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38th USCT Infantry

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Muster In: Organized in Virginia January 23, 1864.1
Muster Out: Mustered out January 25, 1867.2

Commander(s):
Colonel Robert M. Hall
Commander Image

Lieutenant Colonel Dexter E. Clapp
Commander Image

Captain John H. Joost
Commander Image

Commander 4
Commander Image

First Offensive Order of Battle: Portsmouth, Va.3

Second Offensive Order of Battle:

Portsmouth, Va. (June 19-?, 1864)5

Unattached | Army of the James | Union Army (June ?-30, 1864)6

  • Commander:
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons: Enfield Rifles (.58 caliber) (June 30, 1864)7
  • Note: The 38th USCT appears on the June 30, 1864 order of battle as “unattached, Army of the James,” so it must have arrived from Portsmouth, VA at some point in late June 1864, but I do not yet have an exact date.8

Third Offensive Order of Battle: Unattached | Army of the James | Union Army9,10

  • Commander: Lieutenant Colonel Dexter E. Clapp (July 31, 1864)11
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Third Division | XVIII Corps | Army of the James | Union Army12

  • Commander: Lieutenant Colonel Dexter E. Clapp (August 31, 1864)13
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: The 38th USCT had only seven (7) companies at this time.14

Fifth Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Third Division | XVIII Corps | Army of the James | Union Army15,16

  • Commander:
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Sixth Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Third Division | XVIII Corps | Army of the James | Union Army17,18

  • Commander: Captain John H. Joost (October 31, 1864)19
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle:

Second Brigade | Third Division | XVIII Corps | Army of the James | Union Army (November 1-December 3, 1864)20

First Brigade | Third Division | XXV Corps | Army of the James | Union Army (December 3-31, 1864)21

  • Commander: Lieutenant Colonel Dexter E. Clapp (December 31, 1864)22
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: On December 3, 1864, the X Corps and XVIII Corps of the Army of the James were reorganized into the XXIV Corps and the XXV Corps.

Eighth Offensive Order of Battle: First Brigade | First Division | XXV Corps | Army of the James | Union Army23,24

  • Commander: Colonel Robert M. Hall (January 31 & February 28, 1865)25,26
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: At some point, apparently in December and probably due to the First Fort Fisher Expedition, the First and Third divisions of the XXV Corps switched places.  The old First Division under Brigadier General Charles A. Paine became the new Third Division and was mostly sent on the First Fort Fisher Expedition.  The old Third Division, under Brigadier General Edward A. Wild, became the new First Division and remained at the Siege of Petersburg.

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle: First Brigade | First Division | XXV Corps | Army of the James | Union Army27,28

  • Commander: Colonel Robert M. Hall (March 31, 1865)29
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Dyer’s/Sifakis’ Compendium Info:
Siege of Petersburg Battles30:

  • Duty at Norfolk and Portsmouth, Va., until June, 1864.
  • Operations against Petersburg, and Richmond June, 1864, to April, 1865.
  • Battle of Chaffin’s Farm, New Market Heights, September 29-30.
  • Deep Bottom October 1.
  • Battle of Fair Oaks October 27-28.
  • Duty in trenches north of James River before Richmond until April, 1865.
  • Occupation of Richmond April 3, 1865.
  • Duty in the Dept. of Virginia until May.

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. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    4. Volume 14 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 38th United States Colored Troops Entry, Page 96; 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. ↩
    5. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    6. 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. 552 ↩
    7. Volume 14 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 38th United States Colored Troops Entry, Page 96; 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. 552 ↩
    9. 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 268 ↩
    10. 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 738 ↩
    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 738 ↩
    12. 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 622: “Organization of the Army of the Potomac…August 31, 1864” ↩
    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 622: “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 2 (Serial Number 88), page 622: “Organization of the Army of the Potomac…August 31, 1864” ↩
    15. 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. 1304. ↩
    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 136: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (September-October 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 467: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)” ↩
    18. 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 151: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces…Fair Oaks and Darbytown Road, Va., October 27-28, 1864” ↩
    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 467: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)” ↩
    20. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    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 1126: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 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 1126: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864) ↩
    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 336: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865) ↩
    24. 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 750: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 1865) ↩
    25. 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 336: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865) ↩
    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 750: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 1865) ↩
    27. 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 579: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 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 95), page 596: “Return of casualties in the Union Forces commanded by Lieut. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, March 29-April 9, 1865” ↩
    29. 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 579: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865) ↩
    30. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩

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