5th Regiment, Maine Infantry

Brief History
The 5th Regiment, Maine Infantry was organized at Portland. They mustered in June 24, 1861, and mustered out: July 27, 1864.

For more information on the history of this unit, see:


 * The Civil War Archive section, 5th Regiment Infantry, (accessed 30 May 2012).
 * The Wikipedia article, 5th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment (accessed 6 July 2012).

Organized at Portland and mustered in June 24, 1861. Left State for Washington, D.C., June 26. Attached to Howard's Brigade, Heintzelman's Division, McDowell's Army of Northeastern Virginia, to August, 1861. Heintzelman's Brigade, Division of the Potomac, to October, 1862. Slocum's Brigade, Franklin's Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Army Corps, Army Potomac and Dept. of the Rappahannock, to May, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 6th Army Corps, Army Potomac, to June, 1864. .

5th Regiment, Maine Infantry timeline from organization to discharge.

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin
Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived though not always. After many battles, companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.

Company A - Graham Company

Company B - Biddeford Company

Company C - Saco Company

Company D - Brunswick Company

Company E - Lewiston Company

Company F - Portland Company

Company G - Portland Company

Company H - Portland Company

Company I - Bethel Company

Company K - Minot Company

Company Names from ebook - History of the Fifth Regiment Maine Volunteers page 15

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 1,870 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Other Sources

 * Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in ‘Maine in the Civil War’ and ‘United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865’ (see below).


 * National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is searchable by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information.


 * Maine in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for Maine, and how to find them. These include compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 describes and explains United States and Confederate States records, rather than state records, and how to find them. These include veterans’ censuses, compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * Adams, John R. (John Ripley), 1802-1866. Memorial and letters of Rev. John R. Adams : D. D., chaplain of the Fifth Maine and the One Hundred and Twenty-First New York regiments during the war of the rebellion, serving from the beginning to its close. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1992),


 * History of the Fifth Regiment Maine volunteers : comprising brief descriptions of it's marches, engagements, and general services from the date of it's muster in, June 24, 1861, to the time of muster out, July 27, 1864 Internet Archive American Libraries


 * Williams, Isaiah Thornton. Address of Isaiah Thornton Williams on the presentation of colors to the Fifth Regiment of Maine Volunteers, in the City Hall Park, in the city of New York, on the 27th day of June, 1861. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1991 Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1991)