TinCan
Captain
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2011
- Location
- Transplanted Texan
William Francis Bartlett (1840-1876) rose from private to Brigadier General in the Union Army during the Civil War. The son of Charles Leonard Bartlett and Harriett Dorothy Plummer was born in Haverhill, Massachusetts where he attended Phillips Academy and entered Harvard University in 1858. The Civil War began during Bartlett's junior year and upon hearing about the fall of Fort Sumter he enlisted as a private in the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia.
Bartlett became part of the 4th Battalion Massachusetts Infantry also known as the New England Guards. The 4th was assigned to Fort Independence, one of three forts guarding Boston Harbor. There he served the whole of the battalion's ninety day enlistment from April to June 1861.
August 8, 1861 saw Bartlett commissioned as a captain in the newly formed 20th Massachusetts Infantry and given command of Company I. The 20th was known as the "Harvard Regiment" as many of it's young officers were recent students or graduates of that school. The 20th arrived in Virginia in September 1861 and Bartlett led company I into battle for the first time at Ball's Bluff, October 21, 1861. The engagement ended in defeat for the Union Army.
The 20th Massachusetts next became part of Major General George B. McClellan's Peninsular Campaign aimed at taking the Confederate capital at Richmond, Virginia in the spring of 1862. However, the campaign stalled when McClellan chose to lay siege to Yorktown, Virginia instead of pushing on to Richmond. During the siege Bartlett was shot in the left knee requiring the amputation of his leg. He returned to Boston to recover and while there during the summer of 1862 completed his degree at Harvard.
Bartlett chose not to rejoin the 20th Massachusetts after completing his degree and resigned his commission on November 12, 1862. Instead he accepted a colonel's commission and orders to form the 49th Massachusetts Infantry to serve an enlistment of nine months. In late November 1862 the 49th accompanied the Louisiana Expedition of Major General Nathaniel P. Banks in his attack on Port Hudson, Louisiana in the spring of 1863. Owing to the loss of his leg Bartlett was required to remain on horseback while leading his men in several attacks on Port Hudson. During the assault of May 27, 1864 Bartlett was shot twice more, a bullet shattering his left wrist, and buckshot hitting his right leg. These wounds removed him from command of the regiment until the 49th term of enlistment had ended and he resigned his commission on September 1, 1863.
While recovering from his latest wounds Bartlett began to organize another regiment, the 57th Massachusetts Infantry. The 57th became part of the IX Corps of the Army of the Potomac and arrived at the front to take part in the Overland Campaign. While serving as colonel of the 57th at the Battle of the Wilderness on May 6, 1864, Bartlett was again wounded, this time in the head. While recovering at home in Massachusetts Bartlett received a promotion to Brigadier General of Volunteers on June 22, 1864. Bartlett returned to the army in July 1864.
Given command of the 1st Brigade, 1st Division of the XI Corps, Bartlett led the brigade in the attack upon the Crater at Petersburg. The assault was disorganized and failed and Bartlett had his prosthetic leg shot away leaving him unable to retreat with his men. Captured by the Confederates he spent two months in Libby Prison where he was stricken with a severe illnesses. Exchanged near the end of September 1864 it was several months until he was well enough to return to the army.
Returning to the army two months after the Confederate surrender in June 1865 Bartlett was given command of the 1st Division of the XI Corps on June 17, 1865. Being confirmed as Major General of US Volunteers by the Senate on March 12, 1866, Bartlett resigned his commission for the final time on
July 18, 1866. General Bartlett succumbed to tuberculosis at his home in Pittsfield, Massachusetts on December 17, 1876.
Bartlett became part of the 4th Battalion Massachusetts Infantry also known as the New England Guards. The 4th was assigned to Fort Independence, one of three forts guarding Boston Harbor. There he served the whole of the battalion's ninety day enlistment from April to June 1861.
August 8, 1861 saw Bartlett commissioned as a captain in the newly formed 20th Massachusetts Infantry and given command of Company I. The 20th was known as the "Harvard Regiment" as many of it's young officers were recent students or graduates of that school. The 20th arrived in Virginia in September 1861 and Bartlett led company I into battle for the first time at Ball's Bluff, October 21, 1861. The engagement ended in defeat for the Union Army.
The 20th Massachusetts next became part of Major General George B. McClellan's Peninsular Campaign aimed at taking the Confederate capital at Richmond, Virginia in the spring of 1862. However, the campaign stalled when McClellan chose to lay siege to Yorktown, Virginia instead of pushing on to Richmond. During the siege Bartlett was shot in the left knee requiring the amputation of his leg. He returned to Boston to recover and while there during the summer of 1862 completed his degree at Harvard.
Bartlett chose not to rejoin the 20th Massachusetts after completing his degree and resigned his commission on November 12, 1862. Instead he accepted a colonel's commission and orders to form the 49th Massachusetts Infantry to serve an enlistment of nine months. In late November 1862 the 49th accompanied the Louisiana Expedition of Major General Nathaniel P. Banks in his attack on Port Hudson, Louisiana in the spring of 1863. Owing to the loss of his leg Bartlett was required to remain on horseback while leading his men in several attacks on Port Hudson. During the assault of May 27, 1864 Bartlett was shot twice more, a bullet shattering his left wrist, and buckshot hitting his right leg. These wounds removed him from command of the regiment until the 49th term of enlistment had ended and he resigned his commission on September 1, 1863.
While recovering from his latest wounds Bartlett began to organize another regiment, the 57th Massachusetts Infantry. The 57th became part of the IX Corps of the Army of the Potomac and arrived at the front to take part in the Overland Campaign. While serving as colonel of the 57th at the Battle of the Wilderness on May 6, 1864, Bartlett was again wounded, this time in the head. While recovering at home in Massachusetts Bartlett received a promotion to Brigadier General of Volunteers on June 22, 1864. Bartlett returned to the army in July 1864.
Given command of the 1st Brigade, 1st Division of the XI Corps, Bartlett led the brigade in the attack upon the Crater at Petersburg. The assault was disorganized and failed and Bartlett had his prosthetic leg shot away leaving him unable to retreat with his men. Captured by the Confederates he spent two months in Libby Prison where he was stricken with a severe illnesses. Exchanged near the end of September 1864 it was several months until he was well enough to return to the army.
Returning to the army two months after the Confederate surrender in June 1865 Bartlett was given command of the 1st Division of the XI Corps on June 17, 1865. Being confirmed as Major General of US Volunteers by the Senate on March 12, 1866, Bartlett resigned his commission for the final time on
July 18, 1866. General Bartlett succumbed to tuberculosis at his home in Pittsfield, Massachusetts on December 17, 1876.
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