Second New Hampshire Infantry Regiment

United States Regiments & Batteries > New Hampshire > Second New Hampshire Infantry Regiment

The Second New Hampshire Infantry Regiment lost 15 officers and 163 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 6 officers and 166 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War.

The regiment is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.

1861
May 31 – June 8 The Second New Hampshire Infantry Regiment was organized at Portsmouth under the command of Colonel Gilman Marston
June 20-23 Moved to Washington, D.C. and attached to Burnside’s Brigade, Hunter’s Division, McDowell’s Army of Northeastern Virginia
July 16-21 Advance on Manassas, Virginia.
July 21

Battle of Bull Run (Manassas)

Colonel Gilman Marston was wounded. Although his arm was shattered he refused to let the doctors amputate, and recovered to return to the regiment. The Second New Hampshire lost seven men killed, seven mortally wounded, 49 wounded, and 46 missing.

A trailside marker on Matthews Hill on the Bull Run battlefield shows where the regiment fought.
Another trailside marker, “A Debt Repaid,”  tells the story of Private John Rice, who was wounded and left for dead after the battle but nursed back to health by local residents Amos and Margaret Benson.
August Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C. At Bladensburg and Budd’s Ferry, Maryland attached to Hooker’s Brigade, Division of the Potomac
October Attached to 1st Brigade, Hooker’s Division, Army of the Potomac
1862
March Attached to 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 3rd Corps, Army of the Potomac
April 4-8

Peninsula Campaign

Moved to the Virginia Peninsula.
April 10-May 4

Siege of Yorktown
May 5

Battle of Williamsburg

Captain Edward L. Bailey of Company I was lightly wounded.
May 6-24 Occupation of Williamsburg
May 31-June 1

Battle of Fair Oaks, Seven Pines
June 23-24 Picket affair
June 25-July 1

Seven days before Richmond
June 25

Oak Grove
June 29

Savage Station
June 30

White Oak Swamp, Charles City Cross Roads and Glendale

Captain Bailey was lightly wounded again.
July 1

Malvern Hill
July-August At Harrison’s Landing
July 26 Captain Bailey of Company I was promoted to major.
August 5 At Malvern Hill
August 16-26 Movement to Centreville
August 26-September 2

Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia
August 27 Bristoe Station or Kettle Run
August 29

Battle of Groveton
August 30

Second Battle of Bull Run (Second Manassas)

The regiment was commanded by Colonel Gilman Marston. It is referenced by a trailside marker along the Unfinished Railroad on the 2nd Bull Run battlefield where it broke into the Confederate lines in a bayonet charge, but was forced to retreat when it was not supported.
September 1

Battle of Chantilly
September-November Duty in the Defenses of Washington
October 10-12 Operations on the Orange & Alexandria Railroad
October 23 Major Bailey was promoted to lieutenant colonel.
November 18-28 Movement to Falmouth, Virginia
November 29 Colonel Marston was promoted to brigadier general.
December 12-15

Battle of Fredericksburg
1863
January 20-24
“Mud March”
February 5-7 Operations at Rappahannock Bridge and Grove Church
February 26 Ordered to Concord, New Hampshire, attached to the Department of the East for duty there and at Fort Constitution, Portsmouth
April 18 Lieutenant Colonel Bailey was promoted to colonel.
May 25-28 Moved to Washington, D.C.
June 11 Moved to Hartwood Church, Va. and attached to 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 3rd Corps, Army of the Potomac. The regiment was issued Gardiner explosive bullets for their Sharps rifles, the only Union regiment that used them.
July 2-4

Battle of Gettysburg

The regiment brought 354 men to the field. It was commanded by Colonel Edward L. Bailey, who was slightly wounded on July 2nd. Captain Joab Patterson of Company H was also wounded.

From the monument at Gettysburg:

Engaged: 24 officers, 330 enlisted men. July 2, 1863. Casualties: Officers 7 killed, 14 wounded; Enlisted men: 18 killed 119 wounded, missing 35

< See Colonel Bailey’s Official Report for the 2nd New Hampshire in the Battle of Gettysburg >
July 11-12 Williamsport
July 22-23 Manassas Gap
July 25 Because of its heavy casualties, the regiment was ordered to Point Lookout, Maryland and duty there guarding prisoners. Attached to Marston’s Command, Point Lookout, Md., District of Saint Marys
1864
April 7 Ordered to Yorktown, Virginia and attached to 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 18th Corps, Army of the James, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina
April 22 To Williamsport
May 4-28 Butler’s operations on south side of James River and against Petersburg and Richmond
May 5 Capture of City Point and Bermuda Hundred
May 6-7 Chester Station
May 9-10 Swift Creek or Arrowfield Church
May 12-16 Operations against Fort Darling
May 14-16

Drury’s Bluff
May 16-27

Bermuda Hundred
May 26 Port Walthal
May 27-June 1 Moved to White House, then to Cold Harbor
June 1-12

Battles about Cold Harbor

The regiment lost 19 men killed and 54 wounded.
June 8 Non-Veterans left front
June 9 The Second New Hampshire Infantry Regiment was detached from the Brigade and assigned to duty at Corps Headquarters attached to Provost Guard, 18th Army Corps
June 15-19

Assault on Petersburg
June 21 223 men mustered out along with Colonel Bailey. 70 men reenlisted as Veterans and, with additional new recruits, the regiment was able to continue.
August 18 Duty in trenches before Petersburg attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 18th Corps
September 1 Ordered to Wilson’s Landing
September 27-28 Expedition to Barnett’s Ferry
October 1 Moved to Aikens Landing. Duty in trenches before Richmond attached to 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 18th Corps
October 27-28

Battle of Fair Oaks
December Attached to 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 24th Corps
1865
January 10 Joab Patterson was promoted to colonel.
March 4-5 Moved to Fort Monroe, Va.
March 18 To White House Landing to establish a depot for General Sheridan’s Cavalry, and duty there
March 24-28 March to lines north of the James
April 3 Occupation of Richmond. Duty there and at Manchester
July Provost duty in District of Northern Neck, Dept. of Virginia
December 19 The Second New Hampshire Infantry Regiment mustered out.