| If this website has been useful to you, please consider
making a Donation.
Your support will help keep this website free for everyone, and will allow us to do
more research. Thank you for your support! |
1st Maine
Heavy Artillery Regiment
in the Civil War
| Regimental History |
| First Heavy Artillery. — Cols., Daniel Chaplin, Russell B. Shepherd;
Lieut. -Cols., Thomas H. Talbot, Russell B. Shepherd, Zemro A. Smith; Majs., Charles
Hamlin, Russell B. Shepherd, George W. Sabine, Christopher V. Crossman, Zemro A. Smith,
Charles W. Nute, Harrison G. Smith. This regiment was originally organized as the 18th
infantry (q. v.), but was changed to heavy artillery after five months' service, and by
general order No. 62, from the adjutant-general's office of Maine, series of 1862, was
designated as the 1st regiment, heavy artillery, Maine volunteers. Two additional
companies were organized — one in Jan., 1864, the other in Feb., 1864. The original
members were mustered out on June 6, 1865, but the organization, composed of veterans and
recruits of this regiment and accessions from the 17th and 19th Me. infantry, remained in
service and was mustered out at Washington, D. C, Sept. 11, 1865. The men returned to
Bangor, Me., on the 17th and were paid and discharged on the 20th. The several companies
were stationed in the defenses of Washington until 1864. The 3d battery of mounted
artillery was temporarily attached to this regiment, and served as Co. M, from March 28,
1863, to Feb. 23, 1864. The maximum number of men required for the regiment (1,800), was
secured in Feb., 1864, when two new majors were added and four lieutenants in each company
instead of two. On May 15 1864, the regiment as thus organized joined the Army of the
Potomac at Belle Plain landing and came under fire for the first time on the 19th, when it
took a prominent part in repulsing a heavy attack of the enemy on the supply trains near
the Fredericksburg pike. It suffered severely in the action, losing 476 men in killed,
wounded and missing. It subsequently participated in the battles of Totopotomy, Cold
Harbor, Petersburg, Deep Bottom, Boydton road, Weldon railroad, Hatcher's run, and in all
the final movements resulting in the evacuation of Richmond and Petersburg and the
surrender of Gen. Lee. On May 24, 1864, the regiment was assigned to the 3d brigade, 3d
division, 2nd corps. In the heroic assaults on the enemy's works at Petersburg, between
June 15-30, the regiment lost 30 killed, 519 wounded and 31 missing, 6 of the killed being
commissioned officers. Col. Chaplin was mortally wounded by a sharpshooter on Aug. 18 at
Deep Bottom, and in the action on the Boydton plank road, Oct. 27, the regiment lost 3
commissioned officers and 29 men. In an engagement of a little more than an hour at
Hatcher's run, March 25, 1865, it lost 1 officer and 3 men killed, and 23 wounded and
captured. The regiment was at Bailey's cross-roads April 16, and later participated in the
grand review at Washington. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 1
|
Whats New
Bibliography
About Us
|