17th Maine Infantry Regiment

Two monuments to the Seventeenth Maine Infantry are south of Gettysburg on DeTrobriand Avenue (top right) and on Hancock Avenue in front of the Pennsylvania Memorial (bottom right). See map >

From the front of the DeTrobriand Avenue monument:

130 killed and wounded

July 2, 1863.
17th Maine
Infantry,
3rd Brigade
1st Division
3rd Corps

From the left side:

350 engaged.
Lt. Col.
Chas. B. Merrill
commanding.
Wheat-field
July 2, 1863.
Pickett's Repulse.
July 3, 1863.

From a tablet on the left side:

The 17th Maine fought here in the Wheatfield 2 1/2 hours, and at this position from 4:10 to 5:45 p.m., July 2, 1863. On July 3, at the time of the enemy's assault, it reinforced the centre and supported artillery. Loss 132. Killed or mortally wounded 3 officers, 37 men. Wounded, 5 officers, 87 men.

Ths regiment of volunteers from western Maine was mustered into U.S. Service at Portland August 18, 1862, for 3 years. It took part in the battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Wapping Heights, Auburn, Kely's Ford, Locust Grove, Mine Run, Wilderness, Po River, Spottsylvania, Fredericksburg Road, North Anna, Totopotomoy, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Jerusalem Road, Deep Bottom, Peeble's Farm, Fort Hell, Boydton Road, Siege of Petersburg, Hatcher's Run, Fall of Petersburg, Detonsville, Sailor's Creek, Farmville, Apomattox.

Aggregate actual strength in service 91 officers, 1475 men. Killed and died of wounds, 12 officers 195 men. Died of disease 4 officers, 128 men. Died in Confederate prisons, 31 men. Wounded not mortally, 33 officers, 519 men. Missing in action, fate unknown, 35 men. Total losses 357. Mustered out June 4, 1865.

From the Hancock Avenue marker:

Position of 17th Me. Inft'y July 3, 1863
Losing here killed 2 wounded 10.
This regiment fought in the Wheatfield
as shown by monument there losing 120.

The regiment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Charles Benjamin Merrill.

See more information about the 17th Maine Regiment >

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