Battle of Roanoke Island

Commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Maggi, the regiment lost 5 enlisted men killed and 2 officers and 37 enlisted men wounded

Battle of New Berne

Battle of Camden, South Mills

Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia

Battle of Groveton

Second Battle of Bull Run

Battle of Chantilly

The battle was fought in a blinding thunderstorm. After running into Confederate positions in a woods and taking casualties, the regiment was ordered to the center of the line by General Kearny. The skirmishers quickly came under heavy fire and Colonel Clark halted his advance. General Kearny rode up and demanded the advance resume. When told that the woods ahead was full of rebels he refused to believe it and rode forward to prove he was right, only to be shot down.

The Confederates then attacked, nearly surrounding the 21st Massachusetts. After everyone around him was shot Colonel Clark moved forward through the Confederate attackers, taking three bullet holes in his clothes but evading capture. He was missing and reported dead, with his obituary published in his hometown newspaper and his wife telegraphing to ask that his body be found and returned to Massachusetts. Four days later he returned to the regiment, reassuring his wife he would return his body in person.

Maryland Campaign

Battle of South Mountain

Battle of Antietam

The 21st Massachusetts Infantry Regiment was commanded by Colonel William S. Clark and totaled about 150 men.

From the monument on the Antietam battlefield near Burnside’s Bridge:

The following Comrades were killed near this bridge:
2nd Lieut. Henry C. Holbrook

Co. D  Priv. Wm. B. Boynton
”     ”     ”     Amos S. Eastman
Co. E  Corp. Henry K. Buss
”    ”   Priv. Geo. T. Bigelow
Co. G  Corp. Jas. S. Stratton
”    ”   Priv. Daniel Daley
”     I  Priv. Chas. Leonard
Co. K 1st Sergt. Geo. W. Davis
”    ”   Priv. Chas. S. Brigham
and 35 other wounded

From the War Department marker for Ferrero’s Brigade at Burnside’s Bridge:

On the morning of the 17th Ferrero’s Brigade was in position about a half mile northeast of this point on the Rohrback Farm. About 9 A.M. it moved to the left and, after several changes of position, was ordered to carry the bridge. The 51st Pennsylvania and the 51st New York were formed under cover of the hill overlooking this point; skirmishers were thrown forward to the stone fence above the bridge and behind fences and trees along the stream below it; and, under cover of the fire from the Federal Artillery, the two Regiments charged down the hill, carried the bridge and formed, under cover of the bluff, in the road beyond it. The 35th Massachusetts, closely supported by the 21st Massachusetts, followed and ascended the bluff on the right where, later in the day, it was joined by the remainder of the Brigade and led the advance to the Otto farm lane, where it became severely engaged and lost heavily in killed and wounded.

Late at night the Brigade was relieved by Welsh’s Brigade of Willcox’s Division and fell back to the banks of the Antietam.

From the War Department marker for Ferrero’s Brigade on Branch Avenue:

After Ferrero’s Brigade carried the stone bridge it formed under cover of the high ground north of it. Nagle’s Brigade formed on its left. Willcox’s, Scammon’s and Rodman’s Divisions formed in advance of them and moved on Sharpsburg. On the repulse and retirement of the three Divisions, Ferrero and Nagle advanced to check Confederate pursuit. The left and center of Ferrero’s Brigade halted under cover of the crest of the ridge beyond the ravine, the right (35th Massachusetts) continued its advance to Otto’s lane, 270 yards distant, and engaged the Confederates posted on this line behind the stone walls right and left of it and in the 40 acre cornfield south. The engagement continued into the night, Ferrero’s Brigade suffering much loss, the principal part of which fell to the 35th Massachusetts, which had 214 officers and men killed and wounded.

Battle of Fredericksburg

“Mud March”

Moved to Covington, Kentucky

Operations in East Tennessee

Knoxville Campaign

Siege of Knoxville

Campbell’s Station

Pursuit of Longstreet

Campaign from the Rapidan to the James

Battle of the Wilderness

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House

Ny River

Assault on the Salient

North Anna River

Totopotomoy

Battle of Cold Harbor

First Assault on Petersburg

Siege of Petersburg

Mine Explosion, Petersburg

Poplar Springs Church, Peeble’s Farm