United States Regiments & Batteries > Maine


The 16th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment lost 9 officers and 172 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 2 officers and 257 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. The regiment is honored by a moument at Gettysburg.

1862
August 14 Organized at Augusta and mustered in
August 19 Left State for Washington, D.C. and camp at Arlington Heights
September 6 Attached to 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 1st Army Corps, Army Potomac
September 6-16 March into Maryland
September 13 The regiment was detached from the brigade as railroad guard and missed the Battle of Antietam.
September 18 –
October 28
Duty near Sharpsburg, Md.
October 28 –
November 7
Moved to Warrenton, Va.
November Transferred to the 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 1st Corps
November 11 Forced march to Rappahannock Station
November 19 At Brooks Station
December 12-15
Battle of Fredericksburg
1863
January 20-24 “Mud March”
February – April At Falmouth and Belle Plains
April 27 – May 6 Chancellorsville Campaign
April 29-30 Fitzhugh’s Crossing
May 1-5
Battle of Chancellorsville
June 13-July 24 Gettysburg Campaign
July 1-3
Battle of Gettysburg

The 16th Maine was commanded by Colonel Charles W. Tilden, who was captured with most of the regiment when it acted as the rear guard for the division on July 1st. Captain Daniel Marston then took over command of the survivors.

From the monument: 

July 1st, 1863, fought here from 1 o’clock until 4 p.m. when the division was forced to retire, by command of General Robinson to Col. Tilden, the regiment was moved to the right near the Mummasburg Road, as indicated by a marker there, with orders ‘to hold the position at any cost.’ July 2d & 3d, in position with the division of Cemetery Hill.

Casualties: Killed 2 officers 9 men; Wounded 9 officers 54 men; Captured 11 officers, 148 men. Strength of regiment, 25 officers, 250 men.

July 5-24 Pursuit of Lee
October 9-23
Bristoe Campaign
November 7-8 Advance to line of the Rappahannock
November 26
Mine Run Campaign
1864
February 6-7 Demonstration on the Rapidan
March Assigned to the 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 5th Corps
May 3 Campaign from the Rapidan to the James
May 5-7
Battle of the Wilderness
May 8 Laurel Hill
May 8-21
Spotsylvania Court House
May 23-26 North Anna River
May 23 Jericho Ford
May 26-28 Line of the Pamunkey
May 28-31 Totopotomoy
June Assigned to the 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Corps
June 1-12 Cold Harbor
June 1-3 Bethesda Church
June 13
White Oak Swamp
June 16-19 First Assault on Petersburg
June 16
Siege of Petersburg
June 22-23 Jerusalem Plank Road
July 30 Mine Explosion, Petersburg (Reserve)
August 18-21
Weldon Railroad

Colonel Tilden and over a hundred members of the regiment were captured. Col. Tilden escaped and returned to the regiment on the 23rd.

August 23 Colonel Tilden returned to the regiment after escaping from his captors.
September Assigned to the 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Corps
September 15 Reconnaissance toward Dinwiddie C. H.
September – December Garrison Fort Wadsworth
December 7-12 Warren’s Hicksford Raid
1865
February 5-7 Dabney’s Mills
March 28-
April 9
Appomattox Campaign
March 29-30
White Oak Road
March 31 Gravelly Run
April 1
Five Forks
April 6
Sailor’s Creek
April 9
Appomattox Court House

Surrender of Lee and his army

April 21-May 1 At Black and White Station
May 1-12 Moved to Manchester, then marched to Washington, D.C.
May 23 Grand Review
May 24 – June 5 Duty at Ball’s Cross Roads
June 5 Mustered out. Recruits transferred to 20th Maine Infantry