Horace A. Smith and Alice Hewey Smith were the parents of Harriet Smith Higginbotham. Horace served in the 17th Maine Infantry in the Union Army until he suffered a disabling wound in July 2, 1863 at the Battle of Gettysburg. He was unable to return to service. He married Alice Hewey in 1864. Below is a PDF of his Civil War era letters.
Civil War Timeline of 17th Maine Infantry (includes AI sources):
The 17th Maine Infantry Regiment was a volunteer infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War from 1862 to 1865. Below is a timeline of its key events, organization, movements, and battles, based on available historical records.
Timeline: of the 17th Maine Infantry Regiment
- July 2, 1862: President Abraham Lincoln issues a call for 300,000 volunteers for three years of service. Maine’s quota is 9,609 men, leading to the formation of the 17th Maine Infantry Regiment, among others.
- August 18, 1862: The 17th Maine Infantry Regiment is organized and mustered into federal service at Camp King, Cape Elizabeth, Maine, for three years’ service. The regiment is recruited from southern Maine, specifically Androscoggin, Cumberland, Franklin, and York counties, and consists of ten companies (A through K). Each recruit receives a federal bounty of $27.00 upon muster. The regiment is initially issued British Pattern 1853 Enfield rifles due to a shortage of Model 1861 Springfield Rifles.
- December 13–14, 1862: Battle of Fredericksburg. The 17th Maine participates in its first major engagement as part of the Army of the Potomac. The regiment is involved in the disastrous Union assault on Marye’s Heights, suffering casualties. It is equipped with Enfield rifles during this campaign.
- May 1–5, 1863: Battle of Chancellorsville. The 17th Maine fights in this major Union defeat, suffering 116 casualties. Forty members of the regiment are awarded the Kearny Medal for their conduct during the battle. Following the battle, the regiment is reorganized into a brigade under Colonel Philippe Regis de Trobriand, alongside the 3rd and 5th Michigan, 40th New York, and 110th Pennsylvania regiments.
- June 11–14, 1863: The 17th Maine begins its march northward in pursuit of Confederate forces under General Robert E. Lee, who are moving toward Pennsylvania. On June 11, the regiment prepares to move from its position. On June 12, it marches 15 miles to Hartwood Church, Virginia, despite warm weather and dusty roads. On June 13, it completes a rigorous 22-mile march to Bealton Station on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad in high heat. On June 14, the regiment rests and recuperates, resuming movement later that evening.
- July 1–3, 1863: Battle of Gettysburg. The 17th Maine, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Charles B. Merrill, plays a significant role in this pivotal battle. On July 2, the regiment is deployed to the Wheatfield, where it holds a low stone wall against Confederate assaults, suffering 130 killed and wounded (120 in the Wheatfield alone). The regiment fights for 2.5 hours and later moves to a position from 4:10 to 5:45 p.m. On July 3, during Pickett’s Charge, the 17th Maine reinforces the Union center and supports artillery, losing 2 killed and 10 wounded at this position. The regiment exchanges its Enfield rifles for Springfield Model 1861 Rifled Muskets on the evening of July 3, as ordered by General David Birney to standardize weapons in his division. Two monuments commemorate the regiment at Gettysburg: one on DeTrobriand Avenue (dedicated 1888) and a position marker on Hancock Avenue (dedicated 1889).
- July 1863–April 1864: The 17th Maine participates in several engagements and campaigns, including:
- Wapping Heights (July 23, 1863)
- Auburn (October 13–14, 1863)
- Kelly’s Ford (November 7, 1863)
- Locust Grove (November 27, 1863)
- Mine Run (November 27–December 2, 1863)
- Wilderness (May 5–7, 1864)
- Po River (May 9–10, 1864)
- Spotsylvania (May 8–21, 1864)
- Fredericksburg Road (May 19, 1864)
- North Anna (May 23–26, 1864)
- Totopotomoy (May 28–31, 1864)
- Cold Harbor (June 1–12, 1864) These battles are part of the Army of the Potomac’s campaigns against Confederate forces, with the 17th Maine enduring heavy fighting and losses.
- June 22–23, 1864: Jerusalem Plank Road. The regiment engages in fighting near Petersburg, Virginia, as part of the Siege of Petersburg.
- July 30, 1864: Mine Explosion, Petersburg. The 17th Maine is in reserve during the failed Union attempt to breach Confederate lines with an underground mine.
- August 18–21, 1864: Weldon Railroad. The regiment participates in efforts to cut Confederate supply lines during the Siege of Petersburg.
- September 15, 1864: Reconnaissance toward Dinwiddie Court House. The 17th Maine conducts a scouting mission in Virginia.
- September 30, 1864: Peeble’s Farm. The regiment fights in this engagement near Petersburg.
- October 27–28, 1864: Boydton Road. The 17th Maine is involved in fighting along the Boydton Plank Road.
- December 5, 1864: The regiment garrisons Fort Wadsworth, Virginia, until this date.
- December 7–12, 1864: Warren’s Hicksford Raid. The 17th Maine participates in a Union raid to disrupt Confederate infrastructure.
- February 5–7, 1865: Dabney’s Mills (Hatcher’s Run). The regiment fights in this battle, part of efforts to extend Union lines around Petersburg.
- March 28–April 9, 1865: Appomattox Campaign. The 17th Maine is heavily engaged in the final campaign leading to the surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia:
- White Oak Road (March 29–30, 1865)
- Gravelly Run (March 31, 1865)
- Five Forks (April 1, 1865)
- Fall of Petersburg (April 2, 1865)
- Sailor’s Creek (April 6, 1865)
- Appomattox Court House (April 9, 1865), where Lee surrenders, effectively ending the Civil War.
- April 21–May 1, 1865: The regiment is stationed at Black and White Station, Virginia.
- May 1–12, 1865: The 17th Maine marches from Manchester, Virginia, to Washington, D.C., for the Grand Review of the Armies.
- May 23, 1865: The regiment participates in the Grand Review in Washington, D.C., a parade celebrating the Union victory.
- June 4–5, 1865: The 17th Maine Infantry is mustered out of federal service at Bell’s Cross Roads, Virginia. Re-enlisted men and recruits still liable to serve are transferred to the 1st Maine Volunteer Heavy Artillery Regiment.
- June 10, 1865: The regiment is discharged at Portland, Maine, concluding its service.
Losses and Statistics
- Total Enrollment: Approximately 1,371 men (some sources cite up to 2,920 on the roster, likely including later recruits).
- Casualties:
- Killed or died of wounds: 12 officers, 195 enlisted men (some sources report 759 total battle losses, which may include wounded).
- Died of disease: 4 officers, 128–159 enlisted men.
- Died in Confederate prisons: 31 men.
- Wounded (non-mortal): 33 officers, 519 enlisted men.
- Missing in action (fate unknown): 35 men.
- Total Losses: Approximately 357 men, with the 17th Maine noted as sustaining the heaviest battle losses of any Maine infantry regiment.
Notes
- The 17th Maine was part of the Army of the Potomac, primarily in the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 3rd Corps, and later other units during reorganizations. It fought in nearly every major eastern theater campaign from Fredericksburg to Appomattox.
- The regiment’s service at Gettysburg, particularly in the Wheatfield on July 2, 1863, is one of its most celebrated actions, earning it a reputation for gallantry and discipline.
- Primary sources for further research include:
- The Campaigns of the Seventeenth Maine by Edwin B. Houghton (1866), available on Internet Archive.
- Red Diamond Regiment: The 17th Maine Infantry, 1862–1865 by William B. Jordan (1996).
- Maine State Archives, National Park Service’s Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, and regimental records.
E R Nash Sr. and Family 