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1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery

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Note: The 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery served as an infantry unit throughout the Siege of Petersburg.

Muster In: Organized as 14th Massachusetts Infantry July 5, 1861. Designation changed to 1st Heavy Artillery January 1, 1862.1
Muster Out: August 16, 18652

Commander(s):
Major Nathaniel Shatswell
Commander Image

Captain Abiel S. Rhodes
Commander Image

Captain Frank Davis
Commander Image

Commander 4
Commander Image

First Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Third Division | II Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army3,4

Second Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Third Division | II Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army6,7

Third Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Third Division | II Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army10,11

  • Commander: Major Nathaniel Shatswell (July 31, 1864)12
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Third Division | II Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army13,14]

  • Commander: Major Nathaniel Shatswell (August 31, 1864)15
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Fifth Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Third Division | II Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army16,17

Sixth Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Third Division | II Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army19,20

  • Commander: Major Nathaniel Shatswell (October 31, 1864)21
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Third Division | II Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army22,23

  • Commander: Major Nathaniel Shatswell (December 31, 1864)24
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: This regiment participated in Warren’s Stony Creek, or “Apple Jack” Raid to Belfield and Hicksford, Virginia in mid-December 1864.25

Eighth Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Third Division | II Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army26,27,28

  • Commander:
    • Captain Abiel S. Rhodes (January 31, 1865)29
    • Captain Frank Davis (February 28, 1865)30
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: This unit is listed in the casualty returns for the Battle of Hatcher’s Run, February 5-7, 1865, implying it was present during the Eighth Offensive and the battle.31

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Third Division | II Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army32,33

  • Commander: Major Nathaniel Shatswell (March 31, 1865)34
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Dyer’s/Sifakis’ Compendium Info:
Siege of Petersburg Battles35:

  • Before Petersburg June 16-19.
  • Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865.
  • Jerusalem Plank Road June 22-23, 1864.
  • Deep Bottom July 27-28.
  • Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30 (Reserve).
  • Strawberry Plains August 14-18.
  • Peeble’s Farm September 29-October 2.
  • Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher’s Run, October 27-28.
  • Expedition to Weldon Railroad December 7-12.
  • Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Rain, February 5-7, 1865.
  • Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9.
  • Crow’s House March 31.
  • Fall of Petersburg April 2.
  • Sailor’s Creek April 6.
  • High Bridge, Farmville, April 7.
  • Appomattox Court House April 9.
  • Surrender of Lee and his army.

Bibliography:

    Siege of Petersburg Documents Which Mention This Unit:

    Sources:

    1. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    2. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    3. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), p. 222 ↩
    4. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), p. 544 ↩
    5. Volume 13 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery Entry, Page 90; Summary Statements of Quarterly Returns of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores on Hand in Regular and Volunteer Army Organizations, 1862-1867, 1870-1876. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M1281, Roll 7); Records of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, 1797-1969, Record Group 156; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C. ↩
    6. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), p. 222 ↩
    7. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), p. 544 ↩
    8. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), p. 544 ↩
    9. Volume 13 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery Entry, Page 90; Summary Statements of Quarterly Returns of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores on Hand in Regular and Volunteer Army Organizations, 1862-1867, 1870-1876. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M1281, Roll 7); Records of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, 1797-1969, Record Group 156; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C. ↩
    10. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), page 253 ↩
    11. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 3 (Serial Number 82), page 731 ↩
    12. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 3 (Serial Number 82), page 731 ↩
    13. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 2 (Serial Number 88), page 614: “Organization of the Army of the Potomac…August 31, 1864” ↩
    14. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 1 (Serial Number 87), page 118: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (August 1864)” ↩
    15. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 2 (Serial Number 88), page 614: “Organization of the Army of the Potomac…August 31, 1864” ↩
    16. Sommers, Richard J. “Grant’s Fifth Offensive at Petersburg: A Study in Strategy, Tactics, and Generalship.  The Battle of Poplar Spring Church, the First Battle of the Darbytown Road, the Second Battle of the Squirrel Level Road, the Second Battle of the Darbytown Road (Ulysses S. Grant, Virginia).” Doctoral Thesis. Rice University, 1970. Print. p. 1299. ↩
    17. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 1 (Serial Number 87), page 139: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (September-October 1864)” ↩
    18. Volume 15 (Ordnance Returns for the Third Quarter, July-September, 1864); 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery Entry, Page 84; Summary Statements of Quarterly Returns of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores on Hand in Regular and Volunteer Army Organizations, 1862-1867, 1870-1876. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M1281, Roll 7); Records of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, 1797-1969, Record Group 156; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C. ↩
    19. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 459: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)” ↩
    20. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 1 (Serial Number 87), page 154: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces…Boydton Plank Road, Va., October 27-28, 1864” ↩
    21. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 459: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)” ↩
    22. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 1116: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864) ↩
    23. Calkins, Chris. “The Apple Jack Raid: For This Barbarism There Was No Real Excuse.” Blue & Gray Magazine Summer 2005: 18-25 (OOB on page 60). ↩
    24. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 1116: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864) ↩
    25. Calkins, Chris. “The Apple Jack Raid: For This Barbarism There Was No Real Excuse.” Blue & Gray Magazine Summer 2005: 18-25 (OOB on page 60). ↩
    26. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 326: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865) ↩
    27. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 740: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 1865) ↩
    28. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 96), page 64: “Return of Casualties in the Union forces at Hatcher’s Run (otherwise known as Dabney’s Mill, Armstrong’s Mill, Rowanty Creek, and Vaughan Road)… (February 5-7, 1865)” ↩
    29. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 326: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865) ↩
    30. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 740: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 1865) ↩
    31. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 96), page 64: “Return of Casualties in the Union forces at Hatcher’s Run (otherwise known as Dabney’s Mill, Armstrong’s Mill, Rowanty Creek, and Vaughan Road)… (February 5-7, 1865)” ↩
    32. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 568: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865) ↩
    33. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 584: “Return of casualties in the Union Forces commanded by Lieut. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, March 29-April 9, 1865” ↩
    34. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 568: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865) ↩
    35. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩

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