Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-07-20

THE ,sr MAINE ARTILLERY.
rs Terrible Losses in Battle. Exceeding All
Union Regiments


completed n long and thorough re-
search into the history of the famous
LIST Maine Heavy Artillery, says a spec
ial letter in the Boston Herald, and the
result of his labors, which he now
gives, is probably the most nearly cor
rect account of that regiment ever
compiled
1t will be remembered that only three
instances are recorded during the war
of the rebellion where any one regi-
ment sustained a loss in a single battle
of over 400 wounded and killed. OF
these three, two of the losses were sus-
tanned by the LIST Maine Heavy Artillery
and the third by the Sth New York
Heavy Artillery.
Strangely enough, these three oc-
Cured within Is days of each other. the
first being at the Fredericksburg Pike
or Harris farm battle, on the 10Th of
May. 1864. the 1st Maine being the suf-
ferers: the second was at the battle
of Cold Harbor, on June 2, when the Sth
New York encountered frightful
slaughter. and the third on the 18th of
June at the noted battle of Petersburg
Here the loss of the 1st Maine was by
far the heaviest of any during the
whole war; amounting to over 600 dead
and wounded, thus placing it at the
head of regimental losses for a single
battle.
Not only this, but the total losses in
this regiment during the war largely
exceeded that of any other in the
Union armies, and the fact that the
number killed and wounded during the
one month of warfare ending June IS.
1864, aggregated 11SS, makes a record
of blood which it would be hard to
parallel in the annals of ancient or
modern warfare.
Major House was member of the 1st
Maine, and participated in the 80 days
of carnage. and the history he has
compiled is the result of searching out,
name by name, the fate of each mem
Der of the regiment. work which has
taken months of patient and arduous
toll. He says:
THE LIST Maine Heavy Artillery. was
enlisted principally from the counties
of Penobscot, Piscataquis, Hancock and
Washington, in the eastern part of
Maine. and was mustered into service
at Bangor. Aug. u, 1862, as the 18th
Maine Infantry, under command of
Colonel Daniel Chaplin, who had al
ready seen service in the battle of Bull
Run, and through the Peninsula cam
paign, as major of the I'd Maine Infant
ry. Three days later it started for the
seat of war; arriving in Washington
on the 9th, and was Immediately set
at work with other new companies,
telling forests just outside the chain
of forts about the city, to give the guns
clearer range in case of attack.
When the army had reached Poto-
mae on it's way to Antietam, the 18th
Maine was ordered to report to Gen.
Hancock, which it started out to do;
but was Immediately recalled by re-
quest of the engineering officer at
Washington, who realized the value Of
this regiment as axmen. Thus the
regiment was detained through the fall
at Washington, and on Jan. l. 1863, was
changed to the 1st Maine Heavy Artil-
lery, by which name it was ever after
ward known.
1T remained in defense of Washing
ton, with headquarters at Fort Sumner,
until May Is, 1864, in the meanwhile
having been recruited up to 1900 men,
IL companies of $50 men each, proficient
in artillery and infantry drill.
After the battle of the Wilderness
and the heavy fighting around Spott-
sylvania court house, Gen. Grant called
for re-enforcements for the Potomac
army, and the LIST Maine was one of the
regiments ordered to the front. With
1900 men availab BILE and present for duty
armed and equipped as infantry, il
marched to the field of Spottsylvania
atNt,, 8 tl,,., : |,
morning Of the 18th went into the
trenches under shell fire in the rear OF
the bloody angle. but was so well pro-
Aecleu that no men were lost.
All day of the 10Th the troops from
ahe right of the army were moving
away to the left, and the Fredericks-
burg PIKE. over Which Gen. Grants sup
ply trains We're moving, became uncov
ered' ana late in the afternoon the adj
vance FORCE under Gen Buell., which
mad been sent out to feel for Gen.
grants right and rear struck the
wagon train at point known as the
hsrris farm, ard as the train was but
lghtiy protected, it fell ready victim
4 ne ISL Maine CHANGED to be the near
@'' TO the point of attack. and. with
several other heavy artillery regiments
nearby, was at once put in motion to
recover the wagons.
Inc LIST Maine. in advance. got pos
session easily Of the train and, without
a matt, drove the enemy back half
iiile to their main line. Here line of
pattie was formed and the fight con-
'iifued FOR two hours, when the enemy
were driven further back to their en-
'iehcnfnents. This action was later
kioWn as the Battle of the Heavies,' as
at was fought out by the heavy artillery
regiments. the infantry arriving on the
GROUND as the enemy retired. For this.
1nelr first engagement, an order was
read TO the men the following morning.
IN which Gen. Meade commended them
ior their GOODNESS and bravery
The losses in this action amounted
10 over 1000. nearly half of which oc-
CURED in the 1st Maine, though the LIST
massachusetts, reported a loss of 800
including 2S as missing. The LIST Maine