11th Rhode Island Infantry

HISTORICAL NOTES: The 11th Rhode Island Infantry Regiment was organized at Camp Stevens Providence, Rhode Island and mustered into service on October 1, 1862, for a term of service of nine months.

The regiment left Rhode Island for Washington, D.C., on October 6th. Their first duty was at Fort Ethan Allen which was built by Vermont volunteers and named after the famous commander of the Green Mountain Boys, the fort had a garrison of as many as 1,000 men. Containing emplacements for 36 guns, it formed a part of the defenses of Chain Bridge and commanded the approaches south of Pimmit Run. Its position allowed mutual support with Fort Marcy to the north alongside the macadmized Leesburg and Georgetown Turnpike as well as Batteries Martin Scott and Vermont across the Potomac. OFFICERS:

Colonel Edwin Metcalf; October 1, 1862 to November 9th, 1862

Lieutenant Colonel J. Talbot Pittman (acting); November 10, 1862 to January 22, 1863

Colonel Horatio Rogers Jr.; January 23rd, 1863 to March 19th, 1863

Colonel George E. Church; March 20th, 1863 to July 13, 1863

ASSIGNMENTS: Attached to Military District of Washington, D.C., to December, 1862. District of Alexandria, Defenses of Washington, and 22nd Army Corps, to April, 1863. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 7th Army Corps, Department of Virginia, to June, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 4th Army Corps, Department of Virginia to July, 1863. SERVICE: Duty at East Capitol Hill, Fort Ethan Allen and Miner's Hill, Defenses of Washington, till January 14, 1863. Guard duty at Convalescent Camp till April 15. Moved to Norfolk, thence to Suffolk April 15–19. Siege of Suffolk April 19 – May 4. Siege of Suffolk raised May 4. Expedition to destroy Norfolk & Petersburg Railroad and Seaboard & Roanoke Railroad May 16–27. Expedition to Blackwater June 12–18. Moved to Norfolk June 19, thence to Yorktown, and to Williamsburg June 22. Duty at Williamsburg till June 30. Left Yorktown for home July 2. Mustered out July 13, 1863. ROSTERS:

The composite rosters of this unit contain the names of 1314 men.

Company I - Captain Thomas B. Carr - many men from Newport County.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. Vol. 2. Davenport, IA: Eastern Digital Resources, 1998. Ref. See p. 1222 (1 photocopied page) for a concise summary of the regiment's service.


REFERENCES:
Dyer, Frederick H. - A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
The Union Army by Federal Publishing Company, 1908 - Volume 1