12th New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry

The 12th New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

Service
The 12th New Hampshire Infantry was organized in Concord, New Hampshire and mustered in for a three year enlistment on September 10, 1862 under the command of Colonel Joseph Haydn Potter.

The regiment was attached to Casey's Division, Military District of Washington, to December 1862. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, III Corps, Army of the Potomac, to June 1863. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, III Corps, Army of the Potomac, to July 1863. Marston's Command, Point Lookout, Maryland, District of St. Mary's, to April 1864. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, XVIII Corps, Department of Virginia and North Carolina, to December 1864. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, XXIV Corps, Department of Virginia, to June 1865.

The 12th New Hampshire Infantry mustered out of service June 21, 1865.

Detailed service
Left New Hampshire for Washington, D.C., September 27, 1862. Duty in the defenses of Washington until October 1862. Moved to Point of Rocks, Md., October 18; then to Pleasant Valley October 19. Moved to Warrenton, Va., October 24-November 16, and to Falmouth November 18-24. Battle of Fredericksburg December 12-15.

Burnside's 2nd Campaign ("Mud March") January 20-24, 1863. Duty at Falmouth until April. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5. Gettysburg Campaign June 11-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg July 1-3. Ordered to Point Lookout, Md., July 26, and duty there guarding prisoners until April 7, 1864.

Moved to Yorktown April 7, then to Williamsburg. Butler's operations on south side of the James River and against Petersburg and Richmond May 4-28. Swift Creek (or Arrowfield Church) May 9-10. Operations against Fort Darling May 12-16. Battle of Drewry's Bluff May 14-16. Bermuda Hundred May 16-27. Moved to White House, then to Cold Harbor, May 27-31. Battles about Cold Harbor June 1-12. Before Petersburg June 15-19. Siege of Petersburg and Richmond June 16, 1864 to April 2, 1865. Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30, 1864 (reserve). Duty on the Bermuda Front August 26 to December, and in trenches before Richmond until April 1865. Occupation of Richmond April 3. Guard and provost duty at Manchester until June.

Service at Gettysburg
On July 2, 1863, the 12th New Hampshire was heavily engaged north of the Klingel Farm, facing attack by Wilcox's Alabama brigade. The regiment had 224 men on the field that day, of whom 26 were killed and 73 were wounded (an additional six men would die of their wounds). Captain John F. Langley (Company F) was in command, and was wounded when the regiment was ordered to withdraw. Lieutenant William H. H. Fernel (Company I) took command and was able to rescue some 50 Union soldiers who were captured during the withdrawal. The following day, only 50 men were fit for duty under the command of Captain Thomas E. Barker (Company B). Placed near the center of the Union line, they helped repulse Pickett's charge.

Casualties
The regiment lost a total of 320 men during service; 11 officers and 170 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 1 officer and 138 enlisted men died of disease.

Commanders

 * Colonel Joseph Haydn Potter
 * Colonel Thomas E. Barker
 * Lieutenant Colonel John F. Marsh
 * Lieutenant Colonel George D. Savage
 * Captain John F. Langley - commanded at the battle of Gettysburg, July 2, 1863; wounded in action
 * Captain Thomas E. Barker - commanded at the battle of Gettysburg, July 3, 1863