Recruited in the five Western counties of the State. ' Colonel Wells had already served with honorable distinction as Lieutenant-Colonel of the First Massachusetts before he was transferred to the command of the Thirty-fourth. The regiment left Worcester, 1,015 strong, on August 15, 1862, and proceeded direct to Virginia. For several months it was stationed at Fort Lyon, near Alexandria, Va., and also did duty awhile in Washington. In July, 1863, it was ordered to Harper's Ferry, and, thence, on various campaigns in the Shenandoah Valley. It commenced the spring campaign of May, 1864, with 67° men present for duty, and took about 500 into the action at New Market, May 15, 1864, its casualties amounting to 28 killed, 174 wounded, and 19 missing; total, 221. At Piedmont it lost 15 killed, and 95 wounded; at Opequon, 6 killed and 96 wounded out of less than 300 engaged; at Strasburg, 9 killed, 48 wounded, and 40 missing, out of 250 present in that fight· In the latter action Colonel Wells was killed and fell into the enemy's hands. In December, 1864, the regiment was transferred to Eastern Virginia, and assigned to Turner's Division, Twenty-fourth Corps, Army of the James. It participated in the desperate but victorious assault on the works at Petersburg, April 2, 1865, and, taking part in the pursuit of Lee's Army, was present at the final scenes at Appomattox.