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. CHAPTER IX SINCE 1878 Col. Wales’ regiment, when he received his commission on Dec. 30, 1878, consisted of the following twelve companies: