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21st Massachusetts Infantry

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Muster In: Organized at Worcester July 19 to August 19, 1861.1

Muster Out:  Non-Veterans left front August 18 and mustered out August 30. 1864. Veterans and Recruits transferred to 36th Massachusetts Infantry October 21, 1864.2

Commander(s):
Captain William H. Clark
WilliamHClark21stMA3

Captain Orange S. Sampson
OrangeSSampson21stMA4

Lieutenant William H. Sawyer
Commander Image

Commander 4
Commander Image

First Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | First Division | IX Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army5

Second Offensive Order of Battle: First Brigade | First Division | IX Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army 8

Third Offensive Order of Battle: First Brigade | First Division | IX Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army12,13

  • Commander: Captain William H. Clark (July 31, 1864)14
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle: First Brigade | First Division | IX Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army15,16

  • Commander: Captain Orange S. Sampson (August 31, 1864)17
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: The 21st Massachusetts had only three (3) companies at this time.18,19

Fifth Offensive Order of Battle: First Brigade | Second Division | IX Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army20,21

  • Commander:
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: The 21st Massachusetts had three (3) companies at this time.22

Sixth Offensive Order of Battle: First Brigade | Second Division | IX Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army23,24

  • Commander: Lieutenant William H. Sawyer (October 31, 1864)25
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Veterans and Recruits transferred to 36th Massachusetts Infantry October 21, 1864.26
  • Note: The 21st Massachusetts had three (3) companies during the Battle of Boydton Plank Road on October 27-28, 1864 and probably throughout this offensive.  More research is needed.27

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle:

  • No longer an independent command.28

Eighth Offensive Order of Battle:

  • No longer an independent command.28

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle:

  • No longer an independent command.28

Dyer’s/Sifakis’ Compendium Info:
Siege of Petersburg Battles31:

  • Before Petersburg June 16-18.
  • Siege of Petersburg June 16-October 21.
  • Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30.
  • Non-Veterans left front August 18 and mustered out August 30. 1864.
  • Weldon Railroad August 18-21.
  • Poplar Springs Church, Peeble’s Farm, September 29-October 2.
  • Veterans and Recruits transferred to 36th Massachusetts Infantry October 21, 1864.

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. William H. Clark image.  MOLLUS-Mass Civil War Photograph Collection, Vol. 95, 4877.  United States Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle, PA. ↩
    4. Orange S. Sampson image.  MOLLUS-Mass Civil War Photograph Collection, Vol. 104, Page 5356.  United States Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle, PA. ↩
    5. 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. 228 ↩
    6. Volume 13 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 21st Massachusetts Entry, Page 85; 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. ↩
    7. Volume 13 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 21st Massachusetts Entry, Page 85; 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. ↩
    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. 549 ↩
    9. 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. 549 ↩
    10. Volume 13 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 21st Massachusetts Entry, Page 85; 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. ↩
    11. Volume 13 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 21st Massachusetts Entry, Page 85; 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. ↩
    12. 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 259 ↩
    13. 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 734 ↩
    14. 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 734 ↩
    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 616: “Organization of the Army of the Potomac…August 31, 1864” ↩
    16. 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 126: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (August 1864)” ↩
    17. 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 616: “Organization of the Army of the Potomac…August 31, 1864” ↩
    18. 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 616: “Organization of the Army of the Potomac…August 31, 1864” ↩
    19. 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 126: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (August 1864)” ↩
    20. 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. 1301. ↩
    21. 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 142: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (September-October 1864)” ↩
    22. 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 142: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (September-October 1864)” ↩
    23. 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 463: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)” ↩
    24. 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 158: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces…Boydton Plank Road, Va., October 27-28, 1864” ↩
    25. 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 463: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)” ↩
    26. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    27. 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 158: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces…Boydton Plank Road, Va., October 27-28, 1864” ↩
    28. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    29. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    30. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    31. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩

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