The history of the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia can be traced back to the Massachusetts Bay Colony militia, which was organized in 1636. Local town militia were later formed and organized under laws mandated by the General Court of Massachusetts. Since the first muster, the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia have participated in a number of major military conflicts, beginning with the French and Indian War in 1756. The Massachusetts militia, along with other colonial militias, originally formed the Continental Army which fought under General George Washington during the Revolutionary War. Massachusetts furnished militia for the War of 1812 as well. At the beginning of the Civil War, the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia furnished some of the first regiments to respond to President Lincoln's call for troops. The Massachusetts National Guard traces its organizational history back to the North, South, and East regiments designated by legislative act in 1636.

The 3rd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Militia originated in Essex County, Massachusetts.

The 8th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Militia served in many military conflicts throughout the history of the state. During the Revolutionary War, the 8th Regiment, also known as Michael Jackson’s Regiment, was formed by reconstituting the remnant of the 16th Continental Regiment. During the Civil War, the regiment was organized in Boston on April 16, 1861 for three months service. Company A, also known as the Cushing Guards, was commanded by Captain Albert W. Bartlett of Newburyport. After completing duties in Philadelphia, Annapolis, Perryville, and Washington, D.C., the regiment returned to Boston and was officially mustered out of service on August 1, 1861. The regiment volunteered again in 1862 for nine months’ of service, and for a final time in 1864 for 100 days’ of service.

The 15th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Militia was raised on September 16, 1776 under Colonel Bigelow at Boston, Massachusetts. During the Revolutionary War the regiment participated in the Battle of Saratoga, the Battle of Monmouth, and the Battle of Rhode Island. The regiment was disbanded on January 1, 1781 at West Point, New York.

The 1st Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, also known as Hale’s Regiment, served during the War of 1812 from September 30, 1814 until October 4, 1814. Lieutenant Colonel Ebenezer Hale commanded the regiment.

The 6th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry is known predominantly for its service during the Civil War. The 6th Regiment was summoned to Boston by Special Order No. 14 on April 15, 1861, from the office of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts. The regiment left for Washington, D. C. on April 17, 1861 and is considered to be the first regiment to arrive, fully armed and equipped for service. On the way to the capital a detachment of four companies, C, D, I, and L, were set upon by a mob and four members were killed, thirty-six wounded. These men are considered the first soldiers to fall in the Civil War. The regiment was officially mustered into service on April 22, 1861 and after three months service, mustered out on August 1, 1861. The 6th Regiment again volunteered for duty in 1862, for nine months of service and again in 1864 for 100 days’ of service. Company I was commanded by Captain Edward H. Staten, a resident of Salem.

The 13th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was an outgrowth from the 4th Battalion of Rifles and was organized at Fort Independence in Boston, Massachusetts, on June 16, 1861.The regiment played a role in numerous battles including the Battle of Fredericksburg, the Mud March in 1863, and the Siege of Petersburg in 1864. Company F was commanded by Captain Henry Whitcomb of Boston. On July 13, 1864 the re-enlisted men and recruits were transferred to the 39th Regiment while the rest of the company was mustered out of service on August 1, 1864.

The 17th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was organized at Camp Schouler in Lynnfield, Massachusetts in 1861. Eight of the ten companies were from Essex County; the first, Company A was mustered into service on July 21, 1861, while the other nine were mustered the following day. Company A, also known as the Newbury City Grays was commanded by Captain David F. Brown. Company B, also known as the Foster Guards, was commanded by Captain Sidney C. Bancroft. The regiment was mustered out of service in Greensboro, North Carolina on July 11, 1865.

The 23rd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was organized at Camp Schouler in Lynnfield, Massachusetts in September 1861 and the first men were mustered in on September 28, 1861. Several of the ten companies that comprised the regiment were organized by men who had previously served in 90 days’ of service. Company A from Salem was captained by Ethan A. P. Brewster. Company B from Marblehead was captained by Knott V. Martin. Company C from Gloucester was captained by Addison Center. Company F from Salem was commanded by Captain George M. Whipple. This company was also known as the Union Drill Club of Salem, which had organized as a social and then military organization earlier in 1861. The regiment left for Annapolis, Maryland in November 1861, intended as a part of the Burnside Expedition and by 1862 were stationed in Newbern, North Carolina.

The 50th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was organized at Camp Stanton in Boxford, Massachusetts in 1862 and was comprised of militia companies from Middlesex and Essex Counties, including the 7th Regiment of the state militia. Company A and B were mustered into service on September 15, 1862, while the following eight companies were mustered by September 30, 1862. The regiment moved to New York and then to New Orleans, Louisiana before being assigned to garrison duty in Baton Rouge and Port Hudson, Louisiana. The regiment returned to Boston, Massachusetts in August 1863. Company A was from Salem, Massachusetts and commanded by Captain George D. Putnam. This company, also known as the Salem Light Infantry, had previously enlisted with the 8th Regiment and served three months. It was considered one of the oldest militia organizations in the state, having been chartered on May 1, 1805. The company was officially mustered out of service on August 24, 1863.

The 14th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was organized at Fort Warren in Boston, Massachusetts and mustered into service on July 5, 1861. The regiment performed garrison duty in defense of Washington, D. C. until 1862. On January 1, 1862, the designation of the regiment was changed by order of the War Department to the 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery. The company was mustered out of service on August 16, 1865.

The 40th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry organized in Lynnfield, Massachusetts in August, 1862. Company D was commanded by Captain Henry F. Danforth of Salem, Massachusetts. The company was mustered out of service on June 16, 1865. John Pollock (1840-1920) of Salem enlisted as a sergeant in the 5th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, Company H. He was discharged upon completing his service on May 1, 1861 before he re-enlisted as a second lieutenant in the 40th Infantry, Company D on August 23, 1862. He was discharged as a lieutenant colonel of the 40th Regiment on June 16, 1865.

The 2nd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Heavy Artillery was organized at Readville, Massachusetts and officially mustered into service from July 1863 until December 1863.The regiment was assigned to garrison duties in Virginia and North Carolina. Company M was commanded by Captain Jere A. Greely of Salisbury and mustered into service on December 24, 1863. The company was assigned to duties in Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia followed by duties at New Berne, North Carolina. The regiment was officially mustered out of service on September 23, 1865.

The 35th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was organized under the call of July 1862 and was composed partially of companies recruited from towns in Eastern Massachusetts and organized prior to going into camp, and partially of companies consolidated from squads and detachments, which gathered at Camp Stanton in Lynnfield, Massachusetts. Company F was commanded by Captain Samuel C. Oliver of Salem. The company was mustered out of service on June 9, 1865.

The 9th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was organized in Boston, Massachusetts, for three years’ service and was mustered in on June 11, 1861. This regiment was first intended to be numbered the 13th, but because the method of numbering was changed it became known as the 9th. On June 10, 1864 the original term of enlistment of the regiment expired; recruits and veterans were transferred to the 32nd Massachusetts Regiment. The regiment was formally mustered out of service on June 21, 1864.

The 24th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, otherwise known as the New England Guard Regiment, was organized at Camp Massasoit in Readville, Massachusetts. The recruits were mustered into service beginning in September and lasting until December, 1861. George F. Austin was captain of Company B. William Pratt was captain of Company C. John T. Prince, Jr. was captain of Company D. Robert F. Clark was captain of Company F. Edward C. Richardson was captain of Company G. John Dalard was captain of Company H. The regiment was mustered out of service on January 20, 1866.

The 60th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was organized in the summer of 1864 for 100 days service in Readville, Massachusetts. Some of the companies had previous existence and experience while others were new recruits. Company H, one of the last companies to be mustered into service on July 23, 1864, was commanded by Captain Stephen D. Gardiner of Boston. The regiment was stationed at Camp Carrington before being moved to Burnside Barracks to furnish guards for a stockade containing 5,000 Confederate prisoners of war, where they remained for the entire term of service. The regiment was mustered out of service on November 30th, 1864.

The 3rd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Heavy Artillery was organized by Special Order No. 1087 on September 8, 1864. The 13th Company Unattached Massachusetts Volunteers had been previously mustered into service on February 10, 1864. Company I, of the 13th Unattached, was recruited largely from mechanics employed at the National Armory in Springfield, Massachusetts, and as such, was employed as an engineer corps during the terms of service. Company I was commanded by Captain John Pickering of Salem. The company was assigned to duty under Captain F. N. Farquhar, U. S. Corps of Engineers, and was placed in charge of the pontoons of the Army of the James. They were the last men of the regiment to be mustered out on September 26, 1865. The 15th Company Unattached Massachusetts Volunteers, Company L, was organized on May 30, 1864 and commanded by Captain Joseph M. Parsons of Salem. The company performed garrison duty in the defense of Washington, D. C. The company was mustered out on September 18, 1865.