Identified Pair of Civil War Field Glasses – Paul R. Crocker Co. B 3rd Massachusetts Heavy Artillery

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Identified Pair of Civil War Field Glasses – Paul R. Crocker Co. B 3^rd Massachusetts Heavy Artillery – We have had numerous pairs of Civil War field glasses, with most being of French manufacture, as the French optical manufacturers were considered the premier makers of optical instruments, in the mid-19^th century. This pair of Civil War period field glasses, as indicated by the inscribed maker’s marks on the interior of each of the eyepiece lens surrounds, is of French manufacture; the name inscribed is “E.A. Pouzet”; the location of manufacture is also inscribed – “Geneve”. The eyepiece lens surrounds or lens holders are constructed of enameled, brass: the bridge between the eyepieces is straight and not curved to conform to the bridge of the viewer’s nose – an indication of being from the Civil War period. The focusing stem is constructed of a thermoplastic material. On each barrel is a small, integral loop to attach a lanyard like holding device. The optics are good, although the lenses could use a cleaning. Scratched on one of the barrels of the objective lens cover is the following:

“P. CROCKER

SWAMPSCOTT

MASS – USA”

Paul R. Crocker, a young farmer from Barnstable, Massachusetts, enlisted in May, 1863, in Co. B of the 3^rd Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, remaining in service, in that regiment, until mustering out in September, 1865. The 3^rd Mass. Heavy artillery was initially recruited, in 1863, to garrison forts and guard the coastline of the state of Massachusetts; in January of 1864, the regiment was moved to guard Boston Harbor. In the spring of 1864, the regiment was transferred to garrison several of the “Star” forts around Washington, D.C., thereby releasing several of the regiments already positioned in the forts, for combat assignments near Petersburg. Company B and most of the other companies of the 3^rd Massachusetts Heavy Artillery would remain in the Washington forts until they mustered out of service in September, 1865. We see many pairs of antique field glasses, although most are misidentified as being of war vintage, when they are, in actuality, postwar examples. This pair is definitively Civil War period; additionally, it is most uncommon to find an identified pair of war period field glasses. We surmise, that Private Crocker must have used these glasses during his time on garrison duty along the coast of Massachusetts and in a fort in the D.C. area. Several of the pieces of war period equipage we have encountered have the abbreviation “USA” enumerated – in this time period, that acronym is almost always indicative of representing “United States Army” or “U.S. Artillery”.

 Paul R. Crocker

THIRD REGIMENT
MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEER HEAVY ARTILLERY
THREE YEARS

Brief History

The 3rd Regiment, Massachusetts Heavy Artillery (section) was organized for one year August, 1864, by consolidation of 3rd, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th Unattached Companies Heavy Artillery.
It was mustered out September 18, 1865.^[1]

For more information on the history of this unit, see:

• The Civil War Archive section, 3rd Regiment Heavy Artillery, (accessed 9 July 2012).
• The Wikipedia article, 3rd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Heavy Artillery, (accessed 9 July 2012).

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin

Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived though not always. After many battles, companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.

3rd Regiment Heavy Artillery

Organized for one year August, 1864, by consolidation of 3rd, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th Unattached Companies Heavy Artillery. Attached to 2nd Brigade, Hardin’s Division, 22nd Army Corps, Dept. of Washington, and engaged in garrison duty in the Defenses of Washington, north of the Potomac, to September, 1865. (For Co. “I,” 13th Unattached Company, see 13th Unattached Company.) Mustered out September 18, 1865.

Regiment lost during service 2 Enlisted men killed and 1 Officer and 38 Enlisted men by disease. Total 41.

3rd Massachusetts Heavy Artillery Regiment

The 3rd Massachusetts Volunteer Heavy Artillery Regiment was a unit that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was organized from already mustered unattached companies of heavy artillery raised for the defenses of the Massachusetts coast.

History

Beginning in January 1863, and continuing until early 1864, twelve companies of heavy artillery were raised in Massachusetts and mustered into service to garrison the military forts along the coast of the state. The units were designated “unattached” as they did not belong to a particular regiment.

Officers of the 3rd Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, 1865

In the spring of 1864, the 3rd Unattached Company, along with the 6th through 12th, were ordered to Washington, DC, where they were to garrison the forts protecting the capital. In June 1864, the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, and 14th independent companies were part of the 3rd brigade, within Joseph A. Haskin‘s division. At the same time, the 3rd and 15th companies were part of the 2nd brigade within Gustavus De Russy‘s division.

Massachusetts’ Governor Andrew called for the companies to be given regimental status, and when it was granted, several other companies since raised were sent to Washington to complete its complement, and was officially made a regiment in the fall of 1864. Except for Company I, the regiment continued with its duty of manning forts in the vicinity of the capital. A portion of the regiment was mustered out on 17 June 1865, while the remaining companies served until 18 September.

Company I
The 13th Unattached Company, which later became Company I, had been recruited in Springfield, MA and was largely composed of mechanics who were employed at the city’s National Armory. Because of their engineering skills, they were detached from the regiment and attached to the Army of the James, and were engaged in building bridges and roads. During the Siege of Petersburg, they were in charge of holding the pontoon bridge placed across the James River. They were the last men of the regiment to be mustered out, doing so on 26 September 1865.

The Unattached Companies

The other unattached heavy artillery companies raised in Massachusetts, the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th, had become the 1st Battalion Massachusetts Volunteer Heavy Artillery in 1863.

Complement

The regiment consisted of 94 officers and 1803 enlisted men.

Organization

In April 1865, most of the regiment was part of the Army of the Potomac commanded by major general George Meade. More specifically, split between the second and third brigades in brigadier general Martin Davis Hardin‘s division:

Second Brigade (Colonel William S. Abert)

• 3rd Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, Company A – Captain Benjamin A. Ball
• 3rd Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, Company D – Lieutenant Lewis R. Whittaker
• 3rd Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, Company G – Captain Thomas Herbert
• 3rd Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, Company H – Captain George W. Pierce
• 3rd Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, Company K – Captain Edwin Thomas
• 3rd Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, Company L – Captain Joseph M. Parsons
• 3rd Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, Company M – Captain Cornelius F. Driscoll

Third Brigade (Major George S. Worcester)

• 3rd Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, Company B – Lieutenant James E. Childs
• 3rd Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, Company C – Captain Alfred W. Brigham
• 3rd Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, Company E – Captain Leonard Gordon
• 3rd Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, Company F – Captain Joseph Austin

The troops of Hardin’s division were split between the various forts around Washington DC:

• Baker
• Bayard
• Bunker Hill
• Carrell
• Davis
• De Russy
• Du Pont
• Gaines
• Greble
• Kearny
• Lincoln
• Mahan
• Mansfield
• Meigs
• Reno
• Ricketts
• Saratoga
• Simmons
• Slemmer
• Slocum
• Snyder
• Stanton
• Stevens
• Summer
• Thayer
• Totten
• Wagner

As well as a few batteries:

• Cameron
• Kemble
• Parrott
• Vermont

Losses

Two officers and 39 enlisted men died from disease or accident. None were killed in action.