The state of

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and ...

organized seven companies of militia

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and mar ...

for

coast guard A coast guard or coastguard is a maritime security organization of a particular country. The term embraces wide range of responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to ...

duties 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 of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...

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 ...

. They primarily served to garrison

coastal fortifications The coast, also known as the coastline or seashore, is defined as the area where land meets the ocean, or as a line that forms the boundary between the land and the coastline. The Earth has around of coastline. Coasts are important zones in n ...

in Maine, with two companies sent to the Defenses of Washington, DC. Very little is known about the organization or command structure of these companies, beyond their commanding officers at the usual rank of captain. Over 800 men served in the seven companies. A New York Times article in 1864 stated that Vice President

Hannibal Hamlin Hannibal Hamlin (August 27, 1809 – July 4, 1891) was an American attorney and politician who served as the 15th vice president of the United States from 1861 to 1865, during President Abraham Lincoln's first term. He was the first Republican ...

served at

Fort McClary Fort McClary is a former defensive fortification of the United States military located along the southern coast at Kittery Point, Maine at the mouth of the Piscataqua River. It was used throughout the 19th century to protect approaches to the harb ...

as a private in the Maine State Guard; some subsequent citations erroneously confuse this with the Maine Coast Guard.Maine State Archives, Civil War regimental correspondence
/ref> Company A mustered in at

Belfast, Maine Belfast is a city in Waldo County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 6,938. Located at the mouth of the Passagassawakeag River estuary on Belfast Bay and Penobscot Bay. Belfast is the county seat of W ...

, March 18, 1864. Stationed at

Fort Washington, Maryland Fort Washington is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. It borders the Potomac River, situated 20 miles south of the downtown Washington, DC. As of the 2020 census it had a popul ...

. Mustered out May 25, 1865. Captain Charles Baker. Company B mustered in at Augusta, Maine, April 27, 1864. Stationed at Fort Foote, Maryland. Mustered out June 24, 1865. Captain Oliver J. Conant. Company C mustered in at

Eastport, Maine Eastport is a city and archipelago in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,288 at the 2020 census, making Eastport the least-populous city in Maine. The principal island is Moose Island, which is connected to the mainlan ...

, May 16, 1864. Stationed at Fort Sullivan,

. Mustered out September 6, 1865. Captain Thomas P. Hutchinson. Company D mustered in at Augusta, January 6, 1865. Stationed at

Machiasport, Maine Machiasport is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 962 at the 2020 census. Machiasport is a historic seaport and tourist destination. History In 1633, the Plymouth Company established a trading post here to co ...

. Mustered out September 6, 1865. Captain Charles F. King. Company E mustered in at Augusta, January 7, 1865. Stationed at

Rockland, Maine Rockland is a city in Knox County, Maine, in the United States. As of the United States Census, 2020, 2020 census, the town population was 6,936. It is the county seat of Knox County, Maine, Knox County. The city is a popular tourist destination ...

. Mustered out July 7, 1865. Captains Dumont Bunker and James L. Hunt. Company F mustered in at Augusta, January 6, 1865. Stationed at Belfast, Maine. Mustered out July 7, 1865. Captain Charles H. Conant. Company G mustered on March 1, 1865. Stationed at

Calais, Maine Calais is a city in Washington County, Maine, United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 3,079, making Calais the third least-populous city in Maine (after Hallowell and Eastport). The city has three Canada–US border cro ...

. Mustered out July 6, 1865. Captain Winslow Roberts.

References

* Dyer, Frederick H. ''A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion'' (Des Moines, IA: Dyer Pub. Co.), 1908. ;Attribution * {{CWR Military units and formations established in 1864 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865 Units and formations of the Union Army from Maine 1864 establishments in Maine

See also

References