5th Maine Light Artillery Battery was an

artillery Artillery consists of ranged weapons that launch Ammunition, munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during sieges, and l ...

battery Battery or batterie most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source * Battery indicator, a device whic ...

that served in the Union Army during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

Service

The 5th Maine Battery was organized in

Augusta, Maine Augusta is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Maine. The city's population was 18,899 at the 2020 United States census, making it the List of cities in Maine, 12th-most populous city in Maine, and third ...

and mustered in for three years' service on December 4, 1861. The battery was attached to 2nd Division, Department of the Rappahannock, to June 1862. 2nd Division,

III Corps III or iii may refer to: Companies * Information International, Inc., a computer technology company * Innovative Interfaces, Inc., a library-software company * 3i, formerly Investors in Industry, a British investment company Other uses * I ...

Army of Virginia The Army of Virginia was organized as a major unit of the Union Army and operated briefly and unsuccessfully in 1862 in the American Civil War. It should not be confused with its principal opponent, the Confederate Army of ''Northern'' Virginia ...

, to September 1862. 2nd Division, I Corps,

Army of the Potomac The Army of the Potomac was the primary field army of the Union army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was created in July 1861 shortly after the First Battle of Bull Run and was disbanded in June 1865 following the Battle of ...

, to May 1863. Artillery Brigade, I Corps, to April 1864. Artillery Brigade,

V Corps 5th Corps, Fifth Corps, or V Corps may refer to: France * 5th Army Corps (France) * V Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * V Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Arm ...

, to June 1864. Artillery Brigade,

VI Corps 6 Corps, 6th Corps, Sixth Corps, or VI Corps may refer to: France * VI Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry formation of the Imperial French army during the Napoleonic Wars * VI Corps (Grande Armée), a formation of the Imperial French army dur ...

, to December 1864. Artillery Brigade, Army of the Shenandoah, to July 1865. The 5th Maine Battery mustered out of service July 6, 1865, at Augusta, Maine.

Detailed service

Duty at Augusta until March 10, 1862, and at Fort Preble, Portland, Me., until April 1. Moved to Washington, D.C., April 1–3. Camp on Capitol Hill until May 19. Moved to Aquia Creek, then to Fredericksburg, Va., May 19–22. Moved to Front Royal, Va., May 25, 1862, and to Manassas June 17. At Warrenton July 4–22. March to Waterloo July 22, then to Culpeper August 4. Battle of Cedar Mountain August 9. Pope's Campaign in northern Virginia August 16-September 2. Fords of the Rappahannock August 20–23. Thoroughfare Gap August 28. Battle of Groveton August 29, and Second Bull Run August 30. Ordered to Washington September 7, to refit, and duty there until October 24. Moved to Berlin October 24, and then to Lovettsville October 30. Reconnaissance from Bolivar Heights to Rippen, W. Va., November 9. Battle of Fredericksburg December 12–15. "Mud March" January 20–24, 1863. At Fletcher's Chapel until April 28. Chancellorsville Campaign April 28-May 6. Operations at Fitzhugh's Crossing April 29-May 2. Battle of Chancellorsville May 2–5. Battle of Gettysburg, July 1–3. Bristoe Campaign October 9–22. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7–8. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Rapidan Campaign May 4-June 15, 1864. Battles of the Wilderness May 5–7. Spotsylvania May 8–12. Ny River May 10. Spotsylvania Court House May 12–21. North Anna River May 23–26. Line of the Pamunkey May 26–28. Totopotomoy May 28–31. Cold Harbor June 1–12. Before Petersburg June 17–19. Siege of Petersburg June 17-July 9, 1864. Ordered to Washington, D.C. Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign August 7-November 28. Battle of Opequon, Winchester, September 19. Fisher's Hill September 22. Battle of Cedar Creek October 19. Duty at Strasburg until November 10. Near Winchester until December 28, and at Stevenson's Depot until January 10, 1865. At Frederick, Md., until April 4. At Winchester until June 21. Ordered to Augusta, Me., June 21.

Casualties

The battery lost a total of 33 men during service; 2 officers and 16 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 15 enlisted men died of disease.

Commanders

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

George F. Leppien * Captain Greenlief Thurlow Stevens *

Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...

Edward Newton Whittier

Notable members

* Private

John F. Chase John F. Chase (1843–1914) was a Union Army soldier in the American Civil War and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor. An artilleryman, Chase earned the medal by continuing to work his cannon despite ...

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

recipient for action at the battle of Chancellorsville, May 3, 1863 * Lieutenant Edward N. Whittier - Medal of Honor recipient for action at the battle of Fisher's Hill, September 22, 1864 Two infantrymen of the Fifth Maine Battery are highlighted in the third chapter of MacKinlay Kantor's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel "Andersonville" (1955).

References

Citations

Sources

* * * * {{refend

External links

5th Maine Battery monument at Gettysburg
Military units and formations established in 1861 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865 5th Maine Battery 1861 establishments in Maine Artillery units and formations of the American Civil War