Tag: 12th New Hampshire Infantry

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

The 12th New Hampshire Infantry was organized in Concord, New Hampshire, and mustered in for a three-year enlistment on September 10, 1862, under the command of Colonel Joseph Haydn Potter.

The regiment was attached to Casey’s Division, Military District of Washington, to December 1862. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, III Corps, Army of the Potomac, to June 1863. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, III Corps, Army of the Potomac, to July 1863. Marston’s Command, Point Lookout, Maryland, District of St. Mary’s, to April 1864. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, XVIII Corps, Department of Virginia and North Carolina, to December 1864. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, XXIV Corps, Department of Virginia, to June 1865.

The 12th New Hampshire Infantry mustered out of service June 21, 1865.

Detailed service

1862

September 27 – Left New Hampshire for Washington, D.C.

Until October – Duty in the defenses of Washington

October 18 – Moved to Point of Rocks, Md.

October 19 – Then moved to Pleasant Valley

October 24-November 16 – Moved to Warrenton, Va.

November 18–24 – Moved to Falmouth

December 12–15 – Battle of Fredericksburg

1863

January 20–24 – Burnside’s 2nd Campaign (“Mud March”)

Until April – Duty at Falmouth

April 27-May 6 – Chancellorsville Campaign

May 1–5 – Battle of Chancellorsville

June 11-July 24 – Gettysburg Campaign

July 1–3 – Battle of Gettysburg

July 26 – Ordered to Point Lookout, Md. with duty there guarding prisoners until April 7, 1864.

1864

April 7 – Moved to Yorktown then to Williamsburg

May 4–28 – Butler’s operations on south side of the James River and against Petersburg and Richmond

May 9–10 – Swift Creek (or Arrowfield Church)

May 12–16 – Operations against Fort Darling

May 14–16 – Battle of Drewry’s Bluff

May 16–27 – Bermuda Hundred

May 27–31 – Moved to White House, then to Cold Harbor

June 1–12 – Battles about Cold Harbor

June 15–19 – Before Petersburg

June 16 to April 2, 1865 – Siege of Petersburg and Richmond

July 30, 1864 – Mine Explosion, Petersburg (Reserve)

August 26 to December – Duty on the Bermuda Front

1865

April 1865 – In trenches before Richmond

April 3 – Occupation of Richmond

Until June – Guard and provost duty at Manchester

Service at Gettysburg

On July 2, 1863, the 12th New Hampshire was heavily engaged north of the Klingel Farm, facing attack by Wilcox’s Alabama brigade. The regiment had 224 men on the field that day, of whom 26 were killed and 73 were wounded (an additional six men would die of their wounds). Captain John F. Langley (Company F) was in command, and was wounded when the regiment was ordered to withdraw. Lieutenant William H. H. Fernel (Company I) took command and was able to rescue some 50 Union soldiers who were captured during the withdrawal. The following day, only 50 men were fit for duty under the command of Captain Thomas E. Barker (Company B). Placed near the center of the Union line, they helped repulse Pickett’s charge.

Casualties

The regiment lost a total of 320 men during service; 11 officers and 170 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 1 officer and 138 enlisted men died of disease.

Commanders

Colonel Joseph Haydn Potter

Colonel Thomas E. Barker

Lieutenant Colonel John F. Marsh

Lieutenant Colonel George D. Savage

Captain John F. Langley – commanded at the battle of Gettysburg, July 2, 1863; wounded in action

Captain Thomas E. Barker – commanded at the battle of Gettysburg, July 3, 1863