Colonel William F. Bartlett, at age 24 already a veteran of three regiments, organized the recruiting and formation of the 57th Massachusetts and served as its first commanding officer.

The regiment was attached to the IX Corps of the Army of the Potomac and took part in Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign in the spring of 1864.

[2][3] Recruiting of veterans progressed slowly but through Col. Bartlett's efforts, the regiment numbered a full ten companies by the spring of 1864 and was mustered into federal service on April 6.

The regiment departed Massachusetts on April 18 for Annapolis, Maryland where Major General Ambrose Burnside was reorganizing his IX Corps for the spring campaign.

The Corps remained at Annapolis until April 23 when they were ordered to march for Washington, D.C. From there they passed on to Arlington and eventually joined the Army of Potomac in its winter quarters surrounding Bealton Station, Virginia along the Orange and Alexandria Railroad.