United States Regiments & Batteries > Vermont > 16th Vermont Infantry Regiment
The 16th Vermont Volunteer Infantry Regiment mustered 968 men during the American Civil War. It lost 16 enlisted men killed and 1 officer and 7 enlisted men mortally wounded. One officer and 48 enlisted men died of disease and 1 man died in Confederate prison. Eighty seven men were wounded and 4 taken prisoner.
The regiment is honored by a monument on the Gettysburg battlefield.
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1862
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| August 26 – September 20 |
The regiment was recruited in Windsor and Windham Counties in response to President Lincoln’s call for more men on August 4..
Organization of the regiment
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| September 27 | Company officers met at Bellows Falls to elect field officers:
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| October 9 | The Regiment rendezvoused at Brattleboro. |
| October 23 | The 16th Vermont Infantry Regiment mustered in 949 officers and men for nine months United States service. |
| October 24-27 | Left Vermont for Washington, D.C. and camped at East Capital Hill. Attached to 2nd Brigade, Casey’s Division, Military District of Washington. |
| October 30 | Marched to Munson Hill. |
| November 5 | Moved to Hunting Creek, at Camp Vermont. |
| December 12 | Picket duty near Fairfax Court House. |
| December 28 | Captain Joseph C. Sawyer of Company H resigned. |
| December 29 |
Defence of Fairfax Court House from Stuart’s Cavalry |
| January 7 | First Lieutenant Elmer D. Keyes’ was promoted to Captain of Company H. |
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1863
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| January 3 | Captain Samuel Hutshinson of Company K resigned. |
| January 20 | At Fairfax Station |
| January 24 | Second Lieutenant William Danforth was promoted to Captain of Company K. |
| February | Attached to 2nd Brigade, Casey’s Division, 22nd Army Corps |
| March 24 | Posted to Union Mills |
| April | Transferred to 2nd Brigade, Abercrombie’s Division, 22nd Corps 4/17 |
| June 1 | Moved to Bristoe Station, Catlett’s Station and Manassas |
| June 15 | Returned to Union Mills |
| June 25 |
March to GettysburgAttached to 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 1st Corps, Army of the Potomac and took position as rear guard to the army on the march north. |
| June 27 | Crossed the Potomac River at Edward’s Ferry and continued north through Frederick City and Creagerstown. |
| July 1-3 |
Battle of GettysburgThe 16th Vermont Infantry Regiment was commanded at Gettysburg by Colonel Wheelock Veazey and brought 661 men to the field, one of the largest regiments in the battle. It reached the battlefield after dark on July 1 and camped in a wheatfield near Cemetery Hill. On July 2 it moved to reinforce picket lines along Cemetery Ridge, helping to turn back the Confederate assault in the afternoon. On July 3 the regiment played an important part in breaking up and turning back Pickett’s Charge, wheeling out of its defensive line to flank Kemper’s Brigade of Virginians just before it reached the Copse of Trees. After cutting up Kemper with close range musketry it wheeled about and struck Wilcox’s Brigade of Alabamans, capturing hundreds of prisoners. Major General Abner Doubleday, commanding the First Corps since Reynolds was killed, “waved his hat and shouted, ‘Glory to God, glory to God! See the Vermonters go it!” From the monument to the 16th Vermont at Gettysburg:Participated near this point in action of July 2nd. Picketed this line that night – held same as skirmishers until attacked by Pickett’s Division, July 3rd. Rallied here and assaulted his flank to the right 400 yards – then changing front charged left flank of Wilcox’s and Perry’s brigades. At this point – captured many hundred prisoners and two stands of colors. The regiment lost 16 men killed, 102 wounded and 1 man captured. Captain Henry A. Eaton of Company A was wounded, and Private Samuel B. Lincoln of Company I was captured and died in Confederate captivity. Killed
Mortally Wounded
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| July 4-14 |
Pursuit of Lee. Marched to Catoctin mountain and then to Middletown, Maryland. Then marched through Boonesboro to Williamsport, then to Harpers Ferry and to Petersville, near Berlin. Brigadier General Stannard had been wounded in Pickett’s Charge and Colonel Veazey took command of the brigade as senior colonel. |
| July 13 |
Skirmish with Confederate picketsA detail of 150 men skirmished with Confederates, losing two men wounded. |
| July 18-20 | The regiment was ordered to return to Vermont to muster out at the end of its term of service. It moved by rail from Berlin to Baltimore, then continued to New York City, where it spent several days on guard duty against draft rioters. |
| Late July | Returned to Brattleboro, Vermiont. |
| August 10 | The 16th Vermont Infantry Regiment mustered out. |
Colonel Wheelock Veazey was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the battle. The citation reads: “Rapidly assembled his regiment and charged the enemy’s flank; charged front under heavy fire, and charged and destroyed a Confederate brigade, all this with new troops in their first battle.”