1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, In the Department of the Rappahannock
Advancing on from Brandy Station to Culpeper Court House around 09:00, the 1st Maine found that the middle and upper classes were secessionist who could not be trusted to give accurate information, but that the blacks and poor whites were exceptionally reliable, giving corroboration, and very willing to give all the intelligence they had. Two miles beyond Brandy Station, Stowell heard that a line of pickets was established about three miles this side of Culpeper, ergo about two miles ahead of them. Further interrogation of a civilian intercepted coming from the courthouse indicated that the rebels there were two companies of cavalry all equipped with carbines.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, In the Department of the Rappahannock
After leaving this man by the wayside and advancing about one mile, at 10:15, Stowell received a messenger from CAPT Taylor commander of L Company, the advance guard, that LT Vaughan had found the pickets, charged them, put them to flight, and now Company L and Taylor were chasing them down the railroad. Stowell ordered the column forward as fast as possible. On arriving within a half-mile of the town, he detached men to high ground to the north and south of town to avoid surprises. He next sent two companies forward to support Taylor and Company L which had continued pursuit through the town and out the other side. The men on the high ground reported seeing horses being driven into a yard northwest of town. Stowell sent CAPT Smith forward to investigate.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, In the Department of the Rappahannock
Not having heard from either Taylor or Smith, Stowell kept the command spread out while he and Company C searched the courthouse and questioned the civilians. While the men in Culpeper were "sour-looking and reserved," they again found that the black people and handful of Unionists and poor whites were reliable sources. According to the friendly locals, the regiment's approach generated quite a stir, and two couriers immediately rode to the Rapidan, some eight miles beyond Culpeper, for two regiments of infantry which were stationed there. Stowell also learned that the rebels mounted the horses without regard to ownership, and very many without stopping to saddle them. The man intercepted and interrogated on the way in had proven to be accurate as per the composition of the force posted at the courthouse


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, In the Department of the Rappahannock
Considering the short distance to the two regiments of rebel infantry (they were just a few stations up the Orange & Alexandria rail line) and not hearing from CAPT Taylor, Stowell became concerned about the regiment's quite critical situation. While searching stables and yards for horses to seize, the returned CAPT Smith and several company and platoon officers alerted him to a force of cavalry on the south side of the town. Initially thought to be rebels as the force had light-colored horses and some of it light clothing, it turned out to be CAPT Taylor. He had taken some prisoners were riding some of the light-colored horses and dressed in light clothing.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, In the Department of the Rappahannock
At 11:00, after finding no papers of great consequence except a handful of rifles, carbines, shotguns, and pistols, the command began its trek back to its base. Stowell remarked that by following the railroad, they could tear up the track at any time if the cars should approach us with infantry. Stopping at Jonas Run about 13:30 to water and feed their horses, and then returned to the Rappahannock by 16:30. Stowell deemed it unwise to stop on the south side for the night, lest rebel infantry catch them by railroad. Since only their cavalry could ford the river, which the Maine troopers did not fear, Stowell turned the column north along the riverbank toward Beverly's Ford as it started top rain.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, In the Department of the Rappahannock
Arriving about 18:30, the command began across finding the water about higher than the night before and consequently a difficult two-hour evolution. Originally intending on camping on the north side for the night, Stowell found a consensus to push on home through the stormy weather twelve miles farther.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, In the Department of the Rappahannock
Stowell cleared the last of his men into camp and reported to COL Allen at 23:00. While not encountering any meaningful contact, the 1st Maine had successfully scouted the furthest distance south over the Rappahannock of any United States unit thus far in the war covering 60 miles over the course of 31 hours and returning with confirmed enemy order of battle, transportation infrastructure intelligence, enemy supply/logistics status, and eight prisoners. The command was duly praised for its competence and professionalism.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, In the Department of the Rappahannock
After several successful foraging and scouting expeditions that netted a handful of prisoners, on Friday, May 9, the brigade, now commanded by BGEN Hartsuff, received orders to pack its gear and move to Falmouth, opposite Fredericksburg on the Rappahannock, twenty-five miles to the southeast. On Monday, May 12 at noon, the brigade departed Warrenton. The five companies of the 1st Maine served as advance and rear guards during the march.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, In the Department of the Rappahannock
At 17:00, after traveling eight miles, Companies D, K, and L, the advance guard, halted and set camp. The brigade found the travel very difficult, and the rear guard did not arrive at camp until 21:30 Monday evening.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, In the Department of the Rappahannock
Reveille at 04:00 got the men up to care for their horses and prepare for the day's march. Companies C, F, G, and I rotated to take the advance guard on Tuesday and were stepping out at 06:30. After all the infantry and wagons got out of the camp, D, K, and L finally got on the road at 08:30. COL Allen's command noted the number of "large plantations of rare beauty" along the march.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, In the Department of the Rappahannock
May 13, 1862, was a hot and humid day and the heat almost insufferable, with a dense cloud of dust that made the horses in front of the troopers almost invisible. The infantry in the brigade suffered greatly as the column spun out for miles. The advance guard halted at Stafford Court House at 14:00, but the rear companies did not arrive until 18:30. The men in the brigade were impressed with the relatively untouched countryside, quite amid the spring green, as they passed through.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, In the Department of the Rappahannock
As the column had progressed during the day, they had attracted a large following of escaped slaves, or "contraband," who seized their freedom by joining the column. Again, these local black residents proved exceedingly valuable sources of intelligence.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, In the Department of the Rappahannock
The next morning, the Maine troopers rose earlier than their exhausted infantry brothers to prepare their horses for the last leg of the journey south to Falmouth. Again, the companies rotated between advance and rear guard and resumed the march with an awake and fed infantry by 07:00. Within an hour that Wednesday morning, it began raining which spared the brigade from the heat of the day before but added a wet chill to the march.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, In the Department of the Rappahannock
Hartsuff's brigades's advance guard of Companies D, K, and L reached Falmouth, on the opposite side of the Rappahannock from Fredericksburg, by mid afternoon. The remainder of the brigade streamed in until 20:00.The march of 30 miles through Virginia mud had been difficult. Nearly half of the infantry fallen out by the wayside at some point of the march. Despite the rigor, the 1st Maine troopers noticed several large, beautiful plantations, indicating fine taste. They also noticed again the support and value of the local black population as intelligence sources. The column had met many groups of slaves acting as agents of their own emancipation by escaping to Federal lines.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, In the Department of the Rappahannock
Through April and May of that spring, the men of the 1st Maine had followed the progress of McClellan in his Peninsula Campaign through the Northern newspaper available in camp as well as the enemy press available along the route of march. The forces at Fredericksburg were commanded by McDowell to block any advance on Washington and to tie down Confederate troops marking them across the river at Fredericksburg. While the confederates had reduced their numbers at Fredericksburg, the U.S. forces increased in number yet did not advance.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, In the Department of the Rappahannock
While at Falmouth, Hartsuff's brigade with Rickett's brigade now formed a division under a prior commander, Ord, Ord's division was reviewed by Gen. McDowell, and three days later, Friday, May 23, President Lincoln, accompanied by Secretary of War Stanton, M. Mercier, the French Minister, and other distinguished gentlemen, as well as by Mrs. Lincoln, Mrs. Stanton, and other ladies, reviewed McDowell's whole force. In camp at Falmouth, the regiment received new shelter tents (today known as pup tents) so that every two men would always he supplied with a tent for shelter. Despite initial misgivings, the troopers eventually found them much better tents than their original ten- and twelve man tents.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, In the Department of the Rappahannock
Sunday, May 25, the regiment, with the 2nd Maine Light Battery (CAPT James A. Hall), the 5th Maine Light Battery (CAPT George F. Leppien), and the 1st Pennsylvania Light Battery (CAPT Ezra W. Matthews), all under command of COL Allen, marched to Alexandria. The command was in motion at 18:00 in the evening, and after a tedious march went into bivouac on the road at 23:30, having made five miles in as many hours, owing to continuous delays caused by the artillery and wagons getting stuck in the mud. By 07:00, they were on the road to Alexandria again. At 12:00, however, a courier caught up with COL Allen with orders for them to march to Manassas Junction instead. Allen had the small command go into camp planning on an early start on Tuesday.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, In the Department of the Rappahannock
McDowell had received reports of the rebels in considerable force near Centreville, and he decided to consolidate his forces at Manassas. On the road by 05:00, the regiment and three batteries bivouacked on the roadside on Tuesday evening and made Manassas by midday, Wednesday, May May 28, joining the remainder of McDowell's corps, camping there that night.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, In the Department of the Rappahannock
On Thursday morning, Washington ordered McDowell to the Shenandoah Valley to assist Banks so the whole force, with the 1st Maine in the advance, took up the line of march for Front Royal. Washington was intent on this force cutting Jackson's force off in the lower valley between McDowell and Banks. The regiment passed through Thoroughfare Gap and camped Thursday night on the other side of the Blue Ridge Mountains. On Friday, they went fifteen miles further and camped on the estate of the late Chief Justice Marshall, and the third day, Saturday, May 31, reached Front Royal at dark in the rain camping just outside the village on the Manassas Gap Road.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, In the Department of the Rappahannock
One week prior to the 1st Maine's arrival as part of Ord's Division, Saturday, May 24, Jackson's forces, after demolishing the 1st Maryland Cavalry at Front Royal, had met their brethren in the 1st Battalion with LTC Douty and driven MGEN Banks' up the other side of the valley to Winchester following up with driving Banks further out of the valley and across the Potomac into Maryland on Sunday. At Front Royal, the regiment met a handful of their comrades from the 1st Battalion who had been captured after The Disaster with MAJ Collins from the 1st Vermont. The day before, Friday May 30, the 1st Rhode Island had liberated these men when MGEN Shields' forces retook the town. Unknown to the regiment, more of their comrades were being held temporarily at several locations in the valley.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, In the Department of the Rappahannock
At Front Royal, McDowell, now in command, found it very important to open communication with General Banks, who had moved downriver from Williamsport to Harper's Ferry at the lower end of the valley. On Sunday, before his arrival, Shields had heard the artillery fire from Jackson's clash with Fremont at Fisher's Hill but refrained from moving to his assistance because he wanted to wait for McDowell and all of his forces to arrive.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, In the Department of the Rappahannock
While he now knew Jackson may have slipped away at Strasburg, he also wanted to get a picture of the disposition of Confederate forces between him and Winchester, specifically if Jackson and his main body of troops were still threatening Washington. Accordingly, the next day Monday, June 2, he ordered a small force to attempt to make contact. COL Allen upon receiving the orders sent MAJ Whitney with Companies C and D to reconnoiter in that direction, and if possible, open a line of communicate with Banks. The mission was risky as the rebels now commanded the valley.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, In the Department of the Rappahannock
MAJ Whitney and his little command started late in the afternoon at 16:00. In moderate rain, they traveled up the macadamized Front Royal-Winchester Road, passing through Cedarville and Nineveh without seeing any enemy. The sun set at 19:30 and with the mountains' shadows, it was too dark to continue so Whitney halted his men in the woods about two miles from Winchester. They had heard from the local black population that the Confederates were holding Winchester but that Jackson's main body had already slipped into Strasburg the same day they had arrived ten miles away.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, In the Department of the Rappahannock
This would be valuable intelligence for both Banks and McDowell as well as the fact that they had not seen any rebels troops during their journey in the rain. They remained in the woods that night in a driving rain without fires to hide their presence from the enemy. Without shelter, they were "cold, wet, and decidedly uncomfortable," but the Maine troopers knew the storm and darkness were advantageous to their dangerous mission.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, In the Department of the Rappahannock
At early dawn, Tuesday, the command dashed into town and through it, creating a complete surprise to the rebel force of about 300 who held the town. This force was left by Jackson to guard about 200 Union soldiers captured by Jackson's forces the week before including a handful of 1st Maine troopers, The rebels had not expected any threat between them and Jackson's main body and failed to put pickets south of the town.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, In the Department of the Rappahannock
They were completely surprised as well as the local citizenry who remembering, "their barbarous conduct toward the retreating troops of General Banks, a few days before, they anticipated a fearful retribution." As the little force, at an hour when few in the town were stirring, swept like a whirlwind into the town, they were very naturally supposed' to be the advance of a heavy force.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, In the Department of the Rappahannock
The consternation and frightened looks and actions of soldiers and citizens, as well as the joyous surprise of the prisoners, amused the Maine troopers. The panic seized rebel soldiers and the civilians that beds were suddenly vacated, toilets neglected, garments forgotten or ludicrously adjusted, and rebel soldiers threw down their arms in dismay while others took safety in flight. Taking advantage of the enemy's sudden panic and disorganization, many prisoners with their wits about them took off north on the road to Harper's Ferry where friendly forces lay. A few of these men were some captured from LTCOL Douty's battalion at Middletown Several of these men obtained mounts and joined Whitney's expedition.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, In the Department of the Rappahannock
The whole number of Union prisoners in the town might have been liberated, but since this was not in the mission's orders, Whitney did not stop to do so. His first objective of the mission to scout between Front Royal and Winchester was accomplished. The orders being next to communicate with MGEN Banks and not stop to fight, Whitney's command pushed on. MAJ Whitney found a guide who stated that a rebel force was in camp just beyond Winchester, but instead, after marching a few miles he found Banks' pickets who told him Banks was now at Harper's Ferry.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, In the Department of the Rappahannock
He soon reached the general's headquarters by 10:00, delivered his orders, received new ones, dropped off the liberated Maine troopers with LTC Douty, and started back on the return to Front Royal. Around 17:00, the command once again swept through Winchester again causing confusion and camped in the same woods On Tuesday night that they had on Monday night. Rising at dawn's light on June 4, the command lit off on the road to Front Royal and met no rebel forces along the way. Arriving by 11:00, MAJ Whitney reported with COL Allen to MGEN McDowell with Banks' messages and his report on rebel dispositions between Front Royal and Winchester.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, In the Department of the Rappahannock
On that Wednesday, the same day, as a result of Whitney's report of only the handful of rebels at Winchester, Banks moved his command back into Winchester. Entering the town, the U.S. troops found "not a solitary person appeared in sight, but hundreds of unfriendly eyes were peering through all manner of crevices, expecting momentarily to see the torch applied to all places whence shots had been fired and hot water thrown on the morning of the twenty-fifth day of May." In this action, Whitney's colleagues in the 1st Battalion scouted up the Valley Turnpike for Banks.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, Reunification
The regiment was reunited at Warrenton, VA, on July 10, and attached to Bayard's brigade, with which it took part in the Battle of Cedar Mountain. This was the unit's first encounter with elements of the Army of Northern Virginia, albeit only a portion under the command of Stonewall Jackson. Due to the confusion and the large number of prisoners taken in the valley in May and June, forty or more 1st Maine troopers who were being transported to Richmond at this time succeeded in escaping and eluding their guards and rejoined the company in a day or two.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, Cedar Mountain
General Robert E. Lee responded to Pope's dispositions by dispatching Major General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson with 14,000 men to Gordonsville on July 13. Jackson was later reinforced with another 10,000 men by MGEN A.P. Hill's division on July 27. On August 6, Pope marched his forces south into Culpeper County with the objective of capturing the rail junction at Gordonsville, to draw Confederate attention away from MGEN George B. McClellan's withdrawal from the Virginia Peninsula.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, Cedar Mountain
In response to this threat, Jackson chose to go on the offensive, attacking Pope's vanguard under Banks, before the entire Army of Virginia could be brought to bear on his position at Gordonsville. After defeating Banks, he then hoped to move on Culpeper Court House, 26 miles (42 km) north of Gordonsville and the focal point of the Union arc about Northern Virginia, to keep Pope's army from uniting. This would allow Jackson to fight and hopefully defeat each of the Union Corps separately, as he had done during the Valley Campaign.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, Cedar Mountain
Accordingly, Jackson set out on August 7 for Culpeper. The cavalry under BGEN Beverly Robertson was sent ahead to dispatch the Federal cavalry guarding the fords of the Rapidan River and occupying Madison Court House, threatening the Confederates left flank as they marched northward. This task was easily accomplished by Robertson on August 8.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, Cedar Mountain
Jackson's march on Culpeper Court House was hindered by the severe heat wave over Virginia at the beginning of August, as well as by his characteristic secrecy about his plan, which caused confusion among his divisional commanders as to the exact route of advance. As such, the head of his column had only progressed 8 miles (13 km) by the evening of August 8. The Federal Cavalry, though easily dispatched by Robertson, quickly returned to Pope and alerted him of the Confederate advance. In response, Pope ordered Sigel to Culpeper Court House to reinforce Banks, and Banks was ordered to maintain a defensive line on a ridge above Cedar Run, 7 miles (11 km) south of Culpeper Court House.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, Cedar Mountain
On the morning of August 9, Jackson's army crossed the Rapidan River into Culpeper County, led by MGEN Richard S. Ewell's division, followed by BGEN Charles S. Winder's division, with MGEN A.P. Hill's division in the rear. Just before noon, BGEN Jubal Early's brigade, the vanguard of Ewell's division, came upon Federal cavalry and artillery occupying the ridge above Cedar Run, just to the north-west of Cedar Mountain.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, Cedar Mountain
Early brought up his guns and an artillery duel began between the opposing forces as Early's infantry formed a line on the eastern side of the Culpeper-Orange Turnpike (present day U.S. Route 15) on the high ground on the opposite bank of Cedar Run. As the rest of Ewell's division arrived, they formed on Early's right, anchored against the northern slope of the mountain and deployed their six guns on its ridge.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, Cedar Mountain
Winder's division formed to Early's left, on the west side of the Turnpike, with BGEN William Taliaferro's brigade closest to Early, and Col. Thomas S. Garnett's on the far Confederate left in a wheat field at the edge of a woods. Winder's artillery filled a gap on the road between the two divisions. The Stonewall Brigade, led by Col. Charles R. Ronald, was brought up in support behind the guns. A.P Hill's division, still marching up the Turnpike, was ordered to stand in reserve on the Confederate left.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, Cedar Mountain
The Federals formed a line on a ridge above Cedar Run, with BGEN Samuel W. Crawford's brigade forming the Union right in a field across from Garnett and BGEN Christopher C. Augur's division on the Union left to the east of the Turnpike. BGEN John W. Geary's brigade was anchored on the Turnpike opposing Taliaferro, while Brig. Gen Henry Prince's brigade formed the far-left opposite Ewell. BGEN George S. Greene's understrength brigade (only two regiments) was kept in reserve in the rear.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, Cedar Mountain
A little before 17:00 as the artillery fight began to wane, Confederate BGEN Charles S. Winder fell mortally wounded. He had been ill that day and was taken onto the field in an ambulance wagon. While attempting to direct his troops, he was struck by a shell fragment. Winder's left arm and side were torn to pieces, and he died a few hours later. As a result, command of the division devolved on William Taliaferro, who was completely ignorant of Jackson's battle plan.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, Cedar Mountain
Dispositions on his part of the field were still incomplete; Garnett's brigade was isolated from the main Confederate line, with its flank dangerously exposed to the woods. The Stonewall Brigade was to have come up to support them but remained a half-mile distant behind the artillery. Before leadership could properly be restored to the division the Union attack began. Geary and Prince were sent against the Confederate right. The Federal advance was swift and threatened to break the Confederate line, prompting Early to come galloping to the front from Cedar Mountain where he was directing troop dispositions.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, Cedar Mountain
Early's stabilizing presence and the raking fire of the Confederate guns halted the Union advance on the Confederate right. On the left Crawford attacked Winder's division, sending one brigade directly at the Confederate line and another brigade through the woods on a flanking movement. The Federals came from the woods directly into the flank of the 1st Virginia Infantry, who under the pressure from attack on two fronts broke for the rear. The Federals pushed on, not waiting to reform their lines, rolling through the outflanked 42nd Virginia until they found themselves in Taliaferro's and the artillery's rear. The Stonewall Brigade came up and was swept aside by Crawford's troops before it had a chance to react. Jackson ordered the batteries withdrawn before they were captured, but Taliaferro and Early's left were hit hard by the Union advance and threatened to break.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, Cedar Mountain
At this dire point, Jackson rode to that part of the field to rally the men and found his old brigade finally being brought up to reinforce the line. Intending to inspire the troops by waving his sword, he was forced, due to its being rusted and stuck in its scabbard from infrequent use, to unbuckle the sword and scabbard from his belt and wave it all over his head. Then grabbing a battle flag from a retreating standard bearer, he ordered his men to rally around him.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, Cedar Mountain
The Stonewall Brigade, inspired by their leader, attacked the Union troops, and drove them back. By this point, Banks's men were becoming tired and disorganized, with their ammunition nearly gone. Without any support, his men had been unable to follow up on their initial success. The Stonewall Brigade maintained contact in pursuit of the U.S. troops but soon found themselves beyond the Confederate line alone and unsupported. Banks's line reformed and counterattacked, driving the 4th and 27th Virginia back.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, Cedar Mountain
The Stonewall Brigade's attack had bought time allowing Jackson's line time to reform and A.P Hill's troops to come up and fill the gaps from Winder's broken regiments. Jackson ordered Hill and Ewell to advance. He encountered BGEN Lawrence O'Bryan Branch (a career politician) making a lengthy speech to his troops and urged him to press forward. The Union right immediately collapsed. Ewell, having difficulty silencing his guns, was delayed, but the Union left began to waver at the sight of Crawford's retreat and were finally broken by a charge down Cedar Mountain by BGEN Isaac R. Trimble's brigade.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, Cedar Mountain
Despite bringing up Greene's reserve brigade in support, by 19:45, the Union line was in full retreat. In a last-ditch effort to help cover his infantry's retreat, Banks sent two squadrons of cavalry at the Confederate line. They were met with a devastating volley from the Confederate infantry posted behind a fence on the road, allowing only 71 of 174 to escape. The Confederate infantry and Brig. Gen William E. Jones's 7th Virginia Cavalry hotly pursued the retreating Federals, nearly capturing Banks and Pope, who were at their headquarters a mile behind the Federal line.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, Cedar Mountain
After a mile-and-a-half of pursuit, Jackson grew wary as darkness set in, as he was unsure of the location of the rest of Pope's army. Finally, several Union infantrymen captured by the 7th Virginia informed the Confederates that Pope was bringing Sigel forward to reinforce Banks. Accordingly, Jackson called off the pursuit and by around 2200 the fighting had ceased. By this point, BGEN James Ricketts's division of McDowell's corps was arriving, which effectively covered Banks's retreat.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, Cedar Mountain
Losses were high in the battle: Union casualties of 2,353 (314 killed, 1,445 wounded, 594 missing), Confederate 1,338 (231 killed, 1,107 wounded). Crawford's brigade had lost over 50% of its total strength, including most of its officers. Prince's and Geary's brigades suffered 30–40% casualty rates. Both generals were wounded, and Prince was also captured. Confederate BGEN Charles S. Winder was mortally wounded by a shell.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, Cedar Mountain
For two days, Jackson maintained his position south of Cedar Run on the western slope of the mountain, waiting for a Federal attack that did not come. Finally, receiving news that all of Pope's army had arrived at Culpeper Court House, on August 12, Jackson fell back on Gordonsville to a more defensive position behind the Rapidan River.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, Cedar Mountain
Weather and poor communication with his divisional commanders had robbed Jackson of the initiative in the fight. Still expecting to face the same cautious opponent from the Valley, he was taken by surprise and very nearly driven from the field. Excellent commanding by the Confederates at the crucial moment of the battle and the fortuitous arrival of Hill staved off defeat, eventually allowing their numerical superiority to drive the Federals from the field. For his part, Banks, having been soundly defeated by Jackson in the Valley, was anxious to make up for previous losses.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, Cedar Mountain
Rather than fighting a defensive battle from a strong position because he was outnumbered 2 to 1, giving time for the rest of Pope's army to arrive, he decided to take the initiative and attack Jackson before he could fully form his lines. The bold move very nearly paid off, but in the end, he was again defeated by his old foe.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, Cedar Mountain
With Jackson on the loose, wreaking havoc against Union forces, General-in-Chief Henry W. Halleck became apprehensive and called off Pope's advance on Gordonsville, thereby giving Lee the initiative in the Northern Virginia Campaign. The battle effectively shifted fighting in Virginia from the Virginia Peninsula into northern Virginia.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, Skirmishing at Brandy Station and the Rappahannock}
After that debacle, 1st Maine Cavalry participated in the retreat of Gen. Pope's forces to Fairfax Court House, where it arrived on Sep 3 and reported to BGEN Jesse L. Reno, having engaged the enemy at Brandy Station on Aug 20, and been present at the Second Battle of Bull Run on the 30th, under Brig.-Gen. Elliott of Pope's staff.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, Skirmishing at Brandy Station and the Rappahannock}
Arriving in Washington on Sep 4, it was attached to Burnside's Corps and engaged the Lee's forces at Frederick, MD, on September 12, 1862. Company G, acting as BGEN Reno's bodyguard, took part in the Battle of South Mountain, Companies M and H, under MGEN Porter, in that of Antietam. The regiment (except Companies G, M, and H) remained at Frederick, from Sep 12 to Nov 2, up to which period it had lost in action and worn out in service nearly 700 horses.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Training, deployment, and operations in 1862, Skirmishing at Brandy Station and the Rappahannock}
In December 1862, during Battle of Fredericksburg, the regiment's battalions and companies were spread through MGEN William B. Franklin's Left Grand Division of the Army of the Potomac. The 1st Maine got through the Fredericksburg campaign relatively unscathed by the Army of Northern Virginia. It went into winter quarters outside Fredericksburg and mounted pickets and security patrols to fend off marauding rebels through the Holiday Season and into the new year.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863
In camp before the onset of activity in the Spring, the 1st Maine as well as the entire of the cavalry of the Army of the Potomac received breech-loading carbines (two Michigan regiments received repeating Spencer rifles). The whole of the cavalry now had the firepower that would enable them to hold, tie down, and delay rebel infantry until their own infantry could arrive on the scene of battle.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863
While not as rapid in fire as the later repeating carbines and rifles, the breech loaders still increased the rate of fire to three and four times that of the rebel muzzle-loading Enfields and Springfields and could outrange the rebel cavalry's shotguns. The standard trooper in the 1st was now armed with a saber, two Colt .44 "Army" pistols, and a single-shot Burnside breech-loading carbines (some kept privately purchased Sharps Carbines). As with the rest of the Cavalry Corps, the saber and pistols were for combat from the saddle and the carbine was for dismounted combat.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863
The year would be the turning point in the Eastern Theater, and the severity of the service to which the men of this regiment were subjected during the campaigns of 1863, may be inferred from a bare recital of the battles in which they were subsequently engaged and from data showing some of their heaviest losses. The battles, in addition to those above mentioned, occurred during the following campaigns/expeditions.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Stoneman's raid and the Chancellorsville Campaign
In April 1863, MGEN Joseph Hooker sent MGEN George Stoneman to cut Lee's line of supply on the Orange and Alexandria and Virginia Central Railroads at the town of Gordonsville. Hooker hoped Lee would withdraw from Fredericksburg since he would be cut off from supplies and transportation. Hooker assured Stoneman that he would keep in communications with him while he was on the raid. This expedition was also a significant change in the use of Federal Cavalry.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Stoneman's raid and the Chancellorsville Campaign
The cavalry was beginning to expand from their traditional screening/scouting roles and add the role of a mounted strike force tasked with finding and fighting the enemy. Hooker directed Stoneman in his orders on April 12, 1863, "Let your watchword be fight, and let all your orders be fight, fight, fight."


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Stoneman's raid and the Chancellorsville Campaign
The raid would be conducted with the men carrying light loads concentrating on weapons and ammunition. Sustenance for man and beast were to be taken from rebel territory. The 1st in the lead of COL Kilpatrick's 1st Brigade of BGEN David McM. Gregg's 2nd Division seized the bridge across the river at Rappahannock Station, but further reconnaissance found the roads beyond to be nearly impassable in the rain and mud.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Stoneman's raid and the Chancellorsville Campaign
The men's eagerness was thwarted as heavy spring rains kept the bulk of the force on the Federal side of the river looking for a suitable spot to get across in force. To keep the force undetected, Stoneman had given the order that no fires would be allowed after dark for the duration of the march.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Stoneman's raid and the Chancellorsville Campaign
Rebel scouts had noticed some cavalry moving out of Falmouth but were ignorant of its intent. The 1st Maine's LT Stone of Company A was acting as the assistant brigade quartermaster when he was captured by a small party of Mosby's Rangers and taken to Warrenton to get back across the river for interrogation. The rain had increased the size and speed of the river at the ford so that his captors were reluctant to move into the stream. To goad his men, the party's commander, a LT Paine, spurred his horse into the river, and was promptly swept off.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Stoneman's raid and the Chancellorsville Campaign
Despite being a prisoner, Paine moved into the river downstream, while his other captors dithered and grabbed his captor saving his life. In return, he was promised he would be sent directly to Lee's headquarters with a recommendation to be returned without exchange as reward for this act. While being transported to Richmond, Paine, on Stone's horse, and his party were in turn captured by the 8th Illinois in COL Horace B. Sargent's 1st Brigade of BGEN William W. Averell's 1st Division of this expedition. Stone spent barely a week away from the regiment and was back with his horse by Wednesday, April 22.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Stoneman's raid and the Chancellorsville Campaign
By the evening of April 19, Stoneman had the command shed "all men and horses not in good condition, and all extra baggage, to the rear, and prepare for long and rapid marches, day and night, as the cavalry was about to show an indulgent government that the money and pains taken to render this arm of the service efficient was not thrown away.'" The rain and the mud still hindered the force to the extent that by Wednesday, April 22, the 1st Maine found itself in Warrenton, VA still on the Federal side of the river. The men found a respite in that being within a town, they were allowed to light fires. They remained in Warrenton through Saturday, April 25.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Stoneman's raid and the Chancellorsville Campaign
On April 25, the orders were modified to cross the Rappahannock north-west of Fredericksburg on the evening of the 28th, or the morning of the 29th, and move in two columns, operating on the line of the Orange & Alexandria railroad and Culpeper Road. After moving out during the night of April 28/29, the column was in motion, and before noon was at Kelly's ford, on the Rappahannock, where it crossed on a pontoon bridge. Once across, the force dismounted a short distance beyond the river until dark when they mounted up and moved toward Richmond. Keeping the horses saddled and the men under arms, Stoneman split his force in three for the next day's movement. Once again, Stoneman had his subordinates cull any men or mounts deemed unfit for the remainder of the expedition sent back across the river.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Stoneman's raid and the Chancellorsville Campaign
The 1st Maine was in Kilpatrick's 1st Brigade of Gregg's 2nd Division riding with Stoneman to arrive on the Virginia Central's rail line at Louisa Courthouse southeast of Gordonsville from the southeast while Averell's 1st Division with three brigades would come down the Orange & Alexandria from the north. A beefed-up reserve brigade with four regular cavalry and one volunteer regiments under BGEN John Buford followed equidistant behind the two wings. The operations the next day, the 30th, after crossing, consisted in driving in the outposts which were encountered on both roads. The 1st provided security for crossing the Rapidan at Raccoon ford, and troopers were pleased to find that the copper and brass rounds for their carbines were unaffected by the fording of the swollen streams and the torrential rains.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Stoneman's raid and the Chancellorsville Campaign
Still not lighting campfires to avoid rebel detection, the forces continued their advance south through Unionville and Thornhill to get between the Army of Northern Virginia and Richmond and east of Gordonsville. unopposed by any significant opposition. This had a further positive effect on the Federal Cavalrymen's self-esteem as well as a break in the weather. The men of the 1st noted that they were capturing prisoners, weapons, horses, mules, and fodder with every small skirmish yet they were seeing no signs of the Army of Northern Virginia's retreat from the vicinity of Fredericksburg. Instead, the men of the 1st saw the tracks of infantry and cavalry heading to Fredericksburg and points upriver on the Rappahannock. Stoneman reported these indications back to Hooker, but received no response so was unaware of the result of his intelligence.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Stoneman's raid and the Chancellorsville Campaign
After slogging through rain and fog for three days, with the 1st Maine acting as its division's rear guard, the rains cleared as they crossed the North Anna River. On May 1, the unit rotated to the advance guard and at 01:00 (at night) on May 2, arrived at Louisa Courthouse on the Virginia Central Railroad thirteen miles southwest of the junction at Gordonsville. Stoneman consolidated his forces at Louisa Court House on the Virginia Central Railroad at 10:00 where they began destroying the rails and equipment found there.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Stoneman's raid and the Chancellorsville Campaign
He had Averell come south through Gordonsville to meet him at Louisa. As he waited for Averell, Stoneman sent the regular officer, the 1st Maine's Adjutant, CAPT Tucker, with its Companies B and I northwest up the railway toward Gordonsville to find the enemy. Stoneman had not heard anything from Hooker and was unaware of any effect that his presence and actions were having on Lee's army. Men of the 1st and the rest of the force were ignorant of the impending doom facing XI Corp roughly 30 miles to the northeast.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Stoneman's raid and the Chancellorsville Campaign
Three miles outside Louisa, the two companies made contact and drove back the rebel pickets only to find themselves facing five companies of rebel cavalry. They managed to cut their way out of an encirclement and made it back to the main force. Stoneman opted to send out small parties to destroy as much infrastructure and supplies as possible from his stop at Louisa. Averell joined him on May 3.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Stoneman's raid and the Chancellorsville Campaign
While these forays had commenced, Stoneman received orders that day from Hooker (the first communication sent his way since crossing the Rappahannock) recalling him to the main body of the Army of the Potomac then heavily engaged at Chancellorsville. At the same time, he was seeing the limit of endurance for his men and horses nearing.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Stoneman's raid and the Chancellorsville Campaign
Stoneman began sending patrols east toward the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad on May 4, with the intent to move closer between Richmond and Fredericksburg and destroy as much rail equipment and military supplies as he could on the way back to the army. The 1st drew rear guard duty again and were instructed to build large numbers of fires around Louisa to deceive the 500 odd rebel cavalrymen who had mixed it up with CAPT Tucker and monitored the expedition from a distance. Instead of going into camp for the night, the column headed east on the Richmond Pike, a clear macadamized road. Making good progress on the hardtop, the column halted at Thompson's Crossroads. Stoneman again divided his force into several expeditions sent out in different directions.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Stoneman's raid and the Chancellorsville Campaign
The 1st Maine, with Gregg, was sent to Rockville fifteen miles northwest of Richmond and west of Ashland Station on the Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac line. From there even smaller detachments fanned out. After burning bridges across creeks and rivers, firing warehouses, and rolling stock, on May 6, Gregg moved his group north to rejoin Stoneman.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Stoneman's raid and the Chancellorsville Campaign
As the elements were regrouping, Stoneman found that a brigade-sized contingent under Kilpatrick (not including the 1st Maine) sent southeast had been cut off by an aroused rebel cavalry and forced to return to Union lines down at Yorktown. Unknown to him, the rebels having defeated Hooker were turning their attention to the raiders. As he was finding out, "To take the enemy by surprise and penetrate his country was easy enough; to withdraw from it was a more difficult matter."


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Stoneman's raid and the Chancellorsville Campaign
To keep the rebel forces marshalling against him from seizing the initiative, Stoneman had sent Buford back to Louisa and Gordonsville on May 5. With the 1st rotated back to the advance guard, the force crossed the Pamunkey River and made camp to wait for its outliers to return. By May 6, Buford had returned to Stoneman. Crossing the Rapidan again at Raccoon ford, the force was shadowed by ever increasing numbers of rebel horsemen on the 7th reaching Kelly's ford at midnight. The three days of rain made the ford risky to cross in the darkness.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Stoneman's raid and the Chancellorsville Campaign
At daybreak on May 8, Stoneman's remaining force began swimming across the Rappahannock with the men of the 1st Maine again realizing no debilitating effect on their metal carbine cartridges. At the end of the day, the 1st Maine was one of the first units of the expedition to get to the encampment at Bealton, twenty miles upriver from the Army of the Potomac's headquarters at Falmouth. By May 10, all the regiments less Kilpatrick's were reunited at Bealton. While bone weary, the Federal cavalrymen were in high morale in stark contrast to the rest of the army stung by a particularly galling defeat at the Battle of Chancellorsville.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Stoneman's raid and the Chancellorsville Campaign
This raid took a toll on the regiment, but it and the rest of the army's cavalry branch were gaining in combat effectiveness. Regardless of the success or failure of the daring Stoneman's raid, it instilled a growing sense of competence and confidence among the men of the Federal cavalry. Chaplain Merrill called the raid "one of the most remarkable achievements in the history of modern warfare" and one of the men encapsulated the new-found confidence writing, "It was ever after a matter of pride with the boys that they were on Stoneman's Raid." Reflecting on the raid twenty years later, Edward Tobie wrote:


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Stoneman's raid and the Chancellorsville Campaign
Starting with but two days' rations, after that was gone the boys lived on ham, flour and meal obtained from the country, cooked when they had time to cook, and eaten raw when necessary. As for rest and sleep, five nights there was no sleep exceed what was stolen in the saddles, and the rations of sleep were short and of an inferior quality during the rest of the time ; some of the men seemed demented at times from loss of sleep, and acted half crazed. Three days and nights there was continuous marching, fighting, scouting, and picketing, and in fact pretty much of the whole time the boys had been actively employed.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
Regrouping, resupplying, and training further with their new carbines, the regiment prepared for the next engagement. Although the morale of the Cavalry Corps was high due to the perceived success of Stoneman's Raid, Hooker used Stoneman as a scapegoat and relieved him of command. The 1st Maine remained under Kilpatrick in the 1st Brigade of Gregg's 3rd Division. The brigade was joined by a company of cavalry from the District of Columbia under CAPT William H Orton (who would later join the 1st Maine the following year with the remainder of the 1st DC Cavalry). BGEN Pleasanton was promoted to command the Corp with BGEN Buford taking over his 1st Division.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
After Chancellorsville, Lee began an invasion up the Shenandoah into the Maryland and Pennsylvania with two goals in mind. The first was to attack the US public's will to fight, and the second was to give the agricultural economy of northern Virginia a chance to rebound from the Army of the Potomac and produce a harvest that could sustain the rebel armies in the field by foraging and plundering the lush, productive country of south central Pennsylvania. To do this successfully, he would need MGEN Stuart's Confederate cavalry force to scout and screen for his main body. This would lead to the 1st Maine having an eventful experience during the ensuing Gettysburg Campaign.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
"[Brandy Station] 'made' the Federal cavalry. Up to that time confessedly inferior to the Southern horsemen, they gained on this day that confidence in themselves and in their commanders which enable them to contest so fiercely the subsequent battle-fields ..."


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
Around Brandy Station, Stuart had about 9,500 men in five cavalry brigades, led by BGENs Hampton, Robertson, and Jones, and COL Munford (temporarily commanding Lee's brigade), plus horse artillery. He was unaware that Pleasanton had organized his command into two wings of 11,000 men across the Rappahannock River. Buford, accompanied by Pleasanton, led the right wing of three cavalry brigades and horse artillery augmented by an infantry brigade from the V Corps. The 1st Maine rode in the left wing, led by Gregg, similarly composed and augmented in the 3rd Cavalry Division, led by Gregg.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
To remove the threat of Stuart raiding his supply lies from Brandy Station, Hooker ordered Pleasonton to make a "spoiling raid," to "disperse and destroy" the Confederates. In Pleasonton's attack plan, the 1st Maine in Gregg's wing would cross at Kelly's Ford, six miles (10 km) downstream to the southeast of Brandy station as the left pincer in a planned double envelopment. Buford's wing would cross further north at Beverly Ford. At dawn on June 9, 1863, the U.S. forces advanced.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
Buford's wing made first contact and surprised the Confederates at St. James Church. Buford failed to turn the Confederate left and dislodge the artillery that was blocking the direct route to Brandy Station. Men of the 1st Maine could hear cannon fire from Buford's force as they crossed Kelly's Ford. After initial heavy losses, Buford's men were amazed to see the Confederates began pulling back. Gregg's wing, finding their planned route blocked by Robertson's brigade, found a completely unguarded and more circuitous route surprising the rebels and forcing the withdrawal from Buford.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
The 1st Maine was in the second bride to arrive on scene. Between Gregg and Buford at St. James battle was Fleetwood Hill, Stuart's headquarters the previous night, which Stuart and most of his staff had left for St. James Church. A howitzer, left in the rear because of inadequate ammunition, fired a few shots that delayed the Union advance as they sent out skirmishers and returned cannon fire.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
When the first brigade in Gregg's wing under COL Wyndham charged up the western slope of Fleetwood and neared the crest they put to flight, the lead elements of Jones's brigade, which had just withdrawn from St. James Church. Wyndham set up a battery on the hill next to the rebel howitzer. The 1st Maine, in the next brigade, led by COL Kilpatrick, swung around east of Brandy Station and formed up on the southern end and the eastern slope of Fleetwood Hill on the right of Wyndham's brigade. A furious scrap began with charges moving back and forth over the hill by Wyndham and his foe, Jones.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
Kilpatrick kept feeding his brigade into the fight alongside Wyndham's brigade and seemed to be gaining the upper hand. His former regiment, the 2nd New York (also known as the Harris Light Cavalry) flooded up the hill, only to discover that their appearance coincided with the arrival of Hampton's brigade, with a battery of five guns to augment the howitzer, who drove them back over the crest and captured the Federal battery. The regiment was shattered and fled back down the hill.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
While rallying the remnants of his old regiment, Kilpatrick galloped up to COL Douty asking, "Colonel Douty, what can you do with your regiment?" Douty answered confidently, "I can drive the rebels." At that, Kilpatrick turned to the regiment and shouted, "Men of Maine! You must save the day! Follow me!" This call had an immediate effect on the regiment.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
With a shout at the top of their lungs, "in one solid mass this splendid regiment circled first to the right, and then moving in a straight line at a run struck the rebel columns in flank. The shock was terrific! Down went the rebels before this wild rush of maddened horses, men, biting sabres, and whistling balls." The charge of the 1st Maine saved the Federal guns near Fleetwood Hill from capture. The Federal battery was manned and withdrew off the hill.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
During the charge and pursuit, the regiment separated into two groups. One remained near the crest of Fleetwood Hill mopping up in melee with dismounted rebels. Some of the regiment dismounted and opened fire with their carbines on Confederates withdrawing to the north along the crest. LTC Smith, in command of this contingent, soon found himself alone and almost cut off. He quickly rallied and gathered more than half the regiment around him. Once gathered, Smith led his group down the hill to join COL Douty. As they left the crest, no one manned or removed the Confederate guns on the crest.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
COL Douty, meanwhile, was with the other group further along in pursuit of fleeing rebel horsemen and began trying to reform this group to avoid a dissipation of his combat power. Douty quickly realized while the chase had carried them over a mile of open ground, he had woods on either side into which rebels had fled. As he rallied his command, he could see the enemy massing for an attack in his rear. He formed his group in column and charged the still-forming line of Hampton's men. He smashed through the line, wheeled around on the other side, and charged again thoroughly scattering the rebel troopers.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
As Smith and his contingent came up to meet Douty, they realized that they were surrounded. The rebels had flooded back toward the hill in small groups including artillerymen who had taken back their abandoned guns. The two groups rallied around COL Doughty and LTC Smith. With Smith in the lead, the regiment advanced on the battery at pace "as if inviting death." Firing from the rebels died off as their troopers moved out of the battery's line of fire and the gunners sighted their guns.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
When Smith saw the battery preparing to fire, he ordered the column to turn right just before the guns fired loads of grape and shell. The abrupt move left the discharge tearing through empty space and the column reformed before the battery could reposition their weapons and swept around to the right of the crest.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
The regiment lost no men in the last action and made it back over the crest to the origin of their charge. In the last action, the Maine men had learned the valuable lesson that that cohesion gave them power and safety in numbers as demonstrated in Douty's two charges in the open ground and Smith's turn to dodge grape and shell from the rebels. Several sweeps over the hill during the day had left it remaining in Confederate hands. Near sunset, Pleasonton ordered a general withdrawal, and the ten-hour battle was over.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
The 1st Maine's losses in casualties and prisoners were almost all troopers who had been separated from the main two bodies. All told, this action had cost the regiment one killed, two wounded, seven ·wounded and taken prisoner, and twenty-eight taken prisoner. They had also taken seventy-six rebel prisoners and 2nd South Carolina's colors. Two rebel artillery pieces were taken off the hill but abandoned in the withdrawal back across the Rappahannock.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
Much like the earlier raid (that is, not really succeeding in its initial objectives) the men of the 1st Maine gained more confidence from their action. Although a rebel tactical victory (although derided as a defeat in rebel press as a defeat), for the first time in the War, they matched the rebel cavalry in skill and determination. As they recouped, Edward P. Tobie observed, "[ A] higher value attaches to Brandy Station as affecting the [1st Maine]. ... It was ... the first time it had ever tasted ... the fruit of victory. The battle aroused its latent powers, and awoke it ... to a new career. It became self-reliant, and began to comprehend its own possibilities. It became inspired with an invincible spirit that never again forsook it."


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
Of note, the battle had "indisputably delayed Robert E. Lee's advance northward by one full day" which would have a knock-on effect on the Army of Northern Virginia and its movements in the remainder of the campaign.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
The Battle of Aldie took place on June 17, 1863, in Loudoun County, Virginia. It was the first in a series of small battles along the Ashby's Gap Turnpike in which Stuart's forces successfully delayed Pleasonton's thrust across the Loudoun Valley, depriving him of the opportunity to locate the Army of Northern Virginia which was trying to get a jump on the Army of the Potomac into Pennsylvania via the Shenandoah Valley.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
Despite the positive performance of the Cavalry Corps at Brandy Station Hooker grew increasingly frustrated with Pleasonton's inability to locate Lee's main body. Pleasonton reorganized his corps again from two wings into three divisions. He relieved COL Alfred N. Duffié with the 1st Maine's brigade commander, Kilpatrick. The Maine men were now part of Gregg's 2nd Division's 3rd Brigade now commanded by Gregg's cousin, COL John Irvin Gregg. Pleasonton took Company I to serve as escorts and orderlies at his headquarters. Company L detached, under CAPT Constantine Taylor to do the same at MGEN John F. Reynolds 's I Corps' headquarters. The remaining ten companies stayed under COL Douty's command in the 3rd Brigade.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
On June 17, Pleasonton decided to push the 2nd Division twenty miles from Manassas Junction westward down the Little River Turnpike to Aldie. Aldie was tactically important in that near the village the Little River Turnpike intersected both the Ashby's Gap Turnpike and Snicker's Gap Turnpike, which respectively led through Ashby's Gap and Snickers Gap in the Bull Run Mountains, a ridge east of the Blue Ridge Mountain into the valley. The 1st Maine arrived there with the 3rd Brigade at 14:00 to find a severe cavalry fight already underway.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
Just east of the village Kilpatrick's division led by 1st Massachusetts had driven COL Thomas T. Munford's's pickets back upon initial contact through the town. Around the same time, the rest of Munford's brigade under the COL Williams Carter Wickham arrived at Dover Mills, a small hamlet on the Little River west of Aldie where the U.S. forces realized that Munford's regiments outnumbered them. The rebels set up a position west of the town that controlled the road leading from it. Wickham ordered COL Thomas L. Rosser to take the 5th Virginia to locate a campsite closer to Aldie.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
As they moved east, they ran into and easily drove back Kilpatrick's right flank regiment, the 1st Massachusetts, through Aldie to the main Union body. Rosser pulled back through town and deployed west along a ridge that covered the two roads leading out of Aldie and waited the arrival of Munford. As Rosser withdrew west, he repulsed a swift counterattack by 1st Massachusetts and 4th New York securing his hold on the Ashby's Gap Turnpike with a sharpshooter detachment under CAPT Boston behind a stonewall east of the William Adam farmhouse at the foot of the hill at Snicker's Gap.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
Kilpatrick then turned his attention towards the Snicker's Gap Turnpike. As Mumford brought forward the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Virginia Cavalry, an artillery duel ensued. A furious fight erupted, which at first went in favor of Munford as Federal charges were met, stopped, and then forced back by the withering volley of sharpshooters entrenched along a stone wall. The 1st Massachusetts Cavalry was trapped in a blind curve on the west of Snicker's Gap Turnpike and was mauled, losing 198 of 294 men in the eight companies that were engaged.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
Gregg sent the 1st Maine to the left to report to Kilpatrick on his left. When Gregg found himself actively engaged in close combat on the east side of the hill at Snicker's Gap Turnpike, he recalled the 1st Maine ordering them to wheel right and attack over the crest with sabers drawn. Douty had only six companies with him as four under LTC Smith had gone too far west to recall.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
As Douty formed the companies, they were met by Kilpatrick and the withdrawing 1st Massachusetts:


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
"Kilpatrick was among them, but when he saw an unbroken front of live men, with glistening sabres drawn, he instantly stopped. His moistened features were covered with dust; his countenance was dejected and sad; the fire and the flash of his eyes were gone, and he looked indeed "a ruined man." "What regiment is this?" he asked, in tones that did not betray him. "First Maine!" shouted a dozen throats. The response was electric.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
Then we heard the· old, familiar, clear-ringing tones, and saw his countenance brighten to a smile, his eyes flash, and his whole frame fill with enthusiasm, as commanded: "Forward. First Maine! You saved the field at Brandy Station, and you can do it here! Are there twelve men who will follow me?"


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
He turned instantly, and forty boys of Co. H, followed by Co. D. with deafening yells and flashing sabres, charged down the hill and met the victorious rebels, brave, bold, determined fellows, just at the road, and in an instant we were among them; nor would they turn till they felt the steel borne by braver and stronger arms than theirs."


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
COL Doughty and CAPT Summat were on the extreme left of the regiment as they had been between the fourth and fifth company in the line of march. As Kilpatrick turned around to the rebels, Doughty and Summat galloped alongside him in front of the rest of the regiment. The regiment cleared all rebels before it. On its right, the 6th Ohio overran Boston's detachment at the stonewall beyond the Adam farmhouse on Ashby's Gap Turnpike, capturing or killing most of his men.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
As the charge met the rebels, LTC Smith had rejoined and immediately fell in the sweep down the hill. In the ensuing action, three sergeants of Company H captured the colors of the 4th Virginia. As the tide finally turned in the fading light, the Maine troopers found COL Doughty and CAPT Summat fatally shot from their saddles. LTC Smith assumed command of the regiment.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
The fighting died down around 20:00 as Munford withdrew his command west towards Middleburg. Despite Pleasonton's tactical victory, Munford had accomplished his mission of keeping Hooker from knowing Lee's location.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Hard service in 1863, Gettysburg campaign
Despite their high morale from their successful charge and the capture of enemy colors, the 1st Maine had suffered the notable loss of its commander, COL Douty, as well as a popular company commander, CAPT Summat. The scrap had been costly with the loss from this battle being five men killed, one mortally wounded, seventeen wounded, one mortally wounded and taken prisoner, one wounded and taken prisoner, four taken prisoner, and over 200 horses – a significant blow to the command.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Union cavalry supremacy 1864–1865
It also moved with the cavalry corps on Gen. Sheridan's first raid. May 9, 1864, until within 3 miles of Richmond. In the engagement at Trevilian Station, June 24, 1864, its loss was 10 officers and 58 enlisted men. During August of this year its loss in killed, wounded and missing was 49 men and 75 horses, and the total casualties during 1864 amounted to 295 officers and enlisted men.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Union cavalry supremacy 1864–1865
In August 1864, seven companies of the 1st D. C. cavalry were transferred and assigned to the several companies of this regiment by a special order of the war department.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Service history, Union cavalry supremacy 1864–1865
The original members of the regiment whose term of service expired November 4, 1864, were mustered out at Augusta, ME, on November 25, while the regiment, now composed of veterans, recruits and members of the 1st D. C. cavalry whose term had not expired, participated in the closing battles of the war; was mustered out of the U. S. service at Petersburg, VA, August 1, 1865, and arrived in Augusta, ME., on August 9, 1865.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Affiliations, battle honors, detailed service, and casualties, Organizational affiliation
The 1st Maine Volunteer Cavalry Regiment was organized at Augusta, ME and served with the following organizations:


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Affiliations, battle honors, detailed service, and casualties, List of battles
The official list of battles in which the regiment bore a part:


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Affiliations, battle honors, detailed service, and casualties, Casualties
This Regiment lost greatest number killed in action of any Cavalry Regiment in the entire army: 15 Officers and 159 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded; 3 Officers and 341 Enlisted men died of disease, a total of 518 The regiment also suffered 447 men wounded and 612 (246 having been 1st DC Cavalry prior to their absorption into the 1st Maine) were captured by rebel forces.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Armament
Troopers in the 1st Maine were initially armed only with a Model 1860 Light Cavalry Saber and two Colt .44 "Army" pistols. They were also issued ten Sharps Carbines per company. They continued with this as standard armament, although a few officers and men privately purchased Burnside, Merrill, Sharps, and Smith carbines. In February 1863, the 1st and the rest of the 1st Brigade of the 3rd Division of the Army of the Potomac's Cavalry Corps were completely armed with carbines (while retaining sabers and their brace of pistols.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Armament
The 1st drew single-shot Burnside breech-loading carbines that used a metallic cartridge which, as stated above, they found to be an asset when fording waterway. A handful of individuals kept their Sharps if they were modified to accept metal cartridges. On September 10, 1864, all Burnside and Sharps carbines were turned in and the regiment was issued new Spencer carbines. The men from the 1st DC Cavalry had brought enough Henrys with them when they joined to arm four companies in one battalion. From that point to the end of hostilities one battalion was armed with sixteen-shot Henry rifles and two battalions were armed with seven-shot Spencers.


1st Maine Cavalry Regiment, Monuments and memorials
During the 1880s, planning was undertaken to erect a monument on the Gettysburg National Battlefield which would honor the 1863 service of the 1st Maine Volunteer Cavalry at Gettysburg. That monument was subsequently dedicated in a formal ceremony held at the battlefield on October 3, 1889.


1st Maine Heavy Artillery Regiment
The 1st Maine Heavy Artillery Regiment was a regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It suffered more casualties in an ill-fated charge during the Siege of Petersburg than any Union regiment lost in a single day of combat throughout the war. It was also the Union regiment with the highest number of officers killed (23).


1st Maine Heavy Artillery Regiment
The regiment was mustered in Bangor, Maine, in 1862 as the 18th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment and consisted mostly of men and officers from the Penobscot River Valley (the area around Bangor and points east). It was commanded by Col. Daniel Chaplin, a Bangor merchant. Charles Hamlin, son of Vice President Hannibal Hamlin, was originally an officer in this regiment, but was promoted to a position on the staff of Maj. Gen. Hiram G. Berry before it saw significant action.


1st Maine Heavy Artillery Regiment
The regiment's name was changed in 1863 to the 1st Maine Heavy Artillery Regiment, and it served in the defenses of Washington, D.C. before being reassigned to the Army of the Potomac during the Overland Campaign in the spring of 1864. At the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, the regiment took its first heavy casualties—6 officers and 76 men killed, and another 6 officers and 388 men wounded.


1st Maine Heavy Artillery Regiment
At Petersburg, however, an ill-advised charge across an open field toward Confederate breastworks on June 18, 1864, ordered by Chaplin, resulted in the greatest single loss of life in a Union regiment to occur in the war, with 7 officers and 108 men killed, and another 25 officers and 464 men wounded. These casualties constituted 67% of the strength of the 900-man force. Chaplin survived the action but was later killed by a sharpshooter. The regiment was commanded by Russell Benjamin Shepherd for the remainder of the war.


1st Maine Heavy Artillery Regiment
All in all, the 1st Maine sustained one of the highest casualty rates in the war, with 423 killed, and another 260 died of disease. A monument to the 1st Maine stands on the former battlefield at Petersburg.


1st Maine Infantry Battalion
The 1st Maine Infantry Battalion was an infantry battalion that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.


1st Maine Infantry Battalion, Service
The 1st Maine Infantry Battalion was organized in Augusta and Portland, Maine February through March 1865 from the 21st, 24th, 25th, and 26th companies of unassigned infantry.


1st Maine Infantry Battalion, Service
The battalion was ordered to Summit Point, Virginia and attached to 2nd Brigade, Dwight's Division, Army of the Shenandoah to May 1865. 2nd Brigade, Dwight's Division, Department of Washington, to June 1865. Dwight's Division, Department of the South, to July 1865. 4th Sub-District, District of South Carolina, Department of the South, to August 1865. 3rd Sub-District, Department of the South, to April 1866.


1st Maine Infantry Battalion, Service
The battalion moved from the Shenandoah Valley to Washington, D.C., May 1, 1865, and served duty there until June 1. Moved to Savannah, Ga., June 1, then to Georgetown, S.C., June 15. To Florence, S.C., July 6-9. Served duty in eastern South Carolina until August 19. At Charleston until August 29, and in 3rd Sub-District, Western South Carolina, until April 1866.


1st Maine Infantry Battalion, Service
The 1st Maine Infantry Battalion mustered out of service April 5, 1866.


1st Maine Infantry Battalion, Casualties
The regiment lost a total of 40 men during service, all due to disease.


1st Maine Infantry Regiment
The 1st Maine Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was later re-activated in 1898 for the Spanish–American War, but did not serve overseas.


1st Maine Infantry Regiment, Service, Pre-Civil War
In 1847, during the War with Mexico, the President of the United States requested that a regiment of Maine infantry be mobilized for field duty. This was accomplished on paper, but field officers were never assigned and the regiment's companies never trained together. However, this partial mobilization and the influence of the Crimean War of 1853–56 excited military enthusiasm in Maine, and caused new militia companies to be organized in 1854–56.


1st Maine Infantry Regiment, Service, Pre-Civil War
In 1854 there were 58 companies in the Volunteer Maine Militia, and the request of the companies in and near Portland to be named the 1st Regiment was granted by orders of the Maine state government approved June 21, 1854. General Smith of the 5th Division was ordered to carry out the plan. In 1856, 47 of the 56 volunteer companies of the state were disbanded, having lost interest in military affairs. However, the First Regiment continued from 1856 to 1859, though without annual training as a regiment.


1st Maine Infantry Regiment, Service, Civil War
Abraham Lincoln's first call for volunteers in April, 1861 required Maine to raise one regiment of infantry for three months of Federal service. This was done by reorganizing ten existing companies of the state militia, completed at Portland, Maine on 28 April 1861 and mustered into service on 3 May 1861, a total of 779 soldiers. The regimental commander was Colonel Nathaniel Jackson.


1st Maine Infantry Regiment, Service, Civil War
The First Maine was transferred to Washington, D.C. on 1 June 1861, where it remained until 1 August 1861, encamped on Meridian Hill. It spent its entire service in the Washington defenses and saw no combat. They were mustered out on 5 August 1861.


1st Maine Infantry Regiment, Service, Civil War
Although the regiment's required Federal service was only three months, all of the soldiers had enlisted for two or three years. Many soldiers in the regiment who were required to remain in service joined the 10th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment, which retained eight of the 1st Maine's ten companies.


1st Maine Infantry Regiment, Service, Civil War
The regimental history was published as  written by Major John Mead Gould.


1st Maine Infantry Regiment, Service, Spanish–American War
The regiment was mustered into the service of the United States at Augusta, Maine on 26 May 1898, with 46 officers and 979 enlisted men. The regiment moved to Chickamauga, Georgia, then a mobilization center. On 31 May it was assigned to Third Brigade, Second Division, Third Army Corps. The regiment did not deploy further and returned to Augusta, Maine 23–27 August after three months' service. On 21 September the regiment was furloughed for 30 days, and on 25 October the regiment's components began to muster out after five months' service.


1st Maine Infantry Regiment, Service, Spanish–American War
This was completed on 13 December with 46 officers and 1,211 enlisted men mustered out. A memorial plaque for Company K of the 1st Maine in the Spanish–American War is in a park near Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine. Dana T. Merrill, a brigadier general in the United States Army, began his career by enlisting in Company H in 1898.


1st Maine Infantry Regiment, Casualties
The regiment lost no men during its brief period of service in the Civil War. In the Spanish–American War the unit lost two officers and 39 enlisted men to disease and 24 enlisted men to desertion.


1st Maine Infantry Regiment, Lineage
The companies of the 1st Maine in the Civil War were named as follows:


1st Maine Infantry Regiment, Lineage
The 1st Maine was originally formed in state service in 1854, and thus was older than any other Maine regimental organization. An historian of the 240th AAA (Anti- Aircraft Artillery) Group, a former Maine Army National Guard unit, has concluded that numerous subsequent Volunteer Maine Militia and Maine National Guard units inherited the lineage of the 1st Maine via the Portland Light Infantry company. From 1924 through 1944 this was the 240th Coast Artillery Regiment. As of 2018 this lineage is carried by the 240th Regional Training Institute, Maine Army National Guard, in Bangor.


1st Maine Infantry Regiment, Lineage
The 1st Maine is also one of the "ancestor" units, along with the famed 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment, of the modern day 133rd Engineer Battalion of the Maine Army National Guard.


1st Maine Light Artillery Battery
1st Maine Light Artillery Battery was an artillery battery that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.


1st Maine Light Artillery Battery, Service
The 1st Battery was organized in Portland, Maine and mustered in for three years of service on December 18, 1861.


1st Maine Light Artillery Battery, Service
The battery was attached to 3rd Brigade, Department of the Gulf, until September 1862. It was attached to Weitzel's Reserve Brigade, Department of the Gulf, until January 1863. It was attached to Artillery, 1st Division, XIX Corps, Department of the Gulf, until January 1864, and the 2nd Division until April 1864. It then served at Camp Barry, Defenses of Washington, XXII Corps, until July 1864. It was attached to Artillery, 2nd Division, XIX Corps, Army of the Shenandoah, Middle Military Division, until February 1865. Finally, it was attached to 2nd Division, Army of the Shenandoah.


1st Maine Light Artillery Battery, Service
The 1st Maine Battery mustered out of service July 15, 1865, at Portland, Maine.


1st Maine Light Artillery Battery, Detailed service
Moved to Lowell, Mass., December 19, and duty there until February 1862. Moved to Boston February 2, and there embarked on steamer Idaho for Ship Island, Miss., February 8, arriving there March 10. Duty at Ship Island until May 8. Moved from Ship Island, Miss., to New Orleans, La., May 8–15, and served provost duty there until September 1862. Duty at Camp Parapet September 1 – October 24. Operations in La Fourche District October 24 – November 6. Action at Georgia Landing, Labadieville, October 27. At Thibodeauxville until January 1863. Expedition up the Teche January 11–18.


1st Maine Light Artillery Battery, Detailed service
Action with steamer Cotton, Bayou Teebe, January 14. At Camp Stevens, Brashear City, and Bayou Boeuf until April. Operations in western Louisiana April 9 – May 14. Teche Campaign April 11–20. Fort Bisland, near Centreville, April 12–13. Jeanerette April 14. Expedition from Opelousas to Barre Landing April 21. Siege of Port Hudson May 23 – July 8. Thompson's Creek May 25. Assaults on Port Hudson May 27 and June 14. Surrender of Port Hudson July 8. Koch's Plantation, Donaldsonville, July 12–13. Moved to Baton Rouge August 3, and duty there until September 18.


1st Maine Light Artillery Battery, Detailed service
Western Louisiana Campaign October 3 – November 18. At New Iberia until January 7, 1864. Moved to Franklin January 7, then to Brashear City and New Orleans January 18–20. On veteran furlough February and March. Moved to Annapolis, Md., April 15–19, then to Camp Barry, Washington, D.C., April 20. Duty there and at Fort Smith and Fort Strong, Defenses of Washington, until July. Repulse of Early's attack on Washington July 11–12. At Camp Barry until July 30. Ordered to Tenleytown July 30, and joined XIX Corps at Monocacy Junction August 1. Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign August 7 – November 28.


1st Maine Light Artillery Battery, Detailed service
March to Middletown August 6–15; to Winchester, then to Berryville August 15–17, and to Halltown August 21. At Berryville August 28 – September 18. Battle of Opequan, Winchester, September 19. Fisher's Hill September 22. Battle of Cedar Creek October 19. Duty near Cedar Creek until November 9, and near Winchester until December 30. At Stevenson's Depot until January 14, 1865; at Manchester until April 14, and at Winchester until July 9. Moved to Portland, Me., July 9–13, 1865.


1st Maine Light Artillery Battery, Casualties
The battery lost a total of 43 men during service; 2 officers and 13 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 28 enlisted men died of disease.


1st Maine Sharpshooters Battalion
The 1st Maine Sharpshooters Battalion was a sharpshooter battalion in the Union Army during the American Civil War.


1st Maine Sharpshooters Battalion, Service
The 1st Battalion Maine Sharpshooters was organized in Augusta, Maine October 27 through December 29, 1864.


1st Maine Sharpshooters Battalion, Service
Companies A and B left Maine for City Point, Virginia, November 12, 1864, and assigned to duty there until January 1865.


1st Maine Sharpshooters Battalion, Service
Company C was organized November 29, 1864, and moved to Galloupe's Island, Boston Harbor, then moved to City Point, Virginia, January 1–5, 1865.


1st Maine Sharpshooters Battalion, Service
Company D was organized December 2, 1864. Company E was organized November 28, 1864. Company F was organized December 29, 1864, all three moved to City Point, Virginia, to join the other companies. All were ordered to the Petersburg front and attached to 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, V Corps, Army of the Potomac, January to June 1865.


1st Maine Sharpshooters Battalion, Service
The 1st Battalion Maine Sharpshooters ceased to exist on June 21, 1865, when its members were transferred to the 20th Maine Infantry.


1st Maine Sharpshooters Battalion, Detailed service
The regiment was involved in the Siege of Petersburg from  January 5 to April 2, 1865. Dabney's Mills, Hatcher's Run, February 5–7. Fort Fisher, Petersburg, March 25. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. White Oak Road March 29. Quaker Road March 30. Boydton Road March 30–31. Five Forks April 1. Amelia Court House April 5. High Bridge April 6. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. Moved to Washington, D.C., May 2–12 and participated in the Grand Review of the Armies May 23.


1st Maine Sharpshooters Battalion, Casualties
The regiment lost a total of 19 enlisted men during service; 7 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 12 enlisted men due to disease.


1st Maine Veteran Infantry Regiment
The 1st Maine Veteran Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.


1st Maine Veteran Infantry Regiment, Service
The 1st Maine Veteran Infantry was organized in Charleston, Virginia August 21, 1864, by consolidation of the 5th Maine Infantry, 6th Maine Infantry, and 7th Maine Infantry.


1st Maine Veteran Infantry Regiment, Service
The regiment was attached to 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, VI Corps, Army of the Shenandoah and Army of the Potomac, to June 1865.


1st Maine Veteran Infantry Regiment, Service
The 1st Maine Veteran Infantry mustered out of service June 28, 1865, in Washington, D.C..


1st Maine Veteran Infantry Regiment, Detailed service
Skirmishes near Charleston, Va., August 21–22, 1864. Demonstration on Gilbert's Ford, Opequart, September 13. Battle of Opequan, Winchester, September 19. Fisher's Hill September 22. Battle of Cedar Creek October 19. Duty at Kernstown and vicinity until December. March to Washington, D.C., December 9, then moved to Petersburg, Va. Siege of Petersburg December 12, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Fort Fisher, Petersburg, March 25–27, 1865. Assault on and fall of Petersburg April 2. Sayler's Creek April 6. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. March to Danville, Va., and provost duty there until June. Moved to Washington, D.C.. Corps Review June 9.


1st Maine Veteran Infantry Regiment, Casualties
The regiment lost a total of 86 men during service; 6 officers and 40 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 40 enlisted men died of disease.


1st Maintenance Battalion
The 1st Maintenance Battalion is a battalion of the United States Marine Corps that provides intermediate-level maintenance for the  I Marine Expeditionary Force's tactical ordnance, engineer, motor transport, communications electronics and general support ground equipment. The Marines and Sailors of 1st Maintenance Battalion are regularly assigned and deployed around the world with command elements that deliver tactical logistics support to I MEF units. The command is based out of Camp Las Pulgas, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California and is organized under the command of the 1st Marine Logistics Group.


1st Maintenance Battalion, Mission
Provide intermediate level maintenance support, to include wheeled and tracked vehicle recovery, salvage and disposal, and general maintenance support, for I MEF's ground equipment in order to improve and sustain MAGTF's combat power. Provide Secondary Reparable Management, including inventory management, storage, financial accounting, and maintenance for secondary and low-density repairables.


1st Maintenance Battalion, History, Organization
Maintenance Company, 1st Combat Service Group was commissioned on October 1, 1947 at Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, California. The battalion relocated to MCB Camp Pendleton, California during October 1947.


1st Maintenance Battalion, History, Iraq, Afghanistan, and current operations
On 26 September 2014, 1st Maintenance Battalion was selected as the winner of the Secretary of Defense Field-level Maintenance Award in the large category. The awards was presented to the winners on November 18, 2014, in the Sheraton Birmingham Hotel, Birmingham, Alabama, during the awards ceremony that is part of the 2014 DoD Maintenance Symposium.


1st Maintenance Battalion, History, Iraq, Afghanistan, and current operations
In 2020 the battalions higher headquarters, Combat Logistics Regiment 15, was disbanded as part of a larger reorganization of the Marine Corps. The battalion now falls directly under the 1st Marine Logistics Group.


1st Malaya Infantry Brigade
The 1st Malaya Infantry Brigade was a regular infantry brigade formed in 1939 with its headquarters in Singapore immediately after the outbreak of hostilities in Europe. The Brigade participated in the Battle of Singapore against the Japanese until the surrender of the garrison in February 1942.


1st Malaya Infantry Brigade, History
Formed on 3 September 1939, the formation was initially known as the Malaya Infantry Brigade as part of the wartime expansion and reinforcement of Malaya Command. It was re-designated the 1st Malaya Infantry Brigade when the 2nd Malaya Infantry Brigade was formed on 8 September 1940.


1st Malaya Infantry Brigade, History, Malayan Campaign
The 1st Battalion, Mysore Infantry served in airfield security duties during the Battle of Kota Bahru as part of the 8th Indian Infantry Brigade. With the collapse of the defences in Kota Bahru, the Battalion was withdrawn to Singapore and was joined with the Brigade on 18 December 1941.


1st Malaya Infantry Brigade, History, Battle of Singapore
All organised Allied forces in Malaya had retreated to Singapore on 31 January 1942. The Brigade was deployed as part of the defence of the Southern Area of Singapore under the command of Maj Gen Frank Keith Simmons together with the 2nd Malaya Infantry Brigade, the Straits Settlements Volunteer Force Brigade and the 12th Indian Infantry Brigade.


1st Malaya Infantry Brigade, History, Battle of Singapore
The Brigade put up a stubborn defence during the Battle of Pasir Panjang which included the famous last stand at Bukit Chandu led by a platoon of C Company of the Malay Regiment under the command of 2Lt Adnan bin Saidi.


1st Malaya Infantry Brigade, History, Battle of Singapore
With the fall of the Pasir Panjang Ridge, the Brigade fell back to the defensive line established along Mount Echo in Tanglin to Buona Vista. The Brigade was disbanded with the general surrender of the Singapore on 15 February 1942.


1st Malaya Infantry Brigade, Formations, September 1939
The following units were put under the command of the Brigade when it was initially formed as the Malaya Infantry Brigade in 1939:


1st Malaya Infantry Brigade, Formations, December 1940
With the formation of the 2nd Malaya Infantry Brigade, units were transferred to the new Brigade:


1st Malaya Infantry Brigade, Formations, December 1941
The following units were under the command of the Brigade during the outbreak of hostilities in Malaya on 8 December 1941:


1st Malaya Infantry Brigade, Formations, February 1942
The final order of battle of the Brigade prior to its surrender and dissolution:


1st Maldives Film Awards
1st Maldives Film Awards ceremony, presented by the Maldives Film Association, honored the best Maldivian films released in 2008 and 2009. Nominations for the major categories were announced on 8 April 2011. The ceremony was held on 2 July 2011.


1st Man in Space
"1st Man in Space" is a song by the English electronic music group All Seeing I, based in Sheffield. It was the third single to be released from the album Pickled Eggs and Sherbet (1999).


1st Man in Space
It features vocals by Philip Oakey of The Human League on what is essentially an update of David Bowie's "Space Oddity" and Elton John's "Rocket Man" The lyrics were written by another Sheffield musician, Jarvis Cocker of Pulp.


1st Man in Space
The single reached Number 28 in the UK singles charts when released in September 1999.


1st Manchester Rifles
The 1st Manchester Rifles, later the 6th Battalion, Manchester Regiment, was a unit of Britain's Volunteer Force and Territorial Army recruited in and around Manchester. It served as infantry at Gallipoli, fighting with distinction at the Third Battle of Krithia, and in some of the bitterest battles on the Western Front in World War I. After conversion into an anti-aircraft unit of the Royal Artillery between the wars, it defended Manchester, Scapa Flow and Ceylon during World War II and continued in the air defence role until 1955.


1st Manchester Rifles, Volunteer Force
The enthusiasm for the Volunteer movement following an invasion scare in 1859 saw the creation of many Rifle Volunteer Corps (RVCs) composed of part-time soldiers eager to supplement the Regular British Army in time of need. One such unit was the 6th Lancashire RVC raised at Manchester following a public meeting on 20 May 1859. The first 60 volunteers were sworn in on 7 June and began drilling at the Militia Barracks under staff sergeants of the 6th Lancashire Militia. The unit was formally accepted by the Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire, the Earl of Sefton, on 25 August 1859.


1st Manchester Rifles, Volunteer Force
A number of large Manchester firms such as J.P. & E. Westhead (3rd Company) and J. & N. Philips (8th Company) provided whole companies from their employees, others came from the Manchester Cotton Exchange (4th Company) and from the Athenaeum Gymnastic Club (5th (1st Athenaeum) Company under Captain William Romaine Callender). Volunteers from the townships of Hulme, Moss Side, Cornbrook and Stretford, including groups from the Commercial Mills at Hulme and from T.G. Hill & Co, formed a 7th (Old Trafford) Company. The 6th Lancashire RVC soon had a strength of 12 companies.


1st Manchester Rifles, Volunteer Force
Viscount Grey de Wilton was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant on 19 February 1860 and by the following month the unit had adopted the additional title of 1st Manchester Rifles. The 2nd and 3rd Manchester Rifles and the Ardwick Artizan Rifles (numbered as the 28th, 40th and 33rd Lancashire RVCs respectively) also appeared at this time, making up an unofficial Manchester Brigade at the Volunteer reviews.


1st Manchester Rifles, Volunteer Force
The 1st Manchester Rifle Volunteers opened its headquarters (HQ) in Hopwood Avenue and its members drilled in various warehouses, in Carpenter's Hall, the Bazaar in Bridge Street, at Salford Dyeworks, and at the Cavalry Barracks in Hulme. The Old Trafford company paraded at Pomona Gardens and later at the Infantry Barracks at Salford, where they drilled under Regular Army staff sergeants of the 96th Regiment. The majority of volunteers enrolled in the unit were warehousemen and clerks. The uniform was scarlet with yellow facings.


1st Manchester Rifles, Volunteer Force
In October 1860, No 12 Company, based at Eccles, transferred to the 46th Lancashire RVC at Swinton but the following year the 6th absorbed the 43rd Lancashire RVC, originally raised on 11 February 1860 at Fallowfield. In March 1865 the 1st Manchesters moved their HQ to an office at 1 Brown Street, and then in July the following year to Wolstenholme's Court, Market Street, Manchester, where it stayed for a number of years. Drills were carried out at Barker's Riding School in Greenheys. From the 1880s the HQ and drill hall was at 3 Stretford Road, Hulme.


1st Manchester Rifles, Volunteer Force
Under the 'Localisation of the Forces' introduced by the Cardwell Reforms, the 6th was linked with other Manchester-based RVCs, Militia regiments and the Regular 63rd and 96th Foot into Brigade No 16 (Lancashire). When the 63rd and 96th were amalgamated to create the Manchester Regiment in 1881 as part of the Childers Reforms, the 6th Lancashire RVC was formally attached to it as a Volunteer Batalion on 1 July, and changed its designation to 2nd Volunteer Battalion, Manchester Regiment on 1 September 1887. Under the mobilisation plan introduced by the Stanhope Memorandum in 1891, the five (later six) Volunteer Battalions of the regiment constituted the Manchester Brigade.


1st Manchester Rifles, Volunteer Force
Between 1887 and 1908 the 2nd VB maintained a Mounted infantry company. Volunteers from the battalion served in a Service Company alongside the Regulars of the regiment during the Second Boer War, gaining the battalion its first Battle Honour South Africa 1900–1902. According to their memorial, 157 men of the 2nd VB served during the war, of whom six died on active service.