28th Massachusetts a Brief History

Enlistment of the 28th started on 22nd September 1861 but it was not until December 13th 1861 that the 28th Massachusetts Volunteers were mustered into Federal service at Cambridge, Boston Massachusetts at Camp Cameron, though a large number of Irish had enlisted in Framingham not far from Cambridge and were drafted into the 28th. 

The men were almost entirely made up of ethnic Irish in origin who were mostly from first or second generation families. At this time the regiment was known as the 2nd Massachusetts Irish Volunteers,  On the 11th January 1862  the nine hundred and fifty enlisted men and officers were garrisoned at Ft Columbus ( now Ft Jay )on Governors Island in New York Harbour for training, On February 14th 1862  they embarked on the S.S Erickson bound for Hilton Head S.C where they joined the Department of the South.

Their first engagement took place with 8 other companyies on June 16th 1862 on James Island, losing 70 men 20 of whom were killed or mortally wounded, by June 28th they were evacuated from James Island.

In July 1862 the Brigade was sent to Ft Monroe VA, for redeployment to be attached to the Army of the Potomac of the North for the remainder of its muster.

The last engagements for the 28th were on April 7th 1865, at Farmville, Virginia and April 9 at Clover Hill in pursuit of General Lee on the way to Appomattox, they were to be stood down soon after the Confederate surrender and returned to Washington where on 30th June the 28th Massachusetts Volunteers were mustered out of Federal service, five days later at Readville, Mass the men were paid off and discharged.