39th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry

The 39th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

Service

The 39th Massachusetts Infantry was organized at Lynnfield, Massachusetts August 13 through September 2, 1862 and mustered in for a three-year enlistment under the command of Colonel Phineas Stearns Davis.

The regiment was attached to Grover's Brigade, Defenses of Washington, to February 1863. Jewett's Independent Brigade, XXII Corps, Department of Washington, to May 1863. District of Washington, XXII Corps, to July 1863. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, I Corps, Army of the Potomac, to March 1864. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, V Corps, to June 1864. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, V Corps, to September 1864. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, V Corps, to June 1865.

The 39th Massachusetts Infantry mustered out of service at Washington, D.C. on June 1, 1865.

Detailed service

Left Massachusetts for Washington, D.C., September 6. Duty in the defenses of Washington from Fort Tillinghast to Fort Craig, until September 14, 1862. Guarded the Potomac River from Edward's Ferry to Conrad's Ferry and Seneca Creek until October 20. At Muddy Branch until November 10. At Offutt's Cross Roads, Md., until December 21, and at Poolesville, Md., until April 15, 1863. Moved to Washington, D.C., April 15-17, serving guard and patrol duty there until July 9. Moved to Harpers Ferry and Maryland Heights July 9-10, then to Funkstown, Md., July 12-13. Pursuit of Lee, July 14-27. Duty along the Rapidan until October. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Advanced to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Rappahannock Station November 7. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Duty on the Orange & Alexandria Railroad until May 1864. Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6-7. Rapidan Campaign May-June. Battle of the Wilderness May 5-7. Laurel Hill May 8. Spotsylvania May 8-12. Spotsylvania Court House May 12-21. Assault on the Salient May 12. North Anna River May 23-26. Jericho Ford May 23. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Bethesda Church June 1-3. White Oak Swamp June 13. Before Petersburg June 16-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864 to April 2, 1865. Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30, 1864 (reserve). Weldon Railroad August 18-21. Reconnaissance toward Dinwiddie Court House September 15. Warren's Raid on Weldon Railroad December 7-12. Dabney's Mills February 5-7, 1865. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Davis Farm near Gravelly Run March 29. White Oak Road March 31. Five Forks April 1. Fall of Petersburg April 2. Pursuit of Lee April 3-9. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. At Black and White Station until May 1. Moved to Manchester, then marched to Washington, D.C., May 1-15. Grand Review of the Armies May 23.

Casualties

The regiment lost a total of 279 men during service; 5 officers and 91 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, and 183 enlisted men died of disease.

Commanders

• Colonel Phineas Stearns Davis - mortally wounded July 7, 1864 while in the works at Petersburg
• Lieutenant Colonel Charles L. Peirson
• Lieutenant Colonel Henry M. Tremlett - wounded in action at the Battle of White Oak Road
• Captain Joseph J. Cooper - commanded the regiment after Ltc Tremlett was wounded in action

See also

• List of Massachusetts Civil War Units
• Massachusetts in the American Civil War

References

• Dusseault, John E. Company E, Thirty-Ninth Infantry in the Civil War (Somerville, MA: Somerville Journal Print), 1908.
• Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion (Des Moines, IA: Dyer Pub. Co.), 1908.
• Roe, Alfred Seelye. The Thirty-Ninth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers, 1862-1865 (Worcester, MA: Regimental Veteran Association), 1914.
• This article contains text from a text now in the public domain: Dyer, Frederick H. (1908). A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. Des Moines, IA: Dyer Publishing Co.