53rd Regiment, Massachusetts Infantry (Militia)

Brief History
The 53rd Regiment, Massachusetts Infantry (Militia) was organized at Groton Junction October 17 to November 6, 1862, and mustered out September 2, 1863.

For more information on the history of the 53rd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, see the following:


 * The Wikipedia article, 53rd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, (accessed 25 November 2011)
 * The Civil War Archive section, 53rd Regiment Infantry, (accessed 12 July 2012).

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin
Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived though not always. After many battles, companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 1,114 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Other Sources

 * Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in ‘Massachusetts in the Civil War’ and ‘United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865’ (see below).


 * National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is searchable by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information.


 * Massachusetts in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for Massachusetts, and how to find them.. These include compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 describes and explains United States and Confederate States records, rather than state records, and how to find them. These include veterans’ censuses, compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * Willis, Henry Augustus. The Fifty-Third Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers : comprising also a history of the seige of Port Hudson. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1991),