The 7th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was an

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...

in the

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

army during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. It was formed on June 15, 1861, in

Taunton Taunton () is the county town of Somerset, England, with a 2011 population of 69,570. Its thousand-year history includes a 10th-century monastic foundation, Taunton Castle, which later became a priory. The Normans built a castle owned by the ...

. Its original commander was

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

Darius N. Couch who would eventually be promoted to command the

II Corps 2nd Corps, Second Corps, or II Corps may refer to: France * 2nd Army Corps (France) * II Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * II Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French ...

of the

Army of the Potomac The Army of the Potomac was the principal Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was created in July 1861 shortly after the First Battle of Bull Run and was disbanded in June 1865 following the surrender of the Confedera ...

and, after that, the

Department of the Susquehanna The Department of the Susquehanna was a military department created by the United States War Department during the Gettysburg Campaign of the American Civil War. Its goal was to protect the state capital and the southern portions of the commonwealt ...

Organization and early duty

The 7th Massachusetts consisted almost entirely of men from

Bristol County, Massachusetts Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in S ...

. The regiment was trained at Camp Old Colony in

Taunton, Massachusetts Taunton is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the county seat, seat of Bristol County. Taunton is situated on the Taunton River which winds its way through the city on its way to Mount ...

. On June 15, 1861, its members were mustered into service."Stevens" On July 11, the 7th Massachusetts left for

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

where it remained encamped until the spring of 1862. For most of that period, the regiment was stationed in Brightwood, now a neighborhood of Washington but, at the time, outside of the urban area of the city. There they worked with other regiments to construct a defensive fortification known as Fort Stevens. The conditions at Fort Stevens were favorable as compared to many winter camps during the Civil War and the regiment had a very low rate of sickness. During their first winter, the command of the 7th Massachusetts changed rapidly. Couch was promoted to the command of their

brigade A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division. Br ...

whereupon

Nelson H. Davis Nelson H. Davis (September 20, 1821 – May 15, 1890) was a general in the United States Army; serving in the Mexican–American War, the American Civil War and in actions against the Apache people in New Mexico. Davis graduated from the United ...

took command of the regiment. Davis was soon transferred to the inspector general's department. Col. Joseph Wheelock of Boston briefly held command but resigned in January 1862. At that time,

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

David Allen Russell David Allen Russell (December 10, 1820 – September 19, 1864) was a career United States Army officer who served in the Mexican–American War and the American Civil War. He was killed in action as a brigadier general in the Union Army. Early l ...

, of the

Regular army A regular army is the official army of a state or country (the official armed forces), contrasting with irregulars, irregular forces, such as volunteer irregular militias, private armies, mercenary, mercenaries, etc. A regular army usually has the ...

was promoted to the colonelcy of the 7th Massachusetts. He would lead the regiment through many major battles and retained command until February 1863.

Peninsular Campaign

Leaving Fort Stevens on March 11, 1862, the 7th Massachusetts was assigned to the

and was shipped via Washington to

Fortress Monroe Fort Monroe, managed by partnership between the Fort Monroe Authority for the Commonwealth of Virginia, the National Park Service as the Fort Monroe National Monument, and the City of Hampton, is a former military installation in Hampton, Virgi ...

. Here,

forces under the command of

Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

George B. McClellan George Brinton McClellan (December 3, 1826 – October 29, 1885) was an American soldier, Civil War Union general, civil engineer, railroad executive, and politician who served as the 24th governor of New Jersey. A graduate of West Point, McCl ...

gathered in preparation for an advance on the

Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...

capital of

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

via the

Virginia Peninsula The Virginia Peninsula is a peninsula in southeast Virginia, USA, bounded by the York River, James River, Hampton Roads and Chesapeake Bay. It is sometimes known as the ''Lower Peninsula'' to distinguish it from two other peninsulas to the ...

. The regiment saw its first combat during the

Battle of Williamsburg The Battle of Williamsburg, also known as the Battle of Fort Magruder, took place on May 5, 1862, in York County, James City County, and Williamsburg, Virginia, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. It was the first pitc ...

and suffered light casualties of one killed and one wounded.Bowen, 170-171. During the Peninsular Campaign, the regiment took part in the

Battle of Fair Oaks The Battle of Seven Pines, also known as the Battle of Fair Oaks or Fair Oaks Station, took place on May 31 and June 1, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, nearby Sandston, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. It was th ...

and the

Battle of Oak Grove The Battle of Oak Grove, also known as the Battle of French's Field or King's School House, took place on June 25, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, the first of the Seven Days Battles ( Peninsula Campaign) of the American Civil War. Maj. Gen. G ...

taking light casualties. After the failure of the Peninsular Campaign, the 7th Massachusetts withdrew with the rest of the Army of the Potomac to Fortress Monroe. On August 31, they were shipped to

northern Virginia Northern Virginia, locally referred to as NOVA or NoVA, comprises several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. It is a widespread region radiating westward and southward from Washington, D.C. Wit ...

.Bowen, 172.

Medal of Honor recipient

* Corporal

Lowell M. Maxham Lowell Mason Maxham (1841–1931) was a recipient of the Medal of Honor for heroism during the American Civil War. Biography Lowell Mason Maxham was born on December 6, 1841 in Carver, Massachusetts. During the Civil War, he joined the Union Ar ...

Notes

References

* * * * * * * * * * * * {{American Civil War , expanded=CTCBS Units and formations of the Union Army from Massachusetts 1861 establishments in Massachusetts Military units and formations established in 1861 Military units and formations disestablished in 1864

Organization and early duty

Peninsular Campaign

Medal of Honor recipient

See also

Notes

References