15th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment

15th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment
State of Massachusetts · Public domain · source
Unit name	15th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment
Dates	July 1861 – July 1864
Country	United States
Allegiance	Union
Branch	Infantry
Type	Regiment
Size	~1,000 (initial)
Nickname	"Worcester Regiment"
Battles	American Civil War
Notable commanders	John W. Kimball, George H. Ward

15th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment. The 15th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was a key Union Army regiment raised from Worcester County during the American Civil War. Mustered into federal service in July 1861, the regiment served with distinction in the Eastern Theater as part of the Army of the Potomac. It participated in many of the war's bloodiest battles before its three-year term expired, with its surviving veterans mustering out in July 1864.

Organization and early service

The 15th Massachusetts was organized at Camp Scott in Worcester under the authority of the War Department. Its initial field officers included Colonel John W. Kimball, Lieutenant Colonel John W. Kimball, and Major George H. Ward. The regiment departed Massachusetts in August 1861, traveling to Washington, D.C. where it was initially assigned to the brigade of General Charles P. Stone within the Corps of Observation. Its first significant posting was along the Potomac River, where it engaged in picket duty and skirmishes near Ball's Bluff.

Major engagements and campaigns

The regiment's baptism by fire came at the Battle of Ball's Bluff in October 1861, a disastrous Union defeat where it suffered heavy losses. Assigned to the Second Corps of the Army of the Potomac, the 15th Massachusetts fought in the Peninsula Campaign at the Siege of Yorktown and the Battle of Fair Oaks. It endured horrific casualties during the Seven Days Battles, particularly at the Battle of Glendale. The regiment was heavily engaged at the Battle of Antietam in September 1862, and later that year faced devastating losses in the urban fighting of the Battle of Fredericksburg. It also fought at the Battle of Chancellorsville and reached its tragic apex at the Battle of Gettysburg, where it was decimated during fighting on July 2 near the Wheatfield.

Casualties and strength over time

The 15th Massachusetts earned a grim reputation as one of the hardest-fighting and most bloodied units from the state. From an initial muster of approximately 1,000 officers and men, the regiment's ranks were continually depleted by combat, disease, and capture. Its single costliest day was at Antietam, where it suffered over 50% casualties. By the time of the Battle of Gettysburg, its numbers had dwindled dramatically. Total regimental losses exceeded 250 men killed or mortally wounded in action, with hundreds more wounded. Disease claimed additional lives, and many soldiers were captured, notably at Ball's Bluff and later during the Overland Campaign.

Commanders and notable members

Colonel John W. Kimball commanded the regiment from its formation until after the Battle of Antietam. He was succeeded by Colonel George H. Ward, a popular officer who was mortally wounded on the first day at Gettysburg. Other commanding officers included Colonel George C. Joslin. Notable members included Private John L. Rice, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for capturing a Confederate flag at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House. The regiment also counted among its ranks Alonzo H. Cushing, who would later transfer and earn fame at Gettysburg with Battery A, 4th U.S. Artillery.

Legacy and memorials

The sacrifice of the 15th Massachusetts is commemorated by several monuments on key battlefields. A prominent regimental monument stands on the Gettysburg Battlefield at the site of its desperate stand in the Wheatfield. Another memorial is located at Antietam National Battlefield. The regiment's service is documented in its published history, *The History of the Fifteenth Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry*, and its veterans were active in the Grand Army of the Republic. The unit's flags and artifacts are preserved by the Worcester Historical Museum, honoring its legacy as the "Worcester Regiment."

Category:Massachusetts Civil War regiments Category:1861 establishments in Massachusetts