Company L of the 2nd Maine Cavalry

The President's call of October 17, 1863 called for 300,000 volunteers. For Maine's part in this fulfillment, 7,581 men needed to be raised [App. A, pg 17, 1863 Rep't]. Two new regiments of infantry (the 29th and 30th) and one of cavalry (the 2nd) were to be formed, while remaining recruits were needed to join the old organizations already in the field.

The above advertisement, which ran in York County newspapers (the above clipped from the Maine Democrat on Dec 1st, 1863) called for veterans who had previously served nine months (they had been mustered out in July) to reenlist and claim a $502 bounty. $402 of this was federal money, while the state paid out $100. This was in addition to the bounties being paid out by the towns or cities, which was around $200-300. When mustered into service, $175. of the bounty would be paid in advance [see General Order No. 22 in Appendix A, of the 1863 Maine Adjutant General's Report].

George H. Ward, previously the captain of Co. A, 27th Maine, apparently was being considered to again be captain at the time of this ad. By the end of the year, however, his name had been removed from print.

From 30 Nov to the first week of Jan. '64, the twelve companies of the Second Cavalry were mustered into service. The majority of Company L was mustered in on the 24th of Dec, 1863. Samuel H. Libby, formerly 1st Lieut. of Co. A, 27th Maine, was commissioned as captain. Under him, his former comrades from the 27th Maine filled the majority of the officer positions. They were:

2nd Lieut. William H Moody of Kennebunk
Com. Sgt. William M Staples of Lyman
1st Sgt. Elisha E Clark of Limerick
2nd Sgt. James E Moody of Kennebunk
3rd Sgt. Moses T Sampson of Biddeford
Cpl. Charles F McKenney of Limington
Cpl. George W Oakes of Kennebunk
Cpl. Adam McCulloch of Kennebunk (later transferred to the Navy)
Cpl. George W Wakefield of Kennebunk
Cpl Orrin F Ham of Saco
Bugler Charles E York of Biddeford
​Wagoner Albra Garland of Kennebunk

There were also 27th Maine veterans who served as privates (there were a few others who served in other companies within the 2nd Cavalry):
James H Brown of Alfred (later transferred to the Navy)
Charles H Clough of Biddeford
Charles Cobb of Limerick
John Conner of Limerick
​Almon C Durgin of Biddeford (promoted corporal)
Edward Lord of Parsonsfield
Edwin R Manson of Limerick
​Alonzo P Moulton of Parsonsfield
James W Palmer of Hollis
Chandler Peavey of Lyman
Lewis G Stone of Parsonsfield
Horace Taylor of Kennebunk

The regiment was mustered into federal service on 12 Jan 1864 and left the state on 15 March, and were shipped straight to the Department of the Gulf and stationed in Louisiana. They later served in Florida and Alabama. Sickness overtook many of them, where 334 died of disease [ME State Archives; 1865 Adj Rep't shows 325], compared to the 10 killed or mortally wounded [Archives; Adj Rep't lists 6] in the few engagements they participated in. They were mustered out of service on 6 Dec 1865.

Of the 27th Maine veterans in Co. L, Orrin Ham and Adam McCulloch did not survive the war.

Links:
Muster-In Roll of Company L, Second Maine Cavalry: on Family Search
Muster-out Roll of Co. L, 2nd Maine Cavalry: on Family Search​
Second Maine Cavalry page on: Maine State Archives
Digital Maine Depository: CDV of William H Moody
Digital Maine Depository: CDV of Samuel H Libby