gen. Thoburn having been killed at Cedar Creek, his division, now commanded by Gen. Turner, was sent to the Army of the James and attached to the 24th Corps, commanded by Gen. John Gibbon. Lieut. Col. Andrew Potter of the 34th now commanded the brigade. After a winter spent in front of Petersburg, the regiment was engaged at Hatcher's Run, March 31, at Fort Gregg near Petersburg, with heavy loss, April 2, then joined in the pursuit and capture of the Army of Northern Virginia. After a short stay in Lynchburg it returned to Richmond, where June 16 it was mustered out and sent home. Assembling for the last time at Readville, Mass., July 6, the members of the regiment were paid off and discharged.
Regiment lost during service 7 Officers and 128 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 Officers and 132 Enlisted men by disease. Total 269.
Assignments
SERVICE.--At Arlington Heights, Va., until August 22, 1862. Moved to Alexandria, Va., August 22, and duty on line of Orange & Alexandria Railroad until September 10. At Fort Lyon, Defenses of Washington, D.C., September 15, 1862, to June 2, 1863. Provost and guard duty in Washington until July 9. Moved to Maryland Heights July 9. Occupation of Harper's Ferry, W. Va., July 14. Duty at Harper's Ferry and Bolivar until December 10. Action at Berryville. October 18. Raid to Harrisonburg December 10-24. At Harper's Ferry until February 1, 1864. Operations in Hampshire and Hardy Counties, W. Va., January 27-February 7. Moved to Cumberland, Md., February 15. Return to Harper's Ferry, thence moved to Monocacy, Md., March 5, to Martinsburg, W. Va., March 7 and to Harper's Ferry April 2. Moved to Martinsburg, W. Va., April 17. Sigel's Expedition from Martinsburg to New Market April 13-May 16. Rude's Hill May 14. New Market May 14-15. Advance to Staunton May 24-June 5. Piedmont, Mount Crawford, June 5. Occupation of Staunton June 6. Hunter's Raid on Lynchburg June --. Lynchburg June 17-18. Retreat to the Gaul June 18-29. Moved to the Shenandoah Valley July 5-17. Snicker's Ferry July 17-18. Kernstown or Winchester July 23-24. Martinsburg July 25. Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign August to December. Berryville September 3. Battle of Opequan, Winchester, September 19. Fisher's Hill September 22. Cedar Creek October 13. Battle of Cedar Creek October 19. Duty at Kernstown until December. Moved to Washington, D.C., thence to Bermuda Hundred, Va., December 19-23. Siege operations against Richmond and Petersburg December 25, 1864, to April 2, 1865. In trenches north of the James before Richmond until March, 1865. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Assault on and fall of Petersburg April 2. Pursuit of Lee April 3-9. Rice's Station April 6. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. March to Lynchburg April 12-15, thence to Farmville and Burkesville Junction April 15-19, and to Richmond April 22-25. Duty there until June. Mustered out June 16, 1865.
