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Capsule histories of the 1st, 2nd regiments of Maine Cavalry & 1st DC Cavalry

2nd Maine | 1st DC Cavalry | Return to home page

1st Maine Cavalry

1st Maine was organized at Augusta, ME, November 5th, 1861, for three years. Companies A, D, E, and F, under command of Colonel Allen, departed on March 14th, 1862, and arrived in Washington on the 19th. On the 20th, Companies B, I, H, and M, under Major Douty, left Augusta, arriving in Washington on the 24th. Companies C, G, K, and L under Major Stowell arrived on the 28th. Companies A, B, E, H and M, were sent under Lieutenant-Colonel Douty, to General Banks' Corps at Strasburg, VA, joining on May 11th, and were assigned to General Hatch's Cavalry Brigade. The remaining seven companies were assigned to General Abercombie's Brigade, and shortly afterwards to General Ord's Division at Fredericksburg, VA.

On the 23rd, Lieutenant-Colonel Doughty with his command and two companies of the 1st Vermont Cavalry, made a charge on the enemy at Middletown, VA, losing 176 horses with as many horse equipments; and then assisted in covering General Banks' retreat to Williamsport by way of Winchester.

On the 10th of July, the companies under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Douty joined the regiment at Warrenton, VA. On the 9th of August, the whole regiment, under the command of Colonel Allen, attached to Bayard's Brigade, took part in the battle of Cedar Mountain, VA. They retreated with General Pope's forces to Fairfax Court House, VA, where they arrived on September 3rd, and reported to General Reno, having had an engagement with the enemy at Brandy Station on the morning of August 20th.

The regiment arrived at Washington, DC, on the 4th of September, and was attached to Burnside's Corps, participating, on the 12th, in the engagement at Frederick, MD, where the regiment (with the exception of Companies G. M and H) remained encamped, Colonel Allen receiving the appointment on Military Governor.

Company G, acting as General Reno's body guard, participated in the battle of South Mountain, MD, on the 14th; and Companies M and H, under General F. J. Porter, in that of Antietam on the 17th.

The total number of horses lost in action and worn out in service during the year amounting to nearly 700.

The regiment was relieved from duty at Frederick, MD, on November 2nd, and December 11th was assigned to General Bayard's Cavalry Brigade at Falmouth, VA, afterwards commanded by General Gregg, under whose command the regiment remained until February 20th 1863, when it was assigned to the 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, Colonel J. Kilpatrick commanding.

From April 13th to June 8th, the regiment was engaged in several reconnaissance's and engagements, and on the 17th participated in the action at Aldie, VA, Colonel Douty being killed while gallantly charging at the head of his men, also Capt. Summatt while rallying his men under a murderous fire of grape and canister.

On the 19th, the regiment was engaged at Middleburg, VA, Upperville, VA, on the 21st, and arrived at Gettysburg, Pa., July 2nd, where it was engaged in a severe cavalry fight on the right of the Federal lines on the 3rd.

At Sheppardstown on the 16th; the regiment went to the support of the pickets of the 10th NY, who were attacked by the enemy in large force, led by General Stuart, and was engaged in a severe and hotly contested fight lasting till after dark.

From August 24th to December 23rd, the regiment was engaged in several battles, skirmishes and reconnaissance's.

From the latter date to Jan 1st, 1864, it was encamped near Bealton Station, VA, when they proceeded with the 2nd Division Cavalry Corps to Front Royal returning on the 4th to Warrenton and there remained engaged in picket and other duties until February 27th, on which day 300 men reported to General Kilpatrick for duty in the expedition to Richmond, during which the detachment participated in several engagements with the enemy; returned by transports to Alexandria, VA, arriving there on the 12th of March, having lost during the raid, in killed, wounded and missing, 93 men and over 200 horses.

On the 7th and 8th of May, the regiment had a severe engagement with the enemy at Todd's Tavern, and on the 9th the regiment moved with the Cavalry Corps on General Sheridan's first raid, until within three miles of Richmond, and went into camp near Pole Cat River, when the raid ended.

On the 2nd of June, the regiment was engaged with the enemy on the Cold Harbor Road, when Chaplain Bartlett was instantly killed by a solid shot.

On the 11th, the regiment participated in the action at Trevillian's Station, on the 24th, at St. Mary's Church, losing in killed, wounded and missing, 10 officers and 58 enlisted men.

On the 28th of July, had a sharp engagement with the enemy near Malvern Hill.

On the 16th of August, participated in the engagement on the Charles County Road; at Dinwiddie Court House on the 23rd, and at Reams' Station on the 24th losing during the month of August, in killed, wounded and missing, 49 men and 75 horses.

During this month (August) seven companies of the 1st DC Cavalry were transferred and assigned to the several companies of this regiment by Special Order No. 17, War Dept. series of 1864.

In October, the regiment was engaged in the actions at Gravelly Creek and Boydton Plank Road, returning to camp near the Jerusalem Plank Road on the 29th, the casualties during the month being 11 killed, 55 wounded and 13 missing.

The original members of the regiment whose term of service expired November 4th, 1864, were mustered out of the U. S. Service at Augusta, ME, November 25th, 1864.

During the month of December, the regiment was engaged in scouting and picketing.

During the year 1864, the casualties in this regiment were as follows: enlisted men killed in action or died from wounds, 69; wounded, 202; missing in action, 126. Commissioned officers killed in action or died from wounds, 7; wounded, 13; missing in action, 4

On the 5th of February, 1865, the regiment started for Hatcher's Run and returned on the 8th, remaining in camp until the 26th, on which day and the two following, it served as a support to the 9th corps in front of Petersburg.

On the 31st, being at Cat Tail Run, it participated in one of the most obstinately contested engagements of the campaign, losing one killed and four wounded commissioned officers, and 70 wounded and six enlisted men, missing.

It also participated in the closing battles of the war, and was mustered out of the U. S. service at Petersburg, VA, August 1st, 1865, arriving at Augusta, ME, on the 9th, where the men were paid and finally discharged.

Medal of Honor Recipient's

SMITH, CHARLES H.
Rank and organization: Col, 1st Maine Cav.
Action: At St. Mary's Church, Va, 24 Jun 1864.
Entered service at: [Eastport], Maine.
Born: Hollis, Maine.
Date of issue: 11 April 1895.
Citation: Remained in the fight to the close, although severely wounded.

THAXTER, SIDNEY W.
Rank and organization: Major, 1st Maine Cav.
Action: At Hatchers Run, Va, 27 Oct 1864.
Entered service at: Bangor, Maine.
Born: Bangor, Maine.
Date of issue: 10 September 1897.
Citation: Voluntarily remained and participated in the battle with conspicuous gallantry, although his term of service had expired and he had been ordered home to be mustered out.
MAJ Thaxter is buried in Evergreen cemetary in Portland, Maine.

TOBIE, EDWARD P.
Rank and organization: SgtMaj, 1st Maine Cav.
Action: At Appomattox Campaign, Va, 29 March to 9 Apr 1865.
Entered service at: Lewiston, Maine.
Born: Lewiston, Maine
Issued: 1 Apr 1898.
Citation: Though severely wounded at Sailors Creek, 6 April, and at Farmville, 7 April, refused to go to the hospital, but remained with his regiment, performed the full duties of adjutant upon the wounding of that officer, and was present for duty at Appomattox.
2LT Tobie is buried in Swain Point cemetary in Providence, Rhode Island.

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2nd Maine Cavalry

Organized at Augusta, Maine from November 30th, 1863, to January 2nd, 1864. Assigned to the Department of the Gulf January 11th, commenced leaving Augusta for Portland, to embark on transports for New Orleans, LA. Companies A and D, and about half of G, being the only portion of the regiment which had arrived at New Orleans, were ordered, on the 16th of April, to proceed to Alexandria, LA, where they arrived on the morning of the 21st. While assigned to duty with the 3d Cavalry Brigade, participated in the Red River campaign with engagements at Cherryville Cross Roads, Marksville, Avoyelles Prarie and Yellow Bayou, rejoining the regiment at Thibodeaux, June 1st. the main body of the regiment arrived at New Orleans, in detachments, on the 18th, 19th, 22d and 23d of April. On the 9th of August, the regiment embarked at New Orleans for Pensacola, FL, arriving on the 11th, and encamped near Barrancas, employed in fatigue duty, besides taking part in quite a number of raids, to Marianna, in September, and to Pollard, AL, in December. During the year, the regiment lost by deaths one officer and 278 enlisted men.

On the 23d of Febuary, 1865, Lt Col Andrew Spurling, with 300 men, attacked the enemy in considerable force at Milton, FL, and after a sharp encounter, completely routed them.

On the 19th of March, the regiment joined Gen. Steele’s command, concentrated at Pensacola, preparatory to the movement which resulted in the capture of Mobile and the opening of the State of Alabama to the advance of Federal Troops.

During the whole campaign, the regiment rendered efficient service, had several encounters with the enemy, destroyed a large amount of railroad and other property, besides opening communication with Gen. Canby, besieging Spanish Fort, and capturing a large number of the enemy.

After the fall of Mobile, a detachment of the regiment was assigned to the 16th Army Corps, being the only Cavalry with that body of 30,000 men. The detachment did efficient duty during the long march of nearly 200 miles to the city of Montgomery, AL. In August the detachment was ordered to return to Florida, and rejoined the regiment at Barrancas.

The regiment was then broken up into small detachments were stationed at various points throughout Western Florida for security.

By the 1st of December, the entire regiment was concentrated at Barrancas, and mustered out of the U. S. service on the 6th by Lt E. M. Schryver, Assistant Commissary of Musters. Twenty-five commissioned officers and about 116 enlisted men were mustered out and discharged in Florida, to become residents of the South, making oath of their intention to remain there, and receiving from the government, mileage in lieu of transportation.

The remainder of the regiment, comprising 14 officers and 500 enlisted men, embarked on the 8th for Augusta, ME, where they were paid and finally discharged on December 21st, 1865.

Death losses during service: Two Officers and 8 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded; 334 Enlisted men died of disease. Total 344.

Medal of Honor Recipient's

SPURLING, ANDREW B.
Rank and organization: LtCol, 2d Maine Cav.
Action: At Evergreen, Ala, 23 March 1865.
Entered service at: Maine.
Born: Cranberry Isles, Maine.
Issued: 10 Sep 1897.
Citation: Advanced alone in the darkness beyond the picket line, came upon 3 of the enemy, fired upon them (his fire being returned), wounded 2, and captured the whole party.
BVT BGEN Spurling is buried in Rose Hill cemetary, Chicago, Ill.

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1st DC Cavalry

Eight of this regiment's companies were organized at Augusta, ME from October 1863 to March 1864 for three years service. These companies were designated D, F, G, H, I, K, L, and M. This regiment was originally designed for special service in the District of Columbia, and was under the command of Colonel L. C. Baker.

After performing important service in and about Washington for several months, half of the regiment was ordered to Portsmouth, Va., and dismounted; the other half was assigned to Gen. Butler's command, and participated in General Kautz's cavalry raid in the early part of June, 1864.

On the 23rd of August, the regiment had an engagement with the Hampton Legion; also participated the next day in the action near Reams' Station.

All the Maine officers and enlisted men were transferred to the 1st ME Cavalry, August 25th, but did not then join the latter regiment, and remained doing picket duty on the extreme left of the army, on a line about four miles in length.

On the 15th of September the regiment was attacked by a large force of the enemy, and after a gallant resistance was compelled to retreat, losing heavily in killed and a large number being taken prisoners. The remaining men then joined the 1st ME Cavalry, and from this date the history of the regiment is identical with that of the 1st ME Cavalry.

March 4, 2004