William F. Fox, Lt. Col. U. S. V., Regimental Losses in the American Civil War, 1861-1865: A Treatise on the extent and nature of the mortuary losses in the Union regiments, with full and exhaustive statistics compiled from the official records on file in the state military bureaus and at Washington

First Maine Cavalry.

notes.--This regiment sustained the heaviest loss, killed in action, of any cavalry regiment in the entire army. Besides the actions mentioned, it participated in several in which it lost men wounded or captured. Like all cavalry commands the First Maine lost many who were captured while on outpost duty, or while foraging and raiding within the enemy's lines. Of these, 145 died of disease while in Confederate prisons.

Colonel Douty, a brave and gallant officer, was killed while leading a successful charge at Aldie, Va. At St. Mary's Church, Va., the First Maine made a desperate fight against great odds, losing 10 officers and 56 men, killed, wounded, and missing,--out of 260 who were engaged. Another hard fight occurred at the Boydton Road; and at Cat Tail Run--March 31, 1865--the regiment sustained its severest loss. In September, 1864, the First D. C. Cavalry was consolidated with it, bringing its numbers up to 1,800 men.