Named 31st "Western Bay State Regiment" Civil War veteran's badge
Excellent and scarce Mass. regimental badge period beautifully engraved to
Cpl. Fred W. Smith
Veteran Co. K
Frederick W. Smith
from Woonsocket Rhode Island enlisted at age 19 on February 13, 1862. He mustered into Company K of the 31st
Massachusetts and was promoted to Corporal on December 20, 1863. Reenlisting he mustered out September 9, 1865.
A history of the regiment follows the pics of his badge.
$250.00
The
31st Regt. Mass. Vol. Inf. was raised by Gen. Butler in
the fall of 1861 at Camp Seward, Pittsfield and was known as the Western Bay
State Regiment. It
was the first regiment
to land
in New Orleans where it served guard and provost duties. The Regiment was engaged
with losses at Fort Bisland on
April 13th.
They fought in the siege of Port
Hudson, losing 64 men mostly in the assault of
the 14th of June. In Dec.
1863 the 31st was armed and equipped as cavalry and was then
known
as the 6th Mass. Cavalry, of the 4th Cavalry
Brigade. As Cavalry, the regiment campaigned through
New Orleans and on April 8 it met the enemy at Sabine Cross
Roads above Natchitoches, where the main Union force was defeated, the
31st
losing 62 men. Retreating south it was engaged with loss at
Moore's Plantation and other skirmishes around Alexandria.
Diverging
toward Simsport it was engaged at Yellow Bayou
May 18, losing 32 men. On July 3 the
regiment returned to Algiers. After a
period of veteran’s furloughs, the men returned
and were again equipped as cavalry. They
were then stationed opposite Donaldsonville to keep down the guerrilla bands,
and were later engaged in the operations against Mobile, Ala., occupying that
city after its surrender until the close of the regiment's service 9/9/65.