Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines – Condensed Records & History

Description

Massachusetts Civil War Records Compilation: A History

Timeline of Main Events:

• 1899: Chapter 475 of the Acts of 1899 in Massachusetts is enacted. This act initiates the movement to compile and publish a revised record of Massachusetts soldiers, sailors, and marines in the Civil War. It establishes a bureau within the office of the adjutant general, overseen by a board of three commissioners (the adjutant general, the secretary of the commonwealth, and the auditor). The act also authorizes the annual expenditure of $10,000 for this work and allows the appointment of a compiler.
• December 16, 1899: Colonel Edward T. Bouve is appointed as the first compiler of the revised records.
• During the compilation period (1899-1937): Over 1,000,000 original records are examined and copied from various sources including enlistment papers, muster rolls, town reports, casualty lists, hospital records, etc.
• During the compilation period (1899-1937): Extensive correspondence is undertaken with the War and Navy Departments in Washington, D.C., resulting in the receipt of approximately 2,239 communications from the War Department and 3,349 from the Navy Department. Research is also conducted with Leet Brothers in Washington for further assistance.
• During the compilation period (1899-1937): As a significant outcome of the correspondence, 1,650 charges of desertion against Massachusetts soldiers and sailors are removed.
• March 1, 1917: Colonel Edward T. Bouve retires from his position as compiler.
• After March 1, 1917: Major William H. Alline, who had been involved with the project as the first clerk for twenty years, is appointed by the governor to succeed Colonel Bouve as compiler.
• April 21, 1923: Major William H. Alline dies while still serving as compiler.
• After April 21, 1923: The work of compilation is placed under the direction of Hon. Fred W. Cross, who holds the position of military archivist in the adjutant general’s office. He oversees the completion of the project.
• 1931-1933 and 1937: The “Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines in the Civil War Condensed Records” is published in eight volumes by the Massachusetts Adjutant General. This compilation contains condensed service records of Massachusetts personnel.
• Included in the Collection (publication years not explicitly stated but coinciding with the Condensed Records): Thomas Wentworth Higginson’s two-volume history, “Massachusetts in the Army and Navy During the War of 1861-65,” is included as part of this comprehensive collection. The historical sketches preceding the regimental rosters in the Condensed Records are based on Higginson’s work.
• Index Volume (publication year not explicitly stated but after Volumes I-VII): An index to the Army records within Volumes I to VI and part of Volume VII of the “Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines in the Civil War” is published. This index is created to aid in locating individual service records scattered across different units.

Cast of Characters:

• Samuel Dalton: Adjutant General of Massachusetts and one of the three commissioners appointed by the Acts of 1899 to oversee the compilation of Civil War records. He had a distinguished record in both the Union army and civil life.
• William M. Olin: Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and one of the three commissioners appointed by the Acts of 1899. He also had a distinguished record in the Union army and civil life.
• John W. Kimball: State Auditor of Massachusetts and the third commissioner appointed by the Acts of 1899. He too had a distinguished record in both the Union army and civil life.
• Edward T. Bouve: Appointed as the first compiler of the revised records of Massachusetts Civil War soldiers, sailors, and marines on December 16, 1899. He served in this role until his retirement on March 1, 1917.
• William H. Alline: Served as the first clerk for the compilation project for twenty years from its inception. He was appointed as the compiler upon Colonel Bouve’s retirement in 1917. He held this position until his death on April 21, 1923.
• Fred W. Cross: Military archivist in the adjutant general’s office. He took over the direction of the compilation work after the death of Major Alline and oversaw its completion.
• Thomas Wentworth Higginson: State Military and Naval Historian. He authored the two-volume history, “Massachusetts in the Army and Navy During the War of 1861-65.” The historical sketches in the Condensed Records are based on his work. Higginson was also a Unitarian minister, author, abolitionist, and served as the colonel of the 1st South Carolina Volunteers (a Black regiment) during the Civil War.
• Miss Briggs: Senior clerk involved in the meticulous review of the typewritten sheets of the short-term regiments to ensure the accuracy of battle casualty information.
• Leet Brothers: A research company in Washington, D.C., that provided significant assistance in completing the compilation of records, particularly in resolving incomplete records and removing erroneous desertion charges.

CIVIL WAR Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines in the Civil War Condensed Records & History

9,000 pages of material.

7,535 pages in 8 volumes of condensed records of Massachusetts soldiers, sailors, and marines who served in the Civil War. Compiled over 38 years and published 1931-1933, and 1937, by the Massachusetts Adjutant General.

And

Thomas Wentworth Higginson’s 2-volume 1,474-page history, “Massachusetts in the Army and Navy During the War of 1861-65.”

The Collection contains:

Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines in the Civil War Volume 1 – 8 and Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines in the Civil War index to Army Records.

The files contain a text transcript of all computer recognizable text embedded into the graphic image of each page of each document, creating a searchable finding aid. Text searches can be done across all files in the collection.

From the preface of “Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines in the Civil War Condensed Records Volume 1”:

“The movement to provide for the compilation and publication of a revised record of the Massachusetts soldiers, sailors, and marines in the military and naval service of the United States in the Civil War was inaugurated about the time of the Spanish-American War and found embodiment in Chap. 475 of the Acts of 1899. This act established a bureau of the office of the adjutant general, to be presided over by a board of three commissioners, which board was to consist of the adjutant general, the secretary of the commonwealth, and the auditor, and was to have general supervision of the entire work. The commissioners were authorized to appoint some suitable person to have direct charge of the compilation of the records, and the archives of the adjutant general’s office were to be open and accessible to him.

The particulars which were to be stated in the record of each soldier, sailor, and marine were explicitly set forth, and the publication and distribution of the records were provided for. To carry out the provisions of the act the commission was authorized to expend the sum of ten thousand dollars annually.

The original commission was made up of Adjutant General Samuel Dalton, Secretary of the Commonwealth William M. Olin, and State Auditor John W. Kimball, all of whom had distinguished themselves and honored the commonwealth by years of faithful service both in the Union army and in civil life.

The commissioners appointed as the first compiler Col. Edward T. Bouve who served in that capacity from Dec. 16, 1899, until his retirement Mar. 1, 1917. The governor then appointed Maj. William H. Alline, who had been connected with the work since its inception and had served twenty years as first clerk, to succeed Col. Bouve as compiler. This position he held until his death which occurred April 21, 1923. The work was then placed under the direction of Hon. Fred W. Cross, military archivist in the adjutant general’s office, by whom it was completed.

Some idea of the magnitude of the work accomplished may be gained from the following details. Over 1,000,000 original records have been examined and copied, in most cases each on a separate slip, records found on original enlistment papers, muster-in rolls, descriptive rolls, town reports, casualty lists, monthly reports, hospital records, muster-out rolls, and miscellaneous papers. All the cards or slips relating to men who served in Massachusetts units were then sorted and allocated by companies and regiments. First the slips belonging to each individual soldier had to be selected out and arranged in order in little packs by themselves. Then the packs had to be arranged alphabetically under their proper company heads. Finally the assembled records of the companies were arranged in order under their respective regimental designations.

It was found that many individual records were incomplete and could not be completed from the documents on file in the archives division of the adjutant general’s office, hence resort had to be made to the files of the War and Navy Departments at Washington. In our letter books there are 12 volumes of letters containing about 2239 communications received from the War Department, and 17 volumes more containing approximately 3349 communications from the Navy Department, all of which have been received since the work of compilation was begun. In addition, thousands of cases have been referred to Leet Brothers, a research company in Washington, who have given us great assistance in the completion of the work.

One of the most important results of our correspondence with Leet Brothers and with the departments at Washington has been the removal of 1650 charges of desertion which formerly stood against the names of worthy Massachusetts soldiers and sailors.

After the records had been collected, carded, and assembled as above described, the story of each man’s service was condensed into one brief paragraph, and these paragraphs were then put into typewritten form for the printer.

Even after most of the typing had been done, Mr. Cross went over personally every one of the typewritten sheets of the three years’ regiments, while Miss Briggs, the senior clerk, went over all the sheets of the short term regiments to see that every battle casualty was properly and accurately stated both as to time and place.

The condensed historical sketches which appear before the respective regimental, battery, and unattached company rosters are based on those which appear in Volume I of MASSACHUSETTS IN THE ARMY AND NAVY and which were prepared by Thomas Wentworth Higginson, State Military and Naval Historian.

The names of all men who served in Massachusetts units during the Civil War appear in this compilation. The question whether men who served in the United States Army, United States Colored Troops, Veteran Reserve Corps, or organizations from other states should be taken up was decided on the basis of residence in Massachusetts or credit to some town or city in Massachusetts. The same rule applies largely to enlistments in the Navy and Marine Corps.

The work of compilation was begun by veterans who had themselves been participants in the war which saved the Union. One by one those men passed to their rest, and their places were taken by men and women who, like their predecessors, have been deeply impressed with the importance and the sacredness of the task. The finished work is now presented to the public in the belief that it contains a fairly complete and correct record of the men of Massachusetts who served in the Civil War.”

From the preface of “Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines in the Civil War index to Army records:”

“This volume is an index to the Army records only, in Volumes I to VI and a part of Volume VII of Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines in the Civil War. Such an index was made imperatively necessary because of the fact that the records of the officers and men in the Army appear scattered through the various units in which they respectively served. In this index after each name there appears in a roman numeral the volume and in an arabic numeral the page where the man’s record appears. In many cases the same name appears in several volumes and on several pages in each volume. Here, when the man’s company and regiment are not known, the examiner must determine from the age, occupation, residence, etc. which is the soldier of whose record he is in search. The names of the officers and men who served in the Navy and Marine Corps are not indexed. These names with their accompanying records are arranged in three blocks alphabetically. The records of Massachusetts officers in the Navy begin on page 419 of Volume VII and continue to page 533 of that volume. Those of the enlisted men in the Navy begin on page 534 of Volume VII and continue to page 887 of Volume VIII. Those of the officers and enlisted men in the Marine Corps begin on page 888 of Volume VIII and continue to the end of that volume. It is hoped that this brief foreword will make the index intelligible to the user.”

Contents:

VOLUME I

1st Infantry

2d Infantry

3d Infantry (Militia)

4th Infantry (Militia)

5th Infantry (Militia)

6th Infantry (Militia)

7th Infantry

8th Infantry (Militia)

9th Infantry

10th Infantry

11th Infantry

VOLUME II

12th Infantry

13th Infantry

15th Infantry

1st Company Sharpshooters

16th Infantry

17th Infantry

18th Infantry

19th Infantry

20th Infantry

21st Infantry

22d Infantry

2d Company Sharpshooters

23d Infantry

24th Infantry

VOLUME III

25th Infantry

26th Infantry

27th Infantry

28th Infantry

29th Infantry

30th Infantry

31st Infantry

32d Infantry

33d Infantry

34th Infantry

35th Infantry

36th Infantry

37th Infantry

VOLUME IV

38th Infantry

39th Infantry

40th Infantry

42d Infantry (Militia)

43d Infantry (Militia)

44th Infantry (Militia)

45th Infantry (Militia)

46th Infantry (Militia)

47th Infantry (Militia)

48th Infantry (Militia)

49th Infantry (Militia)

50th Infantry (Militia)

51st Infantry (Militia)

52d Infantry (Militia)

53d Infantry (Militia)

54th Infantry (Colored)

55th Infantry (Colored)

56th Infantry (Veteran)

57th Infantry (Veteran)

VOLUME V

58th Infantry (Veteran)

59th Infantry (Veteran)

60th Infantry (Militia)

61st Infantry

62d Infantry

Unattached Companies (Militia)

Unattached Companies (Militia)

Unattached Companies (Militia)

3d Battalion Rifles (Militia)

Boston Cadets (Militia)

Salem Cadets (Militia)

4th Battalion Infantry (Militia)

Company B, 7th Regiment (Militia)

1st Battery Light Artillery (Militia)

1st Battery Light Artillery

2d Battery Light Artillery

3d Battery Light Artillery

4th Battery Light Artillery

5th Battery Light Artillery

6th Battery Light Artillery

7th Battery Light Artillery

8th Battery Light Artillery (Militia)

9th Battery Light Artillery

10th Battery Light Artillery

11th Battery Light Artillery (Militia)

11th Battery Light Artillery

12th Battery Light Artillery

13th Battery Light Artillery

14th Battery Light Artillery

15th Battery Light Artillery

16th Battery Light Artillery

1st Regiment Heavy Artillery

2d Regiment Heavy Artillery

3d Regiment Heavy Artillery

VOLUME VI

4th Regiment Volunteer Heavy Artillery

29th Unattached Companies, Volunteer Heavy Artillery

13th Unattached Company Volunteer Heavy Artillery

1st Battalion Volunteer Heavy Artillery

1st Regiment Volunteer Cavalry

2nd Regiment Volunteer Cavalry

3rd Regiment Volunteer Cavalry

4th Regiment Volunteer Cavalry

5th Regiment Volunteer Cavalry

1st Battalion Volunteer Cavalry

Records of Massachusetts Soldiers Who Served In Organizations from other States

Massachusetts Officers in the United States Army And United States Volunteers

Massachusetts Soldiers in U.S.A. and U.S.V. (A to L)

This division of the work contains the records of all men who were residents of or credited to Massachusetts at enlistment and who are known to have served in United States Army and United States Volunteer organizations. It includes all known enlistments of such men in the following branches of the United States service:

Infantry

Artillery

Cavalry

Engineer Corps

Ordnance Corps

Signal Corps

Brigade Bands

Corps d’Afrique Band

Hospital Stewards

Medical Cadets

Hancock’s Corps (United States Veteran Volunteer Infantry)

First Regiment United States Volunteer Infantry (Confederate Prisoners)

Second Regiment United States Volunteer Infantry

Unassigned Recruits and Drafted Men

VOLUME VII

Massachusetts Soldiers in U. S. A. and U. S. V. (M to Z)

Massachusetts Soldiers in U. S. A. and U. S. V. (Miscellaneous Units)

Massachusetts Enlistments in Veteran Reserve Corps

Massachusetts Officers in U. S. Colored Troops

Massachusetts Soldiers in U. S. Colored Troops

Massachusetts Officers in U. S. Navy

Massachusetts Enlisted Men in U. S. Navy (A to E)

VOLUME VIII

Massachusetts Enlisted Men in U. S. Navy (F to Z)

Massachusetts Officers in U. S. Marine Corps

Massachusetts Enlisted Men in U. S. Marine Corps

 

Thomas Wentworth Higginson’s Massachusetts in the Army and Navy During the War of 1861-65.

Thomas Wentworth Higginson (December 22, 1823 – May 9, 1911) was an American Unitarian minister, author, abolitionist, and soldier. He was active in the American Abolitionism movement during the 1840s and 1850s, identifying himself with disunion and militant abolitionism. He was a member of the Secret Six who supported John Brown. During the Civil War, he served as colonel of the 1st South Carolina Volunteers, the first federally authorized black regiment, from 1862–1864. Following the war, Higginson devoted much of the rest of his life to fighting for the rights of freed people, women and other disfranchised peoples