Active July 1862–April 1865 Branch Infantry | Allegiance Union | |
Country United States of America | ||
The 37th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union army during the American Civil War.
History
The regiment was formed in September 1862 at Camp Briggs, Massachusetts under Major Oliver Edwards and served until the end of the war in April 1865, Companys A,B&C were Zouaves Nicknamed the Treemont zouaves under the command of Capt. C.S. Bird . They would have worn the Zouave Unifrom from 1862 to 1864 . Dark blue jacket with red trim . A long red wool sash and chasseur trousers of dark blue wool . A red stocking cap fez for head gear . white canvas leggings would have completed the outfit .
seeing action at many battles including Fredricksburg and Gettysburg, duty in New York City after the draft riot, the Siege of Petersburg and the final pursuit and destruction of General Robert E. Lee's Army. They currently have a monument on the Gettysburg battlefield.It was formed from volunteers mainly from the far western counties of Massachusetts, and it subsequently absorbed members of other units (notably the 7th and the 10th Massachusetts) in May and June 1864. The 37th was one of the first regiments to be issued the new Spencer repeating rifle, on July 15, 1864, increasing their firepower. During service in the regiment a total of 4 Officers and 165 enlisted men were killed or mortally wounded, and 92 enlisted men were killed by disease. Total 261.
During the Battle of Sailor's Creek Virginia, April 6, 1865, Private David Dunnels White of the 37th Massachusetts Regiment, was credited with capturing Confederate Major General George Washington Custis Lee, eldest son of the famed General Robert E. Lee.