3rd Massachusetts Volunteer Cavalry

The 3rd Massachusetts Volunteer Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

Service
The 3rd Massachusetts Cavalry was organized from the 41st Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry on June 17, 1863 by Special Order No. 144, Department of the Gulf. Company A, 33rd Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was assigned to the regiment as Company I, and 2nd Battalion, Massachusetts Cavalry was assigned to the regiment as Companies L and M.

The regiment was attached to 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, XIX Corps, Army of the Gulf, to June 1863. Cavalry Brigade, Department of the Gulf, to July 1863. Defenses of New Orleans to August 1863. Cavalry Brigade, District of Port Hudson, Louisiana, Department of the Gulf, to October 1863. Unattached, Cavalry Division, Department of the Gulf, to January 1864. 4th Brigade, Cavalry Division, Department of the Gulf, to June 1864. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, XIX Corps, Department of the Gulf and Army of the Shenandoah, Middle Military Division, to February 1865. Reserve Cavalry Brigade, Army of the Shenandoah, to April 1865. Defenses of Washington, D.C., XXII Corps, to June 1865. Department of Missouri to September 1865.

Men whose enlistments had expired mustered out May 20, 1865. Company L mustered out December 27, 1864, and Company M on January 31, 1865. The 3rd Massachusetts Cavalry mustered out of service on September 28, 1865 and was discharged at Boston, Massachusetts on October 8, 1865.

Detailed service
Siege of Port Hudson, La., June 17-July 9, 1863. Duty at Port Hudson until January 1864, scouting, outpost and patrol duty. Action at Jackson August 3, 1863. Plain's Store November 30. Ordered to New Orleans, La., January 2, 1864. Duty at Carrollton until February 29. March to Berwick and Brashear City February 29-March 10. Red River Campaign March 10-May 22. Advance from Franklin to Alexandria March 14-26. Monett's Ferry and Cloutiersville March 29-30. Natchitoches March 31. Crump's Hill, Piney Woods, April 2. Bayou de Paul, Carroll's Mills, April 8. Sabine Cross Roads April 8. Pleasant Hill April 9. Natchitoches April 19. Monett's Bluff, Cane River Crossing, April 23. Hudnot's Plantation and Alexandria May 1. Mansura May 4. Retreat to Morganza May 13-20. Mansura May 16. Moreauville May 17. Yellow Bayou May 18. Dismounted June 25 and equipped as infantry. Moved from Morganza to New Orleans, La., July 3; then to Fort Monroe, Va., and Washington, D.C., July 15-28. Moved to Monocacy, Md., July 29; then to Harpers Ferry, W. Va., August 4, Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign August 7-November 28. Battle of Opequan, Winchester, September 19. Fisher's Hill September 22. Battle of Cedar Creek October 19. At Cedar Creek until November 9. At Opequan Creek, near Winchester, until December 25. Moved to Stephenson's Landing, then to Remount Camp, Pleasant Valley, Md., December 25-28, and duty there until February 24, 1865. Again mounted and equipped as cavalry February 15. Moved to Opequan Creek March 8. Scout to Front Royal March 16. Scout to Woodstock April 1. Duty at Cedar Creek, Edinburg, Winchester, and Berryville until April 20. Moved to Washington, D.C., April 20-22, and duty at Fall's Church until May 22. Grand Review of the Armies May 23-24. Duty at Bladensburg and Cloud's Mills until June 14. Moved to St. Louis, Mo., June 14-20; then to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, June 21-25. Regiment consolidated to six companies July 21. March to Fort Kearney, Neb., July 27-August 16. March to Cottonwood Springs, Colo., August 23-28; then to Fort Kearney August 29-September 1, and to Fort Leavenworth September 8-18.

Casualties
The regiment lost a total of 288 men during service; 5 officers and 101 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 2 officers and 180 enlisted men died of disease.

Commanders

 * Colonel Thomas Edward Chickering
 * Colonel Lorenzo Dow Sargent