The 19th Regt. Mass. Vol. Inf. was organized at Camp
Schouler, Lynnfield, having for its nucleus the 1st Battalion
Rifles. The rest of the regiment came from Boston and
vicinity. By Aug. 28, 1861, the entire regiment had been
mustered into the service with Col. Edward W. Hinks as its
commander, and on that day it was forwarded to Washington,
arriving Aug. 30. Assigned to Gen. Lander's Brigade, Gen.
Stone's Corps of Observation, it picketed the Potomac during
the fall of 1861, advancing to Harrison's Island October 21 and
covering the retreat of the troops from Ball's Bluff. The
winter of 1861-62 was spent at Muddy Branch guarding the
Potomac in front of Darnestown and Rockville.
In March, 1862, the regiment, now in Dana's Brigade,
Sedgwick's Division, was sent to the Shenandoah, but shortly
afterward the entire division was ordered to the Peninsula
where it arrived Mar. 30, and was attached to Sumner's (2d)
Corps. It took part in the siege of Yorktown in April and was
engaged at Fair Oaks, June 25. At Glendale or Nelson's Farm,
June 30, it lost 145 officers and men of whom 33, including
Major Howe, were killed or mortally wounded.
Returning from Harrison's Landing to Alexandria the last
of August, early in September it joined in the advance toward
Frederick, Md. It arrived at South Mountain on the 14th just
after the battle was done. At Antietam, Sept. 17, it was
heavily engaged in the West Wood, suffering severe loss
including Col. Hinks who was badly wounded. At Fredericksburg,
Dec.11, the 19th was one of the regiments of Hall's Brigade,
Howard's Division, Couch's (2d) Corps that crossed the river
in boats under fire and fought their way through the streets of
the city. Two days later it was in the assault on Marye's
Heights, losing 104 officers and men including 8 color bearers,
23 being killed or mortally wounded. The winter of 1862-63 was
spent near Falmouth.
During the Chancellorsville campaign in May, 1863, with
Gibbon's Division the 19th was left in Fredericksburg in
support of Sedgwick's (6th) Corps and suffered small loss. At
Gettysburg, July 2 and 3, it was heavily engaged near the Clump
of Trees capturing four Confederate flags and losing nearly 50
per cent of its numbers. On October 14 it was engaged at
Bristoe Station, and again at Robertson's Tavern, November 27,
during the Mine Run expedition. It spent the winter at Cole's
Hill near Stevensburg. Here Dec. 20, 160 officers and men re-
enlisted for three years.
As a part of Webb's Brigade, Gibbon's Division, Hancock's
(2d) Corps the 19th was in action at the Wilderness, May 6, and
was heavily engaged at Spottsylvania, both in the assault on
the Bloody Angle, May 12, and in the general assault, May 18.
At North Anna, Totopotomoy, Cold Harbor, and in front of
Petersburg the regiment was engaged almost continuously until
June 22, when the 2d Corps was outflanked near the Jerusalem
Plank road, where the 19th lost all but 40 of its officers and
men. These, with a remnant received from the 15th Regt. And
many returned convalescents and recruits preserved the
regimental unit. In July and August it was present in both
actions near Deep Bottom and at Reams' Station. On August 30,
98 men whose terms of service had expired were discharged to
date from August 28, 1864.
The regiment was on duty in the forts and batteries around
Petersburg until October when it was engaged with loss at
Boydton Road. About Dec. 12, it was ordered to Fort Emory
where it remained until the spring campaign of 1865 opened. On
February 5 it was engaged at Hatcher's Run, and in April
participated in the final assault on Petersburg and the pursuit
of Lee's army toward Appomattox. After the surrender of the
Army of Northern Virginia the regiment, increased by recruits
to 20 officers and 645 enlisted men, marched back to Washington
city, and on June 30 was mustered out at Munson's Hill.
Returning to Massachusetts, on July 20 it was mustered for the
last time at Readville, and there paid off and discharged.
Source: Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors & Marines in the Civil War
FORTY-FIFTH REGIMENT MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEER MILITIA (INFANTRY) NINE MONTHS The 45th Regt. Mass. Vol. Mill, or Cadet Regiment, was one
of the new militia regiments raised in response to the call of
Aug. 4, 1862, for nine months troops. It received the title by
which it was commonly known because of the fact that over forty
of the commissioned officers of the regiment were former
members of the Boston Cadets. Its commander, Col. Charles R.
Codman, had served as Captain and Adjutant of the Boston Cadets
during their period of service at Fort Warren in the early
summer of 1862.
Organized at Camp Meigs, Readville, in the early fall of
1862, the first eight companies of the 45th were mustered in on
the 26th day of September, and the other two, "I" and "K", on
the 7th of October.
On Nov. 5, the regiment embarked on the steamer
MISSISSIPPI for Beaufort, N. C., arriving at its destination on
the 15th. Transported by rail to Newbern, it was here assigned
to Amory's Brigade of Foster's Division. The regimental camp
was established on the banks of the Trent River near Fort
Gaston. Here the 45th remained, following the regular routine
of camp life, until Dec. 12, when it set out with Gen. Foster's
expedition to Goldsboro. Only eight companies took part in this
expedition, Co. "C" having been sent on special duty to
Morehead City, and Co. "G" to Fort Macon.
At Kinston, Dec. 14, the regiment had its first taste of
real war, losing 15 men killed and 43 wounded. At Whitehall,
Dec. 16, it was again engaged, losing 4 killed and 16 wounded.
At Goldsboro on the 17th the 45th was not in action, and on the
following day it began its return march to Newbern, arriving at
its former camp Dec. 21.
On January 17, 1863, the 45th started on a reconnaissance
to Trenton, returning on the 22d. From Jan. 26 to April 25 it
served as provost guard in the city of Newbern. During this
period, on March 14, occurred the Confederate attack on
Newbern, of which the 45th was an interested spectator but was
not called into action.
On April 27 it started with Amory's Brigade on an
expedition to Core Creek on the railroad toward Goldsboro. On
the following day it was sharply engaged, taking a Confederate
work which crossed the railroad near its intersection with the
Dover Road, and losing one man killed and four wounded.
This expedition being ended, the regiment returned to its
last camp, near Fort Spinola, just below Newbern, on the Trent.
Here it remained until June 24, when it proceeded to Morehead
City, a suburb of Beaufort, N. C., and there took transports
for Boston.
Arriving at its destination June 30, the regiment was
formally welcomed, then proceeded to its old camp at Readville
where it remained until its muster out of the service July 8.
Source: Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors & Marines in the Civil War
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