page_title: 3rd Massachusetts Militia Regiment
section_title: 90 days term
hierarchical_section_title: 3rd Massachusetts Militia Regiment / 90 days term
context_page_description: The 3rd Massachusetts Volunteer Militia Regiment was a peacetime regiment of infantry that was activated for federal service in the Union Army for two separate tours during the American Civil War. The regiment consisted of companies from Plymouth and Bristol Counties.
  During their first "90 days" term, the regiment mainly served garrison duty in the vicinity of Fortress Monroe on the Virginia Peninsula. Shortly after arriving in Virginia, they took part in the destruction of the Gosport Navy Yard in Norfolk, Virginia on April 20, 1861. The regiment was again activated in September 1862 for a term of nine months, training at Camp Joe Hooker in Lakeville, Massachusetts. The 3rd Massachusetts was stationed in New Bern, North Carolina, participated in several expeditions and saw minor combat including the Battle of Goldsboro Bridge and the Siege of Little Washington.
context_section_description: The 3rd Massachusetts was organized for active service on April 15, 1861 in response to President Lincoln's call for 75,000 troops to put down the insurrection in the southern states. Despite the various companies being dispersed over a large area of southeastern Massachusetts, Col. Wardrop managed to get word to the captains under his command during the night of April 15–16. The 3rd Massachusetts was among the first Massachusetts regiments to report for service in Boston on April 16. The unit was therefore one of several Massachusetts regiments which became known as the "Minutemen of '61," in reference to the Minutemen who turned out in April 1775 during the Battles of Lexington and Concord.
  The 3rd Massachusetts reported to Boston with an incomplete roster of seven out of ten companies. Three newly recruited companies were therefore added to the unit to fill out their ranks. These three new companies, primarily from the Boston area, had enlisted for three years as opposed to the 90 day service for which the bulk of the regiment had enlisted. After the 3rd Massachusetts was mustered out in July 1861, the new companies were eventually transferred to the 29th Massachusetts to serve out the remainder of their term.
  The regiment arrived via ship at Fortress Monroe, a Union foothold on the Virginia coast, in the morning of April 20, 1861. That afternoon, they were loaded on board the USS Pawnee and taken to the Gosport Navy Yard across Hampton Roads at Norfolk. The Navy yard, its vessels, and valuable stores were expected to fall into Confederate hands. Therefore, the 3rd Massachusetts was given orders to set fire to all buildings, vessels and stores. Col. Wardrop felt the strategic location could be defended and offered to deploy the 3rd Massachusetts to hold the position. This request was denied and details were ordered to go about firing the Navy yard. The 3rd Massachusetts returned aboard the Pawnee which towed the USS Cumberland to Fortress Monroe, saving the frigate from falling into enemy hands. In executing this assignment, the 3rd Massachusetts claimed that they were the first Union troops to make an incursion on territory held by the Confederacy.
  During May and June 1861, the 3rd Massachusetts was garrisoned at Fortress Monroe and conducted occasional patrols beyond the fort. On July 1, the regiment was ordered to occupy the town of Hampton, Virginia just four miles from the fort. Confederate forces were massing nearby at Big Bethel and the post was considered a dangerous one due to the proximity of the enemy and the secessionist sentiments of the local population. One soldier of the 3rd Massachusetts was shot and beaten while at Hampton, though he survived.
  On July 16, the regiment marched to Fortess Monroe and boarded a steamship for Boston. They were mustered out at Camp Wightman on Long Island in Boston harbor on July 22.
caption: The USS Merrimack burning during the destruction of the Norfolk Navy Yard by Union troops, including the 3rd Massachusetts
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