11th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment

The 11th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Organized in Boston in May 1861, the 11th Massachusetts was made up mostly of men from Boston, but also from Charlestown and Dorchester. The leading force behind the formation of the regiment was its first colonel, George Clark, Jr., who had been an officer in the Massachusetts state militia. The regiment was known as the "Boston Volunteers."[1]

11th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
Active	June 13, 1861–July 14, 1865
Country	United States of America
Allegiance	Union
Branch	Union Army
Type	Infantry
Part of	In 1863: 1st Brigade (Carr's), 2nd Division (Humphreys's), III Corps, Army of the Potomac
Nickname(s)	"The Boston Volunteers"
Commanders
Notable commanders	Col. William E. Blaisdell
Insignia
III Corps (2nd Division) badge

Arriving in Washington, D.C. in June, the 11th was one of only three Massachusetts regiments to participate in the First Battle of Bull Run. The regiment spent the early fall of 1861 helping to build fortifications around Washington. In October, the 11th was stationed at Bud's Ferry in Indian Head, Maryland where they remained on picket duty for the winter of 1861-1862. The 11th saw its first combat during the Peninsular Campaign in the spring of 1862. They were heavily engaged during the Second Battle of Bull Run, participated in the Battle of Fredericksburg, and suffered severe casualties at the Battle of Chancellorsville and the Battle of Gettysburg.