Joseph H. Elliott

The headstone of Joseph H. Elliott who served in the Third Regiment

Massachusetts Volunteer Cavalry.

 

According to Wright State University ( www.wright.edu/~jack.mcknight/andersonville/mcknight/3rdc... ):

 

"The 3rd Regt. Vol. cav. was made up of from already existing units, the 1st, 2rd, and 3rd Unattached Companies of Massachusetts Cavalry and the 41st Regiment of Massachusetts Infantry. The 1st Company of Cavalry was raised by Capt. S. Tyler Read, and its members were mustered in mostly during September, October, and November, 1861. The 2rd Company was raised the same fall, but the muster-in of its members was not completed until the 27th of December. Its commanders was Capt. James McGee, The 3rd company was raised contemporaneously with the 1st and 2rd, and its organization was completed and the last of its members mustered in about the middle of December, 1861. Its commander was Capt. Henry A Durviage. The first two of the above units were known as the 1st and 2rd Companies of Mounted Rangers. The rendezvous of all three companies was Camp Chase, Lowell, Massachusetts.

 

On January. 13, 1862, the companies sailed from Boston Harbor on the transport CONSTITUTION, and arrived at Ship Island in the Gulf of Mexico, Feb. 12. Here they were organized into a battalion under Caption Read as acting major. These companies, acting most of the time independently, were stationed mostly at New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Plaquemine during the first year of their service, performing considerable outpost duty and suffering some loss.

 

The 41st Regt. Mass. Vol. Inf. was recruited in the late summer and autumn of 1862. Its first rendezvous was Camp Stanton, Lynnfield, but it was later moved to Boxford. Its companies were mastered in on various dates between Aug. 5 and Nov. 1, 1862, and Thomas E. Chickering, an accomplished officer in the Mass. Vol. Mil., and at one time commander of the New England Guards, was commissioned colonel. The regiment left for New York, Nov. 5, 1862, with orders to report for service in the Department of the Gulf.

 

It sailed from New York, Dec. 4, 1862, on the transport NORTH STAR, accompanied by Maj. Genl. N. P. Banks and staff, and enjoyed a pleasant passage to New Orleans. On Dec. 17, the regiment disembarked at Baton Rouge, La., where its headquarters remained until Mar. 28, 1863, when it started on the Teche expedition, marching via Brashear City to Opelousas, La., and returning thence to Berwick City, May 26, bringing in a large train of supplies and contrabands. While at Opelousas the regiment was mounted and became commonly known as the 41st Regiment Massachusetts Mounted Infantry. The entire expedition returned to Algiers, opposite New Orleans, about the last of May.

 

By Special Order No. 144, Department of the Gulf, dated June 17, 1863, the three companies of unattached cavalry were consolidated with the 41st Mounted Infantry to form the 3rd Reg. Mass. Vol. Cav. This made a regiment of 13 companies, the 2rd and 3rd Unattached Companies becoming Companies "L" and "M" respectively, while the 1st Unattached Company was officially known as "Read's Company". The companies of the 41st Infantry retained their original letters from "A" to "K".

 

The 3rd Cavalry was in front of Port Hudson during the latter days of the siege, and after the surrender, July 9, Colonel Chickering was made provost marshal of the captured city. During this period the camp of the 3rd Cavalry was at Plains Store on the Baton Rouge road. The regiment remained near Port Hudson until the close of the years 1863, doing scouting and outpost duty and having numerous collisions with the enemy.

 

Near Jackson, Louisiana., Aug.3, a part of the regiment while on a scout lost four killed and 10 missing. Near White Plains, Nov. 9, it was engaged with loss. At Plains Store, Nov. 30, it was in conflict with the enemy, losing five killed, five wounded, and five captured.

 

On January. 5, 1864, the regiment, now commanded by Lieut. Col. Lorenzo D. Sargent, became a part of Dudley's (4th) Brigade, in Lee's Cavalry Division. It now joined the Red River expedition, advancing westward and northwestward from New Orleans along the same route taken in the Teche expedition the year previous. Passing to Opelosas and beyond, on March 20 it arrived at Alexandria, La., on the Red River. On the 21st, is assisted in the capture of Henderson's Hill about twenty-five miles beyond Alexandria on the road to Shreverport. Passing on through Natchitoches, on April 8, it was engaged with the enemy at Sabine Cross Roads about three mile from Mansfield, Louisiana., the entire Union force being defeated and driven back toward Pleasant Hill, the 3rd Cavalry losing nine men killed, 73 wounded and missing, and 157 horses.

 

Retiring to grand Ecore near Natchitoches, and thence via Henderson's Hill to Alexanfria, on April 29, it crossed the Red River and proceeded via Simmsport to Morganzia, La., on the Mississippi River, reaching that place May 22. At yellow Bayou near Simmsport in an engagement, May 15 to 18, it lost two men killed and 12 wounded and 39 horses. Resting for over a month at Morganzia, on June 25, the regiment was dismounted by Special Order No. 52, Headquarters, Department of the Gulf, and again equipped as infantry. About July 3, it was sent down the Mississippi to Algiers.

 

The regiment having been ordered North, on the 15th of July, it embarked for Fort Monroe, and twelve days later it arrived at Old Point Comfort. The following day, July 28, the first seven companies under Lieut. Col. L. D. Saragent reported at Chain Bridge near Washington and proceeded to Monocacy where they went onto camp. On Aug. 15, the remainder of the regiment arrived. It now became a part of Molineux' (2rd) Brigade, Grover's (2rd) Division, Emory's (19th) Corps, Army of the Shenandoth. At Winchester, Sept. 19, it was sharply engaged, losing 18 killed and nearly 90 wounded. At Fisher's Hill, Sept.22, it loss was slight. On Oct. 19, at Ceder Creek it was engaged with a loss of six killed, 31 wounded, and nine missing. It went into camp Nov. 9 near Opequan Creek about two miles from Winchester, but on Dec.26, it entrained for Harper's Ferry, marching thence to Remount Camp in Pleasant Valley, Maryland., where it began the work of preparing winter quarters.

 

Near the close of the year the three independent companies, "L", "M", and Read's Company, were mustered out and their places taken by two new companies enlisted for one year. Thus it was reduced to a normal cavalry regiment of 12 companies, but was still equipped as infantry until about the middle of February, 1865, when it was remounted again as cavalry, and engaged in various activates in the lower valley until after the surrender of Lee and the collapse of the Confederacy. About March 12, Col. Burr Porter succeeded Col. Sargent in command of the regiment.

 

On April 20, 1865, the 3rd Cavalry started for Washington, camping at Falls Church two days later. The original members of the regiment, who had enlisted when it was the 41st Massachusetts Infantry, were mustered out May 20. The regiment then joined Sheridan's Cavalry Corps and participated in the Grand Review, May 23.

 

Ordered to the West, on June 14 it broke camp at Cloud's Mill and proceeded to St. Louis, Mo., and thence to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. About July 21, it was reduced to a battalion of six companies. Two days later the battalion was supplied with fresh horses and ordered to Fort Kearney, Nebraska. Arriving on Aug. 16, about twelve days later it was ordered back to Fort Leavenworth for muster out. Reaching this post Sept. 18, on the 28th the battalion was duly mustered out of the United States service. Returning home via Canada West the men reached Boston Oct. 5, and three days later were paid off and discharged."

Done