USA > Maine > First Maine bugle, 1890 (history of 1st Maine Cavalry) > Part 34
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In the corner of the yard to the left and front was the dungeon, with its thick granite walls and heavy iron door. No windows, crack or crevice, when the door was closed, to let in a ray of light. A dark, damp, dreary den, indeed! It was here prisoners were kept while awaiting trial, sentence or incarceration. In front of the dungeon was the barbarous post to which the friendless bondman suspected of crime was wont to be tied to receive the cruel lash, that Virginia Justice might be appeased and satisfied.
Ten or twelve houses, a little white church half a mile to the northward, and a parsonage half the distance, constituted the settle- ment about the county scat. With few exceptions, the citizens were social and friendly, who accepted the situation most cheer- fully, and rejoiced with us that war's red work was done. One notable exception was a Methodist clergyman, an original rebel and, the boys would have it, a descendent of the original rebel. I think he could and did hate the old flag and the Union blue with more malignant intensity than any man I ever met. He was treason itself incarnate. The other clergyman we found as social and friendly as his neighbor was cold and contemptuous. Ile came to our quarters often, and the respect he had for us and the law we represented soon begot in us respect and affection for him. He preached in the little white church, and we "heard him gladly."
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FIRST MAINE BUGLE.
That little church was situated in a beautiful grove of oaks, on a little eminence and close by the roadside. Its construction was peculiar and odd, unlike anything we had ever seen. Its length was twice its width, and the audience room was divided by a parti- tion wall across it about seven and a half feet high and equidistant from either end, so that two equal-sized square rooms were formed. The first or front room had comfortable box seats, and was used exclusively by the white people, while the other had rough benches and was used only by the colored people. The pulpit was a stage elevated about three feet high at the middle of the partition wall on the whites' side, and contained a slight desk and other articles for the accommodation of the speakers. At the services the music was all vocal and by the congregation, in which the negroes joined most heartily. The rich and mellow voices of the darkeys were in marked contrast with the thin and feeble tones of the whites, and they sang with a fervor and enthusiasm that were truly enjoyable. I remember the sound of one soprano on the colored side the first time I was there I mistook for a violin, and that when the services were concluded I asked a gentleman who stood beside me at the door to point to me the darkey who played the violin so finely. He laughed, and said there was no violin there, that what I had heard was the peculiar voice of a colored woman. When he told me I was not the first stranger who had been so deceived I had not so unfavor- able an opinion of my musical ear.
When we had been'absent from our regiment a month or more. our chaplain came up to make us a visit. As he would stop over Sunday, I went with him to call on the minister of the little white church. The meeting of the two was most cordial and friendly. and before they parted it was agreed that our chaplain should preach in the pulpit of the other the following Sabbath. That Sab- bath came, and how beautiful its morning! All things seemed ani- mate and vocal with joy and praise. The fragrant air was filled with happy song, and the rays of the summer sun seemed to be searching the dark places of earth for imprisoned germs that, perchance, lay waiting in silence for some friendly force to give them strength to burst their cold cells that they might spring forth to life and beauty and join the glad songs of peace and praise. The rustling of the green leaves in the morning air seemed holy whisperings of peace and love. and the joyous birds, unscared by sounds of war, seemed to sing sweeter songs to sacred melodies. A little flower that had
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AFTER APPOMATTOX.
struggled through the weeds and grass by the wayside had turned its tiny petals to the smiling sun, and a loving ray was kissing from its pearly face a sparkling tear that had gathered there in the long, dark night, and it seemed to be saying with expression more eloquent than speech, to the little colored passers-by, who so lately were struggling in hopeless bondage, " See, I, too, am free ; and I rejoice with you that your long, dark night has passed; that the sunlight of liberty has gladdened your souls, and that the angel of peace has kissed the last sad tear from the slave child's face."
Word had gone out that a Yankee minister in uniform would preach that day, and the house was filled. The pastor was promptly present, and kindly aided in the opening exercises. When Chaplain Merrill stepped forward to the desk and with impressive voice said, "Let us pray," as was their custom whether members of any church or not, every form was bowed in prayer. The old man, always eloquent, seemed inspired with the scenes of the morn- ing, and especially with the worshipful attitude of those before him. He did not forget the kneeling ones beyond the partition wall in their new condition, their new relations and their new cares and responsibilities, nor was he unmindful of the sorrowing and sad ones before him bereft by the war, who had come there for consolation and comfort. All appeared impressed and many affected by the fervor and pathos of that prayer, but when he invoked the blessing of the Almighty upon the President of the United States he touched a chord that was not in harmony with the feelings of all present, and one lady who had been bowed as low as the lowest and was yet mourning the lost confederacy and the humiliation of its chief, exclaimed in a whisper so loud as to be heard by all about her, "No, I won't! I won't! There is poor old Jeff Davis a prisoner at Fortress Monroe !" at the same time assuming a rigid, upright posture, which she maintained to the close of the services. His ser- mon, though prepared for another time and occasion, and one of his best, was eminently fitting that time and occasion, and at its close many were the words of commendation and expressions of admiration it received from those who never before had heard a pulpit utterance from the mouth of a Northern man. Even the brave woman who so publicly manifested her love and loyalty to " poor old Jeff'in prison" Went away a wiser woman if not a happier and better.
The land in the central portion of the county was poor and unproductive, and the poor people who inhabited it had been dis-
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FIRST MAINE BUGLE.
tressingly impoverished by the pitiless hand of the rebellion. A large part of Lee's troops and trains on their last grand retreat passed through this way and appropriated every article of food or forage that would support the life of man or beast that lay in their line of march, and the suffering citizens were compelled to subsist for a time upon the green things that were just growing from the ground. There was neither corn nor grain for food or seed, and no animals to plow the land if there had been seed to sow it. As soon as I had learned the actual condition of the inhabitants and their most urgent needs, I notified General Smith, commanding the Sub-district, who immediately sent a load of provisions with instructions to serve them to the suffering and needy, irrespective of station or color. Other loads came as they were wanted, and in a short time he sent a hundred horses and mules, some of which were yet unserviceable but only required a little rest and care to make them valuable ani- mals again, which were given to those who would be likely to treat them kindly and who had land to till or other important work to do. The rations were an immediate relief to the hungry and helpless and the animals, and encouragement and a promising help for the future.
A large part of the men who volunteered or were conscripted into the rebel army from this county were of Picket's command when he made that fearful but futile onslaught on our impregnable lines at Gettysburg, and consequently but few able-bodied men recrossed the Potomac and returned from the surrender at Appomattox to occupy the old homes and to aid and comfort the sorrowing and helpless. Most of the negroes who remained were women and children and worn-out old men. Many of the children were entirely naked and some of the old men had scarcely clothing to cover the decrepit old bodies that were now their own. Many of the deserted farm houses had been taken possession of by the negroes in large numbers, who were carrying on "ole massa's" farin as best they knew. Some, by travelling long distances to procure a little seed, had planted little patches of corn and had worked over the old gardens and were growing sweet potatoes and other vegetables. In some cases the actual owners returned and demanded possession of their premises but in every case the negroes refused to quit without pay for their little " craps," nor were they required to without com- pensation or some satisfactory equivalent. Their condition was indeed pitiable-without house or home, and destitute of everything
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21
A WEDDING JOURNEY REVISITED.
but freedom and poverty - and yet they always seemed cheerful, hopeful and happy ; happy with the thought that they were free ; that they were no more to call any man master; and when the evenings came they would meet to talk over the incidents of the day and sing their simple songs.
A WEDDING JOURNEY REVISITED.
The following comrades wore the yellow and gold badge of the First Maine Cavalry at the encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic, at Detroit, August 3rd to 7th, most of whom were pres- ent in the room prepared for our reunion at No. 69 Buhl Block. The rooms were central and attractive, and evidences of the liberal- ity of the citizens of Detroit were manifest in the form of certain refreshments.
Roscoe R. Bangs of Co. L was present from Westcott, Nebraska, tall and erect as when he was with the regiment, and showing evi- dence of prosperity in his furniture business.
Jesse Barber, Co. M, came from the East equally prosperous in the boot and shoe store, and has one recruit for the Sons of the First of Maine.
George W. Barnes of Co. A was present but has been so disabled that he was unable to walk the entire route of the procession. He has a large family of four boys and three girls, who generously paid their father's expenses from Winslow, Maine, to the city once be- sieged by Pontiac. He was known in the service by the members of his company as the one " shot off a log."
Capt. Andrew M. Benson was also there enjoying the fat of the land, courteous as ever and as ready to aid his friends.
Aaron F. Bickford of Co. H, Skowhegan, was adjutant of the bat- talion of Grand Army boys from Maine. He very gladly detailed all the First Maine Cavalry boys to march by themselves, and one platoon was filled by the wearers of the yellow regimental badge.
Albert M. Cole of Co. I came from Appleton, Wisconsin. Hc was charter member of the Post at that place, has filled most of its subordinate offices and was commander of same at the Encampment at Milwaukee in ISS9.
Artemas Coombs of Co. I, of Battle Creek, Michigan, met with his comrades for the first time. He told of his strong desire to ob- tain a furlough while near Petersburg, and at a time when such re-
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FIRST MAINE BUGLE.
quests were not favorably considered, he applied personally for the same to Gen. Smith, at brigade headquarters. Gen. Smith very kindly referred him to regimental headquarters, where Col. Cilley as kindly told him he must make application through the orderly sergeant and captain of his company; that by this time he felt abashed and confused and hardly dared to apply to his captain for fcar he would tell him to go to his own quarters; however, he obtained his furlough and at the same time obtained better informa- tion concerning army regulations than he knew before. As he told this incident to Gen. Smith at Fort Wayne, Gen. Smith narrated a similar incident, where he, in the earlier part of his service, had ap- plied directly to Gen. Gregg. Gen. Smith, in the conversation fol- lowing, stated that he had inspected the State Militia of Michigan at Battle Creek last year, whereupon Comrade Coombs remarked, " Was that you? Why, I saw your name, but supposed it was one of the Smiths." At this Gen. Smith laughed, and told how at his first introduction to Gen. Sherman, the general in his brusque and almost harsh manner, looked him in the face, and said, " Gen. Smith ! Smith ! I commanded a whole brigade of Gen. Smiths dur- ing the war," and then pausing and bringing his peculiarly frank tone of voice into exercise, "and they were damned good fighters, too."
William D. Cowan of Co. M, another resident of Michigan, was present. He is prospering on a one hundred and sixty acre farm in Ludington or Wiley, Michigan, has built himself a fine dwelling house this last year, and has two daughters sixteen to twenty years of age to encourage the Sons of the First of Maine towards home organizations.
George A. Davis of Co. M was present from Abbott, Me., and in line of the idea just presented, it may be well to say that he is under fifty, unmarried, and should be cared for by some one, or should have some one to care for.
Saginaw, Mich., was well represented by Alonzo Dunning, Co. F, and Riley L. Jones-" Jones of G"-brought his son with him, and boasts of a family of three boys and one girl.
Nathaniel S. Emery, Co. G, travelled all the way from Waterville, Me., and had his enjoyment doubled by taking his wife with him. They have three children, two girls and a boy.
Charles E. Gardner of Co A, Chicago, Ill., No. 1107 Fifty-first street, met his comrades from Maine for the first time and had the privilege of wearing the regimental badge.
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A WEDDING JOURNEY REVISITED.
Stephen S. Goodhue of Co. K came all the way from Haverhill, Mass. ; though not a giant in size he is quite voluminous. in conver- sation and jokes, and when he found that there were three First Maine Cavalry men present who were undertakers, promised us a first-class funeral as far as their united efforts would contribute towards that end.
Another Massachusetts comrade was present, Charles H. Hooper of Co. K, of Lynn, Mass., who has a boy and girl to roll his name along.
Frank E Jewett, Co. K, No. 6700 Glades Ave., St. Louis, was also present, who made a mistake in bringing his wife only part way. He has three boys and a girl.
Uriah Raymond Lincoln of Co. E, of Somerville, Mass., was there. He was entertained at Fort Wayne by one of the ' ser- geants of the Regular Army there because he was a member in Col. Smith's old regiment. He has two girls and a boy.
Charles A. North, Co. A, of Gen. Berry Post, Malden, Mass., was so busy caring for the members of his Post and so faithful to his duties, as he ever was in the service, that he did not know that the First Maine had a reunion at Detroit and did not meet a comrade till on their return via Montreal, where he met me. I can say I had a royal good ride around Montreal with Commander Bush and wife and others of the Malden Post.
Alfred Pierce of Co. F, of Arlington, was present but very busy. He and Lieutenant Andrews, had several conferences on the salt question.
Hollis Simpson, Co. D, of Waterville, was present and has two recruits for the Sons of the First of Maine.
Charles Smith of Co. H, of Skowhegan, helped bear the honors of the large delegation from their Post.
Besides Lieutenant Andrews the only representative of Ohio was George W. Snow of Co. A, of Cleveland, Ohio, who met his comrades for the first time.
Alanson M. Warren of Co. M also travelled all the way from Dover, Me., to the city between the lakes. He has a happy family of four boys and one girl, and is so esteemed by the people of his county that he has been honored with the position of Registrar of Deeds for nine years. Evidently the citizens of that part of Maine know a good thing when once they have found it.
Capt. Black Hawk Putnam of Co. E was also present, whom we
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FIRST MAINE BUGLE.
are all glad to point out as a perfect specimen of a down east man.
Gen. Smith had his house full and was kept very busy entertain- ing the various visitors to Fort Wayne, especially as that of the Secretary of War Proctor and that of Gen. Miles were official and involved a review and inspection of his troops. His Post is a most pleasant one and all the comrades of his old regiment were most gladly welcomed and entertained. His wife, son and daughter added much to make the occasion a most happy one. His daugh- ter is a very interesting young lady who had almost a romantic if not tragic rescue from death this last year.
I met other comrades, but the confusion, rush of the various duties, and amusements of the week prevented me from retaining their names. Col. Benson, who has a knack in so doing, showed us many favors, and we were brought together at divers times and places with agreeable surprises and pleasures, the last being at a sort of special Sunday service at parlor Z at the Windsor Hotel, Montreal, at which were present the Treasurer of the State of Maine, the Insurance Commissioner of New Hampshire, the purveyor of beauty and interior decorations for Boston, with several judges and eminent men from Massachusetts. Several ghost stories were told, among which was one by Benson of the orator who could not remem- ber names and had written the names he intended to mention on the lapel of his coat.
In Artemas Ward's celebrated lecture on " The Babes in the Woods" he returns time and again to his subject by saying, "All this I would have said had not my subject been ' The Babes in the Woods,'" and closes in the same manner.
My wedding journey was the conventional one (see Howell) ; it included the Niagara Falls, across the lake, among the Thousand Islands, down the Rapids to Montreal and through the White Moun- tains. I again saw the White Mountains, but this time from the rear of an observation car, was a few hours at the falls where a week was passed before, missed the Thousand Islands and the Rapids by a de- lay of train, and at Montreal found St. Lawrence Hall left in the shade by the Windsor Hotel. It was a quarter of a century ago.
J. P. CILLEY.
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MIDDLEBURG AND UPPERVILLE.
MIDDLEBURG AND UPPERVILLE.
MY DEAR COMRADE TOBIE :- I have thought that some inci- dents of the fight at Middleburg on the 19th of June, 1863, would be interesting.
You will remember our position, under the crest of the hill in the woods on the left of the pike (Cos. C and G were in the same battalion at this time), where the bullets and shells were thickly fly- ing through the trees. I do not remember the length of time we were there dismounted, but it does not matter. Orders came to mount and we moved up over the crest and charged down the other side and up another slight rise into a small open field directly in front of a growth of timber.
The enemy were massed in a cut in the road. We used the car- bine fora while, when they were observed to be falling back. There- upon Major Boothby gave the command to drop carbine and draw sabre, and by that time they were out of the cut. We followed them at a charge up the road. Capt. Brooks, Lieut. Kimball and myself were at the head of the column in the order named from the right. We pursued them through a belt of timber until we came to an opening on our right, in which a large force were in line at right angles to the road. As soon as they saw us they began to make a movement towards our flank. Lieut. Kimball commanded "Fours-right
about !" -- probably his last words. When we went back I saw Corporal John W. Neal dismounted in the woods on the right of the road. He was there found dead. Capt. Brooks' horse took the bit in his teeth -- as he did at Brandy Station - and he was taken prisoner, but escaped and went with a rush through the forest, when he struck a low branch and was swept from the saddle. A confederate came down upon him, and hitting him .over the head with his sabre cautioned him to " lay low," which he wisely did, and when they were again driven back he was safe in our lines.
Just before we made our first movement Lieut. Kimball put a roll of bills into an inside pocket in his vest, calling Capt. Virgin's atten- tion when he did it. The enemy held the ground sufficiently long to strip his body of sabre and belt and pistols, hat, coat and boots. His vest they did not take. The money was found covered with his blood.
We numbered twenty-three in this engagement, of which two were killed and seven wounded. We were now without a commis-
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FIRST MAINE BUGLE.
sioned officer, and our number so few that we were temporarily assigned to Company G.
I was recently interested in reading the life of Gen. J. E. B. Stu- art, by his Adjutant General, H. B. McClellan, and was particularly interested in what he writes relating to the fight at Upperville, which I quote :
The last charge of the day was made by Col. P. G. Evans' regiment of North Carolina Cavalry, of Robertson's brigade. This was the regimen which had become disordered in retiring through the town. Col. Evans was determined to atone for this disgrace. Placing himself at the head of his column of fours in the narrow lane, and pointing with his drawn sabre toward the enemy, he cried, as with the voice of a trumpet, "Now, men, I want you to understand that I am going through !" He kept his word, but fell mortally wounded in the midst of the enemy, whose ranks he had pene. trated too far for the recovery of his body. A feeble attempt to follow this regiment as it returned from the charge was checked by Hampton's brigade and darkness closed down upon the scenes of this hard-fought day.
Accepting the statement in regard to the action of Col. Evans, I beg to differ in the other particulars; Evans did penetrate our lines but he came alone. I write from personal observation. It made a vivid impression that I shall never forget. The picture of the field in the history of the regiment shows the ground on which it oc- curred. Our battalion had charged up to the stone-wall - the one running at right angles to the pike on the right and centre of the picture-and dismounted. Anumber of the enemy was seen on the gentle rise just beyond the wall. We did not stay there long but were ordered elsewhere. I held on, however, and discharged my pistol at some scattering ones I saw in the tall grain or grass. I think a Co. B comrade was with me. After emptying my pistol I mounted and started to follow the battalion. Looking in the direction of the gap - the rise in the background -- I saw a column of the en- emy in the road and noticed an officer in their front facing them. In this position he may have said the words, as stated. However that may be, he soon faced about and dashed for our line. His hat was blown off' as he rushed down the pike, and his long gray locks were flying in the wind as he passed near where I was standing, about the centre of the field on the right. The poltroons did not move, but stood right there in column of fours on the pike and saw their gallant commander dash for our line without making any movement whatever. If I remember correctly we were not making " feeble attempts " at that time, or any other in my memory.
ยท
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WHAT'S A CAMP-FIRE?
.
During the Maryland campaign, 1862, after we reached Fred- erick, a detail from Co. C was doing escort duty under General Rodman. After " Antietam" we rejoined the regiment at Fred- erick. Soon after we were detached on duty at Monocacy Junc- tion, where we remained until the forward movement begun which ended so disastrously at Fredericksburg.
Yours in Fraternity, Loyalty and Charity, HORATIO S. LIBBY.
[See pp. 165-172, and picture pp. 199, 264, 173, 448, 173, History.]
WHAT'S A CAMP-FIRE? BY WINSOR R. SMITH, CO. K .*
Well, I won't be offended ; 'Tain't no wonder such selfish minds
As yourn can't comprehend it. I reckon you's one of them fellers that didn't go nigh,
Though you must have bin about as old as I.
You was a little lame ; Had symptoms of very coarse veins, And your mother on you depended.
Well, perhaps you was right ; That vein might have busted in some fight,
And your country-well, thank God, was defended.
What do we do at these camp-fires? Well, now. I can't hardly tell,
But it makes my old bosom swell
When we sing those old army airs,
And there's a spot way down in my heart
That kinder burns like a spark
When we open them with the old chaplain's prayers.
Some of the boys makes verses, And some on em, too, is pretty fair, But such fellers as you can't understand them no how Cause, you see, you warn't there.
They tell of the tough times, and the fun That we used to have out in the field, When we's Uncle Sam's blue-bellied pets, And 'twan't no crime for sodgers to steal.
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