17th Maine Infantry-- Part 2: Service

From May 23 to October 7, 1862, they were in the Washington, D.C., defenses.

Battle of Fredericksburg

Battle of Gettysburg--  They were in the Wheatfield fighting for 2 1/2 hours July 2 and reinforced the Union's center during Pickett's Charge.  Casualties during the battle:  3 officers and 37 enlisted killed,  5 officers and 87 men wounded.

Bristoe Campaign

Battle of the Wilderness

Battle of Spottsylvania

Cold Harbor

Petersburg Siege

Mine Explosion

Sailor's Creek

Appomattox

--Old Secesh

17th Maine Infantry-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

This was Private John W. Haley's regiment.

Mustered in at Cape Elizabeth, Maine, August 18, 1862, for three years service.  Mustered out June 10, 1865.  Men still having time to serve were transferred to the 1st Maine Volunteer Heavy Artillery Regiment.

During the course of the war, 1,371 served in the unit.

12 officers and 116 KIA or mortally wounded.
4 officers and 159 died from disease.
31 died in Confederate prisons.

Their colonel was George Warren West.

--Old Secesh

3rd Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment: Many Battles

From Wikipedia.

In the previous post, I recounted what Private  Jon W. Haley had to say about the veterans of this unit transferring to his 17th Maine.

The regiment mustered into U.S. service June 4, 1861, at Augusta, Maine for three years service.  They mustered out June 28, 1864.  veterans who re-enlisted and recruits still with time to serve transferred to the 17th Maine.

Its colonel was Moses B. Lakeman.

During its service, the regiment enlisted 1,586 men and lost ten officers and 124 enlisted killed in action or mortally wounded.  In addition, another one officer and 149 died from disease.

This was a regiment that fought in most of the major battles in Virginia and the east, including Bull Run, the Peninsular Campaign, 2nd Bull Run, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg and the Overland Campaign.

--Old Secesh

"The Rebel Yell & Yankee Hurrah"-- On the Veterans and Getting Out Alive

This past week, I wrote about going to the Lake County Civil War Round Table meeting in Grayslake, Illinois, and stopping earlier at the town library where I found a really good soldier's diary by Private John W. Haley of the 17th Maine Regiment.

Earlier this month I wrote about Union soldiers classified as "Veterans."  These were soldiers who reenlisted after their term of service was over.  If most of their regiment declined to reenlist, they would be sent to other regiments.

Here is Private Haley's writing for June 5, 1864, during Grant's Overland Campaign against Lee (A Real Bloodbath):

"Soon as the light was strong enough we struck out for our regiment and soon ran afoul of them near where we were laying a few days before.  Nothing unusual transpired during the day except for the transfer of the 3rd Maine veterans to our regiment.

"Those who won't re-enlist are to go home in a few days, and a happy lot of mortals they are.  It makes me positively sick to see them!

"My term of service will not expire until August 6, 1865, a trifle over a year from now.  The way things look now, it is a ten-to-one chance that I will expire before my term does."

Telling It Like It Is.  --Old Secesh

Lake County Civil War Round Table Meeting-- Part 1: A Great Book

Last Thursday, I went over to Grayslake, Illinois, and attended the meeting of the Lake County Civil War Round Table at the Grayslake Heritage Museum in downtown.

I arrived early and found the Grayslake Library and checked it out.  I bought a CD by blues singer Anson Funderburgh and an excellent book "The Rebel Yell & the Yankee Hurrah: The Civil War Journal of a Maine Volunteer, Private John W. Haley, 17th Maine Regiment."  Edited by Ruth L. Silliker.

This could very well be one of the best diaries/journals written during the war and I have already enjoyed reading some of the accounts.

These were offered by the Friends of the Grayslake Library which has a wall of great books and CDs, etc..

--Old Secesh