Civil War US Staff officer sword of Capt./Col. Gardner Banks, 16th Massachusetts, brother of Gen. N.P. Banks

Enlisted on 6/29/1861 at Boston, MA as a Captain. On 6/29/1861 he was commissioned 
into "H" Co. MA 16th Infantry 
He was discharged for disability on 9/4/1863

Promotions:
* Major 7/23/1862 
* Lt Colonel 9/30/1862 
* Colonel 11/28/1862 

Other Information:
born 5/10/1830
died 7/9/1874 
Buried: Grove Hill Cemetery, Waltham, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts

After the Civil War he lived in Waltham, Massachusetts

The 16th Regt. Mass. Vol. Inf. was made up of companies recruited in Middlesex 
County in April and May, 1861. By Special Order of June 17, 1861, it was ordered
 to assemble at Camp Cameron, North Cambridge, on the 2d of July. Its companies 
were mustered in on various dates between June 29 and July 12, with Powell T.
 Wyman, a West Point graduate, as its colonel.It left the State August 17, and
 was in camp near Baltimore, Md., until Sept. 1, on which date it removed to 
Hampton, Va., where it was in camp during the autumn and winter of 1861-62.

     In May, 1862, it was posted temporarily at Gosport Navy Yard and at 
Suffolk, Va., and on June 12 joined the Army of the Potomac near Fair Oaks. 
It there formed a part of Grover's Brigade, Hooker's Division, Heintzelman's
 (3d) Corps.  It was engaged with heavy loss on the Williamsburg Road, June 18,
 and took part in the Battle of Oak Grove, June 25. In the Seven Days fighting 
the 16th was heavily engaged at Glendale, June 30, losing its commander, Col.
 Wyman.  Transferred to Alexandria during the last of August, it proceeded with
 its corps to the vicinity of Warrenton, Va. In the 2d Bull Run campaign, on
 August 29 it was in the charge of Grover's Brigade on the Confederate position
 at the famous railroad embankment near Groveton, losing heavily.

     After this campaign the regiment remained in or near the defenses of 
Washington until November.  About this time Gen. Carr succeeded Gen. Grover
 in command of the brigade.  After the Battle of Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, 1862,
 where the 16th was not heavily engaged, it went into winter quarters near 
Falmouth.  At Fredericksburg it suffered one notable loss in the death of 
Chaplain Fuller who had resigned and was about to depart for home, but went
 into the fight as a volunteer and was killed.

     At Chancellorsville, May 3, 1863, as a part of Carr's Brigade, Berry's 
Division, Sickles' (3d) Corps, the 16th was heavily engaged, suffering severe 
loss. At Gettysburg, July 2, it suffered still more heavily while defending the 
line of the Emmittsburg Road.  Gen. Berry having been killed at Chancellorsville,
 Gen. Humphreys now commanded the division.

     In the fall of 1863 the regiment was active in the operations near the
 Rappahannock and Rapidan and in late November participated in the Mine Run 
Campaign. The winter was spent in camp near Brandy Station.

     When the 3d Corps was broken up in the spring of 1864, the 16th Regt. 
became a part of McAllister's Brigade, Mott's Division, Hancock's (2d) Corps.
With this command it was engaged with loss at the Wilderness, May 5 and 6, 1864,
 on the line of the Plank Road.  Again at Spottsylvania on the 10th and 12th of
 May its losses were heavy, especially on the last named date when it participated
 in the assault on the Bloody Angle, where Lieut. Col. Merriam was killed.  After
 Spottsylvania Mott's Division had become so reduced in numbers that it was 
consolidated with Birney's Division.  As a part of this division the regiment 
was engaged at North Anna, Totopotomoy, and in front of Petersburg until July 
11, 1864, when it transferred its recruits and re-enlisted men to the 11th Mass.
and started for home.  It arrived in Massachusetts July 22, and on July 27 
was mustered out of the United States service.