United States Regiments & Batteries > Massachusetts


The 35th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment lost 10 officers and 138 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 1 officer and 100 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. It is honored by a monument at Burnside’s Bridge at Antietam.

1862
August 1 Organized at Worcester under Colonel Edward A. Wild
August 22 Left State for Washington, D.C. and attached to 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 9th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac
September 6-12 March into Maryland
September 14
Battle of South Mountain

Colonel Wild was wounded, losing his arm. Major Sumner Carruth took over the regiment.

September 16-17
Battle of Antietam

Major Carruth was wounded.

Two members of the 35th Massachusetts received the Medal of Honor for their actions at Antietam. Seargent Marcus M. Haskell of Company C rescued a badly wounded comrade and carried him to safety while wounded and under heavy fire. Private Frank M. Whitman of Company G saved the lives of several comrades and was among the last to leave the field.

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.

September 21 Major Carruth was promoted to lieutenant colonel.
October 27 Duty at Pleasant Valley
October 27-
November 19
Movement to Falmouth, Va.
November 15 Warrenton, Sulphur Springs
December 12-15
Battle of Fredericksburg
1863
January 20-24 “Mud March”
January 25 At Falmouth
February 19 Moved to Newport News, Va.
March 26-30 To Covington, Ky. Attached to Dept. of the Ohio
April 1 Moved to Paris
April 3 To Mr. Sterling
April 24 Colonel Wild was promoted to brigadier general. Lieutenant Colonel Carruth was promoted to colonel.
May 6-7 To Lancaster
May 23 To Crab Orchard
May 25 To Stanford
June 3-14 Movement to Vicksburg, Miss. Attached to Army of the Tennessee
June 14-July 4 Siege of Vicksburg
July 5-10 Advance on Jackson, Miss.
July 10-17 Siege of Jackson
July 18 At Milldale
August 6-14 Moved to Cincinnati, Ohio and attached to Dept. of the Ohio
August 15 At Covington, Ky.
August 18-25 March to Nicholasville
September 9-11 To Crab Orchard
October 2-29 March over Cumberland Mountains to Knoxville, Tenn., then to Lenoir Station
November 4-
December 23
Knoxville Campaign
November 4 – 14 At Lenoir Station
November 16 Campbell’s Station
November 17-
December 4
Siege of Knoxville
December 5-19 Pursuit of Longstreet
1864
December –
March
Operations in East Tennessee
March 20-April 7 Movement to Annapolis, Md. and attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac
May-June Rapidan Campaign
May 5-7
Battle of the Wilderness

Assigned as acting Engineers, 1st Division, 9th Army Corps

May 8-21
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
May 10 Ny River
May 12 Assault on the Salient
May 23-26 North Anna River
May 26-28 On line of the Pamunkey
May 28-31 Totopotomoy
June 1-12
Cold Harbor
June 1-3 Bethesda Church
June 16-18
Before Petersburg
June 16 Siege of Petersburg begins
July Attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Army Corps
July 30 Mine Explosion, Petersburg
August 18-21 Weldon Railroad
September Attached to 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 9th Army Corps
September 29-
October 2
Poplar Springs Church
October 27-28 Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher’s Run
1865
March 25 Fort Stedman
March 28-April 9 Appomattox Campaign
April 2 Assault on and fall of Petersburg
April 3 Occupation of Petersburg
April 4-10 March to Farmville
April 20-28 Moved to City Point, then to Alexandria
May 23 Grand Review
June 9 Mustered out under the command of Colonel Sumner Carruth.
June 27 Discharged from service