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15th Maine
Regiment Infantry
in the Civil War
| Regimental History |
| Fifteenth Infantry. — Cols., John McCluskey, Isaac Dyer;
Lieut.-Cols., Isaac Dyer, Benjamin B. Murray, Jr., Pembroke; Majs., Benjamin Hawes,
Franklin M. Drew, James H. Whitmore, John R. Coates. This regiment was raised principally
in Aroostock county, and was organized at Augusta, Me., from Dec. 6 to 31, 1861, to serve
for three years. It was mustered into the U. S. service on Jan. 23, 1862, and embarked
from Portland March 6 for Ship island, Miss., at which date it numbered 962 men, rank and
file. The regiment remained encamped at Carrollton, La., from May 19 to Sept. 18, during
which time it suffered much from malarial diseases. In September it went to Pensacola,
Fla., where it remained until June 21, 1863. Here the health of the men so improved that
the number in hospital was reduced to less than one-quarter. During the first year of its
service the 15th lost by desertion, discharge and death 329 men, although it had never
been in battle. On its return to New Orleans in June, 1863, it joined Gen. Banks'
expedition to Texas and rendered conspicuous service in the capture of Fort Esperanza, in
Matagorda bay. While at Matagorda peninsula, from Jan. 17 to Feb. 28, 1864, three-fourths
of the original members of the regiment reenlisted for another term of three years.
Returning to New Orleans in March, the regiment formed a part of Gen. Banks' Red river
expedition, during which it marched more than 700 miles in two months, and participated in
the battles of Sabine cross-roads, Pleasant Hill, Cane river crossing and Mansura plains.
In June, 1864, it was ordered to New Orleans, and on July 5 embarked on transports for
Fortress Monroe, Va., where it arrived on the 17th. Six companies were then ordered to
Bermuda Hundred, and the remaining companies participated in the campaign up the valley in
pursuit of Early's army. The command was reunited at Monocacy Junction, Md., Aug. 4, when
the veterans of the regiment who had reenlisted received a 35 days' furlough, returning to
the field Sept. 27. In October it went to Martinsburg, where it remained until Jan. 7,
1865. The original members of the regiment who had not reenlisted were mustered out on
Jan. 18, 1865, but the reenlisted men, recruits, volunteers, drafted men and substitutes
forwarded from Camp Berry, Portland, were sufficient to reorganize the regiment, which was
ordered to Washington in April, and went to Savannah, Ga., on June 4. On the 13th, it
embarked on transports for Georgetown, S. C, where it was assigned to the 3d separate
brigade. Department of South Carolina, and remained here until the date of muster out,
July 5, 1866, whence the men went to New York, where they were finally paid and
discharged. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 1
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