In the fall of 1862 a call came for nine-months troops. The companies of the 3d had maintained their organization, and altho constantly depleted to supply recruits for other regiments, were relatively well prepared for service. They now determined that the 3d should reenter the U. S. service. In order to distribute town quotas more justly, the Assonet Light Infantry was united with the Halifax Light Infantry as Co. A, under Capt. John W. Marble of Assonet; (Capt. Marble was subsequently to command the 22d Unattached Company during the one-hundred-days of 1864;) the Samoset Guards of Plympton and the Bay State Light Infantry of Carver were consolidated with the Standish Guards as Co. B, under Capt. Thomas B. Griffith of Carver. The New Bedford City Guards became Co. E, under Capt. John A. Hawes. New companies were organized: C and D in Fall River under Capts. Elihu Grant and Andrew D. Wright (Capt. Grant later became a minister); F and G in New Bedford under Capts. George H. Hurlburt and William S. Cobb; H in Rehoboth under Capt. Otis A. Baker, who had a notable war record. (As private in the 1st R. I., he had been wounded at Bull Run. Later he had served as 1st Sergeant and 2d Lieutenant in the 44th R. I.; subsequently he was to be Captain of the 18th Unattached Company,) I in Fairhaven under Capt. Barnabas Ewer, Jr., who as Major of the 58th Mass. was killed at Cold Harbor in 1864; K in Bridgewater under Capt. Samuel Bates. Co. D of Fall River continued its existence after the war, and was active until 1876. The regiment was commanded by Col. Richmond; the Lieutenant Colonel was James Barton of New Bedford, who had been 1st Lieutenant during the three-months’ service; the Major was John Morrissey of Plymouth, who had been “legislated out” of the captaincy of the Standish Guards by the recent consolidation. Maj. Morrissey became, after the war, Sergeant-at-Arms in the Boston State House.
The 3d were mustered into U. S. service for nine months on Sept. 23, 1862. As their numbers were too great for a single transport, two vessels received the regiment, the “Merrimac” and the “Mississippi.” Off Cape Cod the men experienced inconvenience similar to that of 1861; and many communed with the great deep. Thereafter the voyage was thru calm water, not even Cape Hatteras proving sufficient to stir up trouble. Landing was made at Beaufort, North Carolina, whence trains conveyed the regiment to Newbern. That town was originally settled by Swiss colonists; as, however, it bore small trace of Helvetian thriftiness and neatness in 1862, our men found nothing to admire. But the district was of much military importance as a source of supplies and channel of communication for Richmond and Lee’s army. The 3d, under Gen. Foster, was side by side with the 43d and 44th Regiments, both of which have place in Coast Artillery history. They participated in the “great march” thru Kinston, Whitehall and Goldsboro. June 11, 1863, the regiment embarked for home; and was mustered out June 26.
Veterans of the 4th Regiment residing in Taunton organized the Taunton City Guard on Nov. 4, 1865, thus giving that city a competitor to its older Light Guard. The company entered the 3d Regiment in 1866, and today exists as the 9th Company, Mass. C. A. For a few months there was an exciting rivalry between the two Taunton companies, as each claimed to be the rightful owner of certain military property in the city,—camp equipage and a fund of $800 coming down from war days. The property would be first concealed by one company and then captured by the other. The courts were appealed to; but finally the matter was compromised; they divided the money, and the companies became joint owners of the tentage and other equipment.
Orders were issued by the State authorities on Aug. 20, 1866, combining the 4th and 3d Regiments in a new 3d Regiment, and on Aug. 31, Col. Mason W. Burt of Taunton was elected commander. Col. Burt had been Captain and Major in the 22d Mass. Volunteers from 1861 to 1864. The new regiment consisted of companies in Halifax (A), Fall River (B), Scituate (C), New Bedford (E), Taunton (F) and (G), and Quincy (H). The Halifax Light Infantry, the New Bedford City Guards, B of Fall River, and, a little later, the revived D of Fall River under Capt. Sierra L. Braley, with a new Scituate company, represented the 3d Regiment; while the Taunton Light Guard and Hancock Light Guards of Quincy came from the 4th Regiment. The new Taunton company entered the 3d at this time; but the Standish Guards remained aloof, as the 87th Unattached Company, until 1868. At the latter date the Plymouth company came in as Co. M. Thomas J. Borden became Colonel June 23, 1868, and Bradford D. Davol followed on March 9, 1871, both being residents of Fall River. When on Aug. 2, 1876, the regiment was reduced to a battalion, the “3d Battalion of Infantry,” its only surviving companies were the New Bedford City Guards (E), the Taunton City Guards (F), the Taunton Light Guard (G), and the Standish Guards (now H). All others had been disbanded. Maj. Daniel A. Butler, former Captain of the Standish Guards, commanded the 3d Battalion. Meanwhile the Cunningham Rifles of North Bridgewater or Brockton had been organized in 1869, and named after the Adjutant General, James A. Cunningham. Originally Co. I of the 3d, this command was transferred to the 1st Battalion of Infantry, Lt. Col. Wales, in 1876; and so pioneered the way for the remainder of the “Cape” companies to follow two years later. This company exists today as the 10th Company, Mass. C. A.
One cause contributing to the disappearance of the 3d Regiment was the fact that it was called upon to perform two tours of duty for the maintenance of public order in Fall River, first on Aug. 5, 1870, continuing three days, and again Sept. 27, 1875, continuing seven days. Such service in connection with industrial disturbance is exceedingly painful to the feelings of the men. Coming as it did when class sensitiveness was acute, and when the old Civil War veterans were ready to retire permanently from active military service, it did much to break up the command. Happily such a situation can hardly recur today.
The 3d Regiment participated in musters with the 1st Brigade from 1866 to 1871, the final one being held at Lovell’s Plain, North Weymouth. In 1872 there was a regimental encampment at their old Civil War mobilization ground, “Camp Joe Hooker,” Lakeville.
On Dec. 3, 1878, Major Butler’s four-company battalion was consolidated with the 1st and 4th Battalions as part of the 1st Regiment.