Petersburg, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Wasted Valor
| | Petersburg National Battlefield | |
Photographed by Bernard Fisher, October 30, 2010
1. Wasted Valor Marker
The field became a burning, seething, crashing, hissing hell, in which human courage, flesh and bone were struggling with an impossibility.
- Capt. Horace H. Shaw, 1st Maine Heavy Artillery
At 4:30 p.m. on June 18, 1864, this regiment of former garrison troops charged across this field toward the Confederate lines near Colquitts Salient. As they moved, their supports veteran regiments who knew the folly of attacking entrenched positions huddled under cover, leaving the 1st Maine to attack alone. Confederate musketry and artillery devastated the regiment.
For the next ten minutes, the 1st Maine Heavy Artillery lost the equivalent of a man each second: 632 men killed and wounded (out of almost 900 engaged), more than any other regiment in any other single battle of the war. The Confederates, behind earthworks, lost just 25.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is June 18, 1864.
Location. This marker has been replaced by another marker nearby.
this page online
Regionally, this marker was in Central Virginia. It was also in the American South and specifically in the Upper South. Globally, it was in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it found itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location: Charge of the 1st Maine Heavy Artillery (a few steps from this marker);
Photographed by Bernard Fisher, October 30, 2010
2. The field over which the 1st Maine charged - their monument is visible in the distance.
Other markers no longer nearby. Colquitt's Salient (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been confirmed missing); Hare House Site (was about 700 feet away but has been permanently removed).
More about this marker. On the panel is a painting depicting the forlorn charge of the 1st Maine Heavy Artillery and on the bottom is a Petersburg Time Line.
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. New Replacement Marker At This Location titled "Charge of the 1st Maine Heavy Artillery".
Also see . . .
1. Petersburg National Battlefield. (Submitted on October 31, 2010.)
2. The First Maine Heavy Artillery. A Regimental History Website based on the book of the same name By Horace H. Shaw and Charles J. House (Submitted on October 31, 2010.)
Credits. This page was last revised on March 2, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 31, 2010, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,418 times since then and 18 times this year. Last updated on February 24, 2025, by Evan Dwyer of Richmond, Virginia. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 31, 2010, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.
