9th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
Encyclopedia
The 9th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was a military unit from Boston, Massachusetts, USA, part of the Army of the Potomac
during the American Civil War
. It is also known as "The Fighting Ninth". It existed from 1861 to 1864 and participated in several key battles during the war. The unit is an Irish heritage unit, with many volunteers having been born in Ireland.
in Boston recruiting primarily Irish-Americans. Initial funding for the regiment came from Patrick Donahoe
, publisher of The Boston Pilot
. Initially sheltered at Boston's Faneuil Hall
, they later camped at Long Island in Boston Harbor.
On 30 June 1861, the unit arrived in the Washington, D.C.
vicinity and was welcomed by President Abraham Lincoln
. They remained in the vicinity of Arlington Virginia
performing picket duty and built a fort on the Potomac River
called Fort Cass
after their commanding officer. As a unit of the Army of the Potomac under the command of Major General George B. McClellan
, the regiment moved south with the rest of the Army in pursuit of the confederate forces.
On 26 June 1862 the regiment participated in the Battle of Mechanicsville, about six miles from Richmond Virginia which resulted in a Union Army
victory and more than 2,000 Confederate casualties. The next day the regiment was assigned to hold the bridge over the mill creek in the action that later became known as the Battle of Gaines Mill. The regiment was told to hold the bridge pending the arrival of two supporting regiments. The support troops were delayed in their arrival and the Ninth Regiment successfully repelled several Confederate assaults on the bridge. The supporting troops eventually arrived, but by this point the opposing forces had built their strength and the Ninth was unable to hold the bridge. Eventually the Confederate forces led by General James Longstreet
and General Ambrose Powell Hill, broke the Union line forcing the Union Army into retreat. The Ninth Regiment brought up the rear of the retreat fighting a rearguard action against the opposing forces. The Union Army lost 6,000 killed or wounded in this battle and the Ninth’s casualties totaled 252 men.
The Ninth participated in the Battle of Malvern Hill
on 1 July 1862 as part of the Peninsular Campaign waged by the Union Army intending to capture the city of Richmond. The Ninth Regiment held the hill and prepared it to withstand a siege by the Confederate Army. Supported by five gun boats on the nearby James River
, and benefiting from favorable geography and extensive defensive preparations, the Union Army withstood repeated charges inflicting heavy casualties on the Southern forces. It was in this battle that Colonel Cass received a mortal wound in his face and mouth that eventually took his life. When Colonel Cass fell in battle, command of the Ninth was assumed by Acting Lieutenant Colonel Hawley. Colonel Hawley was subsequently wounded in the same action, and command fell to Acting Major, Captain O’Leary. The unit’s casualties were very heavy; along with losing their two top commanders, roughly half the regiment was put out of action, totaling 166 men. Colonel Cass died in Boston Massachusetts on 12 July 1862 and was buried with full military honors at Mt Auburn cemetery. Today, a statue of the Colonel stands in the Boston Public Garden
.
Following the death of its commander, Colonel P.R. Guiney took command of the regiment on 4 August 1862. At this point the Ninth took its place in the newly formed Army of Virginia
under the command of General John Pope
. The regiment participated in the Second Battle of Bull Run
, which resulted in a decisive defeat for the Northern Army. News of the defeat at Bull Run so shook the inhabitants of Washington DC that plans were made to abandon the city before the arrival of the Confederate Army. At his urging, General George Brinton McClellan was given command of the Army of the Potomac and led the army to Antietam Creek
near Sharpsburg, Maryland
on 17 September 1862 where they successfully engaged General Robert E. Lee
’s army.
The regiment subsequently played supporting roles in the Battle of Fredericksburg
and the Battle of Chancellorsville
. On July 2–4, 1863 the regiment was assigned to hold the strategically important position of Big Round Top
during the Battle of Gettysburg
. With the help of substantial stone breastwork, the regiment successfully withstood several assaults by the Confederate Army, taking casualties of 15 killed, wounded, or missing.
The regiment received orders on 30 April 1864 to meet the enemy under the command of General Ulysses S. Grant
. The regiment participated in the Battle of the Wilderness
in Virginia which resulted in the wounding of Colonel Guiney in the eye. Command of the regiment fell to Lieutenant Colonel Hanley. Along with Colonel Guiney, the regiment suffered casualties of 138 men.
It suffered more severe losses at the Orange Turnpike, losing 78 men killed and wounded. The regiment continued to fight at North Anna River and Bethesda Church near Cold Harbor with light losses. On June 10, 1864, the Fighting 9th withdrew from the field and was transported to Boston Harbor, arriving on June 15. The regiment was mustered out of the Army on June 24, 1864.
Following the battle, the Ninth's three years of service was completed. Men whose terms of service had not yet expired were transferred to the Thirty-second Massachusetts Veteran Volunteers, and the Ninth returned to Boston on 15 June 1864. Following a welcoming parade and banquet at Faneuil Hall, the men of the regiment were mustered out in a ceremony on Boston Common
on 21 June 1864 and the regiment was disbanded.
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. It is also known as "The Fighting Ninth". It existed from 1861 to 1864 and participated in several key battles during the war. The unit is an Irish heritage unit, with many volunteers having been born in Ireland.
History
The Ninth Regiment was created on 11 June 1861 under the command of Colonel Thomas CassThomas Cass
Colonel Thomas Cass founded and was commander of the 9th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry of the Union Army, which saw extensive service in the American Civil War. Cass was wounded at the Battle of Malvern Hill and died shortly after from his wounds in Boston, Massachusetts...
in Boston recruiting primarily Irish-Americans. Initial funding for the regiment came from Patrick Donahoe
Patrick Donahoe
Patrick Donahoe was a publisher who founded influential magazines for the Irish Catholic community in his adopted country....
, publisher of The Boston Pilot
The Pilot (newspaper)
The Pilot is the official newspaper of the Archdiocese of Boston and claims the title of "America's Oldest Catholic Newspaper", having been in continuous publication since its first issue on September 5, 1829...
. Initially sheltered at Boston's Faneuil Hall
Faneuil Hall
Faneuil Hall , located near the waterfront and today's Government Center, in Boston, Massachusetts, has been a marketplace and a meeting hall since 1742. It was the site of several speeches by Samuel Adams, James Otis, and others encouraging independence from Great Britain, and is now part of...
, they later camped at Long Island in Boston Harbor.
On 30 June 1861, the unit arrived in the Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
vicinity and was welcomed by President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
. They remained in the vicinity of Arlington Virginia
Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The land that became Arlington was originally donated by Virginia to the United States government to form part of the new federal capital district. On February 27, 1801, the United States Congress organized the area as a subdivision of...
performing picket duty and built a fort on the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
called Fort Cass
Fort Cass
Fort Cass, established in 1835, was an important site during the Cherokee removal known as the Trail of Tears. Located on the Hiwassee River in present-day Charleston, Tennessee, it housed a garrison of United States troops and watched over the largest concentration of internment camps where...
after their commanding officer. As a unit of the Army of the Potomac under the command of Major General George B. McClellan
George B. McClellan
George Brinton McClellan was a major general during the American Civil War. He organized the famous Army of the Potomac and served briefly as the general-in-chief of the Union Army. Early in the war, McClellan played an important role in raising a well-trained and organized army for the Union...
, the regiment moved south with the rest of the Army in pursuit of the confederate forces.
On 26 June 1862 the regiment participated in the Battle of Mechanicsville, about six miles from Richmond Virginia which resulted in a Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
victory and more than 2,000 Confederate casualties. The next day the regiment was assigned to hold the bridge over the mill creek in the action that later became known as the Battle of Gaines Mill. The regiment was told to hold the bridge pending the arrival of two supporting regiments. The support troops were delayed in their arrival and the Ninth Regiment successfully repelled several Confederate assaults on the bridge. The supporting troops eventually arrived, but by this point the opposing forces had built their strength and the Ninth was unable to hold the bridge. Eventually the Confederate forces led by General James Longstreet
James Longstreet
James Longstreet was one of the foremost Confederate generals of the American Civil War and the principal subordinate to General Robert E. Lee, who called him his "Old War Horse." He served under Lee as a corps commander for many of the famous battles fought by the Army of Northern Virginia in the...
and General Ambrose Powell Hill, broke the Union line forcing the Union Army into retreat. The Ninth Regiment brought up the rear of the retreat fighting a rearguard action against the opposing forces. The Union Army lost 6,000 killed or wounded in this battle and the Ninth’s casualties totaled 252 men.
The Ninth participated in the Battle of Malvern Hill
Battle of Malvern Hill
The Battle of Malvern Hill, also known as the Battle of Poindexter's Farm, took place on July 1, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, on the seventh and last day of the Seven Days Battles of the American Civil War. Gen. Robert E. Lee launched a series of disjointed assaults on the nearly impregnable...
on 1 July 1862 as part of the Peninsular Campaign waged by the Union Army intending to capture the city of Richmond. The Ninth Regiment held the hill and prepared it to withstand a siege by the Confederate Army. Supported by five gun boats on the nearby James River
James River (Virginia)
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is long, extending to if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million...
, and benefiting from favorable geography and extensive defensive preparations, the Union Army withstood repeated charges inflicting heavy casualties on the Southern forces. It was in this battle that Colonel Cass received a mortal wound in his face and mouth that eventually took his life. When Colonel Cass fell in battle, command of the Ninth was assumed by Acting Lieutenant Colonel Hawley. Colonel Hawley was subsequently wounded in the same action, and command fell to Acting Major, Captain O’Leary. The unit’s casualties were very heavy; along with losing their two top commanders, roughly half the regiment was put out of action, totaling 166 men. Colonel Cass died in Boston Massachusetts on 12 July 1862 and was buried with full military honors at Mt Auburn cemetery. Today, a statue of the Colonel stands in the Boston Public Garden
Boston Public Garden
The Public Garden, also known as Boston Public Garden, is a large park located in the heart of Boston, Massachusetts, adjacent to Boston Common.-History:...
.
Following the death of its commander, Colonel P.R. Guiney took command of the regiment on 4 August 1862. At this point the Ninth took its place in the newly formed Army of Virginia
Army of Virginia
The Army of Virginia was organized as a major unit of the Union Army and operated briefly and unsuccessfully in 1862 in the American Civil War. It should not be confused with its principal opponent, the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by Robert E...
under the command of General John Pope
John Pope (military officer)
John Pope was a career United States Army officer and Union general in the American Civil War. He had a brief but successful career in the Western Theater, but he is best known for his defeat at the Second Battle of Bull Run in the East.Pope was a graduate of the United States Military Academy in...
. The regiment participated in the Second Battle of Bull Run
Second Battle of Bull Run
The Second Battle of Bull Run or Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of an offensive campaign waged by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia against Union Maj. Gen...
, which resulted in a decisive defeat for the Northern Army. News of the defeat at Bull Run so shook the inhabitants of Washington DC that plans were made to abandon the city before the arrival of the Confederate Army. At his urging, General George Brinton McClellan was given command of the Army of the Potomac and led the army to Antietam Creek
Antietam Creek
Antietam Creek is a tributary of the Potomac River located in south central Pennsylvania and western Maryland in the United States, a region known as the Hagerstown Valley...
near Sharpsburg, Maryland
Sharpsburg, Maryland
Sharpsburg is a town in Washington County, Maryland, United States, approximately south of Hagerstown. The population was 691 at the 2000 census....
on 17 September 1862 where they successfully engaged General Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
’s army.
The regiment subsequently played supporting roles in the Battle of Fredericksburg
Battle of Fredericksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, between General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside...
and the Battle of Chancellorsville
Battle of Chancellorsville
The Battle of Chancellorsville was a major battle of the American Civil War, and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville Campaign. It was fought from April 30 to May 6, 1863, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, near the village of Chancellorsville. Two related battles were fought nearby on...
. On July 2–4, 1863 the regiment was assigned to hold the strategically important position of Big Round Top
Big Round Top
Big Round Top is a boulder-strewn hill notable as the topographic high point of the Gettysburg Battlefield and for 1863 American Civil War engagements for which Medals of Honor were awarded...
during the Battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
. With the help of substantial stone breastwork, the regiment successfully withstood several assaults by the Confederate Army, taking casualties of 15 killed, wounded, or missing.
The regiment received orders on 30 April 1864 to meet the enemy under the command of General Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
. The regiment participated in the Battle of the Wilderness
Battle of the Wilderness
The Battle of the Wilderness, fought May 5–7, 1864, was the first battle of Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Virginia Overland Campaign against Gen. Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. Both armies suffered heavy casualties, a harbinger of a bloody war of attrition by...
in Virginia which resulted in the wounding of Colonel Guiney in the eye. Command of the regiment fell to Lieutenant Colonel Hanley. Along with Colonel Guiney, the regiment suffered casualties of 138 men.
It suffered more severe losses at the Orange Turnpike, losing 78 men killed and wounded. The regiment continued to fight at North Anna River and Bethesda Church near Cold Harbor with light losses. On June 10, 1864, the Fighting 9th withdrew from the field and was transported to Boston Harbor, arriving on June 15. The regiment was mustered out of the Army on June 24, 1864.
Following the battle, the Ninth's three years of service was completed. Men whose terms of service had not yet expired were transferred to the Thirty-second Massachusetts Veteran Volunteers, and the Ninth returned to Boston on 15 June 1864. Following a welcoming parade and banquet at Faneuil Hall, the men of the regiment were mustered out in a ceremony on Boston Common
Boston Common
Boston Common is a central public park in Boston, Massachusetts. It is sometimes erroneously referred to as the "Boston Commons". Dating from 1634, it is the oldest city park in the United States. The Boston Common consists of of land bounded by Tremont Street, Park Street, Beacon Street,...
on 21 June 1864 and the regiment was disbanded.
See also
- List of Massachusetts Civil War units
- Massachusetts in the Civil WarMassachusetts in the Civil WarThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts played a significant role in national events prior to and during the American Civil War. Massachusetts dominated the early antislavery movement during the 1830s, motivating activists across the nation. This, in turn, increased sectionalism in the North and South,...