History of the 25th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
1864
25th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
On January 21 the 225 remaining men, under the command of Captain Parkhurst, were ordered to Yorktown. Before they reached their destination, they received orders to continue to Williamsburg. After resting there a few days, the men were distributed among the different companies of the One Hundred and Thirty-ninth New York Regiment, which was part of General Isaac Wistar's Brigade. On February 6 they started on a futile expedition against Richmond. After marching 40 hard miles to the Chickahominy River, they found the bridges were destroyed and returned to Williamsburg. The Twenty-fifth remained there when the rest of the regiment was ordered back to Newport News. On March 2, they were relieved by the Eleventh Connecticut and ordered to Newport News. They reached there on the fourth and met a portion of the regiment which had returned from furlough. On the 26th they went to Portsmouth, meeting the rest of the returning troops with some new recruits. The command was ordered to Camp Wellington near Getty's Station.
On April 13, it took part in an expedition to Smithfield by steamer. They were not involved in the skirmishes against some guerillas there. On the 22nd, orders were received to embark for Plymouth, N. C., which was besieged by the Confederates. Upon reaching Albemarle Sound they learned Plymouth had surrendered, so they returned to camp. On the 26th they were assigned to General Heckman's "Star" Brigade, which consisted of the Ninth New Jersey and the Twenty-third and Twenty-seventh Massachusetts. The next day the command marched to Yorktown.
On the afternoon of May 4 they embarked to near Ft. Monroe, spending the night there. The next day they ascended the James River to Bermuda Hundred where they disembarked and took up a position to cover the landing. The next morning the rest of the troops landed and the "Star" Brigade led the advance, taking a strong position at Cobb's Hill. In the afternoon the brigade made an advance toward the railroad at Port Walthal. They engaged the enemy at Dunn's farm, the Twenty-fifth losing 4 killed and 13 wounded, then retired back to Cobb's Hill. The next day they advanced with a larger force and destroyed the railroad. The regiment had 30 men suffer from heat stroke.
On the 9th, the brigade led the advance of a considerable force toward Petersburg, finding the enemy in position on Swift Creek near Arrowfield Church. Heavy fighting occurred during which a South Carolina regiment charged the Twenty-fifth and was repulsed by a terrible volley at close quarters. The Star Brigade held the ground through the night and the next morning returned to Cobb's Hill. The Twenty-fifth lost 12 killed, including Lieutenant Charles E. Upton of Fitchburg, and 49 wounded.
On the 11th, they moved toward Richmond again. By slow advances and skirmishing, the enemy was forced back to Drewry's Bluff. On the morning of the 16th, the Confederates made a deadly sortie against the right flank of the Union position. The Twenty-fifth, being on the left, was not as surprised as the other regiments and made a gallant and effectual resistance. Fighting bravely until almost surrounded, they faced the rear and cut their way through the enveloping lines. Colonel Pickett assumed command of what was left of the brigade, General Heckman having been captured, and held a position covering the right of the Union line. The loss of the regiment was 11 killed, 53 wounded and 73 missing. Following this disaster, the Army of the James retired behind their entrenchments, which were strengthened.
On the 27th the Twenty-fifth formed part of a force detached to join the Army of the Potomac. They marched to City Point and took transports to White House, landing there on the 30th. The following day they marched to Church Tavern. On June 1, the column was sent toward Cold Harbor, where the armies were coming to close quarters. General Stannard now commanded the brigade. On reaching the position occupied by the Army of the Potomac, the Eighteenth Corps formed between the Fifth and Sixth Corps, and skirmishing began at once. On the morning of the 3rd, the order was issued for a general attack, in which the Twenty-fifth had a deadly part. Charging in column of divisions, the regiment penetrated almost to the enemy's lines, when it became so decimated that human valor could carry it no further; yet the survivors clung to the position gained at such cost, entrenching with their cups or hands. The attack was not renewed, but the regiment remained in the pits until the field was vacated on the 12th, engaged in skirmishing and sharp-shooting, with few additional casualties. Out of 302 taken into action at Cold Harbor, they suffered 27 killed, 139 wounded and 49 missing. The dead included Captain Thomas O'Neill, First Lt. Henry Matthews of Worcester, and 2nd Lt.'s Charles H. Pelton of Worcester and James Graham of Fitchburg. The officers mortally wounded were Adjutant (brevet major) Henry McConville and 1st Lt. William Daley. The colonel, major and many of the line officers were also severely wounded.
On the 12th the corps marched back to White House. From there they took transports, arriving at Point of Rocks on the Appomattox River on the 14th. That night they crossed the river to advance on Petersburg. Enemy pickets were encountered the next morning and the skirmishing continued until the Union lines were up to the rebel works. At sunset they charged, the Twenty-fifth captured 2 Napoleon guns, suffering the loss of one killed and 18 wounded. On the 18th the regiment was ordered to the right and joined in another assault, this time it failed, the Twenty-fifth losing 6 killed and 13 wounded. They remained on duty in the trenches until August 25 losing a total of 6 killed and 25 wounded to sniper fire. On the 25th what was left of the Star Brigade recrossed the Appomattox River and was assigned their old position at Cobb's Hill. They remained there until September 5 when the Twenty-fifth and the Twenty-third embarked on the Steamer Winona from Bermuda Hundred reaching Newbern on the 10th. They were then assigned picket duty.
On October 5 the original members of the regiment who had not reenlisted were ordered back to Worcester for muster out. After some delays they reached the city on the afternoon of the 13th. On the 20th they were mustered out of the service, leaving the veteran Twenty-fifth Massachusetts Regiment in the field. They were consolidated into 4 companies and stationed near Ft. Spinola at Newbern, doing picket duty at Brice's Ferry and along the line of railroad to Morehead City. On December 9, they began a demonstration against Kinston, in which the battalion took part, suffering from three or four days marching through severe storms. Then picket duty was resumed until the early spring of 1865.