United States Regiments & Batteries > Maine > 6th Maine Infantry Regiment


The 6th Maine Infantry Regiment lost 12 officers and 141 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 officers and 100 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. It is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.

1861
July 15 Organized at Portland and mustered in under the command of Colonel Abner Knowles and Lieutenant Colonel Hiram Burnham.
July 17 Left State for Washington, D.C. and duty in the Defenses of Washington
August Attached to W. F. Smith’s Brigade, Division of the Potomac
October Attached to the 2nd Brigade, Smith’s Division, Army of the Potomac
December 11 Colonel Knowles resigned after a Board of Examination found him “incompetent to command a regiment.”
October Lieutenant Colonel Burnham was promoted to colonel.
1862
March 10-15 Advance on Manassas, Va.
March 16

Peninsula Campaign

Ordered to the Peninsula and attached to 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 4th Corps, Army Potomac

April 4-5 Advance toward Yorktown
April 5-May 4

Siege of Yorktown

April 6 Reconnaissance toward Yorktown
April 28 Reconnaissance toward Lee’s Mills
May 5

Battle of Williamsburg

May 6 – May 17 Duty at White House. Attached to 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 6th Army Corps
May 18 Duty near Richmond
June 6 Picket on the Chickahominy
June 25-July 1

Seven days before Richmond

June 26

Gaines’ Mill

June 27

Gold-Inn’s Farm

June 29

Savage Station

June 30

White Oak Swamp Bridge

July 1

Malvern Hill

July 2 Duty at Harrison’s Landing
August 15-27 Retreat from the Peninsula and movement to Centreville
August 27-31 In works at Centreville
August 30 Assisted in checking Pope’s rout at Bull Run
September 1 Covered retreat to Fairfax C. H.
September-October

Maryland Campaign

September 11-12 Sugar Loaf Mountain, Md.
September 14

Battle of South Mountain

The regiment was engaged at Crampton’s Gap.

September 16-17

Battle of Antietam

From the War Department marker for Smith’s Division on the Antietam battlefield:

Smith’s Division left camp between Crampton’s Pass and Rohrersville in Pleasant Valley at 5:30 A.M. of the 17th, crossed the Antietam at Pry’s Ford and arrived at the front about noon. Hancock’s Brigade was put in position on the left of Sedgwick’s Division of the Second Corps, its right near the Poffenberger Lane, its left extending in front of and parallel to the East Woods, Irwin’s Brigade advancing took cover behind the ridge south of the Smoketown Road and in front of the Church… The Division remained in position with some slight changes until the morning of the 19th, when it advanced and ascertained that the Confederates had recrossed the Potomac.

September 20 Duty in Maryland
October 29-
November 19
Movement to Falmouth, Va.
December 12-15

Battle of Fredericksburg

1863
January 20-24
“Mud March”
January 25 At Falmouth
January 26 Attached to the Light Division, 6th Army Corps
April 27-May 6

Chancellorsville Campaign

April 29-May 2 Operations at Franklin’s Crossing
May Attached to 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 6th Corps
May 3

Maryes Heights, Second Fredericksburg

May 3-4

Salem Church

May 4

Banks’ Ford

June 5-13 Operations about Franklin’s Crossing or Deep Run Ravine
June 9

Battle of Brandy Station

Commanded by Colonel Hiram Burnham, the regiment was temporarily attached to a composite brigade of infantry supporting the left wing of the Cavalry Corps.

July 2-4

Battle of Gettysburg

The regiment was commanded by Colonel Hiram Burnham. It brought 439 men to the field and suffered no casualties, being held in reserve with Howe’s brigade in the rear of the Round Tops along Taneytown Road.

From the monument at Gettysburg:

Held this position July 3, 1863. In afternoon moved to support of centre, then to Big Round Top.

July 10-13 Near Funkstown, Md.
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

November 28-30

Mine Run

1864
April 1 Colonel Burnham was promoted to brigadier general
May 3 to June 15

Campaign from the Rapidan to the James River

May 5-7

Battle of the Wilderness

May 8-21

Spotsylvania Court House

May 12

“Bloody Angle,” assault on the Salient

May 23-26

North Anna

May 26-28 On line of the Pamunkey
May 28-31

Totopotomoy

June 1-12

Cold Harbor

June 17-July 10

First Assault on Petersburg

June 22-23

Jerusalem Plank Road

June 30

Destruction of Weldon Railroad

July 10 Ordered to rear for muster out
July 12-13 Volunteered for 30 days’ service in defense of Washington. Repulsed Early’s attack on Washington
August 15 The 6th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment mustered out at the expiration of its term. Veterans and Recruits were transferred to the 7th Maine Infantry Regiment.