The 2nd Maine Cavalry Regiment was a

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...

that served in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

Service

The 2nd Maine Cavalry was organized in

Augusta, Maine Augusta is the capital of the U.S. state of Maine and the county seat of Kennebec County. The city's population was 18,899 at the 2020 census, making it the tenth-most populous city in Maine, and third-least populous state capital in the Un ...

November 30, 1863, through January 2, 1864, and mustered in for three years' service under the command of

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

Ephraim W. Woodman. The regiment was attached to District of La Fourche,

Department of the Gulf The Department of the Gulf was a command of the United States Army in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and of the Confederate States Army during the Civil War. History United States Army (Civil War) Creation The department was cons ...

, to July 1864. Pensacola, Florida, District of West Florida, Department of the Gulf, to October 1864. 2nd Brigade, District of West Florida, Department of the Gulf, to February 1865. 2nd Brigade, Lucas' Cavalry Division, Steele's Command, Military Division of West Mississippi, to April 1865. District of Florida to December 1865. The 2nd Maine Cavalry mustered out of service December 6, 1865, and was discharged December 21, 1865, in Augusta.

Detailed service

Left Maine April 1864. Duty in the Defenses of New Orleans, La., until May 26, 1864. Moved to Thibodeaux, La., May 26. Duty there and scout and picket duty in the District of La Fourche by detachments until July 27. (Companies A, D, and G detached and moved to Alexandria, La., April 16–21. Red River Campaign April 21-May 22. Duty at Alexandria, La., until May 13. Retreat to Morganza May 13–22, Marksville or Avoyelle's Prairie May 15. Mansura May 16. Yellow Bayou May 18. Rejoined regiment at Thibodeaux June 1.) Moved to Algiers, then to Pensacola, Fla., July 27-August 11, and duty there until March 1865. Milton, Fla., August 25, 1864. Expedition from Barrancas to Marianna September 18-October 4. Euche Anna C. H. September 23. Marianna September 27. Expedition up Blackwater Bay October 25–28. Milton October 26. Expedition from Barrancas to Pine Barren Creek November 16–17. Pine Barren Creek November 17. Expedition to Pollard, Ala., December 13–19. Bluff Springs and Pollard December 15. Escanabia Bridge December 15–16. Pine Barren Ford December 17–18. (A detachment at Pascagoula, Miss., December 1864 to February 6, 1865.) Expedition from Barrancas to Milton February 22–25, 1865. Milton February 23. Steele's march to Mobile, Ala., March 18–31. (Dismounted men remained at Barrancas, Fla.) Near Evergreen March 24. Muddy Creek, Ala., March 26. Near Blakely April 1. Siege of Fort Blakely April 1–9. Assault and capture of Fort Blakely April 9. Occupation of Mobile April 12, March to Montgomery April 13–25. Duty in Alabama with XVI Corps until August, and in western and middle Florida by detachments to December.

Casualties

The regiment lost a total of 344 men during service; 2 officers and 8 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 334 enlisted men died of disease.

Commanders

* Colonel Ephraim W. Woodman

Notable members

Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

Andrew B. Spurling -

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...

recipient for action at Evergreen, Alabama, March 23, 1865

References

* Dyer, Frederick H. ''A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion'' (Des Moines, IA: Dyer Pub. Co.), 1908. * Roberts, Cassius C. ''A Story of General Andrew B. Spurling and Second Maine Cavalry'' (S.l.: C. Roberts), 1904. * Second Maine Veteran Cavalry Association. ''Record of Proceedings at the First Annual Re-union of the Second Maine Veteran Cavalry Association Held in the City of Augusta, August 20, 1873'' (Boston, MA: E. B. Stillings & Co., Printers), 1874. ;Attribution * {{CWR

External links

Site dedicated to the history of the 2nd Maine Cavalry
Military units and formations established in 1863 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865

2nd Maine Volunteer Cavalry Regiment The 2nd Maine Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Service The 2nd Maine Cavalry was organized in Augusta, Maine November 30, 1863, through January 2, 1864, and mustered in for thr ...

1863 establishments in Maine 1865 disestablishments in Maine