The Portland daily press., 1885-06-22

second battle of Fredericksburg in Nav, 1863. if
met with heavy losses. AT Salem Church ON the
same day, it had one Of the severest contests of
its experience. The fight. though not long. was
bloody; During the day the regiment lost in
rank and file and 81 out of 81 of its officers On
the retreat Of the army, which followed the Fifth
Maine was the last regiment to recross the river
After many delays another movement was made,
and the regiment met the enemy at Gettysburg
again at Antletam Creek, again at Funkstown,
and hot fight at Williamsport closed the SER
vices OF that campaign.
On the evening Of Nov. 18th following, 1t scored
company with the 121st New York Regt. it charg-
ed the enemyS works at Rappahanock Station[a
very strong position, and from which large force
had been repulsed i'll the afternoon previous
sweeping all before them, capturing at the point
of the bayonet over 1900 prisoners Including over
100 commissioned officers, besides four hattie
flags, and this with a battalion of only $50 men
without fflng single gun In this action the
regiments loss was thirtyfive killed and wounded
including TWO ofhcerS. Under Gen. Meade it took
an active part in the Wilderness campaign, after
which It went into camp at the farm of the well
known UnlonlSt John Minor Bolts. One march
taken during the winter as seanting expedition
indicated the superior physical endurance of the
men, marching from sunrise to sunset during one
OF the shortest days twenty-eight miles, in heavy
marching order, over terrible roads with deep
sticky mud, without single straggler on tie
road.
General Grant took command of the army in the
spring OF 1864 and the third of May found the
boys on the move again. Several minor engage
AcAAo
ment scored at Spottsyvania Court House. one of
the hottest and most bloody tightsln which it had
ever been engaged 1t was one of the twelve
picked regiments directed to charge the enemy's
lines At this time, the regiment numbered about
200 men and Il officers. The loss was over 100
men ana IL officers, everyone of whom was either
killed or severely wounded The two following
days were terrible for the Fifth. Various engage
ments followed Cool Harbor with its auful car
mage, testified to the sacrifices of this fighting
regiment. 1t is worthy of remark that during the
whole OF its experience in the army there was on
~ once that the regiment was not in the front line
Of battle during some portions of an action in
which its corps was engaged-and even then it
was under fre acting as support. Its command
ing generals had unlimited confidence in the old
Fifth On the very last day of its service it cheer
fnlly responded to call to meet the enemy If re-
CURED thus exhibiting to the last moment, that
spirit OF heroism and bravery which had ever dis
tinguished it.
On the 23d of june 1864, its term of service
expired and on the 28th it started for home
quite number Of the men re-enllsted however,
and served until the close of the war
In due season the command reached Portland
where the heroic remnant of a once powerful
battalion, was received with great honor by the
city government and citizens generally. The reg
ment was finally mustered out of the service at
Portland, July 81, 1864