40th Massachusetts Infantry

Regimental History and Service Record

Organized at Lynn field August, 1862. Moved to Washington, D.C., September 8-11. Attached 2nd Brigade, Abercrombie's Division, Military District of Washington, to February, 1863. 2nd Brigade, Abercrombie's Division, 22nd Army Corps, Dept. of Washington, to April, 1863. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 7th Army Corps, Dept. of Virginia, to May, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 4th Army Corps, Dept. of Virginia, to July, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 11th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to August, 1863. 2nd Brigade, Gordon's Division, South End of Folly Island, S.C., 10th Army Corps, Dept. of the South, to January, 1864. 2nd Brigade, Gordon's Division, Folly Island, S.C., Northern District, 10th Army Corps, Dept. South, January, 1864. 1st Brigade, District of Hilton Head, S.C., 10th Army Corps, to February, 1864. Light Brigade, District of Florida, Dept. of the South, to April, 1864. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 10th Army Corps, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to May, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 18th Army Corps, to December, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 24th Army Corps, Dept. of Virginia, to June, 1865.

SERVICE.--Duty in the Defences of Washington, D. C., until April, 1863. Expedition to Mill's Cross Roads after Stuart's Cavalry December 28-29, 1862. Picket duty on the Columbia Pike February 12 to March 30, 1863, and at Vienna until April 11. Moved to Norfolk, thence to Suffolk April 15-17. Siege of Suffolk April 17-May 4. Siege of Suffolk raised May 4. Moved to West Point May 5, thence to Yorktown May 31. Raid to Jamestown Island June 10-13. Dix's Peninsula Campaign June 24-July 7. Expedition from White House to Bottom's Bridge July 1-7. Baltimore Cross Roads July 2. Moved to Washington, D.C., July 10-11. March in pursuit of Lee, to Berlin, Md., July 13-22. Moved to Alexandria August 6, thence sailed to Folly Island, S.C., August 7-13. Siege operations on Folly and Morris Islands against Forts Wagner and Gregg, and against Fort Sumpter and Charleston, August 15-November 13. Expedition to Seabrook Island November 13-15. Duty at Folly Island until January 16, 1864. Moved to Hilton Head, S.C., January 16. Expedition to Jacksonville, Fla., February 4-7, and to Lake City, Fla., February 7-22. Ten Mile Run near Camp Finnegan February 8. Barber's Place February 10. Lake City February 11. Gainesville February 14 (Cos. "C," "G," "H"). Battle of Olustee February 20. McGirt's Creek March 1. Cedar Creek March 1. Duty at Jacksonville until April 22. Moved to Gloucester Point April 22-28. Expedition to West Point April 30-May 5. Butler's operations on south side of James River and against Petersburg and Richmond May 5-28. Swift Creek or Arrowfield Church May 9-10. Operations against Fort Darling May 12-16. Battle of Drewry's Bluff May 14-16. On Bermuda Hundred Front May 17-28. Moved to White House, thence to Cold Harbor May 28-June 1.

• June 1-12, 1864 - The Overland Campaign
  • June 1-12, 1864 - Battles of Cold Harbor, Virginia

Before Petersburg June 15-18. Siege operations against Petersburg and Richmond June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Hares Hill June 24 and 28. Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30, 1864 (Reserve). In trenches before Petersburg until August 27. Moved to Bermuda Front August 27, thence to Bermuda Landing August 28, and provost duty there until September 29. On the Bermuda Front until October 24. Moved to Chaffin's Farm on north side of the James, and duty there until March, 1865. Expedition to Fredericksburg March 5-8, and up the Potomac River to the Yecomico, and to Kinsel's Landing March 11-13, thence to White House March 13-18. March to Signal Hill before Richmond March 24-26. Occupation of Richmond April 3. Moved to Manchester April 25 and provost duty there until June 16. Mustered out June 16, and discharged at Reedville, Mass., June 30, 1865.

Regimental Roster

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Regiment Statistical Information

• Regiment lost during service 5 Officers and 67 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 125 Enlisted men by disease. Total 197.

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 932, 941, 1263)