Tag: 12th Maine Infantry

Wikipedia says: The 12th Maine Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

The 12th Maine Regiment, formed in November 1861, was one of the 10 regiments Major General Benjamin F. Butler of Massachusetts received permission to form.

George F. Shepley a Democrat and a noted Portland lawyer and U.S. Attorney for Maine, headed the new regiment.

On Oct. 1, 1861, Shepley wrote to Maine Gov. Israel Washburn to report that he expected the new 12th Maine Regiment to be filled soon “with the very best men in the State.”

Shepley also reported, “I have abandoned every other thought and pursuit, and have embarked in this movement all my hopes energies and efforts and, if need be my fortune and my life.”

Accounts of engagements

The 12th Maine in Louisiana

According to the New York Times, “The town of Madisonville, La., on the other side of Lake Pontchartrain, has been captured without resistance and is now garrisoned by our forces. The expedition consisted of a portion of the Maine Twelfth, the Connecticut Ninth, two battalions from the convalescent camp of the Thirteenth Corps, the Massachusetts Fifteenth battery, battery of the United States artillery and a company of the Louisiana Second cavalry, the whole under the command of Col. Kimrall, of the Maine Twelfth.

The 8th of January was observed by a salute at meridian by order of Gen. Banks.

The great Union mass meeting was held here the same night at the St. Charles Theatre, which was crowded from pit to dome, including a large number of planters from up and down the river. Speeches were made by Messrs. Flandres, L. Madison Day, and Thos. J. Durant.”

Significant events

1861

November 16 Organized at Portland and mustered in

November 24 Unit left Maine for Camp Stevens, Mass.

December 22 Unit in the midst of training at Camp Chase, Mass.

December 30 To Boston

1862

January 2 Embarked on Steamer Constitution for Ship Island, Miss.

February 12 Arrived Ship Island. Attached to Butler’s Expeditionary Corps.

March Attached to 3rd Brigade, Dept. of the Gulf

May 4 Moved to New Orleans and duty at U.S. Mint

June 16–20 Expedition to Pass Manchac

June 17 Pass Manchac

September 13–18 Expedition to Ponchatoula (Companies C, D & F)

September 15 Pouchatoula

October 21 Moved to Camp Parapet

November 19 Moved to Baton Rouge, La. Attached to Grover’s Division, Baton Rouge, La., Dept. Gulf

1863

January Attached to 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, 19th Army Corps, Dept. Gulf

February Attached to 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 19th Corps, Dept. Gulf

March 7–27 Operations against Port Hudson

April 9-May 14 Moved to Donaldsonville. Operations in Western Louisiana

April 11–20 Teche Campaign

April 13 Porter’s and McWilliams’ Plantation at Indian Head

April 14 Irish Bend

April 18 Destruction of salt works at New Iberia

April 20-May 20 Advance to the Red River

May 21–24 Advance on Port Hudson

May 24-July 8 Siege of Port Hudson

May 27 Assault on Port Hudson

June 14 Second Assault on Port Hudson

June 20 Thibodeaux (Detachment)

July 9 Surrender of Port Hudson

July 13 Donaldsville

August 12 Moved to New Orleans, then to Ship island, Miss.

October At Camp Parapet

1864

January 3–7 Expedition to Madisonville (Companies B, F, K)

January 7 Capture of Madisonville

March 11 Ordered to New Orleans

April to June 16 Veterans on furlough, Non-Veterans at Camp Parapet

May 27 Veterans returned from Portland to New Orleans

June 16 Regiment moved to Morganza, La.

July 3 Moved to Algiers

July 13–20 To Fort Monroe, Va.

July 21 To Bermuda Hundred, Va.

July 21–25 Duty in trenches.

July 27–29 Demonstration on north side of James River

July 27–28 Deep Bottom

July 31 Moved to Washington, D.C.

August 2 To Tennallytown, Md.

August 7 – November 28 Sheridan’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign. Attached to Army of the Shenandoah, Middle Military Division

September 3–4 Berryville

September 19 Battle of Opequan, Winchester

September 22 Fisher’s Hill

October 19 Battle of Cedar Creek

Orcober 20 Duty at Cedar Creek
November 9 At Opequan

November 19 Non-Veterans left front. Veterans consolidated to a Battalion of four Companies.

December 7 Non-Veterans mustered out

1865

January Ordered to Savannah, Ga.and attached to District of Savannah, Ga., Dept. of the South

February – March Six new Companies organized for one year service and assigned as E, F, G, H, I, K.

March Attached to 1st Brigade. 1st Division, 10th Army Corps, Army Ohio

1866

February – March Companies E, F, G, H, I & K mustered out

The regiment was discharged from service on April 18, 1866.

Total strength and casualties

The regiment lost 3 officers and 49 enlisted men killed in action or died of wounds. 2 officers and 237 died of disease for a total of 291 fatalities from all causes.

Officers

Field and staff officers

Col. George Foster Shepley of Portland

Lt. Col. William K. Kimball of Paris

Lt. Col. and Adjutant Edward Ilsley of Lewiston

Major David R. Hastings of Lovell

Quartermaster Horatio Jose of Portland

Surgeon James H. Thompson of Orono

Chaplain Joseph Colby of Gorham

Sergent Major John W. Dana of Portland

Company officers

Capt. Gideon A. Hastings of Bethel (Co. A)

1st Lt. Elbridge Bolton of Portland (Co. A)

2nd Lt. Charles D. Webb of Portland (Co. A)

Capt. George A. Chadwell (Co. B)

Capt. Charles Cutts Gookin Thornton of Scarborough (Co. C)

1st Lt. Horatio Hight (Co. C)

Capt. Elisha Winter of Dixfield (Co. D)

Capt. Enoch Knight of Bridgton (Co. E)

Capt. Seth C. Farrington of Fryeburgh (Co. F)

Capt. Moses M. Robinson of Portland (Co. G)

Capt. John F. Appleton of Bangor (Co. H)

Capt. Menzies R. Fessenden of Portland (Co. I)

Capt. George Washburn of Calais (Co. K)

Mascots

“The oddest pets we have yet seen were two bears, which the 12th Maine regiment of the 19th Corps, led through the city recently. These bears were brought all the way from Louisiana, and have been in several fights. They have become perfectly tame and tractable, and march along at the head of the band, with an air that indicates they feel themselves veteran soldiers of the bruin order, and that they have a character to sustain.”