Organized at Newport News, Va., December, 1861, from 1st Battalion Massachusetts Infantry (7 Cos.) and 3 new Companies ("F," "G" and "H") organized December 13-17, 1861, which joined Regiment at Newport News, Va., January 17, 1862. Attached to Newport News, Va., Dept. of Virginia, to May, 1862. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Dept. of Virginia, to June, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 2nd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to December, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to April, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Army Corps, Dept. of the Ohio, to June, 1863. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 9th Army Corps, Army of the Tennessee, to August, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Army Corps, Dept. of the Ohio, to March, 1863. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 5th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, May to June, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to July, 1864. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Army Corps, to September, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Army Corps, to July, 1865.

SERVICE:
Duty at Newport News, Va., till May, 1862. Sinking of the "Cumberland" and "Congress" by the Merrimac March 8, 1862. Battle between "Monitor" and "Merrimac" March 9. Occupation of Norfolk and Portsmouth May 10. Duty there till June 2. Moved to Suffolk, thence to Portsmouth and White House Landing June 6-7. March to Fair Oaks June 8. Near Seven Pines June 15. Fair Oaks June 24. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Gaines' Mill June 27. Sappony Church and Savage Station June 29. White Oak Swamp and Glendale June 30. Malvern Hill July 1. At Ball's Bluff till August 16. Movement to Fortress Monroe, thence to Alexandria and Centreville August 16-30. Cover retreat of Pope's army from Bull Run August 31-September 1. Battle of Antietam, Md., September 16-17. At Harper's Ferry, W. Va., till October 29. Advance up Loudoun Valley and movement to Falmouth October 29-November 19. Battle of Fredericksburg December 12-15. "Mud March" January 20-24, 1863. Moved to Newport News February 12-14, thence moved to Kentucky March 21-26. Duty at Paris, Ky., till April 26. Moved to Nicholasville, Lancaster and Stanford April 27-29. March to Somerset May 6-8. Movement through Kentucky to Cairo, Ill., June 4-10; thence to Vicksburg, Miss., June 14-17. Siege of Vicksburg June 17-July 4. Advance on Jackson, Miss., July 4-10. Siege of Jackson July 10-17. At Milldale till August 12. Moved to Covington, Ky., August 12-23. Burnside's Campaign in East Tennessee August to October. Action at Blue Springs October 10. At Lenois till November 14. Knoxville Campaign November-December. Campbell's Station November 16. Siege of Knoxville November 17-December 4. Pursuit of Longstreet December 7-28. Operations in East Tennessee till March, 1864. Veterans march to Nicholasville, Ky., March 21-31; thence moved to Covington, Ky.; Cincinnati, Ohio, and to Boston, Mass., March 31-April 9. On furlough till May 16. Moved to Washington, D. C.; thence to Belle Plain, Va., March 16-20. Joined Army of the Potomac May 28. Non-Veterans attached to 36th Massachusetts Infantry February 1 to May 16. Rapidan Campaign May-June. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Bethesda Church June 1-3. Before Petersburg June 15-19. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30, 1864. Weldon Railroad August 18-21. Peebles' Farm, Peeble's Farm, September 29-October 2. Reconnoissance on Vaughan and Squirrel Level Roads October 8. Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher's Run, October 27-28. Fort Stedman March 25, 1865. Assault on and fall of Petersburg April 2. Occupation of Petersburg April 3. Moved to Washington, D. C., April 21-28. Grand Review May 23. Provost duty at Washington and Alexandria till July. Mustered out July 29, 1865.
Regiment lost during service 4 Officers and 53 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 4 Officers and 95 Enlisted men by disease. Total 156.