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MASSACHUSETTS MINUTE MAN MEDAL IDENTIFIED TO WILLIAM H. THOMPSON, 1ST MASSACHUSETTS LIGHT ARTILLERY & 3RD MASSACHUSETTS LIGHT ARTILLERY

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Two-piece bronze medal consisting of a rectangular bar and circular drop.

The bar is embossed with “MASSACHUSETTS MINUTE MEN OF 1861”. Reverse has the original pin.

Circular drop has the Seal of the State of Massachusetts at center of the obverse while the reverse reads “THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS TO THE MEMBERS OF THE MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEER MILITIA WHO WERE MUSTERED INTO THE UNITED STATES SERVICE IN RESPONSE TO PRESIDENT LINCOLN’S FIRST CALL FOR TROOPS APRIL 15, 1861.”

Rim is stamped “WILLIAM H. THOMPSON, CORPL.  1st. LT. BAT. ”.

William H. Thompson was a 26 year old cooper residing in Boston when he enlisted on 4/20/61 as a Corporal. On 5/18/61 he was mustered into 1^st Mass. Light Artillery. Mustered out on 8/2/61 at Camp Clare, Baltimore, MD. On 9/5/61 he was mustered into 3^rd Mass. Light Artillery as a Corporal. Discharged on 9/27/62 by S.O. #133.

By Special Order No. 61, dated April 20, 1861, Maj. Asa M. Cook, commanding the 1st Batty. Lt. Art. Mass. Vol. Mill, "Minute Men", was ordered to have his battery in readiness before midnight on that date. The guns, six brass six pounders, ten tons of ammunition, and seventy horses were sent forward by rail at 10 o'clock that night, and the men entrained for New York the following morning. Arriving in New York that evening, April 21, they embarked on the steamer DE SOTO for Fort Monroe, arriving at their destination on the 23d. They were ordered to proceed immediately to Annapolis, Md., where they arrived early on the morning of the 24th. Until May 4, the battery was quartered at the Naval Academy. On that date it proceeded to the Relay House. Not until May 18 was the battery formally mustered into the service of the United States. On June 13 it was ordered back to Baltimore to assist in protecting the polls during the election. Returning to the Relay House, it was soon ordered back to Camp Clare on the outskirts of Baltimore, and was later quartered in Monument Square and at the Custom House. Returning again to Camp Clare on the 10th of July, it remained there until Aug. 2, when the men were mustered out of the service. Entraining at once for Boston, they arrived on the following day and were honored by a military parade and a reception by Mayor Wightman.

Third Battery, Light Artillery. — Capts., Dexter H. Follett, Augustus P. Martin. This battery carried on its rolls 11 officers and 250 enlisted men. Its loss during service was 1 officer, 11 men killed or died of wounds, and 11 men by accident or disease. The battery was recruited in the summer of 1861, by Dexter H. Follett, from among the friends of Senator Henry Wilson, colonel of the 22nd infantry. It was mustered into the U. S. service Oct. 5, 1861, and left for Washington on the 8th, in company with the 22nd infantry. It passed the winter of 1861-62 in and around Washington and took part in the advance of the Army of the Potomac into Virginia in the spring of 1862. One-half of the battery was engaged on April 5 in front of Yorktown, and again at Hanover Court House, May 27. It was in reserve at the battle of Mechanicsville, took part at Gaines' mill, losing 1 gun and 3 caissons, and its next engagement was at Malvern hill, July 1, where it suffered no loss. During the remainder of the year, it was in no serious engagement and was not again in action as a whole until the battle of Gettysburg. It accompanied the 5th corps in all its movements; a section under Lieut. Cargill shared in a reconnaissance to Leesburg, Va., reached Fredericksburg the day after the battle; took part in the "Mud March" in Jan., 1863, and was in position, but not actively engaged at Chancellorsville. After Gettysburg it shared the marches of the 5th corps during the summer and autumn but was not in action. It went into winter quarters at Bealeton Station, Va., remaining there from Dec, 1863, to May 1, 1864, when it joined the 5th corps at Culpeper, and fought with it in the battle of the Wilderness, being one of the few batteries there engaged. On May 8 it went into position at Laurel hill, where it remained for 5 days, frequently in action. Its loss here was 9 wounded, including Capt. Martin. An order reduced all the batteries to 4 guns at this time and 2 of its gums were turned in to the ordnance department. It was engaged at the North Anna River, and Shady Grove Church, Va., from May 30 to June 3, having 2 men and 13 horses killed and 1 man wounded. It sustained no loss at Cold Harbor, and moved to Petersburg on June 18, being almost continuously in action until Aug. 13, 1864, but suffering a loss of only 2 men killed. It accompanied the 2nd division, 5th corps, in the expedition against the Weldon railroad, and on Aug. 23, 1864, relieved the 11th battery near Globe tavern, remaining there until the expiration of its term of service. At the end of that month the reenlisted men and recruits were transferred to the 5th Mass. battery, and the remainder of the command, 3 officers and 86 men reached Boston, Sept. 9. After a furlough of a week, they were mustered out on the 16th.  [ld] [ph:L]

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