HISTORICAL NOTES:
Th3 Maine 3rd Infantry Regiment responded to the first call for troops with promptness and alacrity. It was rendezvoused on the state house grounds at Augusta and was composed mainly of Kennebec lumbermen. The regiment was most fortunate in having for its colonel Oliver O. Howard, who rose rapidly to the rank of major-general and gained for himself a name distinguished among the nation's heroes. During the long three years' service the regiment was successively commanded by Maj. Staples and Capt. Moses B. Lakeman of Co. I, Lieut.-Col. Tucker having resigned to become brigade quartermaster. On the resignation of Lieut.-Col. Tucker, Capt. Sampson of Co. D, Capt. Lakeman and Adjt. Burt served as lieutenant-colonel in the order named. Succeeding Henry G. Staples as major were Adjt. Burt and Capt. William C. Morgan. Of the original companies of the regiment Co. A (Bath City Greys) had existed under former militia laws and the others were new organizations. The regiment was mustered into the United States service on June 4, 1861, and left the state for the front the next day. Perhaps no regiment from the state saw more fighting or rendered more distinguished service. From the First Battle of Bull Run, until the battle of Cold Harbor, June 3, 1864, the regiment participated in most of the important battles and movements of the Army of the Potomac. The operations of the so-called "Stove-Pipe Artillery" commenced with this regiment. While encamped at Flag Hill, Va., they employed the ruse of mounting a stove-pipe on wheels, and drew 12 shots from the enemy at their cannon. The loss of the 3rd in killed and wounded at the Battle of Fair Oaks was nearly one-third of the men engaged. It was in this engagement that Sergt.-Maj. F. W. Haskell of Waterville so greatly distinguished himself as to win the commendation of his colonel and of the entire regiment. The 3rd gave an excellent account of itself in the battle of Gettysburg. At the close of the second day's fighting Gen. Sickles declared that, "The little 3d Me. saved the army today." Its loss at Gettysburg was 113 killed, wounded and missing. On the return of the regiment to Augusta, June 11, 1864, only 17 officers and 176 enlisted men were left to be mustered out. Sixty-four of these men reenlisted, and together with the recruits were transferred to the 17th Me. Not one of the original field and staff officers returned with the regiment and only one of the original captains—the veteran Moses B. Lakeman—who returned in command of the regiment.
They were mustered out June 28, 1864.
The Regiment lost during service 10 Officers and 124 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 148 Enlisted men by disease. Total 283.
OFFICERS:
Colonel Oliver Otis Howard
Colonel Moses B. Lakeman
ASSIGNMENTS:
Left State for Washington, D.C., June 5. Attached to Howard's Brigade, Heintzelman's Division, McDowell's Army of Northeastern Virginia, to August, 1861. Howard's Brigade, Division of the Potomac, to October, 1861. Sedgwick's Brigade, Heintzelman's Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army Potomac, to July, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 3rd Army Corps, to March, 1864. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Army Corps: to June, 1864.
SERVICE:
Camp on Meridian Hill, Defenses of Washington, D.C., until July 16, 1861. Advance on Manassas, Va.. July 16-21. Battle of Bull Run July 21. Duty in the Defenses of Washington until March, 1862. Advance on Manassas, Va., March 10-15. Virginia Peninsula Campaign April to August. Siege of Yorktown April 5-May 4. Battle of Williamsburg May 5. Battle of Seven Pines or Fair Oaks May 31-June 1. Near Richmond June 18. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Oak Grove June 25. Jordan's Ford June 27. Peach Orchard and Savage Station June 29. Charles City Cross Roads and Glendale June 30. Malvern Hill July 1. At Harrison's Landing until August 16. Retreat from the Peninsula and movement to Centreville August 16-27. Pope's Campaign in Northern Virginia August 27-September 2. Battles of Groveton August 29, and Bull Run August 30. Chantilly September 1. Guard fords from Monocacy River to Conrad's Ferry until October 11. March to Leesburg, thence to Falmouth, Va., October 11-November 23. Battle of Fredericksburg December 12-15. "Mud March" January 20-24, 1863. At Falmouth until April 27. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5. Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 13-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg July 1-3. Pursuit of Lee July 5-24. Wapping Heights, Va., July 23. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Kelly's Ford November 7, Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Payne's Farm November 27. Demonstration on the Rapidan February 5-7, 1864. Campaign from the Rapidan to the James River May 3-June 5. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7. Laurel Hill May 8. Spotsylvania May 8-12. Po River May 10. Spotsylvania C. H. May 12-21. Bloody Angle, Assault on the Salient, May 12. Harris Farm, Fredericksburg Road, May 19. North Anna River May 23-26. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-5. Ordered to the rear June 5. Mustered out June 28, 1864. Veterans and recruits transferred to 17th Regiment Maine Infantry.
ROSTERS:
The composite rosters of this unit contain the names of 2438 men.
Company A - (also known as Bath City Grays) Company A was formed from a Bath, Maine militia unit called the Bath City Grays, which mustered into federal service on June 4, 1861.
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: