Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1889-05-23
WAR MEMORIES.
History of the First Maine Heavy
Artillery.
The Regiment that Lost tho Most
Men In Battle During the War
OF Rebellion.

The statistics that have been compiled by the
War Department from company muster-out
rolls showing the actual losses OF regiments
hrigados, divisions and army corps In battle
by disease and all other causes, during the late
war, possess melancholy interest to the sur
vivors, is an eloquent tribute TO tho valor and
determination OF American Soldiery, while
they also settle many questions that have been
warmly discussed AT different times by the vet
Grams around their peaceful camp ilres The
total losses TO the Union army In battle ap.
proximates closely 10 Ave per cent OF the en-
tire number who served In all capacities and
double that number by disease, white some few
regiments suffered n loss OF nearly 25 per
cent killed and mortally wounded during their
term OF service. IL Is no discredit TO the men
OF those commands whose list OF dead In action
Is numerically small, rs the circumstances OF
war gave them no opportunl ties 10 win that
special distinction and fame that was acquired
by the Necessary sacrifice OF so much of our best
blood on desperately contested iields, Nor Is
IL evidence because a regiment presents on Its
final mustcr-out rolls multiplicity OF names
who died ON the field OF honor, that others
wonld not have acquitted themselves IN an
equally worthy manner, had the chance been
Afforded; but II does show exactly what these
men did and dared and that they sealed their
devotion TO their country's cause by dying as
heroes ON the front line OF the charge In the
fierce carnage of actual war, making for their
regiment brilliant record upon the scroll OF
history,
The greatest maximum loss that befel any
one OF the two thousand regiments In Union
army In battle occurred to the First Maine
Heavy Artillery, who had a2l killed and died
OF wounds, aud $50 wounded out Of total en-
rollment OF 2sOs The percentage OF killed
being 10. 2 l-9 per cent
The Second Wisconsin lost 23S killed and
died OF wounds, and 5l5 additional wounded,
out OF an enrolment Of 1888. being 20 per cent
but that loss was nearly four years In consun,-
nation, while the First Maine incurred the en-
tire loss from May 10th, 1864, TO April 9th,
1868, being period of less than one year.
Nothing like II Is recorded In ancient or mod.
ern history.
The Eighth New York Heavy Artillery lost
36l men killed or mortally wounded, aud $40
additional wounded during same time, out
Of an enrolment OF 25i5,-fourteen per cent,
The Fifth New Hampshire met the greatest
maximum loss In btitle OF any Infantry Regl-
ment, 295 being kill, d and $50 wounded out
OF u total enrolment OF l7O6, the percentage OF
loss being slightly less than Is per cent.
Only forty-ilve regiments had over 200 men
killed or died of wounds In battle, and but six
ty-clght lost over ten per cent OF their total
number In action. Tho Second Corps was the
greatest sufferer Of any Of the corps dc armee,
but was also one Of the largest, nearly 100
regiments being attached TO II aud out Of 100
regiments which lost the most men In action,
45 OF them were In that corps the next highest
number, II, being In the 18th. OF the 40 regl-
ments who lost over 200 killed In battle, four
OF them were In the Western Army and III IN
the Potomac Army.
The tabulatod losses of LIST Maine Heavy Ar,
ullery were as follows!