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34th Massachusetts Infantry

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Muster In: Organized at Worcester August 1, 1862.1
Muster Out: June 16, 1865.2

Commander(s):
Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Potter
AndrewPotter34thMA3

Captain Lyman W. Van Loan
LymanWVanLoan34thMA4

Captain Frank T. Leach
FrankTLeach34thMAv104p53755

First Offensive Order of Battle:

Second Offensive Order of Battle:

Third Offensive Order of Battle:

  • Not present at the Siege of Petersburg.10

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle:

  • Not present at the Siege of Petersburg.11

Fifth Offensive Order of Battle:

Sixth Offensive Order of Battle:

  • Not present at the Siege of Petersburg.14

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle:

First Brigade | First Division | Army of West Virginia | Union Army (December 1-24, 1864)15

First Brigade | Independent Division | XXIV Corps | Army of the James | Union Army (December 24-31, 1864)16

  • Commander: Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Potter (December 31, 1864)17
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: This regiment moved to Washington, D.C., thence to Bermuda Hundred, Va., December 19-23.18
  • Note: The 1st Division, Army of West Virginia was temporarily attached to the XXIV Corps, Army of the James on December 24, 1865.19

Eighth Offensive Order of Battle: First Brigade | Independent Division | XXIV Corps | Army of the James | Union Army20,21

  • Commander:
    • Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Potter (January 31, 1865)22
    • Captain Lyman W. Van Loan (February 28, 1865)23
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle: First Brigade | Independent Division | XXIV Corps | Army of the James | Union Army24,25

  • Commander: Captain Frank T. Leach (late March 1865) (March 31, 1865)26,27
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Dyer’s/Sifakis’ Compendium Info:
Siege of Petersburg Battles28:

  • Moved to Washington, D.C., thence to Bermuda Hundred, Va., December 19-23.
  • Siege operations against Richmond and Petersburg December 25, 1864, to April 2, 1865.
  • In trenches north of the James before Richmond until March, 1865.
  • Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9.
  • Assault on and fall of Petersburg April 2.
  • Pursuit of Lee April 3-9.
  • Rice’s Station April 6.
  • 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. Andrew Potter image.  MOLLUS-Mass Civil War Photograph Collection, Vol. 104, Page 5372.  United States Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle, PA. ↩
    4. Lyman W. Van Loan image.  MOLLUS-Mass Civil War Photograph Collection, Vol. 104, Page 5374.  United States Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle, PA. ↩
    5. Frank T. Leach image.  MOLLUS-Mass Civil War Photograph Collection, Vol. 104, Page 5375.  United States Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle, PA. ↩
    6. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    7. Volume 13 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 34th Massachusetts Entry, Page 89; 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. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    9. Volume 13 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 34th Massachusetts Entry, Page 89; 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. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    11. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    12. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    13. Volume 15 (Ordnance Returns for the Third Quarter, July-September, 1864); 34th MAssachusetts Entry, Page 81; 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. ↩
    14. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    15.  A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    16. 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 1125: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864) ↩
    17. 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 1125: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864) ↩
    18.  A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    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 1125: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864) ↩
    20. 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 335: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865) ↩
    21. 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 749: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 1865) ↩
    22. 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 335: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865) ↩
    23. 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 749: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 1865) ↩
    24. 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 578: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865) ↩
    25. 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 595: “Return of casualties in the Union Forces commanded by Lieut. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, March 29-April 9, 1865” ↩
    26. 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 578: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865) ↩
    27. Drake, Janet M. Remember me to all the friends: Civil War Letters from George W. Harwood Massachusetts 36th Regiment. Damianos Publishing, p. 219: George Harwood writes in an undated fragment: “We expect that the 34th Mass will pass through here today they belong to the 24 corps + have been down to Lynchburg Capt Leach is in command of the Regt…” Editor Jan Drake places this as possibly June 17-18, 1864, but this is incorrect because the 24th Corps didn’t exist until December 1864, the 34th Massachusetts was not in the vicinity of Petersburg until just before Christmas 1864, and Leach was not in command of the 34th Massachusetts until March 1865 per returns in the Official Records. I believe this fragment should be dated at some point in late March 1865, probably on March 28-29, 1865 as a good portion of the 24th Corps was passing behind the Union armies around Petersburg to add punch to a left flank attack near Hatcher’s Run.  Harwood would have gotten wind of their near approach to him and set out to meet Leach.  See my original article on Grant’s planning for the Ninth Offensive from March 24-28, 1865 for more details on the movements of Ord’s 24th Corps. I cannot, however, prove this. More research is needed. ↩
    28. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩

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