The Lawrence Rifles were a volunteer Union militia company from

Medford, Massachusetts Medford is a city northwest of downtown Boston on the Mystic River in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. At the time of the 2020 U.S. Census, Medford's population was 59,659. It is home to Tufts University, which has its campus alo ...

that was formed during the American Civil War. It was created by Governor

John A. Andrew John Albion Andrew (May 31, 1818 – October 30, 1867) was an American lawyer and politician from Massachusetts. He was elected in 1860 as the 25th Governor of Massachusetts, serving between 1861 and 1866, and led the state's contributions to ...

on January 27, 1865 and was first made part of the

5th Massachusetts Militia Regiment The 5th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Militia was a peacetime infantry regiment that was activated for federal service in the Union army for three separate tours during the American Civil War. In the years immediately preceding the war and du ...

as Company E, then became Company F. Attorney

Benjamin Franklin Hayes Benjamin Franklin Hayes (July 3, 1836 – January 31, 1901) was an American judge, state representative, and state senator from Medford, Massachusetts. Biography Hayes was born in Berwick, Maine on July 3, 1836, to Frederick and Sarah (Hurd) H ...

was the original commander. It 1874 Lawrence Rifles merged with the Lawrence Light Guard, and the charter was transferred to a Waltham company.Charles Brooks, ''History of the Town of Medford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts,'' (1886) p. 212 (accessed on Google Books)

References

{{reflist Medford, Massachusetts Units and formations of the Union Army from Massachusetts Military units and formations established in 1865 Military units and formations disestablished in 1874 Military units and formations in Massachusetts