16th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment

United States Regiments & Batteries > Massachusetts > 16th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment

The 16th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment lost 16 officers and 134 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 officers and 93 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. It is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.

1861
June 29 Organized at Camp Cameron, Cambridge, under the command of Colonel Powell T. Wyman (West Point Class of 1850).
August 17 Left Massachusetts for Old Point Comfort, Virginia and attached to Fortress Monroe, Dept. of Virginia
September 1 Garrison duty at Fortress Monroe, Va.
1862
May Assigned to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Department of Virginia
May 10 Occupation of Norfolk
May 17 Moved to Suffolk
June 13 Joined Army of the Potomac at Fair Oaks, attached to 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 3rd Corps, Army of the Potomac
June 18 Nine-Mile Road, near Richmond
June 23 Captain Gardner Banks of Company H was promoted to major. He was the brother of Major General Nathaniel Banks
June 25-July 1

Seven days before Richmond
June 25

Oak Grove, near Fair Oaks
June 30

White Oak Swamp and Glendale

Colonel Powell T. Wyman was killed while leading a charge by a shot to the chest that pierced an artery.
July 1 & August 5

Malvern Hill
July 14 1st Lieutenant Thomas R. Tannatt, USA, was appointed colonel of the 16th Massachusetts.
August 10 – 15 Duty at Harrison’s Landing
August 15-26 Movement to Fortress Monroe, then to Centreville
August 27 Bristoe Station, Kettle Run
August 29

Battle of Groveton
August 30
Second Battle of Bull Run, or Manassas
September 1

Battle of Chantilly
September 2 Duty at Fort Lyon and at Fairfax Station, Defenses of Washington
September 30 Major Banks was promoted to lieutenant colonel.
October 30 At Munson’s Hill
November 2 At Fairfax Station
November 10-12 Operations on the Orange & Alexandria Railroad
December

Rappahannock Campaign
December 12-15

Battle of Fredericksburg
December 29 Colonel Tannatt was transferred to command the 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery. Lieutenant Colonel Banks was promoted to colonel.
1863
January 20-24

“Mud March”
January – April At Falmouth
April 27-May 6

Chancellorsville Campaign
May 1-5

Battle of Chancellorsville
June 11-July 24

Gettysburg Campaign
July 1-3

Battle of Gettysburg

The 16th Massachusetts was commanded at Gettysburg by Lieutenant Colonel Waldo Merriam until he was wounded on July 2. Capt. Matthew Donovan then took over the regiment. The regiment brought 307 men to the field, losing 15 killed, 53 wounded and 13 missing.
July 23

Wapping Heights, Va,
October 9-22

Bristoe Campaign
September 2 Colonel Banks was discharged for disability due to inflammatory rheumatism, chronic diarrhea, and malarial poisoning.
November 7-8 Advance to the Rappahannock
November 7

Kelly’s Ford
November 26-
December 2

Mine Run Campaign
November 27

Payne’s Farm
1864
February 6-7 Demonstration on the Rapidan
March Assigned to 1st Brigade, 4th Division, 2nd Army Corps
February – May Duty near Brandy Station
May Assiged to 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Army Corps
May-June

Rapidan Campaign
May 5-7

Battle of the Wilderness
May 8-10 The regiment was detailed along with the 8th New Jersey Infantry Regiment and the 26th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment to guard an ammunition train.
May 11-21

Battle of Spottsylvania Court House

May 12

Assault on the Salient, Spottsylvania Court House
May 19

Harris’ Farm (Fredericksburg Road)
May 23-26

North Anna River
May 23-24 Ox Ford
May 26-28 On line of the Pamunkey
May 28-31

Totopotomoy
June 1-12

Cold Harbor
June 16-18

First Assault on Petersburg
June 16-July 11

Siege of Petersburg
June 22-23

Jerusalem Plank Road
July 11 Left front for muster out. Veterans and Recruits were transferred to the 11th Massachusetts Infantry.
July 27, The 16th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment mustered out