Pursuit of Jackson up the Shenandoah Valley

Operations in Shenandoah Valley

Battle of Winchester

The regiment was in the rearguard May 24-25.

Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia

Battle of Cedar Mountain

Fords of the Rappahannock

Second Battle of Bull Run (Second Manassas)

Guarded supply and ammunition trains during the battle and was not engaged.

Battle of Antietam

The regiment lost 12 men killed and 51 wounded, including Lieutenant Colonel Wilder Dwight, who was mortally wounded, and Captain Francis and Lieutenants Crowninshield and Mills, who were wounded. Captain Robert Gould Shaw was also lightly wounded in the neck, an incident that is shown in the movie, Glory. Collis’ Independent Pennsylvania Company of Zouaves d’Afrique was attached to the regiment for the battle.

From the first War Department marker to Gordon’s Brigade in The Cornfield on the Antietam battlefield:

Gordon’s Brigade formed line at daybreak on the Hoffman farm and advanced in a southerly direction in support of Hooker’s Corps.

The 107th New York was detached to support Cothran’s Battery and the 13th New Jersey was held in reserve. The Brigade formed on either side of Ransom’s Battery on the high ground due east of D. R. Miller’s, where it repulsed an assault of Hood’s Division and its support and, moving south through the Cornfield, changed front to the right and took position behind the ridge parallel to the Hagerstown Pike, where it remained until it was relieved by the advance of Sedgwick’s Division and withdrawn to the East Woods.

From the second War Department marker to Gordon’s Brigade on the Antietam battlefield:

Immediately after the withdrawal of Gordon’s Brigade to the East Woods, after being relieved by Sedgwick’s Division, it was ordered to the support of that Division in the West Woods.

The 13th New Jersey and 2nd Massachusetts advanced into this road – the former north and the latter south of this point – where they encountered such a destructive fire from the enemy that they were compelled to retire to the East Woods. Later in the day, the 13th New Jersey advanced into the woods west of the Dunkard Church and took position on the right of Greene’s Division.

< See the Official Report of Colonel Andrews for the 2nd Massachusetts at Antietam >

Duty at Maryland Heights

“Mud March”

At Stafford Court House

Captain Robert Gould Shaw left the regiment to become colonel of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry (the subject of the film, Glory.)

Chancellorsville Campaign

Battle of Chancellorsville

Battle of Brandy Station

Commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Charles R. Mudge.

Gettysburg Campaign

Battle of Gettysburg

The 2nd Massachusetts Infantry Regiment was commanded at Gettysburg by Lieutenant Colonel Charles R. Mudge, who was killed leading the regiment in a desperate charge. He questioned the command but remarked, “it is murder, but it’s an order.”

Text from the monument near Spangler’s Spring at Gettysburg:

From the hill behind this monument on the morning of July 3, the Second Mass. Inf. made an assault upon the Confederate troops in the works at the base of Culps Hill opposite. The regiment carried to the charge 22 officers and 294 enlisted men. It lost 4 officers and 41 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 8 officers and 84 enlisted men wounded. To perpetuate the honored memories of that hour the survivors of the Regiment have raised this stone. 1879.

Lieut. Col. Charles R. Mudge, Captain Thomas B. Fox, Captain Thomas R. Robeson, Lieut. Henry V.D. Stone. Color bearers – Leavitt C. Durgin, Rupert J. Sadler, Stephen Cody. First Sergeant Alonzo J. Babcock, Sergeant William H. Blunt. Corporals Charles Burdett, Theodore S. Butters, Jeremiah S. Hall, Patrick Heoy, Ruel Whittier, Gordon S. Wilson. Privates Samuel T. Alton, George M. Baily, Henry C. Ball, Wallace Bascom, John Briggs, Jr., David B. Brown, William T. Bullard, James A. Chase, Peter Conlan, John Derr, James T. Edmunds, William H. Ela, John E. Farrington, Silas P. Foster, Willard Foster, Joseph Furber, Fritz Goetz, Daniel A Hatch, John J. Jewett, John Joy, Charles Kiernan, William Marshall, Frederick Maynard, Andrew Nelson, Rufus A. Parker, Philo H. Peck, Sidney S. Prouty, Richard Seavers, Charles Trayner, David L. Wade

Battle of Resaca

New Hope Church

Gilgal or Golgotha Church

Assault on Kenesaw

Peach Tree Creek

Siege of Atlanta

Occupation of Atlanta

March to the sea

Siege of Savannah

Campaign of the Carolinas

Battle of Bentonville