The 51st Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was a

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation. In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...

infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

that served in the Union Army during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. The regiment was assigned to Major General John G. Foster's

Department of North Carolina Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

, later designated as the XVIII Corps. While based in

New Bern, North Carolina New Bern, formerly Newbern, is a city in Craven County, North Carolina, United States, and its county seat. It had a population of 31,291 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is located at the confluence of the Neuse River, Neuse a ...

, the 51st Massachusetts took part in several expeditions involving numerous units from Foster's command and were engaged in the Battle of Kinston, the Battle of White Hall and the Battle of Goldsborough Bridge, among other engagements.

History

The Fifty-first Regiment was organized at

Worcester Worcester may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Worcester, England, a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England ** Worcester (UK Parliament constituency), an area represented by a Member of Parliament * Worcester Park, London, Engl ...

September 25 to October 30, 1862,Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System
of the

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(retrieved on 2009 December 8) refers to it as "51st Regiment, Massachusetts Infantry (Militia)." during which time

Thomas Wentworth Higginson Thomas Wentworth Higginson (December 22, 1823May 9, 1911), who went by the name Wentworth, was an American Unitarianism, Unitarian minister, author, Abolitionism, abolitionist, politician, and soldier. He was active in abolitionism in the United ...

became a captain in the unit. November 25–30, the unit moved to

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

, and from there to

Attachments

* 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Department of North Carolina, until December 1862. * Amory's Brigade, Department of North Carolina, until January 1863. * 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 18th Army Corps, Department of North Carolina, until June 1863. * 8th Army Corps in the Middle Department until July 1863. * Temporarily to the 1st Army Corps, Army Potomac, July 1863.

Service

* Foster's Expedition to Goldsborough, North Carolina, December 11–20, 1862. ** Battle at Kinston December 14. ** Battle at Whitehall in North Carolina December 16. ** Battle at Goldsborough Bridge December 17. * Duty at Newberne until March 1863. * Expedition to Trenton, Pollocksville, Young's Cross Roads and Onslow, January 17–21, 1863. * Companies "A," "B," "C," "D," "H," "I," "K" guard and outpost duty by detachments on railroad between Newberne and

Morehead City Morehead City is a port city in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 8,661 at the 2010 census. Morehead City celebrated the 150th anniversary of its founding on May 5, 2007. It forms part of the Crystal Coast. Hi ...

, March 2 to May 4. * Companies "A" and "C" at Morehead City. * Company "C" at

Fort Macon A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Lati ...

March 30 to May 5. "B," "D," "H" and "I" at Newport. "K" at Evans' Mills. "E" and "F" at Beaufort and "G" at Brice's Ferry. Headquarters at

Beaufort, North Carolina Beaufort ( , different from that of Beaufort, South Carolina) is a town in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States, and its county seat. Established in 1713 and incorporated in 1723, Beaufort is the fourth oldest town in North Carolina ( ...

. * Moved to Newberne May 4, and duty there till June 24. * Moved to

Fort Monroe, Virginia Fort Monroe is a former military installation in Hampton, Virginia, at Old Point Comfort, the southern tip of the Virginia Peninsula, United States. It is currently managed by partnership between the Fort Monroe Authority for the Commonwealth ...

, thence to

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...

June 24–28. * Moved to

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the List of United States ...

, June 29-July 1. * Moved to Monocacy Junction,

Frederick Frederick may refer to: People * Frederick (given name), the name Given name Nobility = Anhalt-Harzgerode = * Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Harzgerode (1613–1670) = Austria = * Frederick I, Duke of Austria (Babenberg), Duke of Austria fro ...

and Sandy Hook July 6–7. * Occupation of

Harper's Ferry, West Virginia Harpers Ferry is a historic town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 269 at the 2020 United States census. Situated at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers in the lower Shenandoah Valley, where ...

, July 8. * March to

Funkstown, Maryland Funkstown is a town in Washington County, Maryland, United States. The population was 904 at the 2010 census. History Originally were sold to Henry Funk by Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore in 1754 and settled as ''Jerusalem''. The Civi ...

, July 12–13, and join 1st Army Corps. Pursuit of Lee. * March to Berlin July 15–17. * Moved to Worcester, July 17–21. Mustered out July 27, 1863. Records show that no members of the 51st were killed in battle, but 44 enlisted men died of disease in the nine months service.Fox, William F., Lt.-Col., 'Regimental Losses in the American Civil War, 1861-1865', Albany, N.Y., 1889, p. 471.

References

Citations

Sources

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External links

The Civil War in the East: 51st Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment

* ttps://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/51st_Regiment,_Massachusetts_Infantry_(Militia) FamilySearch: 51st Regiment, Massachusetts Infantry (Militia)
Civil War Index: 51st Massachusetts Infantry in the Civil War

CivilWarTalk: 51st Massachusetts
* * * {{American Civil War , expanded=CTCBS Units and formations of the Union army from Massachusetts Military units and formations established in 1862 1862 establishments in Massachusetts Military units and formations disestablished in 1863