The 6th Maine Infantry was mustered into service on July 15, 1861, in Portland, Maine. The regiment was raised in response to President Abraham Lincoln's call for volunteers to support the Union cause. Many of the recruits hailed from various counties in Maine, including Androscoggin, Kennebec, Oxford, and Franklin.
Under the command of Colonel Hiram Burnham, the 6th Maine Infantry was initially assigned to the Army of the Potomac. One of the notable early engagements for the 6th Maine Infantry was the Battle of Williamsburg in May 1862, during the Peninsula Campaign. They fought bravely in the face of intense Confederate opposition and suffered heavy casualties. The regiment also took part in battles such as Fair Oaks, the Seven Days Battles, and Malvern Hill as part of the Peninsula Campaign.
The 6th Maine Infantry continued its service in subsequent campaigns, including the Second Battle of Bull Run (Second Manassas) in August 1862 and the Battle of Antietam in September 1862. They also participated in the Battle of Fredericksburg in December 1862 and the Battle of Chancellorsville in May 1863.
One of the most significant engagements for the 6th Maine Infantry was the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863. On the first day of the battle, July 1, the regiment played a crucial role in defending the northern edge of McPherson's Ridge. Despite being heavily outnumbered, they put up a fierce resistance, buying time for Union reinforcements to arrive. The 6th Maine Infantry fought tenaciously but suffered heavy casualties during the battle.
Following Gettysburg, the regiment continued to serve in various campaigns, including the Wilderness Campaign, the Siege of Petersburg, and the Appomattox Campaign. They were present during the final days of the war, participating in the pursuit of General Robert E. Lee's army, which culminated in Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865.
Throughout their service, the 6th Maine Infantry Regiment demonstrated courage and resilience in the face of adversity. They endured significant losses and hardships but remained committed to the Union cause. When the regiment was mustered out of service on July 17, 1865, it had lost approximately 160 soldiers in battle and from disease.
OFFICERS:
Colonel Abner Knowles
Colonel Hiram Burnham
Colonel Benjamin F. Harris
ASSIGNMENTS:
The regiment was attached to W. F. Smith's Brigade, Division of the Potomac, to October 1861. 2nd Brigade, Smith's Division, Army of the Potomac, to March 1862. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, IV Corps, Army of the Potomac, to May 1862. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, VI Corps, to February 1863. Light Division, VI Corps, to May 1863. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, VI Corps, to August 1864.
SERVICE:
Duty in the defenses of Washington, D. C., until March, 1862. Advance on Manassas, Va., March 10-15, 1862. Ordered to the Peninsula March 16. Advance toward Yorktown April 4-5. Siege of Yorktown April 5-May 4. Reconnaissance toward Yorktown April 6. Reconnaissance toward Lee's Mills April 28. Battle of Williamsburg May 5. Duty at White House until May 18. Duty near Richmond until June 6 and picket on the Chickahominy until June 25. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Gaines' Mill June 26. Gold-Inn's Farm June 27. Savage Station June 29. White Oak Swamp Bridge June 30. Malvern Hill July 1. Duty at Harrison's Landing until August 15. Retreat from the Peninsula and movement to Centreville August 15-27. In works at Centreville August 27-31. Assist in checking Pope's rout at Bull Run August 30, and cover retreat to Fairfax C. H. September 1. Maryland Campaign September-October. Sugar Loaf Mountain, Md., September 11-12. Crampton's Pass, South Mountain, September 14. Battle of Antietam September 16-17. Duty in Maryland until October 29. Movement to Falmouth, Va., October 29-November 19. Battle of Fredericksburg December 12-15. "Mud March" January 20-24, 1863. At Falmouth until April. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Operations at Franklin's Crossing April 29-May 2. Maryes Heights, Fredericksburg, May 3. Salem Heights May 3-4. Banks' Ford May 4. Operations about Franklin's Crossing or Deep Run Ravine June 5-13. Brandy Station and Beverly Ford June 9. Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 2-4. Near Funkstown, Md., July 10-13. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Rappahannock Station November 7. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Mine Run November 28-30. Campaign from the Rapidan to the James River May 3 to June 15, 1864. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Spotsylvania May 8-12; Spotsylvania C. H. May 12-21. "Bloody Angle," assault on the Salient, May 12. North Anna May 23-26. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Before Petersburg June 17-July 10. Jerusalem Plank Road June 22-23..Destruction of Weldon Railroad June 30. Ordered to rear for muster out July 10. Volunteered for 30 days' service in defense of Washington. Repulse of Early's attack on Washington July 12-13. Mustered out August 15, 1864, expiration of term. Veterans and Recruits transferred to 7th Maine.
ROSTERS:
The composite rosters of this unit contain the names of 1819 men. BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. Vol. 2. Cartersville, GA: Eastern Digital Resources, 1998. Ref. See p. 1222 (1 photocopied page) for a concise summary of the regiment's service.
Edwards, Abial H. "Dear Friend Anna": The Civil War Letters of a Common Soldier From Maine. Orono, ME: U ME, 1992. 161 p. E601E38.
Maine. AGO. Annual Report...for the Years 1864 and 1865. Augusta, ME: Stevens & Sayward, 1866. Cartersville, GA: Eastern Digital Resources, 2010. UA43M2.1864-1865.AppD. See pp. 379-86 (5 photocopied pages) for a roster of the regiment. Although regimental rosters appear in earlier Annual Reports, that found in this edition is the most complete for the unit's wartime service.
Whitman, William W.S. Maine in the War for the Union: A History of the Part Borne by Maine Troops.... Lexington, ME: Nelson Dingley, 1865. Powder Springs, GA: Eastern Digital Resources, 2010. E511W61. See pp. 225-60 (19 photocopied pages) for a brief history of the regiment.
REFERENCES: Dyer, Frederick H. - A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
The Union Army by Federal Publishing Company, 1908 - Volume 1
HISTORICAL NOTES: