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6th Maine
Regiment Infantry
in the Civil War
| Regimental History |
| Sixth Infantry. — Cols., Abner Knowles, Hiram Bumham, Benjamin F.
Harris; Lieut.-Cols., Hiram Bumham, Charles H. Chandler, Benjamin F. Harris; Majs., George
Fuller (commissioned, but never mustered in), Frank Pierce, Benjamin F. Harris, Joel A.
Hancock, George Fuller, Theo. Lincoln, Jr. (commissioned, but never mustered in), Frank
Pierce, Benjamin F. Harris, Joel A. Hancock, George Fuller, Theo. Lincoln, Jr. This
regiment was composed principally of the hardy lumbermen of the Penobscot valley and the
eastern portion of the state, who were quick to respond to the first call to arms. Before
its organization it was made up of two battalions of five companies each, rendezvousing
respectively at the state arsenal, Bangor, and Fort Sullivan, Eastport. Under a general
order from Adjt.-Gen. Hodsdon, June 28, 1861, both battalions were removed to Portland and
organized into a regiment for active service. On July 12-15, 1861, it was mustered into
the service of the United States and on the 17th left for Washington. En route through New
York city, the regiment was presented with a handsome standard by the sons of Maine in
that city. It arrived in Washington on the 19th and was stationed at Chain Bridge on the
Potomac, where it remained until Sept. 3. Through the fall and winter of 1861-62 it
occupied Fort Griffin, and in March, 1862, was put into Hancock's brigade, Smith's
division, and joined in the advance on Manassas. A little later it was attached to the 4th
corps under Gen. E. D. Keyes, and advanced with the rest of the army on Yorktown on April
4, 1862. For the remainder of its three years the regiment saw the most arduous and active
service. It participated in ten general engagements and in a great many skirmishes. On
April 5-7, 1862, it was engaged in skirmishing and reconnaissances at the siege of
Yorktown, and subsequently took part in the engagements at Lee's mills, Williamsburg,
Garnett's farm, White Oak bridge, Antietam and Fredericksburg. From Feb. 2 to May 11,
1863, it was with the "Light Division", and during this period took an honorable
part in the battle of Chancellorsville, where it lost 128 officers and men killed and
wounded. Other important battles in which the 6th was engaged were Rappahannock Station,
where it lost 16 officers and 123 men ; Wilderness, Spottsylvania Court House, where it
lost a few men, and two days later in an attack on the enemy's works on the right, it lost
125 in killed, wounded and missing. On June 12, 1864, the regiment only numbered 70 men,
and was under fire for eight hours, supporting Gen. Hancock's corps, losing 16 officers
and men. The original members of the regiment were mustered out on Aug. 15, 1864, and the
veterans and recruits to the number of 238 men, were transferred to the 7th Me. afterwards
organized as the 1st regiment veteran volunteers. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 1
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