United States Regiments & Batteries > Maine
The 5th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment lost 8 officers and 99 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 1 officer and 76 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. The regiment is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.
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1861
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| Organized at Portland under Colonel Mark H. Dunnell, on temporary leave of absence as United States Consul at Vera Cruz, Mexico. | |
| June 24 | Mustered in |
| June 26 | Left State for Washington, D.C. Camp at Meridian Hill attached to Howard’s Brigade, Heintzelman’s Division, McDowell’s Army of Northeastern Virginia |
| July 16-21 | Advance on Manassas, Va. |
| July 21 |
Battle of Bull RunAfter an exhausting forced march to the battlefield the regiment lost over 400 casualties. |
| August 4 | Duty in the Defenses of Washington assigned to Heintzelman’s Brigade, Division of the Potomac |
| September 2 | Colonel Dunnell resigned and returned to his post as United States Consul at Vera Cruz. Nathaniel Jackson, formerly of the 1st Maine Infantry, was assigned as colonel. There was a near mutiny in the regiment when an outsider was brought in, and several officers resigned. |
| September 25 | Captain Edward A. Scamman of Company H was promoted to major. |
| October | Attached to Slocum’s Brigade, Franklin’s Division, Army of the Potomac |
| October 3 | Expedition to Pohick Church, Va. |
| December | Brigade commander Henry Slocum replied to a letter from Maine’s Governor Washburn, who was concerned about the 5th Maine.
“I do not think there is a regiment in the entire army which has improved so rapidly as Col. Jackson’s has. The change has been wonderful. Their sick list is less than one third of what it was two months since. The men are cleanly, well drilled and ambitious. They are becoming proud of their regiment and are uniting cordially with Col. Jackson in all his efforts. I shall be greatly disappointed if this regiment does not do credit to your state.” |
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1862
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| March | Attached to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Army Corps, Army Potomac |
| March 10-15 | Advance on Manassas, Va. |
| April 4-12 | McDowell’s advance on Fredericksburg, Va. Attached to the 1st Division, Department of the Rappahannock |
| April 22 | Ordered to the Peninsula |
| April 24-May 4 | Siege of Yorktown (on Transports) |
| May 7-8 | West Point |
| May | Attached to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 6th Army Corps, Army Potomac |
| June 25-July 1 | Seven days before Richmond |
| June 27 |
Gaines’ MillThe regiment lost 10 men killed, 69 wounded and 16 missing. Colonel Jackson was wounded and Lieutenant Colonel Heath was killed. Major Edward Scamman took command of the regiment. |
| June 28 | Golding’s Farm |
| June 29 | Savage Station |
| June 30 | Charles City Cross Roads and Glendale |
| July 1 | Malvern Hill |
| July | At Harrison’s Landing |
| July 25 | Major Scamman was promoted to lieutenant colonel. |
| August 27-31 | In works at Centreville |
| September 1 | Assist in checking Pope’s rout at Bull Run and cover retreat to Fairfax C. H. |
| September-October |
Maryland CampaignColonel Jackson returned to command of the regiment after recovering from his Gaines Mill wound. |
| September 14 |
Crampton’s Pass, South MountainThe regiment lost 4 men killed and 28 wounded. After engaging in a firefight which exhausted their ammunition, they fell back a short distance, and were then ordered to assault the enemy line in a bayonet charge, They did so, carrying the position. |
| September 16-17 |
Battle of AntietamFrom the War Department tablet for Slocum’s Division on the Antietam battlefield: Slocum’s Division followed Smith’s in its march from near Crampton’s Pass on the morning of the 17th, and upon reaching the field, occupied the ground from which Smith was advancing; Torbert’s Brigade in the center on either side of this road; Newton’s Brigade on the right connecting with Hancock, and Bartlett’s Brigade on the left, extending beyond the cemetery and into the low ground between Mumma’s and Roulette’s. Beyond supporting the Artillery the Division was not actively engaged. |
| September 24 | Colonel Jackson was promoted to brigadier general. Lieutenant Colonel Scamman resumed commad of the regiment. |
| September 26 – October 29 | At Hagerstown, Md. |
| October 29 – November 19 |
Movement to Falmouth, Virginia. |
| November 1 | Lieutenant Colonel Scamman was promoted to colonel and Major Clark Edwards to lieutenant colonel. |
| December 12-15 |
Battle of Fredericksburg |
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1863
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| January 20-24 | “Mud March” |
| January 8 | Colonel Scamman resigned due to the “state of (his) private affairs at home.” |
| March 2 | Lieutenant Colonel Clark S. Edwards was appointed colonel |
| April 27-May 6 | Chancellorsville Campaign |
| April 29-May 2 | Operations at Franklin’s Crossing |
| May 3 | Maryes Heights, Fredericksburg |
| May 3-4 |
Salem Heights |
| May 4 | Banks’ Ford |
| June 6-13 | Operations about Deep Run Ravine |
| July 2-4 |
Battle of GettysburgCommanded by Colonel Clark Edwards, the 5th Maine brought 340 men to the field. It was in reserve and suffered no casualties. |
| July 10-13 | Near Funkstown, Md. |
| July 13 | Hagerstown |
| October 9-22 | Bristoe Campaign |
| November 7-8 | Advance to line of the Rappahannock |
| November 7 | Rappahannock Station |
| November 26- December 2 |
Mine Run Campaign |
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1864
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| May 3 to June 15 | Campaign from the Rapidan to the James River |
| May 5-7 |
Battle of the Wilderness |
| May 8 | Laurel Hill |
| May 8-21 |
Spotsylvania Court House |
| May 12 | Assault on the Salient “Bloody Angle” |
| May 23-26 | North Anna River |
| May 26-28 | On line of the Pamunkey |
| May 28-31 | Totopotomoy |
| June 1-12 |
Cold Harbor |
| June 19-22 | First Assault on Petersburg. Ordered to the rear for muster out. |
| July 27 | Mustered out, expiration of term. Veterans and Recruits transferred to 6th Maine Infantry. |