The Unattached Militia Infantry Companies
(Volunteer Militia)
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Unit History
90 DAYS
Thirteen companies of Massachusetts militia were called out and mustered into the United States service during April and May, 1864, to do guard and garrison duty at forts and military posts on or near the eastern coast of the State for the period of ninety days. Eight of these companies had been raised and organized as units of the Independent Division of Militia, a home guard division, authorized by Chapter 243 of the Acts of 1863, while the remaining five, as the schedule below will show, were detached from already existing regiments of Massachusetts Volunteer Militia. These companies were mustered out of the service in August, 1864, and their stations occupied in many cases by unattached companies recruited for one hundred days.
100 DAYS
Nine companies of Massachusetts militia were recruited up to the minimum standard and mustered into the United States service in July and August, 1864, for one hundred days, to take the places of the ninety days companies whose terms of enlistment were to expire in August. Six of these companies had for their nuclei companies belonging to existing regiments of the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, one, the 21st, was a unit of the Independent Division of Militia, while two, the 16th and 19th, were new companies.
The 16th was raised largely in East Boston by John F. Croft, under Special Order No. 694, dated July 8, 1864, and the 19th was raised in Milford and vicinity by Dixwell H. Clark, under Special Order No. 713, dated July 12, 1864.These one hundred days companies were mustered out in November, 1864, and their places taken in most cases by unattached companies enlisted for one year.
1 YEAR
hen the terms of service of the one hundred days companies were drawing to a close General Order No. 40 was issued from the Adjutant General's office, dated October 21, 1864, the following being the text of the order:
"Commanding Officers of Companies of One Hundred Days Troops belonging to Massachusetts, now doing Garrison duty at the Forts on the Coast, are hereby authorized to re-enlist their commands for One Year's service, unless sooner discharged, for said Garrison duty. The Companies will be filled to the maximum by new enlistments, to take the place of those who refuse to re-enlist."
In response to this order six of the one hundred days companies were recruited up to the minimum standard and re-mustered for one year's service during November and December, 1864, and four new companies were enlisted for the same period, many of the recruits having served in unattached companies, one hundred days or in one hundred days regiments. In fact, the 27th Unattached Company, One Year, might be said to have been a reorgamzation of Co. "C", 8th Regiment, One Hundred Days. The 24th, 25th, 26th, and most of the men of the 27th Companies were mustered into the United States service during the month of December, 1864.As the war was practically at an end before May 1, 1865, none of the one year companies served its full term of enlistment. All, except the 2d Company, were mustered out in May and June, 1865, and the 2d Company on the 7th of July.
- 1st Unattached Company Infantry - Mustered in for 90 days' service April 29, 1864. Duty at Fort Independence, Boston Harbor. Mustered out August 1, 1864.
- 2nd Unattached Company Infantry - Mustered in for 90 days' service May 3, 1864. Duty at Eastern Point, Gloucester, until August 6. Reenlisted for 100 days and mustered in August 7, 1864. Stationed at Gallop's Island, Boston Harbor, until November. Again enlisted for one year and mustered in November 16, 1864. At Gallop's Island, Boston Harbor, until July, 1865. Mustered out July 7, 1865.
- 3rd Unattached Company Infantry - Mustered in for 90 days' service May 3, 1864, and on duty at Fort Pickering, Salem, Mass. Mustered out August 5, 1864.
- 4th Unattached Company Infantry - Organized at Readville, Mass., and mustered in for 90 days' service May 3, 1864. On duty at Fort Clark's Point, New Bedford. Mustered out August 6, 1864.
- 5th Unattached Company Infantry - Organized at Readville, Mass., and mustered in for 90 days' service May 4, 1864. Duty at Camp Meigs, Readville, and at Beach Street Barracks. Mustered out August 2, 1864.
- 6th Unattached Company Infantry - Organized at Readville and mustered in for 90 days' service May 4, 1864. Duty at Readville. Mustered out August 2, 1864.
- 7th Unattached Company Infantry - Organized at Readville and mustered in for 90 days' service May 4, 1864. Duty at Gallop's Island, Boston Harbor. Mustered out August 5, 1864.
- 8th Unattached Company Infantry - Organized at Readville and mustered in for 90 days' service May 10, 1864. At Gallop's Island, Boston Harbor, until August. Mustered out August 11, 1864.
- 9th Unattached Company Infantry - Organized at Readville and mustered in for 90 days' service May 10, 1864. Stationed at Gallop's Island, Boston Harbor. Mustered out August 11, 1864.
- 10th Unattached Company Infantry - Organized at Readville and mustered in for 90 days' service May 10, 1864. Stationed at Fort Warren, Boston Harbor. Mustered out August 8, 1864.
- 11th Unattached Company Infantry - Organized at Readville and mustered in for 90 days' service May 16, 1864. Duty at Forts Sewall and Eastern Point, Gloucester, and at Marblehead, Mass. Mustered out August 15, 1864.
- 12th Unattached Company Infantry - Organized at Readville and mustered in for 90 days' service. Duty at Long's Point, Provincetown. Mustered out August 15, 1864.
- 13th Unattached Company Infantry - Organized at Readville and mustered in for 90 days' service May 16, 1864. Duty at Fort Clark's Point, New Bedford, Mass. Mustered out August 15, 1864.
- 14th Unattached Company Infantry - Unavailable
- 15th Unattached Company Infantry - Organized at Readville and mustered in for 90 days' service July 29, 1864. Stationed at Fort Warren, Boston Harbor. Mustered out November 15, 1864.
- 16th Unattached Company Infantry - Organized at Readville and mustered in for 90 days' service August 6, 1864. Duty at Gallop's Island, Boston Harbor. Mustered out November 14, 1864.
- 17th Unattached Company Infantry - Organized at Readville and mustered in for 90 days' service August 5, 1864. Duty at Fort Pickering, Salem, Mass. Mustered out November 12, 1864. Again mustered in for one year at Salem. Mustered out June 30, 1865.
- 18th Unattached Company Infantry - Organized at Readville and mustered in for 100 days August 6, 1864. Duty at Camp Meigs, Readville. Mustered out November 14, 1864. Reenlisted and mustered in for one year December 6, 1864. Duty at Camp Meigs, Readville. Mustered out May 12, 1865.
- 19th Unattached Company Infantry - Organized at Readville and mustered in for 100 days August 9, 1864. Stationed at Fort Warren, Boston Harbor. Mustered out November 16, 1864. Reorganized and mustered in for one year November 25, 1864. Stationed at Fort Winthrop. Mustered out June 27, 1865.
- 20th Unattached Company Infantry - Organized at Readville and mustered in for 100 days August 11, 1864. Stationed at Fort Sewall, Marblehead, Mass. Mustered out November 18, 1864. Again mustered in for one year November 17, 1864. Stationed at Salisbury Beach. Mustered out June 29, 1865.
- 21st Unattached Company Infantry - Organized at Readville and mustered in for 100 days August 11, 1864. Stationed at Long's Point, Provincetown. Mustered out November 18, 1864. Reorganized at Fall River, Mass., for one year, and mustered in November 23, 1864. Stationed at Provincetown. Mustered out June 28, 1865.
- 22nd Unattached Company Infantry - Organized at Readville and mustered in for 100 days' service August 18, 1864. Duty at Camp Meigs, Readville. Mustered out November 2, 1864.
- 23rd Unattached Company Infantry - Organized at Readville and mustered in for 100 days August 18, 1864. Duty at Camp Meigs, Readville. Mustered out November 26, 1864.
- 24th Unattached Company Infantry - Organized at Plymouth and mustered in for one year's service December 16-22, 1864. Duty at Camp Meigs, Readville. Mustered out May 12, 1865.
- 25th Unattached Company Infantry - Organized at Salem and mustered in for one year's service December 9, 1864. Stationed at Fort Miller, Marblehead. Mustered out June 29, 1865.
- 26th Unattached Company Infantry - Organized at New Bedford and mustered in for one year's service December 13, 1864. Duty at Camp Meigs, Readville. Mustered out May 12, 1865.
