16th Maine Regiment
The 16th Maine was organized at Augusta, Maine, and mustered into Federal service for a three-year enlistment on August 14, 1862. The regiment lost 181 enlisted men killed in action or died of wounds out of 1,907 men. An additional 578 members were wounded in action, 259 died of disease, and 76 died in Confederate prisons. The 16th Maine is particularly noted for their heroism during the Battle of Gettysburg, when the regiment was all but destroyed sacrificing themselves to allow some 16,000 other Union soldiers to retreat. The regiment was discharged from service on June 5, 1865.
They served in the following engagements:
- South Mountain, MD - September 14, 1862*
- Antietam, MD - September 17, 1862*
- Fredericksburg, VA - December 13, 1862
- Chancellorsville, VA - May 1 - 4, 1863
- Gettysburg, PA - July 1 - 3, 1863
- Mine Run, VA - November 26 - December 1, 1863
- Wilderness, VA - May 5 - 7, 1864
- Spotsylvania, VA - May 7 - 20, 1864
- North Anna, VA - May 23 - 27, 1864
- Totopotomy, VA - May 26 - 30, 1864
- Bethesda Church, VA - May 30 - June 1, 1864
- Petersburg, VA - June 9, 1864
- Weldon Railroad, VA - August 18 - 21, 1864
- New Market Heights, VA - September 28 - 30, 1864
- Hatchers Run, VA - December 8 - 9, 1864
- Gravelly Run, VA - March 29 - 30, 1865
- Five Forks, VA - March 30 -April 1, 1865
- Appomattox, VA - April 9, 1865
* The 16th did not actually participate in the battles at South Mountain and Antietam, but they were ordered to march there, and did arrive at South Mountain just after the fighting stopped. They were present but were held in reserve by General McClellan during the subsequent battle at Antietam.
