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.

MAINE 1ST HEAVY ARTILLERY (three years)

First Heavy Artillery.-Cols., Daniel Chaplin, Russell B. Shepherd; Lieut.-Cols., Thomas H. Talbot, Russell B. Shepherd, Zemro A. Smith; Majs., Charles Hamlin, Russell B. Shepherd, George W. Sabine, Christopher V. Crossman, Zemro A. Smith, Charles W. Nute, Harrison G. Smith. This regiment was originally organized as the 18th infantry (q.v.), but was changed to heavy artillery after five months' service, and by general order No. 62, from the adjutant-general's office of Maine, series of 1862, was designated as the 1st regiment, heavy artillery, Maine volunteers. Two additional companies were organized-one in Jan., 1864, the other in Feb., 1864. The original members were mustered out on June 6, 1865, but the organization, composed of veterans and recruits of this regiment and accessions from the 17th and 19th Me. infantry, remained in service and was mustered out at Washington, D. C., Sept. 11, 1865. The men returned to Bangor, Me., on the 17th and were paid and discharged on the 20th. The several companies were stationed in the defenses of Washington until 1864. The 3d battery of mounted artillery was temporarily attached to this regiment, and served as Co. M, from March 28, 1863, to Feb. 23, 1864 The maximum number of men required for the regiment (1,800), was secured in Feb., 1864, when two new majors were added and four lieutenants in each company instead of two. On May 15, 1864, the regiment as thus organized joined the Army of the Potomac at Belle Plain landing and came under fire for the first time on the 19th, when it took a prominent part in repulsing a heavy attack of the enemy on the supply trains near the Fredericksburg pike. It suffered severely in the action, losing 476 men in killed, wounded and missing. It subsequently participated in the battles of Totopotomy, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Deep Bottom, Boydton road, Weldon railroad, Hatcher's run, and in all the final movements resulting in the evacuation of Richmond and Petersburg and the surrender of Gen. Lee. On May 24, 1864, the regiment was assigned to the 3d brigade, 3d division, 2nd corps. In the heroic assaults on the enemy's works at Petersburg, between June 15-30, the regiment lost 30 killed, 519 wounded and 31 missing, 6 of the killed being commissioned officers. Col. Chaplin was mortally wounded by a sharpshooter on Aug. 18 at Deep Bottom, and in the action on the Boydton plank road, Oct. 27, the regiment lost 3 commissioned officers and 29 men. In an engagement of a little more than an hour at Hatcher's run, March 25, 1865 it lost 1 officer and 3 men killed, and 23 wounded and captured. The regiment was at Bailey's cross-roads April 16, and later participated in the grand review at Washington.

Source: The Union Army, vol. 1

MAINE EIGHTEENTH INFANTRY

Eighteenth Infantry.--Col., Daniel Chaplin; Lieut.-Col., Thomas H. Talbot; Maj., Charles Hamlin. The regiment was raised chiefly in the Penobscot valley, and was mustered into the U. S. service at Bangor, Aug. 21, 1862, to serve for three years. It left the state on Aug. 24 for Washington, where, after doing duty in the defenses of the capital on the Virginia side for nearly five months, the organization was changed to heavy artillery by order of the war department of Dec. 19, 1862, and was numbered the 1st regiment heavy artillery, Maine volunteers.

Source: The Union Army, vol. 1

Maine 1st Heavy Artillery (Union)

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