1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery

Regimental History and Service Record

Organized as 14th Massachusetts Infantry July 5, 1861. Designation changed to 1st Heavy Artillery January 1, 1862. Attached to Wadsworth's Command, Military District of Washington, January to May, 1862. Whipple's Brigade, Military District of Washington, to December, 1862. Artillery, District of Alexandria, Defenses of Washington, to February, 1863. Artillery, District of Alexandria, 22nd Army Corps, to April, 1863. 1st Brigade, DeRussy's Division, 22nd Army Corps, to April, 1864. 2nd Brigade, DeRussy's Division, 22nd Army Corps, to May, 1864. 2nd Brigade, Tyler's Heavy Artillery Division, Army of the Potomac, to May, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to May, 1865. Defenses of Washington, 22nd Army Corps, to August, 1865. (Cos. "B," "C," "H" and "I" attached to Defenses of Upper Potomac, 8th Army Corps, Middle Department, October, 1862, to March, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 8th Army Corps, Middle Department, to June, 1863. Maryland Brigade, French's Command, 8th Army Corps, to July, 1863. Artillery Reserve, Army of the Potomac, to August, 1863. Unattached, Maryland Heights Division, Dept. of West Virginia, to December, 1863.)

SERVICE.--Garrison duty in the Defenses of Washington at Forts Albany, Runyon, Scott, Richardson, Barnard, Craig and Tillinghast until August 23, 1862, Moved to Cloud's Mills August 23. March to Manassas. Va., August 26-30. Return to Washington and garrison Forts Albany, Craig, Tillinghast, Woodbury and DeKalb, Defenses South of the Potomac until May, 1864. (Cos. "H" and "I" detached September 27, 1862, and moved to Harper's Ferry, W. Va. Co. "C" ordered to Harper's Ferry October 27, 1862. Co. "B" ordered to Harper's Ferry, W. Va., December 23, 1862; garrison duty there until July 1, 1863. Co. "I" moved to Winchester June 10, 1863, and participated in the Battle of Winchester June 13-15, and retreat to Harper's Ferry. Defense of Harper's Ferry June 16-July 1. Evacuation of Harper's Ferry and march to Frederick, Md, July 1-2. Duty with Artillery Reserve, Army of the Potomac, to July 11-22. Moved to Harper's Ferry July 22 and duty there until December 1, when ordered to Washington and rejoin Regiment.)

• July 7, 1863 - Occupation of Maryland Heights, Maryland (4 Companies)
• Regiment moved to Join Army of the Potomac at Belle Plain, Va., May 15-16, 1864.
• May 16-June 12, 1864 - The Overland Campaign
  • May 19-21, 1864 - Battles of Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia
    • May 19, 1864 - Engagement at Harris Farm, Virginia
  • May 22-26, 1864 - Operations on Line of the North Anna River, Virginia
  • May 26-28, 1864 - Operations on Line of the Pamunkey River, Virginia
  • May 28-31, 1864 - Operations on Line of the Totopotomoy River, Virginia
  • June 1-12, 1864 - Battles of Cold Harbor, Virginia

Before Petersburg June 16-19. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Jerusalem Plank Road June 22-23, 1864. Deep Bottom July 27-28. Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30 (Reserve). Strawberry Plains August 14-18. Peeble's Farm September 29-October 2. Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher's Run, October 27-28. Expedition to Weldon Railroad December 7-12. Dabney's Mills, Hatcher's Rain, February 5-7, 1865.Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Crow's House March 31. Fall of Petersburg April 2. Sailor's Creek April 6. High Bridge, Farmville, April 7. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. March to Burkesville April 11-13 and duty there until May 2. March to Washington May 2-15. Camp at Bailey's Cross Roads until June 15. Grand Review May 23. Duty at Forts Ethan, Allen and Marcy until June 27. At Forts C. F. Smith and Strong until July 19. and at Fort Bunker Hill until August 17. Mustered out August 16, 1865, and discharged at Gallop's Island, Boston Harbor, August 25, 1865.

Regimental Roster

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Regiment Statistical Information

Regiment Casualty Comparisons by Source

Source	Casualties	Remarks
Dyer	9 Officers and 232 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded 2 Officers and 241 enlisted men by disease Total 484	None
Fox	9 Officers and 232 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded Total 241 (Combat Losses) Fox lists this unit as 5th on the list of units "sustaining greatest loss in action" (Heavy Artillery units with over 200 casualties)	None
WotRWiki Statistics	0 troops killed Includes 0 troops mortally wounded Includes 0 troops killed by disease All others are troops killed in action or under special circumstances	This feature is not yet available. Check back soon for updates!

Legacy

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Sources

• Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. The Dyer Publishing Company (Des Moine, 1908). (Pages 762, 932, 934, 937, 938, 939, 941, 1240-1241)
• Fox, William F. 1840-1909. Regimental Losses in the American Civil War, 1861-1865: A Treatise on the Extent and Nature of the Mortuary Losses in the Union Regiments, With Full and Exhaustive Statistics Compiled From the Official Records on File in the State Military Bureaus and at Washington. Albany: Albany Pub. Co., 1889. (Page 6)