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16th Maine
Regiment Infantry
in the Civil War
| Regimental History |
| Sixteenth Infantry. — Cols., Asa W. Wildes, Charles W. Tilden;
Lieut.-Cols., Charles W. Tilden, Augustus B. Farnham; Majs., Augustus B. Farnham,
Archibald D. Leavitt, Abner R. Small. The recruits for this regiment were rendezvoused at
Augusta during the months of May, June and July, and the regiment was mustered into the U.
S. service on Aug. 14, 1862, to serve for three years. The regiment left for Washington on
the 19th with 38 commissioned officers and 944 enlisted men, and remained encamped there
until Sept. 7, when it proceeded to Rappahannock Station as a part of Taylor's brigade,
Hooker's corps. Here it was transferred to Duryea's brigade of Reynolds' corps. It had
left camp at Fort Tillinghast, near Washington, in light marching order and during the
next two months the men suffered terribly from the lack of sufficient clothing and camp
equipage. By the middle of October the regiment had dwindled to less than 700 men, and of
these 250 were at one time on the sick list. Even medicines for the sick were lacking and
the hardships endured by these men, so recently taken from the peaceful walks of life, can
never be told. Finally, at the end of October, they drew shoes and shelter tents, Nov. 27
(Thanksgiving day), their knapsacks and overcoats arrived from Washington. The
self-respect of the men was now restored and a better feeling took the place of the old
despondency. The loss the regiment suffered in its first serious battle tells the story of
its valor. About 450 men were engaged at Fredericksburg on Dec. 13, 1862, and 226 of this
number was either killed, wounded or missing. Said Gen. Burnside, who commanded that day:
"Whatever honor we can claim in that contest was won by Maine men." The regiment
again lost heavily at Gettysburg, when, at the close of the terrible three days' fighting,
all that remained of 248 officers and men, who entered the battle, were 2 officers and 15
enlisted men. Besides the battles above mentioned, the list of engagements in which this
regiment bore an honorable part would include, Chancellorsville, Mine Run, Wilderness,
Spottsylvania Court House, where it lost nearly 100 men, Laurel Hill, losing nearly 50
men. North Anna river, Totopotomy, Bethesda Church, Petersburg, Weldon railroad, Hatcher's
run, losing 3 killed, 60 wounded and 11 missing, Gravelly run, losing 29 men, and the
South Side railroad. It joined in the pursuit of Lee's forces to Appomattox Court House,
after which it returned to Washington, D. C, where it was mustered out on June 5, 1865,
and the next day the men were en route for the state rendezvous at Augusta where they were
finally paid and discharged. The regiment had received about 800 recruits and in addition
the 2nd company of unassigned infantry, organized at Augusta, Me., Sept. 23, 1864, to
serve for one year, joined the regiment and was assigned as Co. A. The officers and men
whose term of service did not expire before Oct. 1, 1865, were transferred to the 20th Me.
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Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 1
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