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14th Maine
Regiment Infantry
in the Civil War
| Regimental History |
| Fourteenth Infantry. — Cols., Frank S. Nickerson, Thomas W. Porter,
Albion K. Bolan ; Lieut.-Cols., Elias Milliken, Thomas W. Porter, Charles S. Bickmore,
Albion K. Bolan, John K. Laing; Majs., Thomas W. Porter, Charles S. Bickmore, Albion K.
Bolan, John K. Laing, Joseph M. Wiswell. This regiment, like all those raised in 1861 at
the expense of the general government, was recruited from the state at large. It was
organized at Augusta, from Dec. 3 to Dec. 17, 1861, to serve for three years, and left the
state for Boston Feb. 5, 1862. It sailed at once from there for Ship island, Miss., where
it arrived on March 8, and remained in the South until July 13, 1864, during which time it
saw an unusual amount of trying and dangerous service. Its first serious engagement was at
Baton Rouge, Aug. 5, 1862, where it lost in killed, wounded and missing 126 men. Other
engagements in which they participated were at St. Charles Court House, Civiques ferry,
and the assaults on the fortifications of Port Hudson, May 27, and June 14, 1863. During
the campaign from May 7 to Aug. 5 of this year, the regiment was without tents of any
kind, and their only camp equipage was their camp-kettles. Both officers and men were
forced to sleep in the open air, and they suffered much from chills and fever. In Jan.,
1864, all but 40 of the available men of the regiment reenlisted for an additional term of
three years, and on Feb. 10 they left New Orleans for Maine on a furlough of 30 days. They
rejoined the regiment at New Orleans May 19, 1864. On the arrival of the 14th at Bermuda
Hundred, Va., July 22, 1864, it was at once assigned to Gen. Butler's command. Joining
Gen. Sheridan's forces at Berryville, Va., on the 18th, it took an important part in the
battle of Winchester on Sept. 19, losing 60 killed, wounded and prisoners, or about
one-third of the number engaged. Subsequently it participated in the assault and capture
of Fisher's hill and joined in the pursuit of Gen. Early to Harrisonburg. At the battle of
Cedar creek it again suffered severe losses. Of the 200 men in the 14th who entered this
fight, 80 were either killed, wounded or captured, Lieut.-Col. Bickmore being among the
killed. Shortly after this battle the regiment moved to a position near Kernstown, where
it remained until the expiration of its term of service, Dec. 23, 1864. The original
members who had not reenlisted were mustered out at Augusta, Me., on Jan. 13, 1865. The
reenlisted men and recruits whose term of service had not expired, were organized into a
battalion of four companies, A, B, C and D. The 13th, 14th, 17th, 20th, 22nd and 23d
companies unassigned infantry, organized in Augusta in April, 1865, to serve one year,
were assigned to this battalion as Companies E, F, G, H, I and K, thereby reorganizing the
battalion into a full regiment. The new regiment was variously stationed at Savannah,
Augusta and Darien, Ga., engaged in guard and patrol duty, until Aug. 28, 1865, when the
entire regiment was mustered out. On Sept. 1 it embarked for Maine, and the men were
finally paid and discharged at Augusta on Sept. 28. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 1
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