First Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
Co. I - The "Schouler Guards"
My great-great-grandfather, George G. S. Norris, fought in this regiment with Co. I. He enlisted on December 26, 1861--leaving behind a wife and two-month-old daughter (my great grandmother). He was to endure the privations of war for three long years. Only in early December of 1864 would he be able to return to his family.
In the Spring of 1861, when President Abraham Lincoln called upon citizens to fight to preserve the Union, one of the first states to respond was the state of Massachusetts. The First Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was organized at Boston. On May 23, Companies "A", "B", "G" and "H" were mustered; on May 24, Companies "D", "F", "K" and "I"; Company "E" followed on May 25; and Company "C" on May 27.
Regiment History
On June 15, 1861, the First Massachusetts Regiment left Boston for Washington, D.C., arriving on June 17 -- the first 3-year regiment to arrive. It was attached to Richardson's Brigade, Tyler's Divison of McDowell's Army of Northeast Virginia, to which they remained attached until August of 1861.
- June 17, 1861 - July 16, 1861: Camp Banks, Georgetown, D.C.
- July 16 - 21, 1861: Advance on Manassas, VA
- July 17, 1861: Occupation of Fairfax Court House
- July 21, 1861: Battle of Bull Run
- July 22 - August 15, 1861: Fort Albany
From August to October of 1861, the First Massachusetts Infantry served in Hooker's Brigade, Division of the Potomac.
- August 15 - September 7, 1861: Bladensburg for duty
- September 7 - October 7, 1861: Expedition to Lower Maryland
From October 1861 to March 1862, the First Massachusetts Infantry served in the First Brigade of Hooker's Division, Army of the Potomac.
- October 25 - 27, 1861: Posey's Plantation for duty
- October 27 - April 5, 1861: Shipping Point
- November 14, 1861: Affair at Mattawoman Creek
From March 1862 to March 1864, the First Massachusetts Infantry served in the First Brigade, Second Division of the III Army Corps, Army of the Potomac.
- April 7, 1862: Fortress Monroe, VA
- April 16 - May 4, 1862: Siege of Yorktown
- April 26, 1862: Affair at Yorktown (Companies "A", "H" and "I")
- May 5, 1862: Battle of Williamsburg
- May 31 - June 1, 1862: Battle of Fair Oaks, Seven Pines
- June 25 - July 1, 1862: Seven days before Richmond
- June 25, 1862: Oak Grove
- June 29, 1862: Savage's Station
- June 30, 1862: White Oak Swamp and Glendale
- July 1, 1862: Malvern Hill
- July - August 15, 1862: Harrison's Landing
- August 15 - 26, 1862: movement to Fortress Monroe, then to Centreville
- August 27, 1862: Bristoe Station or Kettle Run
- August 28, 1862: Catlett's Station
- August 29, 1862: Battle of Groveton
- August 30, 1862: Battle of Bull Run
- September - December 1862: duty in the defences of Washington
- September 1 - 13, 1862: at Fort Lyon
- September 14 - October 20, 1862: near Fairfax Seminary
- October 20 - November 1, 1862: at Munson's Hill
- November 2 - 25, 1862: provost duty at Fairfax Station
- November 10 - 12, 1862: operations on Orange & Alexandria Railroad
- December 12 - 15, 1862: Battle of Fredericksburg
- January 20 -24, 1863: "Mud March"
- January 25 - April 27, 1863: Falmouth
- February 5 - 7, 1863: Operations at Rappanhannock Bridge and Grove Church
- April 27 - May 6, 1863: Chancellorsville Campaign
- May 1 - 5, 1863: Battle of Chancellorsville
- June 11 - July 24, 1863: Gettysburg (PA) Campaign
- July 1 - 3, 1863: Battle of Gettysburg (Day 2-Emmitsburg Road)
- July 3 - July 24, 1863: pursuit of Robert E. Lee, including Wapping Heights on July 23
- July 30 - August 1, 1863: moved to New York, in charge of the draft rendezvous
- August 2 - October 15, 1863: moved to Washington, D.C., then to Union Mills, VA
- October 17, 1863: rejoin Corps
- November 7 - 8, 1863: advance to line of the Rappahannock
- November 7, 1863: Kelly's Ford
- November 26 - December 2, 1863: Mine Run Campaign
- November 27, 1983: Payne's Farm
- November 1863 - May 1864: duty near Brandy Station for winter
- February 6 - 7, 1864: demonstration on the Rapidan
On March 23, an order to discontinue the III and I Corps was issued. From March to May 1864, the First Massachusetts Infantry served in the First Brigade, Fourth Division of the II Army Corps.
- May 3 - 21, 1864: Rapidan Campaign
- May 5 & 7, 1864: Battles of the Wilderness
- May 8 - 12, 1864: Spottsylvania
- May 12 - 21, 1864: Spottsylvania Court House
- May 12, 1864: attack on the Salient at Spottsylvania Court House
- May 19, 1864: Harris Farm or Fredericksburg Road
- May 20, 1864: ordered home for muster out
- May 20, 1864: veterans and recruits transferred to 11th Massachusetts Infantry
- May 25, 1864: mustered out due to expiration of term
In the 11th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry (from May 20, 1864 - June 12, 1865)
- May 23 - 26, 1864: North Anna River
- May 26 - 28, 1864: Line of the Pamunkey
- May 28 - 31, 1864: Totopotomoy
- June 1 - 12, 1864: Cold Harbor
(Old members left the front on June 12 and were mustered out June 24, 1864) Veterans and recruits consolidated into a battalion of 5 companies on June 12.)
- June 16 - 18, 1864: before Petersburg
- June 16, 1864 - April 2, 1865: Siege of Petersburg
- June 22 - 23, 1864: Jerusalem Plank Road
- July 27 - 29, 1864: demonstration on the north side of the James River
- July 27 - 28, 1864: Deep Bottom
- July 30, 1864: Mine Explosion, Petersburg (Reserve)
- August 13 - 20, 1864: demonstration on the north side of the James River
- August 14 - 18, 1864: Strawberry Plains
- September 29 - October 1, 1864: Peeble's Farm, Poplar Grove Church
- October 27 - 28, 1864: Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher's Run
- November 5, 1864: in front of Fort Morton
- December 7 - 11, 1864: expedition to Weldon Railroad
- March 25, 1865: Watkin's House
- March 28 - April 9, 1865: Appomattox Court House
- March 31, 1865: Crow's House
- April 2, 1865: Fall of Petersburg
- April 6, 1865: Sailor's Creek
- April 7, 1865: High Bridge and Farmville
- April 9, 1865: Appomattox Court House (Surrender of Lee and his army)
- April 11 - 13, 1865: march to Burkesville
- April 13 - May 2, 1865: duty at Burkesville
- May 2 - 15, 1865: march to Washington, D C.
- May 23, 1865: Grand Review
- June 14, 1865: mustered out
Sources of Information
Several of the web sites listed above have provided various pieces of information about the 1st Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. I am also grateful to Ed Maguire and Virginia Leddy for their assistance in helping me begin to trace the movement of the First Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry during the American Civil War.
My thanks to the many people who have created American Civil War web sites. They have been a source of inspiration and have augmented my growing knowledge of this conflict.
