The 2nd Maine Cavalry Regiment was a

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from ''cheval'' meaning "horse") are groups of soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Until the 20th century, cavalry were the most mob ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation. In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...

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 2nd Maine Cavalry 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 ...

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 (armed forces), 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 colon ...

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 American Civil War, Civil War. History United States Army (Civil War) Creation The ...

, 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, Louisiana Alexandria is the ninth-largest city in the state of Louisiana and is the parish seat and largest city of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies on the south bank of the Red River of the South, Red River ...

, 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, Florida Pensacola ( ) is a city in the Florida panhandle in the United States. It is the county seat and only incorporated city, city in Escambia County, Florida, Escambia County. The population was 54,312 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. ...

, July 27-August 11, and duty there until March 1865.

Milton, Florida Milton is a city and county seat of Santa Rosa County, Florida, Santa Rosa County, Florida, United States. It is located within the Pensacola metropolitan area. The city was first Incorporated in 1844, however certain areas such as East Milton, ...

, August 25, 1864. Expedition from

Fort Barrancas Fort Barrancas (1839) or Fort San Carlos de Barrancas (from 1787) is a United States military fort and National Historic Landmark in the former Warrington area of Pensacola, Florida, located physically within Naval Air Station Pensacola, which ...

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, Mississippi Pascagoula ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is the principal city of the Pascagoula metropolitan area, and is part of the Gulfport, Mississippi, Gulfport–Biloxi, Mississippi, Biloxi–Pascag ...

, 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, Alabama 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

Andrew B. Spurling Andrew Barclay Spurling (March 20, 1833 – August 22, 1906) was an officer in the Union Army. Serving in the American Civil War, he was awarded the Medal of Honor. Early life Spurling was born March 20, 1833, in Cranberry Isles, Maine, ...

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 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 1863 establishments in Maine 1865 disestablishments in Maine