1st Regiment, Massachusetts Infantry

Brief History
The 1st Regiment, Massachusetts Infantry was organized at Boston and mustered in Companies "A," "B," "G" and "H" May 23; Companies "D," "F," "K" and "I" May 24, Company "E" May 25, and Company "C" May 27, 1861. The regiment mustered out May 25, 1864. Expiration of term.

Organized at Camp Brigham, Reedville, and duty there till December 25, 1861. Companies "A," "B," "C" and "D" left State for Annapolis, Md., December 25, 1861; thence moved to Hilton Head, S. C., February, 1862, and join Regiment.

Second Battalion left State for New York December 27, and Third Battalion December 29 for same point; thence sailed for Hilton Head, S. C., January 13, arriving January 20, 1862. Attached to Department of the South to April, 1862.

3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Dept. of the South, to August, 1862.

Companies "A" to "H" moved to Fort Monroe August 19, 1862; thence to Washington, D. C., and join Pleasanton's Cavalry, Army of the Potomac, at Tenallytown, September 3. Attached to Pleasanton's Cavalry, Army of the Potomac, to October, 1862. Averill's Brigade, Cavalry Division, Army of the Potomac, to January, 1863. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac, to April, 1865. (4 new Companies, "I," "K," "L," "M," organized December 5, 1863, to January 14, 1864.) Provost Marshal's Command, Army of the Potomac, to May, 1865. Headquarters, Army of the Potomac, to June, 1865. Mustered out June 29, 1865, and discharged at Readville, Mass., July 24, 1865.

For more information on the history of 1st Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, see the following:


 * The Wikipedia article, 1st Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry (accessed 20 September 2011)


 * The Civil War Archive section, 1st Regiment Infantry, (accessed 9 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. Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines in the Civil War, compiled by the Adjutant General has the following information.

Field and Staff - many men from Suffolk County. Roster.

Band - many men from Essex County and Worcester County. Roster.

Company A - many men from Suffolk County, Norfolk County, and Middlesex County. Roster.

Company B - Roster.

Company C - Roster.

Company D - Roster.

Company E - Roster.

Company F - Roster.

Company G - Roster.

Company H - Roster.

Company I - many men from Suffolk County and Middlesex County. Roster.

Company K - many men from Suffolk County. Roster.

Unassigned company many men from Middlesex County and Barnstable County. Roster.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 2,465 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Regimental History and Roster

 * First regiment Massachusetts volunteer infantry veteran association. By Massachusetts infantry. Boston: n.p., 1911. Online at: Internet Archive

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.


 * Massachusetts Civil War Websites has brief regimental histories and biographies of many of the soldiers sometimes with links to documents.


 * Massachusetts Civil War Research Center has brief histories and a last name searchable database of servicemen that gives regiments.


 * n2genealogy.comhas brief histories of Massachusetts military units.
 * Monument to the First Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment, (accessed 10 April 2013).


 * Civil War in the East, 1st Massachuetts Infantry Regiment, (accessed 10 April 2013).