Draw the Sword

A Fighting 300 Regiment

Location: Emmitsburg Road

Order of Battle: 3d Corps, 2nd Division, 1st Brigade

Number Engaged: 384; 16 killed, 83 wounded, 21 missing

Commander: Lt. Col. Clark B. Baldwin (1819-1890)

Raised: Norfolk and Suffolk counties.

Monument Specifications: Atop a rough granite base is a large Third Corps diamond symbol carved with a relief depicting a soldier holding his rifle as he steps over a split-rail fence along Emmitsburg Road. The monument indicated the general position held by the 1st Massachusetts Infantry while supporting its skirmish line at about 6:30 P.M. on July 2, 1863.

Dedication Date: Installed June 30, 1886. Dedicated July 2, 1886.

Sculptor/Artist/Company: Smith Granite Company, fabricator.

Main Inscription: WITH MALICE TOWARD NONE, WITH CHARITY FOR ALL/ON/JULY 2, 1863/FROM 11 AM UNTIL 6:30 PM/THE FIRST REGIMENT/MASS. VOL. INF./LT. COL. CLARK B. BALDWIN COMMANDING/OCCUPIED THIS SPOT IN SUPPORT OF ITS SKIRMISH LINE/800 FT. IN ADVANCE, THE REG. SUBSEQUENTLY TOOK/POSITION IN THE BRIGADE LINE AND WAS ENGAGED UNTIL THE CLOSE OF THE ACTION/CASUALTIES/KILLED 18, DIED OF WOUNDS 9/WOUNDED 80, PRISONERS 15/TOTAL 122/LET US HAVE PEACE/FIRST BRIG. SECOND DIV./THIRD CORPS

Other Monuments and Memorials: Marker in the fields west of Emmitsburg Road, north east of Rogers Farm site. Denotes the 1st Massachusetts’ skirmish line.

Supplemental Materials: After Action Report of Lieut. Col Clark B. Baldwin (will open a pop up window).

Regimental History ~ Dyer’s Compendium of the War of the Rebellion:

Organized at Boston and mustered in Companies “A,” “B,” “G” and “H” May 23; Companies “D,” “F,” “K” and “I” May 24; Company “E” May 25, and Company “C” May 27, 1861. Left State for Washington, D.C., June 15, arriving June 17. Attached to Richardson’s Brigade, Tyler’s Division, McDowell’s Army of Northeast Virginia, to August, 1861. Hooker’s Brigade, Division of the Potomac, to October, 1861. 1st Brigade, Hooker’s Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1864. 1st Brigade, 4th Division, 2nd Army Corps, to May, 1864.

SERVICE.–Duty at Camp Banks, Georgeton, D.C., until July 16, 1861. Advance on Manassas, Va., July 16-21. Occupation of Fairfax Court House July 17. Battle of Bull Run July 21. At Fort Albany until August 15. Moved to Bladensburg August 15 and duty there until September 7. Expedition to Lower Maryland September 7-October 7. Moved to Posey’s Plantation October 25-27. Duty there and at Shipping Point until April 5, 1862. Affair at Mattawoman Creek November 14, 1861. Ordered to Fortress Monroe, Va., April 7, 1862; thence to Yorktown. Siege of Yorktown April 16-May 4. Affair at Yorktown April 26 (Cos. “A,” “H” and “I”). Battle of Williamsburg May 5. Battle of Fair Oaks, Seven Pines, May 31-June 1. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Battles of Oak Grove June 25; Savage Station June 29; White Oak Swamp and Glendale June 30; Malvern Hill July 1. At Harrison’s Landing until August 15. Movement to Fortress Monroe, thence to Centreville August 15-26. Bristoe Station or Kettle Run August 27. Catlett’s Station August 28. Battles of Groveton August 29 and Bull Run August 30. Duty in the Defences of Washington until December –. At Fort Lyon until Sep tember 13. Near Fairfax Seminary until October 20 and at Munson’s Hill until November 1. Duty at Fairfax Station November 2-25. Operations on Orange & Alexandria Railroad November 10-12. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. “Mud March” January 20-24, 1863. At Falmouth until April 27. Operations at Rappahannock Bridge and Grove Church February 5-7. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5. Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 11-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg July 1-3. Pursuit of Lee until July 24. Moved to New York July 30-August 1. Duty at Governor’s Island Ricker’s Island and David’s Island, New York Harbor until October 15. Moved to Washington October 15 thence to Union Mills, Va., and rejoin Corps October 17. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Kelly’s Ford November 7. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Payne’s Farm November 27. Duty near Brandy Station until May, 1864. Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6-7. Rapidan Campaign May 3-20. Battles of the Wilderness May 5 7; Spottsylvania May 8-12; Spottsylvania Court House May 12-21. Assault on the Salient at Spottsylvania Court House May 12. Harris Farm or Fredericksburg Road May 19. Ordered home for muster out May 20 Veterans and Recruits transferred to 11th Massachussetts Infantry May 20. Mustered out May 25, 1864. Expiration of term. Regiment lost during service 8 Officers and 134 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 78 Enlisted men by disease. Total 221.