First Regiment Maine Volunteer Heavy Artillery

Acton men who served in the First Regiment Maine Volunteer Heavy Artillery:

Franklin R. Knowlton, Co. M (wounded twice, discharged for disability)

Regimental history from A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion, by Frederick Dyer:

Organized at Bangor as 18th Infantry and mustered in August 21, 1862. Left State for Washington, D.C., August 24. Designation changed to 1st Heavy Artillery January 6, 1863. Company "L" organized January, 1864, and Company "M" February, 1864. Attached to Defences of Washington August, 1862, to February, 1863. 2nd Brigade, Haskins' Division, 22nd Army Corps. Defences North of the Potomac to May, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, 2nd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to May 24, 1864. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Army Corps, to July, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Army Corps, to June, 1865. 3rd Brigade, Hardin's Division, 22nd Corps, to September, 1865.

SERVICE--Duty in the Defences of Washington, building and garrisoning Batteries and Forts. Eight Companies at Fort Alexandria, Company "E" at Batteries Vermont and Mattox, Company "K" at Batteries Cameron and Parrott, August 26, 1862, to May 15, 1864. Moved to Belle Plains, Va., May 15, 1864, as a part of Tyler's Heavy Artillery Division. Rapidan Campaign May 18 to June 15. Harris' Farm, Fredericksburg Road, May 19. (82 killed, 394 wounded, 5 missing; total 481.) On line of North Anna May 20-23. North Anna May 23-26. On line ef the Pamunkey River May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 23-31. Cold Harbor June 1-5. Barker's Mills June 5-12. Before Petersburg June 16-19. Hare's House, Assault on Petersburg, June 18. (Sustained greatest loss of any one Regiment in any one action of the war. 635 killed and wounded out of 900 engaged.) Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Weldon Railroad June 22-23, 1864. Picket duty at Deserted House until July 23. Demonstration on north side of James River July 27-29. Deep Bottom July 27-28. Duty at Hare's House until August 12. Demonstration on north side of James River August 13-20. Strawberry Plains August 14-18. Near Fort Sedgwick until September 30. Poplar Springs Church September 30-October 2. Yellow House October 1. Squirrel Level Road October 2. At Fort Sedgwick October 6-24. Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher's Run, October 27-28. Warren's Hicksford Raid December 7-12. Hatcher's Run February 5-7, 1865. Armstrong House March 25. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. South Side Railroad March 29. Boydton Road and White Oak Ridge March 29-31. Fall of Petersburg April 2. Jettersvtlle April 5. Amelia Springs and Sailor's Creek April 6. Farmville April 7. Appomattox C. H. April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. Moved to Washington, D.C., May 9-16. Grand Review May 23. Garrison Forts in the Defences of Washington from Fort Washington to Fort Mahone June 27 to September 11. Mustered out September 11 and ordered to Bangor, Me. Discharged September 20, 1865.

Of all Regiments in army this Regiment sustained greatest loss in battle. 23 Officers and 400 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded; 260 died of disease, etc. Total 683.
See also:

Shaw, Horace H. and Charles J. House. The First Maine Heavy Artillery, 1862-1865: a History of its Part and Place in the War for the Union, with an Outline of Causes of War and its Results to our Country. Portland, Maine, 1903 http://www.archive.org/details/firstmaineheavya00shaw http://archive.org/details/01262555.3237.emory.edu

United States National Archives and Records Service. Compiled Records Showing Service of Military Units in Volunteer Union Organizations - MAINE First Cavalry Second Cavalry First Heavy Artillery First Battalion, Light Artillery Garrison Artillery First Battalion, Sharp Shooters, Infantry First Regiment, Veteran Volunteers, Infantry First Battalion, Infantry First Infantry (3 Months, l86l) through Third Infantry.http://www.archive.org/details/compiledrecordss0068unit