USA > Maine > Eastern Maine and the rebellion: being an account of the principal local events in eastern Maine during the war.. > Part 14
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A singular thing happened as Mr. Harlow and I passed through my gate. A bird-having been aroused by the cannon probably- sang a beautiful shrill and clear song-this being long before day- light-she sitting on a tall fir tree, and Mr. Harlow and I stopped and listened until she had finished her song.
When we were marching down Hammond street, some were laughing, some hurrahing, and instead of passing the time of day when they met. men grabbed each other by the hands, and often kissed each other. An acquaintance said to me, that although many were laughing, he could but ery, at which tears gushed from my eyes in a moment, and we both shed tears of joy at the same instant. The scenes in these dead hours of the night were sublime. Take those drummers for instance: I I knew them both well. They appeared to have got out of bed one minute, seized their drums the next, and were beating glad tidings. The Stars and Stripes floated from many a dwelling,
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and a man was parading the streets with an ensign, and hundreds following its folds.
While I was at home and it was growing daylight, a company of men, loyal ones of course, secured the music and a flag, and marched to Gorham L. Boynton's premises, to compel him to hang out the Stars and Stripes, but on their arrival at his house on Court street, they found he was down in the city. They then marched to the Bangor Democrat office, and were about to enter by violence, when the Mayor, Samuel II. Dale, requested them not to damage property so early in the day, but if the inmates of the office did not put out the American flag, to put it out for them, whereupon, a number as a committee, entered and requested the flag to be run out, to which they demurred. The committee then ran the flag out for them, and made them promise to let it remain for the day.
At half-past seven I joined a procession of two hundred citizens, who were visiting stores and offices with a committee in lead, who, when the procession arrived in front, entered the stores, etc., and requested the Stars and Stripes be hung out from doors or windows. We marched until noon, and were commanded by Col. Israel Norcross, supported by Llewellyn J. Morse, Mr. Adams and other good men.
First to Daniel Dakin's, where they run out a flag ; then down Water street, to Shaw & Tyler's, where they promised to do the same; then up Broad, to Amos Patten's, in Strickland's new block, and E. W. Elder's, in the Pendleton & Russ store adjoining. The procession, when we reached this location, had increased to about four hundred in the ranks, and from three or four hundred on the sidewalks. The committee entered Mr. E. W. Elder's sail loft and requested him to put out a flag, at which he demurred, and remon- strated, and swore he would not, and a long contest arose, he say-
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ing at first that he had no flag, and did not consider himself under obligations to get one, at which the committee agreed to get one, and an old flag was sent for and brought into his loft on a long pole, and he was requested to run it out of the window, and he was so loath that they compelled him to take hold of the pole, and with a Union man hold of the end to steady it, he ran it out of the window, and pushed the window down and agreed to let it remain during the day.
The next step was to wait on Isaac W. and Amos Patten, in Strickland's new block, where they kept a ship store. Amos was out, and his father. Isaac W. locked the door, and he and Amos' clerk remained inside, and refused to let the committee in, whereupon a portion of the front ranks left the street and collected around the door, and demanded admittance, which the old veteran denied, and swore until he was as pale as a ghost, and, about this time, Edwin B. Patten came to the rescue, to defend the out- side of the premises. Mr. Wheeler, the editor of the Bangor Daily Whig, Llewellyn Morse, Mr. Duckworth, Israel Norcross and J. S. Wheelwright's clerk, demanded of "Ed" that he nail up the Stars and Stripes, at which he wormed around, and tried to argue and expostulate, and pretended that they were imme- diately going to put out a large flag, etc., and he kept the procession waiting in the mud for over half an hour, when various voices ejaculated, mine among the rest, "Nail up the flag," "Nail it up yourself," and other like commands. A flag was put into a boy's hand, to hold up in front of the door, and shortly Edwin snatched it out of his hands, at which the line of people began to grow determined, and called loud and long: " Make him nail. it up," " Make him give three cheers for it," etc., and the crowd in- creased so the streets were jammed, and difficulty was experienced to keep some soldiers dressed in blue, from rushing through the
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windows, the panes of glass being very large, and, in rushing to and fro, those standing back to the lights in the doors had their elbows pushed through, by which time old Isaac became so infuria- ted that he looked more like a ghost than a citizen. At this point, John A. Peters, the world renowned speaker and lawyer, standing in the ranks, the third section in the rear of my section, called out :
"Nail up the flag, or by the Eternal God, it will be nailed up for you!" and then made his way through the crowd to the door, and seized the flag, formerly held by the boy, and some one gave him a hatchet and a nail, and he drove in one nail, and then he and some others told Edwin what must be done, at which Edwin stepped up one step higher, and said to the whole crowd thus :
" MEN OF BANGOR,"
"There is no man in Bangor who thinks more of that very same flag than I do."
With a new hammer in his hand, he drove in one more nail, and then took off his hat and gave two faint cheers, not three, as he was requested to do. This infuriated his father so that he had a branding tin, such as he describes the various qualities of shingles . with, laying on the show case, and he picked it up and sent it through the window, demolishing a ten dollar pane of glass, at the crowd. Edwin agreed to let the flag remain up all day and all night, when the line moved to Geo. W. Ladd's, and he hung out a flag and cheered it with a laugh, bare headed.
The line then moved a short distance and requested Jacob C. Smith, and A. M. Campbell to put out a flag, and Jacob Smith nailed one on his door with his own hands, and we then marched to J. S. Ingraham's, corner of Hammond and Central. and requested him the same, and he demurred. and had a long contention, but final-
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ly yielded, although in a very feeble manner. He afterwards told, that, had it not been for his wife and children, he would have died before he would surrender.
The next came John S. Ricker, cashier of the Mercantile Bank. who nailed up his flag in a gentlemanly maner, but gave no cheers. The "secesh" reading room was thenext, and here they ran out two flags, one at each window. From here we went to the Franklin House, and Henry MeLaughlin appeared on the balcony, and stuck up a little mean flag. just big enough to pacify the procession. We now went down Harlow and Exchange streets, and on the march Doct. Ambrose C. Warren hung out two small flags, which saved " Fort Warren," so called. We made some calls on Ex- change street. and closed a rum hole, and then marched down Broad street, to see if Patten had taken down his flag. It was all right, and in the next story they had suspended a large one.
We now went towards the ferry, then up Union and High, to Calvin Seavey's house. Calvin was my friend as a physician, but was a leader and sympathizer in rebellion. He was in West- brook, and, as we were at a dwelling house, we made no demon- stration. We then went to Silas Drew's, and (here a name is omitted by request), and found flags out. Drew was one of the men who advocated the resistance to the draft. On going over Kenduskeag Bridge, we halted at the store of Wm. H. Flagg, and were detained a long time, in bringing about what we had accom- plished with equally as hard nuts, but, after some half hour of parley, speaking. etc., with reluctance he mounted a shoe-box, cheered the flag, and stuck up a small one, in a pair of boots hanging as a show at his door. The next, overhead, in the same block, Jones the barber, a strong "secesh," who knocked down John Wyman, in the beginning of the war, was called for, when his wife came to the window and shook a hood, in place of
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the flag, he demurring, and said he had no flag, but on a loud call from a hundred voices, "Run out your flag, Jones." " Do it with your own hands," he sent out, after a parley, and purchased two, and run one out of each window, but did not cheer them. I left the procession in front of "Ed" Flagg's office, and went to dinner, having marched over four hours in the mud. My soul was full of glory, and my fellow citizens in the ranks being the same, as we went marching along.
While I was at breakfast I lost one sight, which would have done my inmost soul good. The first company in the morning marched to the Franklin House, where Marcellus Emery boarded, and called him out on the balcony, and asked him to make a speech, and he, thinking no doubt that tar and feathers might be near by, complied, and said he had blundered some, had been mistaken in many of his editorials, etc., in the " Bangor Democrat," and then withdrew. The crowd were not satisfied, and demanded him a second time, and made him take the flag and cheer it. This was a rare show, and every one present enjoyed it to their own full satisfaction. The procession after breakfast purchased a number of small flags, and they were carried in the ranks, and, when a "secesh" man ob- jected to raising one on account of not having it at hand, the procession furnished him one free of cost.
THE FLAG DISHONORED.
After dinner the flag was dishonored. Amos Patten, on going to his store, took down the flag raised by Edwin, and burned it, whereupon a crowd went down, and by either he or them another was put up, which they requested to remain. A mob was now feared, and the Mayor tried to still them. Lewis Reynolds and others were furious to enter the premises, but were persuaded to desist, and as I learned afterwards, a rope was carried there by some men, in case Amos could be found they might have a use for
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it. Amos Patten left town, and was last seen crossing to Brewer. Diligent search was made for him, and fifty men were placed at different points to watch for him, but during the day and night no trace of him could be found. In the afternoon the invalid soldiers, from the "Soldier's Rest," being. the Gymnasium on Columbia street were taken in carriages, and, with a band of music, and the old tattered, battle worn flags of the Second and Eighteenth Reg- iments, were driven all about the city. Then these flags were marched about town by an independent company, and a band who for a short time escorted our column in the forenoon. In the eve- ning the city was illuminated in a wonderful manner. At Norom- bega there was an immense meeting, where Prof. Harris, Rev. Mr. Battles, John A. Peters and Hannibal Hamlin made speeches.
After retiring that night, I reviewed the various transactions of the twenty-four hours. Of all the days of my long life this was the best. First, the cause of-the celebration. Second, to see the men who had labored for years against us, run out the Stars and Stripes, and cheer them, and I record again, this was my great day.
A SINGULAR AND MAJESTIC SIGHT.
During the forenoon, some one in Brewer made a large kite, twelve feet long, and on the cord, some twenty feet long below the kite, made fast a flag, and sent up the whole, two thousand feet into the air. Looking at it from this side, the cord did not show, owing to the distance, and it appeared as though the beautiful flag, doubly dear and precious now, was supported by unseen hands in the Heavens."
TUESDAY, APRIL 11th, 1865.
" People are resting, and congratulating on the proceedings of yesterday. Every one feels the fatigue of the past thirty-six hours, and are speculating on the future movements of rebellion.
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Fifty men still looking for Amos Patten, and do not find him. A meeting was held in City Hall and a committee of twenty-three men, the best we have, chosen to attend to Patten and others."
WEDNESDAY MORNING, APRIL 12th.
From Bangor Daily " Whig and Courier."
"CITIZENS MEETING."-A large and influential number of our citizens met at City Hall, yesterday afternoon, and organized by the choice of Wm. P. Wingate, Esq., as Chairman, and John Wyman, Esq., as, Secretary. The object of the meeting as stated by the chairman, was to take into consideration certain treasonable practices of some of our citizens. A large committee, consisting of the following gentlemen, was appointed to investigate the circumstances, viz :
Rufus Dwinel, J. B. Foster, B. B. Farnsworth, John Bacon, S. P. Bradbury, L. J. Morse, John Wyman, Jas. Littlefield, F. H. Dillingham, Geo. Stetson, John A. Peters, F. A. Wilson, James Dunning, Chas. E. Dole, F. Muzzy, Wm. A. Smith, Chas. B. Lord, J. S. Wheelwright, Wm. P. Wingate, Robert O. Davis, R. K. Hardy, E. G. Thurston, Chas. P. Stetson, Chas. Haywood, Jas. Adams, Hooper Chase.
After which the meeting adjourned to meet at same place this evening, at half- past seven, to hear the Committee report."
"During the night of the 11th, a piece of crape was fastened to Wm. P. Wingate's door-he being now the Custom House Collector-with a letter, stating that if any harsh means were used on Amos Patten, that he, Wingate, might have use for the crape."
"The citizens were in a fever heat, and on the next morning fired one hundred guns, thirty-six at noon, and one hundred more at night. Samuel HI. Dale, the Mayor, rode about the city that day,
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cautioning the people to refrain from acts of violence, and doing all in his power to preserve the peace of the city."
" At seven and one-half o'clock, Wednesday, the citizens again met in City Hall, to hear the report of their committee appointed on Tuesday."
" The committee reported that in pursuance of their instructions they had waited upon Mr. Amos Patten, to request of him an ex- planation of his conduct in tearing down the American flag with expressions of insult and contempt, on the occasion of the rejoicing of our national victories. on Monday last ; and that he had furnish- ed them with the following apology."
"In destroying a flag on Monday last, I intended no disrespect to the American flag, but was excited by what I deemed, and still deem, an unwarrantable interference in my affairs. I regret the affair as much as any one, A. PATTEN. Bangor, April 12th, 1868.
" And the committee report that in their opinion, said apology and explanation should be acceptable to the citizens of Bangor, and they accordingly recommend its acceptance.
"It was voted to accept the report of the committee, and that the doings of the meeting be published in the city papers."
" After three times three for the flag of our Union, voted to adjourn."
WM. P. WINGATE, Chairman.
JOHN WYMAN, Secretary.
These are the facts :-
The great multitude were for lynching Patten, if he could be found, and expected, after the meeting to prosecute a vigor- ous search for him. Hardly a man would say a word for Patten, until that sterling citizen, A. G. Wakefield, rose up in his behalf.
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Mr. Wakefield pictured the young man as he was ; a strong-headed passionate fellow, subject to paroxisins of rage, and at such times entirely beyond control ; and then drew a picture of a Bangor mob hunting him down. Heated, as his hearers were, they did not take kindly to these utterances, nor did they do so to the 1 committee report. They clamored for vengeance. Long search was made for Patten, but he could not be found, and finally the matter was dropped, but Patten was never forgotten nor forgiven for his act.
CHAPTER XXII.
The Nation In Mourning-Another Great Crime Of The Slave Power-President Lincoln Assassinated-A Nation In Tears-Terrible News-The President's Case Hopeless-Almost Miraculous Escape Of Grant.
The above head lines are taken from the papers issued soon after the news of the assassination of President Lincoln, which of course, cast the whole community into a gulf of gloom and sorrow. The wild hilarious joy which had pervaded, since the news of Lee's surrender, gave way to feelings of grief for the stricken man and his family. Then came feelings of anger and a loud call for revenge, and with eager eyes and quickened ears the loyal men sought the company of the sympathizers with rebellion, ready and willing to hang the first man who uttered one word against the Union, or the " Martyred President." The absorbing grief of the people, great though it was, left room for deeper indignation that
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arose against the authors of the monstrous deed, which took from the nation its father and its friend. It was there, down deep in the heart of every loyal man. Our whole city was draped in mourning,-some of the crape hanging before the doors of those who were in sympathy with the South, being so placed by the .demands of the loyal men- business was suspended, flags craped and at half mast, all the church bells tolled, and minute guns fired from noon till four o'clock.
At ten o'clock in the morning, by order of the Mayor, the bell on City Hall was rung, and soon after the hall was filled to overflowing by the citizens. Judge Appleton was called to the chair, and he appointed J. Bartlett, Secretary. After a prayer by Rev. Dr. Pond, Hon. Hannibal Hamlin was called upon, but that gentleman, who knew Lincoln so well; who had been so intimate with him through the dark days of the war; said he could not trust his feelings to speak. By his suggestion a committee of two from each ward was appointed, to determine what measures should be adopted to express the feelings of the community, and the following gentlemen were named: Josiah S. Rieker, R. D. Manson, Charles Hayward, Thomas Mason, W. H. Mills, Enoch Pond, S. H. Blake, A. W. Paine, Charles Stetson, Hastings Strickland, S. P. Strickland, Thomas Trickey, D. Bugbee and J. H Bowler. Again that loyal body, termed by Emery, "the mob element," came forth on that day, and highly enraged crowds marched about the city, seeking certain persons, who had been heard to rejoice over the death of Lincoln. In one instance a large crowd surged up Main street to a dry goods store, where a fool-hardy clerk was employed, who had said he was "glad the Old Rail Splitter had been killed." Ad- vised of their approach, he fled from the rear of the premises, and sought the seclusion of the jail for safety. Others were
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arrested and confined at the same place, in order that their precious (?) necks might retain their usual length.
COMING HOME.
On June 11th, there arrived a portion of the First Maine Heavy Artillery, who, of course, received a cordial greeting at the hands of Bangor. They arrived by special train, at three-thirty in the morning, yet the citizens were ready to receive them, and, as the train rolled into the station, the veterans heard the familiar sound of the booming of cannon, sending out, not iron messages of death but peaceful and joyful welcome. They heard too. another sound, not so familiar, yet one they all knew well, the clanging of church bells, which, with busy tongues and varied voices, sent down from
the high belfries, a glad reception home. It must have been a spectacle, carrying food to the thoughtful mind. Those thin, bronz- ed, weary looking men, clad in old clothing which had been rent and torn in many a conflict, were but a handful of what had con- stituted the regiment that had " marched away, so glad and gay," a few months before. While relations rejoiced to see their loved ones back again, did not many an eye grow dim, and many a cheek turn pale, as they viewed the decimated ranks, and noted many vacant places along the line where once the embattled soldiers stood? Yes, there was ever present, even in the "coming home," that dark cloud which overhangs a land of war, and the insinuat- ing shadows linger to-day, and will linger, for many days to come.
The men were escorted to City Hall, where a collation had been prepared, and after this had been disposed off, eloquent and thrill- ing words of welcome were said by Ex-Vice-President Hamlin. The officers in command were Lieut. Col. Smith, Quartermaster Horatio Pitcher, Captains, G. E. Fernald, B. T. Atherton, Lieu- tenants, Geo Pote, J. J. Dunham, F. E. Robinson. It would seem as though the citizens could not see enough of these men, for the
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next day they pursuaded then to parade, crowds being in atten- dance. The following day Gov. Cony arrived, and again the boys came out, this time for a "dress parade," after which they waited on His Excellency, and gave him a salute. The day after, the men were paid off and departed to their homes, to again take up the peaceful pursuits which they had forsaken at their country's call.
On July 4th, of this year, Bangor had a big celebration, in which all, save a few disappointed ones, participated. Never be- fore, and never since, have the people enjoyed themselves so well as on that occasion. They had much to be thankful for, much to rejoice over, and from early morn till late at night there was one continual round of festivities.
Early in July, the Thirty-first Regiment, Col. Daniel White, commanding, and seven hundred strong, arrived. They were met by companies A and B, State Guards, and escorted to Abbott Square, where a generous meal had been provided. This regi- ment was raised in Eastern Maine, in February, 1864, and left Augusta April 18th, nine hundred strong. Without time to per- fect its organization or acquire proficiency in drill, it was sent into active service at a very critical period of the campaign. Not- withstanding all this, however, the regiment acquitted itself most nobly. Many of its men and officers, it is proper to add, had seen service in the Second Maine and other regiments. On the 6th of May, just ten days after its departure from Augusta, at the Wilderness, the regiment saw its first fight. It lost fearfully in killed and wounded, but sustained itself equally well with older organizations. On the 12th and 18th of May it fought at Spottsylvania. It was in all the subsequent engagements of the army of the Potomac, at Cold Harbor, Bethesda Church, Petersburg, June 17th, and July 30th; the latter, the terrible charge made after the explosion of the mine; at l'oplar Spring
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" Church, September 30th, Hatcher's Run, at Petersburg, in the final charge and capture of those formidable works.
At one time, after an engagement, the regiment had less than fifty men present for duty. In October it was re-enforced by two full companies of recruits. In December, 1864, the Thirty- Second Maine, five hundred strong, was merged into the Thirty- First. The Thirty Second was originally nine hundred strong, and was from the western section of the State. The regiment lost seventeen officers, killed in battle or died from wounds, this being one half the number with which it entered the field one year before. Before the boys were paid off, they indulged in a torch light procession, calling on the leading citizens.
In September, the remaining portion of the First Heavy came home, and gradually, all having returned that were alive, the press of the day ceased the printing of the war news, and devoted its space, as now, to items regarding trade, society and fashion.
We close this last chapter, dealing directly with the local affairs of Bangor, with a reference to Fort Sumpter, taken from the " Whig and Courier," printed April 15th, 1865:
"OUR FLAG IS THERE."
"Yesterday, the 14th, was the fourth anniversary of that disgrace- ful day, when the flag of our Union was ruthlessly torn from Fort Sumpter by rebel hands, after the fort with its little garrison had been reduced by the fire of hundreds of rebel cannon. That flag was proudly restored yesterday by the hands of loyal and patriotic men, after the great rebellion had been effectually and forever suppressed by the power of a free people. The occasion was noticed here by a national salute at noon, by a general display of flag's from public and private buildings, and by raising of the stars and stripes more than a thousand feet above the city, by means of a monster kite bearing in hage capitals the name of the Lieuten-
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ant General of all our armies, "U. S. Grant." The flag was raised from Thomas's Hill, by Capt. Nickerson, Col. Dunning, and others, and floated over the city to the admiring gaze of thousands. The flag thus raised was fifteen feet long and eight wide.
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