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Maine 13th Infantry Regiment


HISTORICAL NOTES: The 13th Maine Infantry Regiment spent 1862–1864 in the Department of the Gulf and finished the war with the Army of the Shenandoah. During its service, it survived a hurricane off the Carolinas en route the Gulf of Mexico, manned the forts guarding the Mississippi Delta, invaded Texas at the Rio Grande and along the coast, fought in Banks' ill-fated Red River Campaign in Louisiana, manned Washington, D.C., defenses, and provided rear-area security for the Shenandoah Valley campaign in 1864 south of Harpers Ferry.

The regiment lost 1 officer and 13 men killed. 3 officers and 178 died of disease for a total of 195 fatalities from all causes. OFFICERS:
  • Brigadier General Neal Dow
  • Colonel Francis S. Hesseltine
  • Colonel Henry Rust Jr.
    • ASSIGNMENTS: Companies "A," "B," "E" and "I" embarked on Steamer "Mississippi" for Ship Island, Miss., February 20, arriving March 20. Regiment moved to New York February 21, and there embark February 27 on Steamer "Fulton" for Ship Island, Miss., arriving there March 8. Attached to Butler's Expeditionary Corps January to March, 1862. 3rd Brigade, Dept. of the Gulf, to July, 1862. Independent Command, Dept. of the Gulf, to December, 1862. Defenses of New Orleans, La., Dept. Gulf, to August, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, 19th Army Corps, Dept. Gulf, to December, 1863. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 13th Corps, Dept. Gulf, to January, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, 13th Corps, Dept. Gulf, to February, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 19th Corps, Dept. Gulf, to July, 1864, and Army of the Shenandoah, Middle Military Division, to December, 1864. SERVICE: Duty at Ship Island, Miss., until July 5, 1862. Company "C" moved to Fort Pike July 5, thence to Fort Macomb, and duty there until August 30, 1863. Moved to New Orleans. Company "A" moved to quarantine station July 8, and duty there until August 7, then at Fort St. Phillip until August, 1863. Moved to New Orleans. Companies "G," "H" and "I" moved to Fort Jackson July 8, and to Fort St. Phillip August 24. Duty there until August, 1863. Expedition to Pass Manchac February 8-11, 1863 (Detachment). Moved to New Orleans. Companies "B" and "E" moved to New Orleans July 11, thence to Fort St. Phillip July 15, and duty there until August, 1863. Moved to New Orleans. Companies "D" and F" at Ship Island until January 23, 1863, and at Forts Jackson and St. Phillip until August, 1863. Moved to New Orleans August 1. Company "K" moved to Fort Macomb July 5, and duty there until August 30, 1863. Moved to New Orleans. Region duty at New Orleans August to October, 1863. Expedition to the Rio Grande, Texas, October 27-December 2. Advance on Brownsville, Texas, November 3-6. Occupation of Fort Brown November 6. Expedition to Aransas Pass November 17. Capture of Mustang Island November 17. Fort Esperanza November 25-27. Matagorda Bay December 29-30. Companies "C," "H" and "K" duty at Pass Cavallo, Matagorda Island, until February, 1864, Moved to Franklin, La., February 12-16, and duty there until March 15. Red River Campaign March 15-May 22. Advance from Franklin to Alexandria March 15-26, thence to Natchitoches March 26-April 2. Battle of Sabine Cross Roads April 8. Pleasant Hill April 9. Cane River Crossing April 23. At Alexandria April 25-May 13. Retreat to Morganza May 13-22. Mansura May 16. Duty at Morganza until July 1. Moved to Fortress Monroe, Va., thence to Washington, D.C., July 1-13. Expedition to Snicker's Gap, Va., July 13-23. Veterans on furlough August-September, Non-Veterans duty at Harper's Ferry, W. Va., until October 5. Regiment ordered to Martinsburg, W. Va., and duty there until December 25. Non-Veterans left front for muster out December 25. Mustered out January 5, 1865. Veterans and Recruits consolidated to a Battalion and transferred to 30th Maine Infantry December 25, 1864. ROSTERS:

    The composite rosters of this unit contain the names of 1511 men.

     BIBLIOGRAPHY:
    Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. Vol. 2. Davenport, IA: 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. Davenport, IA: 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. Davenport, IA: 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






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