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REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01083 8859
REUNIONS
OF THE
19th NINETEENTH MAINE REGIMENT
ASSOCIATION,
AT
4 PORTLAND, BATH, BELEAST, AUGUSTA AND -
RICHMOND,
Fredericksburg,.
Petersburg,
Chancellorsville,
Jerusalem Road,
Gettysburg, Deep Bottom,
Bristow Station,
Strawberry Plains,
Mine Run,
Beams Station,
Wilderness,
Boydton Road,
Spotsylvania.
Hatcher's Run,
River Po,
Crow House,
North Anna, High Bridge,
Tolopotomy,
Farmville,
Cold Harbor,
Appomattox.
FROM THE PRESS OF SPRAGUE, OWEN & NASH, AUGUSTA, ME. 1878.
.
REUNIONS
OF THE
1755087
Maine Regimen
ASSOCIATION.
&
3302.
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F 8349 .3474
Maine infantry. 19th regt., 1862-1865.
Reunions of the Nineteenth Maine regiment associa- tion, at Portland, Bath, Belfast, Augusta and Richmond ... Augusta, Press of Sprague, Owen & Nash, 1878.
140 p., 2 1. 23;em.
1. U. S .- Hist .- Civil war-Regimental historics-Me. inf .- 19th.
2-13130
Library of Congress SHELF CARD E511.5.19th
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Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012
http://archive.org/details/reunionsofninete00main
FIRST REUNION
OF THE
NINETEENTH MAINE REGIMENT ASSOCIATION.
In the summer or fall of 1873, several members of the Nineteenth Regiment of Maine Infantry Volunteers, met at the Preble House, in Portland, at the invitation of General ISAAC W. STARBIRD, the last Colonel of the Regiment, for the purpose of forming an Association and securing annual reunions of the survivors of the Regiment.
At this Portland meeting an organization was formed, and officers chosen as follows :
President-ISAAC W. STARBIRD, Portland.
Executive Committee -- F. D. SEWALL, Bath ; SELDEN CONNOR, Augusta; JOSEPH W. SPAULDING, Richmond ; J. Q. A. HAWES, M. D., Hallowell; WILLIAM H. EMERY, Fairfield ; WILLIAM H. FOGLER, Belfast, and OSCAR MAYO, Waterville.
It was voted to hold the next Reunion at Bath, on the 25th day of August, 1874,-that city being the place where the Regiment was formed in 1862, and the date being the anni- versary of its muster into the service of the United States.
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SECOND REUNION OF THE
SECOND REUNION AT BATH.
The following account of the Second Reunion was given by the Bath Daily Times of August 26, 1874 :
The veterans of the Nineteenth Regiment Maine Volunteers had a splendid day for their yesterday's reunion, and well was the occasion improved and enjoyed. The day was not unlike that on which the Regiment broke up its camp, in the out- skirts of this city, early in the morning of August 27, 1862, and marched along Center street
" With a thousand bayonets gleaming bright. And the swords were thirty-seven ;"
and went on board the train, while the streets in every direc- tion were thronged and thronged with citizens from near and from far, fathers and mothers, wives, sisters. sweethearts and brothers of the departing soldiers; all waving their adieus with tearful eyes, and all breathing heartfelt prayers for their safe and victorious return.
In the sixteen bloody battles which the regiment, for having borne a meritorious part in, was allowed by general orders to inscribe upon its banners,* what numbers of that thousand "gave the last full measure of devotion" in order "that the nation might have a new birth of freedom !"
The surviving veterans who assembled yesterday afternoon in the City Hall, were called to order by Gen. I. W. Starbird, President of the Association, and proceeded to business. The following named comrades were elected officers of the Asso- ciation for the ensuing year :
* That order was issued March 7, 1865, and after that time the regiment partici- pated in all of the engagements of the final campaign of the Army of the Potomae, ending with the surrender of their enemy at Appomattox.
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NINETEENTH MAINE REGIMENT ASSOCIATION.
President-Gen. F. D. Sewall, Bath ...
Vice Presidents-Col. J. W. Welch, Augusta ; Lieut. B. I'. Dolloff, Boothbay ; Sorgt. J. D. Smith, Litchfield.
Orator-Gen. Selden Connor, Augusta.
Chaplain-Lieut. George R. Palmer, of the East Maine Conference.
Secretary-Sergt. S. P. Trafton, Georgetown.
Cor. Secretary-Adjt, Henry Sewall, Augusta.
Treasurer-Corpl. S. A. Abbott, Winslow.
Executive Committee-Col. W. H. Fogler, Belfast ; Capt. E. A. Burpee, Rockland ; Capt. C. E. Nash, Augusta ; Prin. Musician, J. L. Browne, Bowdoinham ; Sergt. A. M. Good- win, Litchfield; Capt. Nehemiah Smart, Scarsmont; Sergt. J. W. Edwards, Searsport, and G. H. Brown.
The City Hall was completely filled with comrades and citizens for the evening services. An eloquent address of welcome was made by Gen. I. W. Starbird, and the "Story of the Regiment" was most happily told by Col. J. W. Spaul- ding of Richmond. Gen. F. D. Sewall, Gen. F. E. Heath, and Gen. Selden Connor, successive commanders of the regi- ment, occupied seats on the platform with Gen. Starbird, the President, during the services.
Col. SPAULDING said :
Mr. President : It seems to me that yourself and others, seated on this platform. who were wont to take so much delight in torturing me with your orders in the days of the war, are carrying matters a little too far When you undertake to continue the thing a life time. Your last order to me, however, to prepare myself to pronounce a historic oration at this meeting. I at first attempted to faithfully carry out. But I soon found it utterly impossible unless you were prepared to give me at least six weeks in which to read it. In my dilemma I fortunately came into possession of a manuscript story, written by a member of the regiment, which recites what I know to be facts, and with the permission of my comrades I will read to you
THE VOLUNTEER'S STORY.
On the Fourth of July, 1862, I went with my father over on the knoll to drive the cows out of the cornfield and put up the fence. The job
6
SECOND REUNION OF THE
lasted some two hours, and during that time I had been striving to screw up iny courage to introduce the topic for conversation that was upper- most in my mind. but it was not until we had nearly reached the house on our return that I was able to give utterance to that which had been ou my tongue for twenty-four hours. I stopped short and said, " Father, President Lincoln has called for 300,000 more soldiers, it is my turu now." I shall never forget the espression that passed over his countenance -- that of sudden, inexpressible anguish, changing instantly almost to patriotic pride and noble self-sacrifice, then he answered, " John. I have told you for the past year that there would be time enough for you to enlist, and you see I was right; but I agree with you now, though God knows how it pains me to say it, I think it is your turn now." From that moment I was a mau. I did not enter the house. I had not courage enough for that yet. I left to my father to announce what I knew would be sad tidings to my mother. and sisters and little brothers, while I went down the street of the country village where we lived to make immediate arrangements to enlist.
The few succeeding weeks passed quickly by. and I found myself en- rolled in the 19th Regiment of Maine Infantry Volunteers, performing camp duty at Bath. Learning the manual, learning the step, the wheel, the right face, left face, about face. How proud I was in my new uni- form. I knew everybody was looking at me. and when it came my duty. as it did in a few days (on Tuesday, August 12th) to go on guard and be placed on the beat at the gate, where all the visitors that daily thronged the camp passed and repassed, my joy and pride were unbounded -- though the bounds. I must confess, were nearly reached about three o'clock the next morning, when the corporal of our relief awoke me out of a sound and refreshing sleep with the command, " fall in first relief." I learned thus early to keep off the first relief after that-for they always had to stand from nine to eleven in the evening, and from three to five in the morning. I found out afterwards that there were a great many other things to be learned about guard duty, some of which I shall not record here.
The recruits for our regiment came in daily, in large squads, and the several companies were soon organized. Then came the period of sword presentations to company officers. How many times I have laughed since when I think of the presentation of swords to the Lieutenants of com- pany A, and the speeches they made. They said those swords should never be drawn save in our country's cause, and never be stained except by traitor's blood. Poor fellows, how little they knew what they were talking about. Yet we cheered them, not because of their eloquence, nor soldierly bearing, for they stammered and looked terribly awkward, but because we thought the sentiment good.
Our regiment was composed of volunteers from all parts of the State, but principally from the counties of Somerset, Kennebec, Sagadahoc, Waldo, Knox and Lincoln, and when mustered into the service on 25th of August, 1802. we numbered 39 officers and 969 enlisted men. We left
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NINETEENTH MAINE REGIMENT ASSOCIATION. 7
Bath on the morning of the 27th of August, by rail. and arrived at Wash- ington at 68 o'clock on the evening of the 20th. How fresh to my memory, even at this day, is the recollection of what were my feelings when I first stepped my foot in Washington. Now. I thought, I am a soldier indeed, now I stand upon hallowed ground, now I feel brave; now i can see we have something to fight for, and the ability to defend it. The next morning we first heard cannonading, while on the march to Arlington, and we said, just wait till we get out there. and all will be, well; but when a drove of frightened mules came thundering down the road, like a bummer's corps on the skeedaddle, and we thought at first we had met the whole army of Gen. Pope with the rebels at their heels, it had a very cooling effect upon our ardor. And I am not ashamed to con- fess now. that I was very much satisfied and rejoiced when a few minutes later we had orders to countermarch through Washington, and enter the forts below the city. I had seen about enough of war for one day, and I thought if we must fight. how much better it would be to have solid earthi- works in front of ns.
Our company was first stationed at Fort Preble, where we were kept busy with drilling and guard duty, and afterwards at Fort Baker, where we practiced heavy artillery drill and performed fatigue duty. until Sep- tember 30th. when we left to join the grand old Army of the Potomac. which we did on Saturday, October 4. 1862, at Bolivar. Va. We were assigned to the Ist brigade. commanded by that Christian hero from Maine. the gallant Howard, 20 division, 2d corps.
I must not forget to tell you what took place the next day, an incident. that. as narrated by the army correspondents at the time, made a very amusing story at our expense. We went into camp on the very top of Bolivar Heights, upou ground recently occupied by a battery. where they had left quite a number of loaded shells. Now. to record the truth, of course we knew what those shells were, for we were old artillery men. and we carefully picked them up and piled them by themselves next to the earthwork. When it came supper time. I built a small fire opposite the foot of our company street to boil my coffee. with a number of the other boys. While engaged in this there came up a sudden tornado. and we all rushed to our shelter tents to hold them down, and to keep out of the rain. A few minutes later the whole camp and division were aroused by the report of exploding shells. Bomb! bomb ! bomb! they went. right in our midst. At first we all thought it a sudden attack of the enemy, but we soon found that the wind had scattered the fire among the dry brush and leaves, on the unpoliced ground. and so spread it several rods until it reached that pile of shells ; an accident that might have happened to the oldest veterans. But imagine our mortification and chagrin. when we read in the Philadelphia Inquirer a few days later an account of thor alarin occasioned in the camp of the 19th Maine, a new regiment, one of whose men the Sunday before took some loaded elongated shells and stood them on end to rest the frying pan on, then built a fire beneath to fry his meat for supper. A moment later the shells exploded in rapid
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SECOND REUNION OF THE
succession, alarming the whole division, and nothing had since been heard of the soldier or bis frying pan and meat. Our regiment never outlived that story.
We learned rapidly here. The old veterans found interested listeners in us to the stories of their campaigns, Bull Run, The Peninsula, Seven days fight, Antietam. &c., and to pay us for listening to their stories, they taught us the secrets of soldier life. And what with their instructions and the discipline of our Colonel, we made rapid strides in everything that pertained to the efficiency of the command, and at an early day. as we shall soon perceive, took a position in the army second to none, which position was maintainid, until the close of the war. It could not have been otherwise. The great bulk of the regiment was made up of the high-minded sons of Maine, having the muscle to endure and the intelli- gence to comprehend the emergencies of any occasion. Almost every one of them was competent, after the necessary experience, to command a regiment. It was the nearest possible approach in fact to the humorist's idea of a regiment composed entirely of Brigadier Generals that could be found.
But now for want of time I find I must hurry over the history of the regiment, which my morning and evening prayer is, I may at some time see written in full. passing over the enjoyable march through the beauti- ful valley of Virginia, where our self-constituted foragers were so active that rough old Gen. Gorman, who had succeeded Howard in the com- mand of our Brigade, said, "the 19th Maine if let alone would steal the whole Southern Confederacy in three months," and look for a few minutes at some of the more prominent foot-prints of the regiment.
After experiencing several of the fall rains of Virginia in open air, lying at night with our bodies half embedded in Virginia mud, and the other half mostly enveloped with water, performing for a time fatigue duty on the roads, passing two days in Smoky Hollow, which I never shall forget to the longest day I live .- the regiment on Tuesday, Dec. 9th, went into, what I regard, the saddest camp within our experience. On Thursday following we marched to our first battle-field, the first Fredericksburg. We were stationed almost on the extreme right where we were nearly all the time during Friday, Saturday. Sunday and Monday, under fire with- out the opportunity of replying. I remember that my courage was bet- ter at Fredericksburg than it ever was afterwards. I do not think I dodged a single shell or musket ball there, for I was a soldier and I thought it would be cowardly to dodge. But for all that I could not help thinking of home. and wishing that I was there, and wondering how people of the intelligence and humanity of the American people could consent to submit a dispute to the arbitrament of war. Not that my patroitism was waning. I could not think of yielding to the demands for disunion. But I began to wonder how the people of the South could have resorted to war with all its horrors.
We returned to our camp on Monday night, and I can never think of this camp without a shudder. Here we passed our first winter. Here
Happy
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NINETEENTH MAINE REGIMENT ASSOCIATION. 9
we learned how to live in winter. though at the expense of disease, sick- ness and death, which caused rapid depletion of our ranks. Alinost daily in the early winter, and sometimes twice a day, we performed the last sad rites over the remains of a comrade. I can now hear the mournful notes and muffled drum, and see the slow, sad procession winding its way down the rocky and slippery wood road off the hill, across the flats and up the slope of cemetery hill, and there deposit their comrade in the rude and improvised casket. How sad I used to feel, and then I would think of home.
Later in the winter we became acclimated. The health and spirits of the command revived, and it arrived to that state of efficiency and disci- pline, that it was, under Order No. 18, Headquarters Army of Potomac, one of eleven regiments of the whole army to whom additional furloughs and leave of absence were granted, as a reward for the high rank we had attained ; and we became once more healthy, rugged, and perhaps saucy, for when the boys of the 59th New York would call out to us. "tripe," "tripe," we would say back, " herring, herring, three for a quarter." And we took no little pride in the fact that they never dared to pick a quarrel with us except at long range across the ravine. But I must not forget to mention. that at this camp & most ingenious and wonderful order was issued by Col. Sewall. At the time when sickness prevailed, a few, though disgustingly healthy, were attacked with low spirits, and a weak- ness of the knees, to an alarming extent, and were compelled to resort to the accidental shooting or chopping off of a finger. or some other acci- dental injury. in order to get out of the ranks and off to the hospital. It was then the Colonel issued his famous order, forbidding any further acci- dents in the regiment ; and the most wonderful part of it all was, that the order had the desired effect. and no serions accident occurred after that. It would be unjust. however, to leave the impression that there were no exceptions in this matter. for I remember one or two good and brave men. who were injured by pure and genuine accidents, and without fault on their part.
And before leaving this camp I want to bear testimony to the efficiency of that officer whose perplexing duties surpassed all others at this camp, who was compelled to battle diseased bodies and minds in all shapes and forms and conditions. requiring often the use of harsh and severe treat- ment and language as the only remedy, though applied at the risk of placing himself in a false position before men whose esteem he or any one would regard of great value. I believe the regiment was indebted more than can ever be known or told, to the skill of the surgeon whose large aud patriotic heart was continually pained and lashed alnost beyond en- durance by the duties he was called on to perform, and the emergencies of that early winter's camp. Justice has never been accorded to Dr. Billings : it never can be. I know ( in the same way that I know this earth revolves upon its axis. that the blood cirenlates in this right arm, that God rules over all) that no more patriotic, efficient, and large hearted surgeon ever entered the army than the first surgeon of the 19th Maine Volunteers.
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10
SECOND REUNION OF THE
We remained in this vicinity, performing important service during Chan- eellorsville and second Fredericksburg battles, though but little under fire --- and I could not help feeling how much better it was to guard important lines of communication, or support a good battery with a river between us and the enemy. than to be placed between the river and the enemy and under a terrific fire of shot and shell and musketry. I do not know that I am more cowardly than the average of meu, but certain it is that such thoughts woald pass through my mind continually during those battles.
We left out camp near Lacy House, on Monday, June 15, 1863, and I never shall forget that day's march. Though it was only eighteen miles, yet owing to the extreme heat and clouds of dust, it completely used me up, so that I was compelled to leave the ranks. for the first time, I believe, and lay down under a bush, where I might have still been found had not my comrade, chum and messmate, the ubiquitous Dave, come back for me after the regiment had halted for the night, and with his cheery " old fellow, " coaxed me into camp. How many times that day I wished that I was at home, or that the war would close.
We continued our march northward. stopping a few days to guard Thoroughfare Gap and skirmish with the enemy, then on again, until Wednesday, July Ist, we bivouacked for the night three miles from the famous battle field of Gettysburg. Everything betokened not only that a severe fight had occurred that day by the advance corps, but that we must go into it ourselves on the morrow. We had for two days been marching through the country of our friends, and we were brave. We saw what we were fighting for, and how much depended upon our valor. and we thought the enemy would certainly perceive the folly of their un- dertaking by the next morning and run. What glad tidings it would have been for us if they had. The next forenoon we advanced to the front, and lay for a while in support of Gen. Howard, who was holding a position on Cemetery Hill, at the vertex of the angle. And here we ate oar dinner. I remember how suddenly my appetite left me while dining on hard bread and fried pork. out of a greasy tin plate. Our brigade lay en masse with. I think, the 15th Massachusetts, immediately in front of us, and I had taken but a few morsels of the palatable food, when a shot or shell came and cut off the leg of one of the Massachusetts boys. about a rod from me. I did not want any more pork that meal.
At two o'clock we moved to the left and formed line on the ridge in rear of the Peach Orchard, in support of the 3d corps. The ball soon opened, and between four and five o'clock Gen. Sickles' 3d corps of valiant men became hotly engaged-their exposed flanks were gained by the enemy, and they were compelled to retreat; the rebels, triumphant and brave, followed close at their heels. Nothing remained to oppose them but a single line of infantry, which they might well suppose would join the retreating columns.
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I never shall forget the scene, which beggars description. of the retreat of the 3d corps, one division of which. Humphreys', passed over our regi- ment as we were lying flat on our faees. First came the stragglers and
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11
NINETEENTH MAINE REGIMENT ASSOCIATION.
wounded, then the division en masse. Some of their men were completely whipped, while others were unconquered and unconquerable. And as they passed over us some would say, "Run boys, we're whipped, the day is lost." Others cried out with tears of joy streaming from their eyes at finding our line there in position. "Hang to it boys, give it to them, we'll form in your rear," and they did.
Another moment and they had passed us. Then was heard above the din of battle the command of our Colonel. to "Give it to them." and we sprang to our feet and sent a sudden volley into the teeth of the advancing enemy, but a few rods distant, who mmust have thought that God had sud- denly raised from the earth an army to oppose their march. We poured volley after volley at them, loading and firing as rapidly as we could : yet on they came. slowly, sullenly, but still onward. Oh, my God. I thought. would they never stop! Their fire was making fearful havoc in our ranks. Were our bullets punishing them as severely? We could not tell. Our left flank becanic badly exposed. To remain longer in that position were destruction. To attempt a change of line by throwing the left to the rear was a most desperate expedient. None but the bravest of troops could perform that movement at such a time. For when one's back is turned the bravest becomes a coward, and the legs evince to an astonishing degree a desire to perform good service.
But each man of the regiment knew if we gave way there would be nothing to oppose the further advance of the enemy. And so it was that our Colonel had the sagacity to command, and his troops the courage to exeente the most difficult and dangerous movement in the midst of the ferrible conflict. But we now had the advantage of position, and though a whole division of warriors opposed us. we were as immovable as the ridge upon which we stood. Their snail-like advance was at last checked. and as the smoke of battle lifted for an instant a moment later-it seemed but a moment-it showed us their ranks in confusion. Oh! the inex- pressible delight and joy and thankfulness to God that sight gave us. That Instant Col. Heath jumped to the front with one short command, " Come on, boys," and off' we started like a tornado let loose, down the hill across the field at the heels of the enemy. yelling all the time at the top of our voices, until we had nearly reached the Peach Orchard and had captured many hundreds of the enemy and one stand of colors, und retaken with our own hands two pieces of artillery which the rebels had taken from the third corps a few hours before. And this closed that glorious day, saved by the valor of the men of the 19th Maine.
And this reminds me of a remark made to me after the war by that great man and soldier whom we all admire, the hero of Round Top. When I first heard his lecture upon " The 20th Maine at Gettysburg," with some feeling I said to him, " I see. General, you claim that the 20th Maine saved the day at Getty sburg." " Certainly, " he replied. " Hitherto." I said, " I had thought it was the 19th Maine that saved the day there." " And you thought rightly." he quickly responded. "don't you know that every picket that sticks to the fence may claim the credit of keeping
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