21st Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
Encyclopedia
The 21st Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was an infantry
regiment
in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
. It was organized in Worcester, Massachusetts
and mustered into service on August 23, 1861.
After garrison duty at the United States Naval Academy
in Annapolis, Maryland
, the regiment served with the Coast Division commanded by Maj. Gen.
Ambrose Burnside
. The Coast Division was deployed in January 1862 for operations on the coast of North Carolina, and participated in the Battle of Roanoke Island
and the Battle of New Bern
among other engagements. Burnside's division was recalled to Virginia in July 1862. The 21st Massachusetts was then attached to the Army of the Potomac
and participated in several of the largest battles of the Civil War, including the Second Battle of Bull Run
, the Battle of Antietam
, and the Battle of Fredericksburg
. The most devastating engagement of the war for the 21st was the Battle of Chantilly
, fought on September 1, 1862, during which the unit suffered 35 percent casualties. From March 1863 to January 1864, the 21st served with Burnside in the Department of the Ohio
, seeing action in Kentucky and eastern Tennessee. In May 1864, the regiment rejoined the Army of the Potomac, participating in Lt. Gen.
Ulysses Grant's Overland Campaign
and the Siege of Petersburg
. The regiment was a favorite of Clara Barton
, the famed battlefield nurse, who was also from Worcester County, Massachusetts
.
By the end of its three years of service, the 21st Massachusetts had been reduced from 1,000 men to fewer than 100. Of these losses, 152 were killed in action or died from wounds received in action, approximately 400 were discharged due to wounds, 69 were taken prisoner, and approximately 300 were discharged due to disease, resignation, or desertion. Those of the 21st who chose to re-enlist at the end of their initial three-year commitment were eventually consolidated with the 36th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry on October 21, 1864.
on July 21, 1861 (the first major engagement of the war and a disastrous defeat for the untested Union army), citizens of the northern states began to realize that the Civil War would not end quickly. Additional troops would be needed beyond the 75,000 volunteers that had been called out for 90 days of service. As a result, over the summer of 1861, volunteers rushed to enlist for a term of three years. The 21st Massachusetts was among the "three year regiments" organized after the First Battle of Bull Run.
The regiment was formed during July and August 1861. The designated camp of assembly was the Agricultural Fair Grounds in Worcester. The majority of the companies were from Worcester County with nearly every town in that county represented on the regiment's rolls. Hampden
, Hampshire
, and Franklin
Counties were also represented.
The first commanding officer of the 21st was Col.
Augustus Morse, who was involved in the comb making industry in Leominster, Massachusetts
and had been a major general in the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia prior to the war. According to Charles Walcott, the regimental historian, despite Morse's decades of experience with the State Militia, he was, "entirely destitute of soldierly enthusiasm or spirit, wonderfully ignorant of military drill and maneuvres, and a wretched disciplinarian."
The regiment, originally numbering slightly more than 1,000 men, departed Worcester on August 23, 1861. They were armed with inferior smoothbore
musket
s that had been converted from flintlock
to percussion lock. After a brief, but tense, three-day encampment in Baltimore, the regiment moved to the United States Naval Academy
in Annapolis, Maryland
, arriving on August 30. The regiment garrisoned the Naval Academy for four months. It was a comfortable post. Maj.
William S. Clark
of the 21st wrote that the regiment was "delightfully situated, enjoying the very romance of war."
During their stay in Annapolis, the men of 21st assisted in the escape of a slave belonging to Maryland Governor Thomas Holliday Hicks
. While the slave was hidden in a chimney in one of the Naval Academy barracks, Governor Hicks's repeated demands for his return were refused by the officers of the regiment.
On December 20, 1861, the 21st was assigned to the Coast Division commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside
for operations in North Carolina. The 21st was the first regiment selected by Brig. Gen.
Jesse Reno for his brigade. The 21st Massachusetts would gain a great respect and affection for Reno, who first led their brigade and later the IX Corps of which the 21st was a part.
Albert Maggi, an Italian by birth who had served under Giuseppe Garibaldi
, took command of the regiment on January 2, 1862. Maggi had been openly insubordinate to Morse due to the latter's lack of military discipline. His assumption of command, as well as the issue of new Enfield
rifled muskets, improved the morale of the regiment.
The 21st, about 960 strong, boarded the steamer Northerner on January 6, 1862. The fleet transporting Burnside's North Carolina Expedition encountered harsh weather off the coast of Cape Hatteras. Prolonged poor weather and the shallowness of Hatteras Inlet
resulted in weeks of delay as the fleet struggled to enter Pamlico Sound
. Finally, just as most of the vessels began to run low on potable water, the fleet entered the sound and made for Roanoke Island
on February 5, 1862.
Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan
had ordered Burnside to make Roanoke Island his first target. Capture of the island would allow control of both Pamlico and Albemarle
Sounds, opening up a possible southern invasion route to Richmond. Coordinating with a naval flotilla commanded by Admiral Louis M. Goldsborough
, Burnside launched an amphibious assault (one of the first of the Civil War) resulting in the Battle of Roanoke Island on February 7 and 8, 1862. As the landing boats, each flying a national flag and packed with soldiers, made for the shore, Burnside noted that he had, "never seen a more beautiful sight." After the landing, the 21st spent a cold, wet night on picket duty. On February 8, it joined in the assault on the Confederate fort at the center of the island. Moving through swamps and knee-deep water, Reno's brigade, including the 21st, advanced around the Union left flank on the west side of the fort. After firing steadily on the fort for some time and taking moderate casualties, the 21st was ordered by Brig. Gen. Reno to storm the fort. According to the regimental historian, the 21st Massachusetts was the first regiment to mount the earthworks of the fort; however, the honor was also claimed by the 9th New York
. The Union forces were victorious in capturing the Confederate fort on Roanoke Island and took approximately 2,500 Confederate soldiers prisoner. The 21st suffered 13 killed and 44 wounded, or eight percent casualties, during the engagement.
After the battle, the 21st took up camp in the former Confederate fort, remaining there for nearly a month. During that time, Lt. Col. Maggi, determined to make the 21st as disciplined as a regiment of Regulars, enforced stern standards for drill and dress parades. After the near mutiny of one company, Maggi submitted his resignation. Maj. William S. Clark, a professor of chemistry at Amherst College
, was promoted to lieutenant colonel and assumed command of the regiment on February 28, 1862.
. The Coast Division boarded their transports on March 4, made their way up the Neuse River
, and disembarked about 16 miles (25.7 km) down river of New Bern on March 12. The 21st, numbering 675 men, led their brigade in the march on New Bern, discovering many abandoned fortifications. On March 14, the division participated in the Battle of New Bern
. The Confederate defenses were roughly centered on a brick yard converted into a make-shift fort. The 21st, approaching the enemy position, was soon ordered to assault the brick yard and the battery therein. Lt. Col. Clark led four companies of the 21st and temporarily occupied the brick yard. As they captured the battery, Clark stood atop one of the guns, urging his men forward. In their advanced position, the 21st suffered significant casualties and was soon forced to abandon the brickyard. However, the Union forces were eventually victorious, and the city of New Bern was captured. After the battle, Maj. Gen. Burnside presented the first cannon captured by the 21st to Amherst College in honor of 1st Lt. Frazar Stearns, son of the President of Amherst College, and adjutant
of the 21st, who was killed during the engagement. Lt. Col. Clark received a promotion to colonel for his conduct during the Battle of New Bern. The regiment suffered 58 casualties, or eight percent (23 killed, 35 wounded).
which would cripple the Confederacy's shipbuilding activities at Norfolk, Virginia
. A portion of Reno's brigade was transported by steamers to Camden County and engaged in the relatively minor Battle of Camden
on April 19, 1862. The 21st, at this stage, numbered 500 men, having lost numerous soldiers to disease while in an unsanitary camp at New Bern. After the Battle of Camden, Reno eventually abandoned the expedition against the canal and the brigade returned to New Bern on April 22. In the course of the mission, the 21st Massachusetts had light casualties of three percent (four killed, 11 wounded, and one missing).
. However, the failure of McClellan's Peninsular Campaign required the recall of the Coast Division to Virginia. The 21st broke their camp in New Bern and boarded schooners on July 2, 1862, while hearing conflicting rumors of McClellan's success or defeat. They arrived in Newport News, Virginia
, on July 9.
During July, two additional divisions were consolidated under Maj. Gen. Burnside's command to form the IX Corps
. At the beginning of August, Brig. Gen Jesse Reno assumed the command of the Corps and was ordered to support the advance of Maj. Gen. John Pope's
Army of Virginia
towards Richmond
. The 21st, along with the rest of the Corps, was quickly transported to Fredericksburg
and then marched overland to join Pope's forces on August 14, 1862, in the vicinity of Culpeper Court House, Virginia.
As Gen. Robert E. Lee
advanced on Pope's position along the Rapidan River
, Pope quickly withdrew his army north. The brigade to which the 21st belonged, now commanded by Col. Edward Ferrero
, frequently found itself in the position of rear guard during this movement, skirmishing with the advancing Confederate cavalry. By the time the 21st reached Warrenton, Virginia
, on August 27, it was clear to the men that something was wrong. Pope was seen riding by the regiment, "looking warm and excited", and the men learned that Lt. Gen. Thomas Jackson
had flanked the Union army and was now in their rear.
. Just after noon, the 21st's brigade took up a position near the center of the Union lines. Over the course of the afternoon they witnessed several brigades advance into the woods in their front only to see them beaten back by the Confederates. Finally, the order came for Ferrero's brigade, including the 21st, to advance, unsupported, into the woods. As the brigade stepped off, Brig. Gen. Reno ordered it to halt and personally protested the order to Maj. Gen. Pope. The order was rescinded and, according to Capt. Walcott of the 21st, "we thanked God that General Reno stood between us and General Pope."
After resting on their arms through the night, the 21st awoke to light fighting in their front. Over the course of the morning, Union forces gradually shifted to the left, including the 21st, and it became apparent that the Union right flank had collapsed. Meanwhile, Lee's forces had joined Jackson's and were pressing the Union left flank with a massive and rapid assault. Pope's entire army was soon in retreat. Ferrero's brigade was moved by Brig. Gen. Reno to a position on Henry House Hill
to cover the Union retreat along the Centreville Turnpike. The brigade, with the 21st in the center, successfully held off Confederate advances from 7 to , buying critical time for the Union army. Finally, under the cover of darkness, the brigade quietly retired across Bull Run. During this defeat for the Union army, the 21st suffered light casualties of seven wounded, or two percent.
As the Union army retreated towards Washington, it paused to re-group at Centreville, Virginia
. On August 31, 1862, Gen. Lee ordered Lt. Gen. Jackson to flank the Union right and to cut the Union army off from Washington. This flanking effort resulted in the Battle of Chantilly which would prove to be the most disastrous engagement of the entire war for the 21st Massachusetts.
On September 1, the regiment, now numbering 400, marched northwest from Centreville with the rest of Ferrero's brigade. Although the men did not know it, they were among the handful of brigades chosen by Pope to deflect Jackson's flanking movement. Forming battle lines in a field not far from Chantilly Plantation, the 21st watched the 51st New York advance into thick woods to probe the enemy lines. Orders were soon given to Col. Clark to lead the 21st into the woods to support the 51st. The woods were very dense and the advance was disorderly. Making matters worse, a powerful thunderstorm burst out as the 21st entered the woodland. Unknowingly, the regiment obliqued far to the left and lost contact with the 51st New York. Encountering a body of troops in their front and unable to identify them through the torrential rain, Col. Clark presumed he had found the 51st, ordered the 21st to rest in place and sent an officer forward to make contact. The troops were, in fact, men of Jubal Early's brigade and, before this could be ascertained, the Confederates unleashed a devastating volley on the unsuspecting 21st. "In the sudden anguish and despair of the moment," wrote Capt. Walcott, "the whole regiment seemed to be lying bleeding on the ground." Col. Clark immediately ordered a withdrawal and the 21st left more than 100 dead or wounded in the woods.
Reaching the open fields again, the 21st was ordered by Maj. Gen. Philip Kearny
to fill a hole in the center of the Union line. As the 21st advanced, Kearny rode out in front of the regiment, strenuously urging them to hurry, and refuting warnings that Confederates were close by. Kearny was killed by a volley from a force of Confederates concealed just inside a nearby tree line. Now in very close range to the enemy, a tense standoff ensued with leveled muskets as the 21st and the Confederate regiment each demanded the surrender of the other. Finally, the Confederate regiment charged on the 21st. It was the first time and last time, according to the regimental historian, that the 21st gave wounds with the bayonet. The hand to hand fighting was severe and great confusion resulted. Col. Clark was separated from the unit when most of the men around him were killed and he found himself lost in the Virginia countryside for four days before finding the unit again. This resulted in the mistaken printing of his obituary in Amherst
.
Jackson's flanking maneuver was successfully deflected and the Battle of Chantilly was fought to a stalemate. But the 21st had suffered severely with 35 percent casualties (38 killed, 76 wounded, 26 missing).
, during which the 21st played only a small part. Psychologically, however, it was a devastating fight in that it saw the death of Maj. Gen. Reno, who had been the 21st's brigade commander at the start of the war. "There was not a man in the 21st who did not love him," Capt. Walcott of the 21st wrote, "he always stood with his men in battle."
, along Antietam Creek
. The 21st, leaving two companies behind at South Mountain for guard detail, now numbered only 150 men. On September 16, the IX Corps took up a position on the left flank of the Union army, near a 125 feet (38.1 m) stone bridge soon to be known as Burnside's Bridge
.
The next day, McClellan began his attack with several advances by the Union right flank, far from the position of the 21st. For much of the day, the IX Corps could hear the fighting and awaited orders to take the bridge in their front. The 21st even was fortunate enough to have a mail call that morning, and the men sat down to read letters from home while fighting raged around the Dunker Church two miles (3 km) away. Finally, orders came at noon and Ferrero's brigade was moved closer to the bridge. It was a difficult target. On the opposite bank, a wooded bluff rose 100 feet (30.5 m) above the creek. Concealed there was a small force of 400 Confederates who would successfully hold thousands of Union troops at bay for hours. The men of the 21st watched several successive charges on the bridge by brigades of the IX Corps, all of which were repulsed. Finally, Ferrero's brigade was ordered forward. Reaching the bridge at a run, the 21st was ordered to take up a position next to the left abutment, supplying covering fire, while the 51st New York and the 51st Pennsylvania finally carried the position. As the Confederates retreated, Ferrero's brigade was soon stationed at the top of the bluff. Later in the afternoon, around sunset, a Confederate counterattack nearly drove the IX Corps back across Antietam Creek. Ferrero's brigade held the bluff, however, playing a key role in checking the counterattack, and taking severe casualties in the process. The 21st listed 10 killed and 35 wounded, casualties of 30 percent.
, opposite the Rappahannock River
from Fredericksburg. The 21st arrived in Falmouth on November 19. Nearly a month passed before Burnside could organize a crossing of the river and an assault on the city and the heights beyond. The Battle of Fredericksburg
took place on December 13, 1862.
, was hit by an artillery shell that took off his right arm and left hand. Despite his wounds, he managed to keep the colors from falling. The flag is today in the collection at the Massachusetts State House
and still bears the stains from Plunkett's wounds. Plunkett was awarded the Medal of Honor
for his bravery at Fredericksburg.
The 21st did not reach the stone wall on Marye's Heights but took shelter in a very slight depression in the terrain, remaining pinned in that position until night. Under the cover of darkness, the regiment retired, only to be ordered to the same spot the next morning, expecting a Confederate counter attack which never came. The regiment lost a third of its numbers at Frederickburg.
on March 28, 1863. They were then transported to Mount Sterling, Kentucky
, to combat Confederate guerrillas. In April, due to the reduced numbers of the regiment (now about 200) several officers, being effectively without commands, chose to resign their commissions, including Col. William S. Clark. Command of the regiment passed to Lt. Col. George P. Hawkes
.
The regiment saw light duty around Lexington, Kentucky
, during the summer of 1863. In September, Burnside launched his effort to capture eastern Tennessee from Confederate hands. The 21st marched for Knoxville, Tennessee
, on September 12, 1863. During the Knoxville Campaign
, the 21st saw minor action, acting primarily in support of artillery due to their small numbers.
on May 4, 1864. Lt. Gen. Ulysses Grant had become general-in-chief
of the Union army and intended to follow the Army of the Potomac in the field, relentlessly pushing Lee's Confederate army over the course of the summer of 1864. Walcott of the 21st wrote, "There was to be little of the romance or strategy of war in that horribly bloody work of that summer's campaign in Virginia."
During this campaign, the 21st suffered heavy casualties during the Battle of Spotsylvania and the Battle of Bethesda Church. In the latter engagement, the 21st acted as rear guard and bore the brunt of a fierce attack but held their position. Grant's Overland Campaign
concluded with several assaults on Petersburg, Virginia
, on June 15–18, 1864. The 21st again took considerable casualties during these attacks, particularly during the assault on June 17. Maj. Henry Richardson, commanding the 21st, was wounded in the thigh during the engagement and was shortly thereafter sent home. Now numbering less than 100 men, the regiment had been reduced to a tenth of its original size. Company A, by this time, had only three men on its active roster.
Following these failed assaults, both armies settled into trench warfare around Petersburg. There were numerous attempts, during the summer of 1864, on the part of the Union army, to dislodge the Confederates from their lines. One of the most disastrous for the Union army was the Battle of the Crater
during which explosives were detonated in a large mine tunneled beneath the Confederate entrenchments, temporarily creating a gap in their lines. Elements of the IX Corps, under the command of Maj. Gen. Burnside, were to charge through the gap, but instead became trapped in the enormous crater. Brig. Gen. James Ledlie's
division, of which the 21st was a part, led the attack. The division had been selected at the last minute over the United States Colored Troops
who had actually trained for the operation. Unprepared, Ledlie's division delayed in their attack, allowing the Confederates time to regroup. The 21st managed to advance, mingled with other regiments, to the furthest point penetrated by Union troops but by the afternoon they made the retreat "pell mell" with the rest of Burnside's IX Corps.
. The final engagement in which the remaining companies of the 21st participated as an independent unit was the Battle of Poplar Springs Church on September 30, 1864, during which the Union army attempted to extend its lines westward, further encircling Petersburg. Capt. Orange Sampson, commanding the 21st, was killed in this engagement.
On October 21, 1864, the battalion was consolidated with the 36th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. When the 36th was mustered out in June 1865, the three companies that had belonged to the 21st were consolidated with the 56th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. They were finally mustered out of service on July 8, 1865.
was born and raised in Oxford, Worcester County, Massachusetts
, and knew many of the men in the 21st Massachusetts. More than 40 of them had been her students when she was a teacher before the war. She therefore took an acute interest in their welfare. During the Maryland Campaign, she visited frequently with the regiment and cared for its wounded during the Battle of Antietam. Sgt. Plunkett, the color bearer of the 21st who suffered such grievous wounds during the Battle of Fredericksburg, credited Barton with saving his life. She was at his side when he was first treated, personally arranged his transport home, and carried on correspondence with him after the war. Barton declared the 21st her favorite regiment and, in turn, the men of the 21st voted her a "daughter" of the regiment.
became a prominent figure in early American/Japanese relations. After establishing the Massachusetts Agricultural College (now the University of Massachusetts Amherst
), Clark was invited by the government of Japan to establish a similar institution, the Sapporo Agricultural College (now the University of Hokkaido). Clark's fame persists in Japan where he is a household name due to the revolutionary western ideas he brought to Hokkaido
and the influence he had on the development of the island. His military experience during the Civil War was an important factor in earning the respect of his Japanese superiors.
Today, the history of the 21st Massachusetts is interpreted by the Southern Piedmont Historical Reenactment Society (SPHRS), a reenacting group based in North Carolina. While dedicated primarily to the history of the 49th North Carolina Infantry
, the SPHRS does represent the 21st at living history events and reenactments throughout the year.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. It was organized in Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
and mustered into service on August 23, 1861.
After garrison duty at the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
in Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
, the regiment served with the Coast Division commanded by Maj. Gen.
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
Ambrose Burnside
Ambrose Burnside
Ambrose Everett Burnside was an American soldier, railroad executive, inventor, industrialist, and politician from Rhode Island, serving as governor and a U.S. Senator...
. The Coast Division was deployed in January 1862 for operations on the coast of North Carolina, and participated in the Battle of Roanoke Island
Battle of Roanoke Island
The opening phase of what came to be called the Burnside Expedition, the Battle of Roanoke Island was an amphibious operation of the American Civil War, fought on February 7–8, 1862, in the North Carolina Sounds a short distance south of the Virginia border...
and the Battle of New Bern
Battle of New Bern
The Battle of New Bern was fought on 14 March 1862, near the city of New Bern, North Carolina, as part of the Burnside Expedition of the American Civil War. The US Army's Coast Division, led by Brigadier General Ambrose E...
among other engagements. Burnside's division was recalled to Virginia in July 1862. The 21st Massachusetts was then attached to the Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
and participated in several of the largest battles of the Civil War, including the Second Battle of Bull Run
Second Battle of Bull Run
The Second Battle of Bull Run or Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of an offensive campaign waged by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia against Union Maj. Gen...
, the Battle of Antietam
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam , fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Antietam Creek, as part of the Maryland Campaign, was the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern soil. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with about 23,000...
, and the Battle of Fredericksburg
Battle of Fredericksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, between General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside...
. The most devastating engagement of the war for the 21st was the Battle of Chantilly
Battle of Chantilly
The Battle of Chantilly took place on September 1, 1862, in Fairfax County, Virginia, as the concluding battle of the Northern Virginia Campaign of the American Civil War. Thomas J...
, fought on September 1, 1862, during which the unit suffered 35 percent casualties. From March 1863 to January 1864, the 21st served with Burnside in the Department of the Ohio
Department of the Ohio
The Department of the Ohio was an administrative military district created by the United States War Department early in the American Civil War to administer the troops in the Northern states near the Ohio River.General Orders No...
, seeing action in Kentucky and eastern Tennessee. In May 1864, the regiment rejoined the Army of the Potomac, participating in Lt. Gen.
Lieutenant General (United States)
In the United States Army, the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps, lieutenant general is a three-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-9. Lieutenant general ranks above major general and below general...
Ulysses Grant's Overland Campaign
Overland Campaign
The Overland Campaign, also known as Grant's Overland Campaign and the Wilderness Campaign, was a series of battles fought in Virginia during May and June 1864, in the American Civil War. Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, general-in-chief of all Union armies, directed the actions of the Army of the...
and the Siege of Petersburg
Siege of Petersburg
The Richmond–Petersburg Campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War...
. The regiment was a favorite of Clara Barton
Clara Barton
Clarissa Harlowe "Clara" Barton was a pioneer American teacher, patent clerk, nurse, and humanitarian. She is best remembered for organizing the American Red Cross.-Youth, education, and family nursing:...
, the famed battlefield nurse, who was also from Worcester County, Massachusetts
Worcester County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:In 1990 Worcester County had a population of 709,705.As of the census of 2000, there were 750,963 people, 283,927 households, and 192,502 families residing in the county. The population density was 496 people per square mile . There were 298,159 housing units at an average density...
.
By the end of its three years of service, the 21st Massachusetts had been reduced from 1,000 men to fewer than 100. Of these losses, 152 were killed in action or died from wounds received in action, approximately 400 were discharged due to wounds, 69 were taken prisoner, and approximately 300 were discharged due to disease, resignation, or desertion. Those of the 21st who chose to re-enlist at the end of their initial three-year commitment were eventually consolidated with the 36th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry on October 21, 1864.
Organization and early duty
Following the First Battle of Bull RunFirst Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run, also known as First Manassas , was fought on July 21, 1861, in Prince William County, Virginia, near the City of Manassas...
on July 21, 1861 (the first major engagement of the war and a disastrous defeat for the untested Union army), citizens of the northern states began to realize that the Civil War would not end quickly. Additional troops would be needed beyond the 75,000 volunteers that had been called out for 90 days of service. As a result, over the summer of 1861, volunteers rushed to enlist for a term of three years. The 21st Massachusetts was among the "three year regiments" organized after the First Battle of Bull Run.
The regiment was formed during July and August 1861. The designated camp of assembly was the Agricultural Fair Grounds in Worcester. The majority of the companies were from Worcester County with nearly every town in that county represented on the regiment's rolls. Hampden
Hampden County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2004, there were 461,228 people, 175,288 households, and 115,690 families residing in the county. The population density was 738 people per square mile . There were 185,876 housing units at an average density of 301 per square mile...
, Hampshire
Hampshire County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 152,251 people, 55,991 households, and 33,818 families residing in the county. The population density was 288 people per square mile . There were 58,644 housing units at an average density of 111 per square mile...
, and Franklin
Franklin County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 71,535 people, 29,466 households, and 18,416 families residing in the county. The population density was 102 people per square mile . There were 31,939 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile...
Counties were also represented.
The first commanding officer of the 21st was Col.
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
Augustus Morse, who was involved in the comb making industry in Leominster, Massachusetts
Leominster, Massachusetts
Leominster is a city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the second-largest city in Worcester County, with a population of 40,759 at the 2010 census. Leominster is located north of Worcester and west of Boston. Both Route 2 and Route 12 pass through Leominster. Interstate 190,...
and had been a major general in the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia prior to the war. According to Charles Walcott, the regimental historian, despite Morse's decades of experience with the State Militia, he was, "entirely destitute of soldierly enthusiasm or spirit, wonderfully ignorant of military drill and maneuvres, and a wretched disciplinarian."
The regiment, originally numbering slightly more than 1,000 men, departed Worcester on August 23, 1861. They were armed with inferior smoothbore
Smoothbore
A smoothbore weapon is one which has a barrel without rifling. Smoothbores range from handheld firearms to powerful tank guns and large artillery mortars.-History of firearms and rifling:...
musket
Musket
A musket is a muzzle-loaded, smooth bore long gun, fired from the shoulder. Muskets were designed for use by infantry. A soldier armed with a musket had the designation musketman or musketeer....
s that had been converted from flintlock
Flintlock
Flintlock is the general term for any firearm based on the flintlock mechanism. The term may also apply to the mechanism itself. Introduced at the beginning of the 17th century, the flintlock rapidly replaced earlier firearm-ignition technologies, such as the doglock, matchlock and wheellock...
to percussion lock. After a brief, but tense, three-day encampment in Baltimore, the regiment moved to the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
in Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
, arriving on August 30. The regiment garrisoned the Naval Academy for four months. It was a comfortable post. Maj.
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
William S. Clark
William S. Clark
William Smith Clark was a professor of chemistry, botany and zoology, a colonel during the American Civil War, and a leader in agricultural education. Raised and schooled in Easthampton, Massachusetts, Clark spent most of his adult life in Amherst, Massachusetts...
of the 21st wrote that the regiment was "delightfully situated, enjoying the very romance of war."
During their stay in Annapolis, the men of 21st assisted in the escape of a slave belonging to Maryland Governor Thomas Holliday Hicks
Thomas Holliday Hicks
Thomas Holliday Hicks was an American politician from Maryland. He served as the 31st Governor of Maryland from 1858 until 1862, and as a U.S...
. While the slave was hidden in a chimney in one of the Naval Academy barracks, Governor Hicks's repeated demands for his return were refused by the officers of the regiment.
On December 20, 1861, the 21st was assigned to the Coast Division commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside
Ambrose Burnside
Ambrose Everett Burnside was an American soldier, railroad executive, inventor, industrialist, and politician from Rhode Island, serving as governor and a U.S. Senator...
for operations in North Carolina. The 21st was the first regiment selected by Brig. Gen.
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
Jesse Reno for his brigade. The 21st Massachusetts would gain a great respect and affection for Reno, who first led their brigade and later the IX Corps of which the 21st was a part.
North Carolina
As the regiment prepared for departure, Colonel Augustus Morse decided to remain at the Naval Academy, feeling that garrison duty was, according to historian James Bowen, "more to his taste." Lt. Col.Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
Albert Maggi, an Italian by birth who had served under Giuseppe Garibaldi
Giuseppe Garibaldi
Giuseppe Garibaldi was an Italian military and political figure. In his twenties, he joined the Carbonari Italian patriot revolutionaries, and fled Italy after a failed insurrection. Garibaldi took part in the War of the Farrapos and the Uruguayan Civil War leading the Italian Legion, and...
, took command of the regiment on January 2, 1862. Maggi had been openly insubordinate to Morse due to the latter's lack of military discipline. His assumption of command, as well as the issue of new Enfield
Pattern 1853 Enfield
The Enfield Pattern 1853 Rifle-Musket was a .577 calibre Minié-type muzzle-loading rifle-musket, used by the British Empire from 1853 to 1867, after which many Enfield 1853 Rifle-Muskets were converted to the cartridge-loaded Snider-Enfield rifle.-History &...
rifled muskets, improved the morale of the regiment.
The 21st, about 960 strong, boarded the steamer Northerner on January 6, 1862. The fleet transporting Burnside's North Carolina Expedition encountered harsh weather off the coast of Cape Hatteras. Prolonged poor weather and the shallowness of Hatteras Inlet
Hatteras Inlet
Hatteras Inlet is a estuary in North Carolina, located along the Outer Banks, separating Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island. It connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Pamlico Sound. Hatteras Inlet is located entirely within Hyde County.- History :...
resulted in weeks of delay as the fleet struggled to enter Pamlico Sound
Pamlico Sound
Pamlico Sound in North Carolina, is the largest lagoon along the U.S. East Coast, being long and 24 to 48 km wide. It is a body of water separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Outer Banks, a row of low, sandy barrier islands, including Cape Hatteras. The Neuse and Pamlico rivers flow in...
. Finally, just as most of the vessels began to run low on potable water, the fleet entered the sound and made for Roanoke Island
Roanoke Island
Roanoke Island is an island in Dare County near the coast of North Carolina, United States. It was named after the historical Roanoke Carolina Algonquian people who inhabited the area in the 16th century at the time of English exploration....
on February 5, 1862.
Battle of Roanoke Island
George B. McClellan
George Brinton McClellan was a major general during the American Civil War. He organized the famous Army of the Potomac and served briefly as the general-in-chief of the Union Army. Early in the war, McClellan played an important role in raising a well-trained and organized army for the Union...
had ordered Burnside to make Roanoke Island his first target. Capture of the island would allow control of both Pamlico and Albemarle
Albemarle Sound
Albemarle Sound is a large estuary on the coast of North Carolina in the United States located at the confluence of a group of rivers, including the Chowan and Roanoke. It is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Outer Banks, a long barrier peninsula upon which the town of Kitty Hawk is located,...
Sounds, opening up a possible southern invasion route to Richmond. Coordinating with a naval flotilla commanded by Admiral Louis M. Goldsborough
Louis M. Goldsborough
Louis Malesherbes Goldsborough was a rear admiral in the United States Navy during the Civil War. He held several sea commands during the Civil War, including the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron...
, Burnside launched an amphibious assault (one of the first of the Civil War) resulting in the Battle of Roanoke Island on February 7 and 8, 1862. As the landing boats, each flying a national flag and packed with soldiers, made for the shore, Burnside noted that he had, "never seen a more beautiful sight." After the landing, the 21st spent a cold, wet night on picket duty. On February 8, it joined in the assault on the Confederate fort at the center of the island. Moving through swamps and knee-deep water, Reno's brigade, including the 21st, advanced around the Union left flank on the west side of the fort. After firing steadily on the fort for some time and taking moderate casualties, the 21st was ordered by Brig. Gen. Reno to storm the fort. According to the regimental historian, the 21st Massachusetts was the first regiment to mount the earthworks of the fort; however, the honor was also claimed by the 9th New York
9th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 9th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an Infantry Regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was also known as the "Hawkins' Zouaves" or "New York Zouaves."-Military Service, 1861:...
. The Union forces were victorious in capturing the Confederate fort on Roanoke Island and took approximately 2,500 Confederate soldiers prisoner. The 21st suffered 13 killed and 44 wounded, or eight percent casualties, during the engagement.
After the battle, the 21st took up camp in the former Confederate fort, remaining there for nearly a month. During that time, Lt. Col. Maggi, determined to make the 21st as disciplined as a regiment of Regulars, enforced stern standards for drill and dress parades. After the near mutiny of one company, Maggi submitted his resignation. Maj. William S. Clark, a professor of chemistry at Amherst College
Amherst College
Amherst College is a private liberal arts college located in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Amherst is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution and enrolled 1,744 students in the fall of 2009...
, was promoted to lieutenant colonel and assumed command of the regiment on February 28, 1862.
Battle of New Bern
Burnside's next target, according to McClellan's orders, was the city of New Bern, North CarolinaNew Bern, North Carolina
New Bern is a city in Craven County, North Carolina with a population of 29,524 as of the 2010 census.. It is located at the confluence of the Trent and the Neuse rivers...
. The Coast Division boarded their transports on March 4, made their way up the Neuse River
Neuse River
The Neuse River is a river rising in the Piedmont of North Carolina and emptying into Pamlico Sound below New Bern. Its total length is approximately , making it the longest river entirely contained in North Carolina. The Trent River joins it at New Bern. Its drainage basin, measuring in area,...
, and disembarked about 16 miles (25.7 km) down river of New Bern on March 12. The 21st, numbering 675 men, led their brigade in the march on New Bern, discovering many abandoned fortifications. On March 14, the division participated in the Battle of New Bern
Battle of New Bern
The Battle of New Bern was fought on 14 March 1862, near the city of New Bern, North Carolina, as part of the Burnside Expedition of the American Civil War. The US Army's Coast Division, led by Brigadier General Ambrose E...
. The Confederate defenses were roughly centered on a brick yard converted into a make-shift fort. The 21st, approaching the enemy position, was soon ordered to assault the brick yard and the battery therein. Lt. Col. Clark led four companies of the 21st and temporarily occupied the brick yard. As they captured the battery, Clark stood atop one of the guns, urging his men forward. In their advanced position, the 21st suffered significant casualties and was soon forced to abandon the brickyard. However, the Union forces were eventually victorious, and the city of New Bern was captured. After the battle, Maj. Gen. Burnside presented the first cannon captured by the 21st to Amherst College in honor of 1st Lt. Frazar Stearns, son of the President of Amherst College, and adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
of the 21st, who was killed during the engagement. Lt. Col. Clark received a promotion to colonel for his conduct during the Battle of New Bern. The regiment suffered 58 casualties, or eight percent (23 killed, 35 wounded).
Battle of Camden
Following the engagement at New Bern, the 21st was among the regiments selected for an expedition to destroy the Dismal Swamp CanalDismal Swamp Canal
The Dismal Swamp Canal is located along the eastern edge of the Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia and North Carolina in the United States. It is the oldest continually operating man-made canal in the United States, opened in 1805...
which would cripple the Confederacy's shipbuilding activities at Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
. A portion of Reno's brigade was transported by steamers to Camden County and engaged in the relatively minor Battle of Camden
Battle of South Mills
The Battle of South Mills, also known as the Battle of Camden, took place on April 19, 1862 in Camden County, North Carolina as part of Union Army General Ambrose E...
on April 19, 1862. The 21st, at this stage, numbered 500 men, having lost numerous soldiers to disease while in an unsanitary camp at New Bern. After the Battle of Camden, Reno eventually abandoned the expedition against the canal and the brigade returned to New Bern on April 22. In the course of the mission, the 21st Massachusetts had light casualties of three percent (four killed, 11 wounded, and one missing).
Northern Virginia Campaign
The Coast Division's next assignment was supposed to be the capture of Wilmington, North CarolinaWilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...
. However, the failure of McClellan's Peninsular Campaign required the recall of the Coast Division to Virginia. The 21st broke their camp in New Bern and boarded schooners on July 2, 1862, while hearing conflicting rumors of McClellan's success or defeat. They arrived in Newport News, Virginia
Newport News, Virginia
Newport News is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia. It is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River extending southeast from Skiffe's Creek along many miles of waterfront to the river's mouth at Newport News...
, on July 9.
During July, two additional divisions were consolidated under Maj. Gen. Burnside's command to form the IX Corps
IX Corps (ACW)
IX Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War that distinguished itself in combat in multiple theaters: the Carolinas, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi.-Formation, Second Bull Run, and Antietam:...
. At the beginning of August, Brig. Gen Jesse Reno assumed the command of the Corps and was ordered to support the advance of Maj. Gen. John Pope's
John Pope (military officer)
John Pope was a career United States Army officer and Union general in the American Civil War. He had a brief but successful career in the Western Theater, but he is best known for his defeat at the Second Battle of Bull Run in the East.Pope was a graduate of the United States Military Academy in...
Army of Virginia
Army of Virginia
The Army of Virginia was organized as a major unit of the Union Army and operated briefly and unsuccessfully in 1862 in the American Civil War. It should not be confused with its principal opponent, the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by Robert E...
towards Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
. The 21st, along with the rest of the Corps, was quickly transported to Fredericksburg
Fredericksburg, Virginia
Fredericksburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia located south of Washington, D.C., and north of Richmond. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 24,286...
and then marched overland to join Pope's forces on August 14, 1862, in the vicinity of Culpeper Court House, Virginia.
As Gen. Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
advanced on Pope's position along the Rapidan River
Rapidan River
The Rapidan River, flowing through north-central Virginia in the United States, is the largest tributary of the Rappahannock River. The two rivers converge just west of the city of Fredericksburg...
, Pope quickly withdrew his army north. The brigade to which the 21st belonged, now commanded by Col. Edward Ferrero
Edward Ferrero
Edward Ferrero was one of the leading dance instructors, choreographers, and ballroom operators in the United States. He also served as a Union Army general in the American Civil War, best remembered for his role in the Battle of the Crater in 1864.-Early life and career:Ferrero was born in...
, frequently found itself in the position of rear guard during this movement, skirmishing with the advancing Confederate cavalry. By the time the 21st reached Warrenton, Virginia
Warrenton, Virginia
Warrenton is a town in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. The population was 6,670 at the 2000 census, and 14,634 at the 2010 estimate. It is the county seat of Fauquier County. Public schools in the town include Fauquier High School, Warrenton Middle School, Taylor Middle School and two...
, on August 27, it was clear to the men that something was wrong. Pope was seen riding by the regiment, "looking warm and excited", and the men learned that Lt. Gen. Thomas Jackson
Stonewall Jackson
ຄຽשת״ׇׂׂׂׂ֣|birth_place= Clarksburg, Virginia |death_place=Guinea Station, Virginia|placeofburial=Stonewall Jackson Memorial CemeteryLexington, Virginia|placeofburial_label= Place of burial|image=...
had flanked the Union army and was now in their rear.
Second Battle of Bull Run
The 21st, now numbering 425 men, crossed Bull Run on August 29 and discovered that Union forces had already engaged Jackson's men in the Second Battle of Bull RunSecond Battle of Bull Run
The Second Battle of Bull Run or Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of an offensive campaign waged by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia against Union Maj. Gen...
. Just after noon, the 21st's brigade took up a position near the center of the Union lines. Over the course of the afternoon they witnessed several brigades advance into the woods in their front only to see them beaten back by the Confederates. Finally, the order came for Ferrero's brigade, including the 21st, to advance, unsupported, into the woods. As the brigade stepped off, Brig. Gen. Reno ordered it to halt and personally protested the order to Maj. Gen. Pope. The order was rescinded and, according to Capt. Walcott of the 21st, "we thanked God that General Reno stood between us and General Pope."
After resting on their arms through the night, the 21st awoke to light fighting in their front. Over the course of the morning, Union forces gradually shifted to the left, including the 21st, and it became apparent that the Union right flank had collapsed. Meanwhile, Lee's forces had joined Jackson's and were pressing the Union left flank with a massive and rapid assault. Pope's entire army was soon in retreat. Ferrero's brigade was moved by Brig. Gen. Reno to a position on Henry House Hill
Henry House Hill
Henry House Hill is a location near Bull Run in Virginia. Named for the house of the Henry family that sits atop it, the hill begins near the road of Centreville, Virginia, after Warrenton, Virginia, to the today's U.S. Route 29, the Warrenton Turnpike. It is a slow, constant rise toward the south...
to cover the Union retreat along the Centreville Turnpike. The brigade, with the 21st in the center, successfully held off Confederate advances from 7 to , buying critical time for the Union army. Finally, under the cover of darkness, the brigade quietly retired across Bull Run. During this defeat for the Union army, the 21st suffered light casualties of seven wounded, or two percent.
Battle of Chantilly
Centreville, Virginia
Centreville is an unincorporated community in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. Recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau as a Census Designated Place , the community population was 71,135 as of the 2010 census and is approximately west of Washington, DC.-Colonial Period:Beginning in the 1760s,...
. On August 31, 1862, Gen. Lee ordered Lt. Gen. Jackson to flank the Union right and to cut the Union army off from Washington. This flanking effort resulted in the Battle of Chantilly which would prove to be the most disastrous engagement of the entire war for the 21st Massachusetts.
On September 1, the regiment, now numbering 400, marched northwest from Centreville with the rest of Ferrero's brigade. Although the men did not know it, they were among the handful of brigades chosen by Pope to deflect Jackson's flanking movement. Forming battle lines in a field not far from Chantilly Plantation, the 21st watched the 51st New York advance into thick woods to probe the enemy lines. Orders were soon given to Col. Clark to lead the 21st into the woods to support the 51st. The woods were very dense and the advance was disorderly. Making matters worse, a powerful thunderstorm burst out as the 21st entered the woodland. Unknowingly, the regiment obliqued far to the left and lost contact with the 51st New York. Encountering a body of troops in their front and unable to identify them through the torrential rain, Col. Clark presumed he had found the 51st, ordered the 21st to rest in place and sent an officer forward to make contact. The troops were, in fact, men of Jubal Early's brigade and, before this could be ascertained, the Confederates unleashed a devastating volley on the unsuspecting 21st. "In the sudden anguish and despair of the moment," wrote Capt. Walcott, "the whole regiment seemed to be lying bleeding on the ground." Col. Clark immediately ordered a withdrawal and the 21st left more than 100 dead or wounded in the woods.
Reaching the open fields again, the 21st was ordered by Maj. Gen. Philip Kearny
Philip Kearny
Philip Kearny, Jr., was a United States Army officer, notable for his leadership in the Mexican-American War and American Civil War. He was killed in action in the 1862 Battle of Chantilly.-Early life and career:...
to fill a hole in the center of the Union line. As the 21st advanced, Kearny rode out in front of the regiment, strenuously urging them to hurry, and refuting warnings that Confederates were close by. Kearny was killed by a volley from a force of Confederates concealed just inside a nearby tree line. Now in very close range to the enemy, a tense standoff ensued with leveled muskets as the 21st and the Confederate regiment each demanded the surrender of the other. Finally, the Confederate regiment charged on the 21st. It was the first time and last time, according to the regimental historian, that the 21st gave wounds with the bayonet. The hand to hand fighting was severe and great confusion resulted. Col. Clark was separated from the unit when most of the men around him were killed and he found himself lost in the Virginia countryside for four days before finding the unit again. This resulted in the mistaken printing of his obituary in Amherst
Amherst, Massachusetts
Amherst is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States in the Connecticut River valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 37,819, making it the largest community in Hampshire County . The town is home to Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts...
.
Jackson's flanking maneuver was successfully deflected and the Battle of Chantilly was fought to a stalemate. But the 21st had suffered severely with 35 percent casualties (38 killed, 76 wounded, 26 missing).
Maryland Campaign
Early in September 1862, the IX Corps, Reno commanding, returned to the Army of the Potomac. Gen. Lee, emboldened by his victories, invaded Maryland and McClellan moved the Army of the Potomac northwest from Washington to meet the Confederates. Portions of the armies clashed during the Battle of South MountainBattle of South Mountain
The Battle of South Mountain was fought September 14, 1862, as part of the Maryland Campaign of the American Civil War. Three pitched battles were fought for possession of three South Mountain passes: Crampton's, Turner's, and Fox's Gaps. Maj. Gen. George B...
, during which the 21st played only a small part. Psychologically, however, it was a devastating fight in that it saw the death of Maj. Gen. Reno, who had been the 21st's brigade commander at the start of the war. "There was not a man in the 21st who did not love him," Capt. Walcott of the 21st wrote, "he always stood with his men in battle."
Battle of Antietam
As McClellan's Army slowly advanced, Lee took up a defensive position in Sharpsburg, MarylandSharpsburg, Maryland
Sharpsburg is a town in Washington County, Maryland, United States, approximately south of Hagerstown. The population was 691 at the 2000 census....
, along Antietam Creek
Antietam Creek
Antietam Creek is a tributary of the Potomac River located in south central Pennsylvania and western Maryland in the United States, a region known as the Hagerstown Valley...
. The 21st, leaving two companies behind at South Mountain for guard detail, now numbered only 150 men. On September 16, the IX Corps took up a position on the left flank of the Union army, near a 125 feet (38.1 m) stone bridge soon to be known as Burnside's Bridge
Burnside's Bridge
Burnside's Bridge is a landmark on the Antietam National Battlefield near Sharpsburg, Maryland. Crossing over Antietam Creek, the bridge played a key role in the September 1862 Battle of Antietam during the American Civil War when a small number of Confederate soldiers from Georgia for several...
.
The next day, McClellan began his attack with several advances by the Union right flank, far from the position of the 21st. For much of the day, the IX Corps could hear the fighting and awaited orders to take the bridge in their front. The 21st even was fortunate enough to have a mail call that morning, and the men sat down to read letters from home while fighting raged around the Dunker Church two miles (3 km) away. Finally, orders came at noon and Ferrero's brigade was moved closer to the bridge. It was a difficult target. On the opposite bank, a wooded bluff rose 100 feet (30.5 m) above the creek. Concealed there was a small force of 400 Confederates who would successfully hold thousands of Union troops at bay for hours. The men of the 21st watched several successive charges on the bridge by brigades of the IX Corps, all of which were repulsed. Finally, Ferrero's brigade was ordered forward. Reaching the bridge at a run, the 21st was ordered to take up a position next to the left abutment, supplying covering fire, while the 51st New York and the 51st Pennsylvania finally carried the position. As the Confederates retreated, Ferrero's brigade was soon stationed at the top of the bluff. Later in the afternoon, around sunset, a Confederate counterattack nearly drove the IX Corps back across Antietam Creek. Ferrero's brigade held the bluff, however, playing a key role in checking the counterattack, and taking severe casualties in the process. The 21st listed 10 killed and 35 wounded, casualties of 30 percent.
Fredericksburg Campaign
On November 7, 1862, Maj. Gen. McClellan was removed from command of the Army of the Potomac and replaced with Maj. Gen. Burnside. Over the course of November, Burnside moved the army south to Falmouth, VirginiaFalmouth, Virginia
Falmouth is an unincorporated community in Stafford County, Virginia, United States. Situated on the north bank of the Rappahannock River at the falls, the community is north of and opposite the city of Fredericksburg. Recognized by the U.S...
, opposite the Rappahannock River
Rappahannock River
The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia, in the United States, approximately in length. It traverses the entire northern part of the state, from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the west, across the Piedmont, to the Chesapeake Bay, south of the Potomac River.An important river in American...
from Fredericksburg. The 21st arrived in Falmouth on November 19. Nearly a month passed before Burnside could organize a crossing of the river and an assault on the city and the heights beyond. The Battle of Fredericksburg
Battle of Fredericksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, between General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside...
took place on December 13, 1862.
Battle of Fredericksburg
The 21st crossed the Rappahannock on December 12 via the pontoon bridges that had been constructed by the Union army and spent the night along the west bank of the river. On the morning of the 13th, the regiment was ordered to the west part of the city, near the base of the heights. Here they removed the grey overcoats that had been issued to them for fear of being mistaken for Confederates. From this position, the 21st watched an assault by a portion of the II Corps over the open plain leading to heights and were shocked by the carnage that resulted from the failed attack. Just after this assault, Ferrero's brigade was ordered to attack the heights and the 21st formed a line of battle on the open ground slightly after noon. The 21st advanced, according to Walcott, "under the best directed artillery fire we had ever suffered or seen." Color bearers were repeatedly shot down. One, Sgt. Thomas PlunkettThomas Plunkett
Thomas Plunkett was a color bearer during the American Civil War. He carried the banner of the 21st Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry at the Battle of Fredericksburg when a cannon blast took away both of his arms and wounded him in the chest...
, was hit by an artillery shell that took off his right arm and left hand. Despite his wounds, he managed to keep the colors from falling. The flag is today in the collection at the Massachusetts State House
Massachusetts State House
The Massachusetts State House, also known as the Massachusetts Statehouse or the "New" State House, is the state capitol and house of government of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is located in Boston in the neighborhood Beacon Hill...
and still bears the stains from Plunkett's wounds. Plunkett was awarded the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
for his bravery at Fredericksburg.
The 21st did not reach the stone wall on Marye's Heights but took shelter in a very slight depression in the terrain, remaining pinned in that position until night. Under the cover of darkness, the regiment retired, only to be ordered to the same spot the next morning, expecting a Confederate counter attack which never came. The regiment lost a third of its numbers at Frederickburg.
Kentucky and Tennessee
Following his failure at Fredericksburg, Burnside was reassigned to the Department of the Ohio. The IX Corps, which he had formerly commanded, was reassigned with him. The 21st Massachusetts boarded trains for CincinnatiCincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
on March 28, 1863. They were then transported to Mount Sterling, Kentucky
Mount Sterling, Kentucky
The Mt. Sterling-Montgomery County Library was established in 1871. The Mt. Sterling – Montgomery County Library moved to the current location, accessible from both Main and Locust Streets, in July 1984. The building was officially dedicated on September 30, 1984...
, to combat Confederate guerrillas. In April, due to the reduced numbers of the regiment (now about 200) several officers, being effectively without commands, chose to resign their commissions, including Col. William S. Clark. Command of the regiment passed to Lt. Col. George P. Hawkes
George P. Hawkes
George Perkins Hawkes was a colonel in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He commanded the 21st Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry from April 1863 to July 1864...
.
The regiment saw light duty around Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
, during the summer of 1863. In September, Burnside launched his effort to capture eastern Tennessee from Confederate hands. The 21st marched for Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
, on September 12, 1863. During the Knoxville Campaign
Knoxville Campaign
The Knoxville Campaign was a series of American Civil War battles and maneuvers in East Tennessee during the fall of 1863. Union forces under Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside occupied Knoxville, Tennessee, and Confederate forces under Lt. Gen. James Longstreet were detached from Gen...
, the 21st saw minor action, acting primarily in support of artillery due to their small numbers.
Overland Campaign and Siege of Petersburg
After roughly a month's furlough back in Massachusetts during February and March 1864, the 21st returned to the Army of the Potomac as part of a newly reorganized IX Corps, rejoining the army a day before the Battle of the WildernessBattle of the Wilderness
The Battle of the Wilderness, fought May 5–7, 1864, was the first battle of Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Virginia Overland Campaign against Gen. Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. Both armies suffered heavy casualties, a harbinger of a bloody war of attrition by...
on May 4, 1864. Lt. Gen. Ulysses Grant had become general-in-chief
Commanding General of the United States Army
Prior to the institution of the Chief of Staff of the United States Army in 1903, there was generally a single senior-most officer in the army. From 1783, he was known simply as the Senior Officer of the United States Army, but in 1821, the title was changed to Commanding General of the United...
of the Union army and intended to follow the Army of the Potomac in the field, relentlessly pushing Lee's Confederate army over the course of the summer of 1864. Walcott of the 21st wrote, "There was to be little of the romance or strategy of war in that horribly bloody work of that summer's campaign in Virginia."
During this campaign, the 21st suffered heavy casualties during the Battle of Spotsylvania and the Battle of Bethesda Church. In the latter engagement, the 21st acted as rear guard and bore the brunt of a fierce attack but held their position. Grant's Overland Campaign
Overland Campaign
The Overland Campaign, also known as Grant's Overland Campaign and the Wilderness Campaign, was a series of battles fought in Virginia during May and June 1864, in the American Civil War. Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, general-in-chief of all Union armies, directed the actions of the Army of the...
concluded with several assaults on Petersburg, Virginia
Siege of Petersburg
The Richmond–Petersburg Campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War...
, on June 15–18, 1864. The 21st again took considerable casualties during these attacks, particularly during the assault on June 17. Maj. Henry Richardson, commanding the 21st, was wounded in the thigh during the engagement and was shortly thereafter sent home. Now numbering less than 100 men, the regiment had been reduced to a tenth of its original size. Company A, by this time, had only three men on its active roster.
Following these failed assaults, both armies settled into trench warfare around Petersburg. There were numerous attempts, during the summer of 1864, on the part of the Union army, to dislodge the Confederates from their lines. One of the most disastrous for the Union army was the Battle of the Crater
Battle of the Crater
The Battle of the Crater was a battle of the American Civil War, part of the Siege of Petersburg. It took place on July 30, 1864, between the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by General Robert E. Lee and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Major General George G. Meade The...
during which explosives were detonated in a large mine tunneled beneath the Confederate entrenchments, temporarily creating a gap in their lines. Elements of the IX Corps, under the command of Maj. Gen. Burnside, were to charge through the gap, but instead became trapped in the enormous crater. Brig. Gen. James Ledlie's
James H. Ledlie
James Hewett Ledlie was a civil engineer for American railroads and a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He is best known for his dereliction of duty at the Battle of the Crater during the Siege of Petersburg.-Early life:Ledlie was born in Utica, New York...
division, of which the 21st was a part, led the attack. The division had been selected at the last minute over the United States Colored Troops
United States Colored Troops
The United States Colored Troops were regiments of the United States Army during the American Civil War that were composed of African American soldiers. First recruited in 1863, by the end of the Civil War, the men of the 175 regiments of the USCT constituted approximately one-tenth of the Union...
who had actually trained for the operation. Unprepared, Ledlie's division delayed in their attack, allowing the Confederates time to regroup. The 21st managed to advance, mingled with other regiments, to the furthest point penetrated by Union troops but by the afternoon they made the retreat "pell mell" with the rest of Burnside's IX Corps.
Consolidation with the 36th Massachusetts
On August 18, 1864, the 21st's three year enlistment came to an end. More than three quarters of the remaining men chose to re-enlist. These men were consolidated into a battalion of three companies commanded by Capt. Orange S. Sampson. The day after their consolidation, the battalion participated in the Battle of Globe TavernBattle of Globe Tavern
The Battle of Globe Tavern, also known as the Second Battle of the Weldon Railroad, fought August 18–21, 1864, south of Petersburg, Virginia, was the second attempt of the Union Army to sever the Weldon Railroad during the Siege of Petersburg of the American Civil War. A Union force under...
. The final engagement in which the remaining companies of the 21st participated as an independent unit was the Battle of Poplar Springs Church on September 30, 1864, during which the Union army attempted to extend its lines westward, further encircling Petersburg. Capt. Orange Sampson, commanding the 21st, was killed in this engagement.
On October 21, 1864, the battalion was consolidated with the 36th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. When the 36th was mustered out in June 1865, the three companies that had belonged to the 21st were consolidated with the 56th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. They were finally mustered out of service on July 8, 1865.
Association with Clara Barton
The Civil War nurse Clara BartonClara Barton
Clarissa Harlowe "Clara" Barton was a pioneer American teacher, patent clerk, nurse, and humanitarian. She is best remembered for organizing the American Red Cross.-Youth, education, and family nursing:...
was born and raised in Oxford, Worcester County, Massachusetts
Oxford, Massachusetts
Oxford is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 13,709 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Oxford, please see the article Oxford , Massachusetts.-History:...
, and knew many of the men in the 21st Massachusetts. More than 40 of them had been her students when she was a teacher before the war. She therefore took an acute interest in their welfare. During the Maryland Campaign, she visited frequently with the regiment and cared for its wounded during the Battle of Antietam. Sgt. Plunkett, the color bearer of the 21st who suffered such grievous wounds during the Battle of Fredericksburg, credited Barton with saving his life. She was at his side when he was first treated, personally arranged his transport home, and carried on correspondence with him after the war. Barton declared the 21st her favorite regiment and, in turn, the men of the 21st voted her a "daughter" of the regiment.
Legacy
After the war, Col. William S. ClarkWilliam S. Clark
William Smith Clark was a professor of chemistry, botany and zoology, a colonel during the American Civil War, and a leader in agricultural education. Raised and schooled in Easthampton, Massachusetts, Clark spent most of his adult life in Amherst, Massachusetts...
became a prominent figure in early American/Japanese relations. After establishing the Massachusetts Agricultural College (now the University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public research and land-grant university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States and the flagship of the University of Massachusetts system...
), Clark was invited by the government of Japan to establish a similar institution, the Sapporo Agricultural College (now the University of Hokkaido). Clark's fame persists in Japan where he is a household name due to the revolutionary western ideas he brought to Hokkaido
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
and the influence he had on the development of the island. His military experience during the Civil War was an important factor in earning the respect of his Japanese superiors.
Today, the history of the 21st Massachusetts is interpreted by the Southern Piedmont Historical Reenactment Society (SPHRS), a reenacting group based in North Carolina. While dedicated primarily to the history of the 49th North Carolina Infantry
49th North Carolina Infantry
The 49th North Carolina Regiment was a Confederate States Army regiment during the American Civil War.-History:The companies of the 49th North Carolina Infantry Regiment were recruited in the following counties:...
, the SPHRS does represent the 21st at living history events and reenactments throughout the year.
See also
- Historical reenactmentHistorical reenactmentHistorical reenactment is an educational activity in which participants attempt torecreate some aspects of a historical event or period. This may be as narrow as a specific moment from a battle, such as the reenactment of Pickett's Charge at the Great Reunion of 1913, or as broad as an entire...
- List of Massachusetts Civil War units
- Massachusetts in the Civil WarMassachusetts in the Civil WarThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts played a significant role in national events prior to and during the American Civil War. Massachusetts dominated the early antislavery movement during the 1830s, motivating activists across the nation. This, in turn, increased sectionalism in the North and South,...