USA > Maine > First Maine bugle, 1892 (history of 1st Maine Cavalry) > Part 19
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Comrades Albert H. Edgecomb, Edward Jordan and Gilbert N. Harris were appointed a committee to nominate three places for the next reunion. This committee subsequently reported the names of Orland, Me., Washington, D. C., and Warrenton,
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Va. The committee stated that cordial invitations had been received from Orland and Eastport, Me., but in view of the fact that the reunion had once been held in Eastport, that the National Encampment Grand Army of the Republic is to be held in Washington next year and some of the comrades wish to go to Warrenton and from there visit the old camp grounds and battle fields, they selected the three places named. After a spirited discussion, Washington was chosen.
The following were chosen a committee to nominate officers for the ensuing year : Field and staff, Dr. J. P. Sheahan; Co. A, Sidney W. Clark; Co. B, Rodney Sparrow; Co. C, Horatio S. Libby; Co. D, S. E. Griffin; Co. E, B. H. Putnam; Co. F, C. W. Skillings; Co. G, Volney H. Foss; Co. H, George E. Goodwin; Co. K, Dr. George Cary; Co. L, Henry R. Coles- worthy; Co. M, Gardiner A. Savage. This committee subse- quently reported the following list, which was accepted, and the officers as named were elected :
President, Gilbert N. Harris, Boston. Vice President, Llewellyn G. Estes, Washington, D. C. Secretary, Charles A. F. Emery, West Medford, Mass. Treasurer, J. P. Cilley, Rockland.
Corresponding Secretary, Orrin S. Haskell, Pittsfield, Me.
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The annual report of the Treasurer, Gen. J. P. Cilley, was pre- sented, and ordered printed in the next number of the BUGIE, the auditing committee reporting that they had examined it and found it correct,
The treasurer and editor of the BUGLE were authorized to insert appropriate advertisements in its pages for their own benefit.
Comrade C. W. Skillings offered a set of resolutions, which were referred to the corresponding secretary, to be by him presented to the Maine delegation in Congress.
A resolution of hearty thanks to the comrades, ladies and citizens of Houlton, for their generous hospitality ; and to the railroads and steamboats, for their reduction of rates, was passed, and the meeting adjourned. After a photograph had been taken of the comrades and ladies, and a concert by the
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band, the line was again formed and marched to the Snell House, where it was dismissed, and the visitors were at their own sweet will until evening.
The Ladies' Ausiliary held their meeting as usual, and the sons of the comrades held a meeting and organized the "Sons of the First of Maine." The accounts of these meetings were published in Call 6, last October.
THE EVENING GATHERING.
Between the exercises at Ingersoll's Grove and the evening exercises, the comrades enjoyed themselves like children out of school. Indeed, from the time of their arrival until their departure, these veterans of the war of more than a quarter of a century ago, all in the vicinity of fifty years of age, and some of them. with sons who are voters, behaved more like boys than sedate fathers and grandfathers. The meeting of the old com- rades, and the revival of old memories, served to make them for- get their age, and once more they were young. If ever the saying "the soul does not grow old" was proven, it was at this re- union. Fun was abundant and hearty, though the exuberance of boyhood was tempered by experience, and the fun did not grow offensive -- it was clean-cut and gentlemanly, always.
In the evening the Houlton band gave an open-air concert in the square for an hour or more, and had many and appre- ciative listeners, receiving well-won plaudits from the veterans.
About eight o'clock the comrades and their ladies and sons assembled in Music Hall, as did also many of the citizens of Houlton. Here what may be called the formal exercises were held, though it must be said they assumed a tinge of the in- formal before they were over. Upon the platform were seated Gen. J. P. Cilley, Major Lyman S. Strickland, Chaplain S. A. Fuller, Capt. Black Hawk Putnam, and Capt. George Cary, who was the presiding genius of the evening. After music by the band, Capt. Cary, with a few pleasant words, introduced Major Strickland, as one who, whether in a military or civil capacity, is ever on hand when wanted. Major Strickland then welcomed the veterans in language substantially as follows :
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ADDRESS OF WELCOME.
.Comrades and veteran soldiers of the First Maine Cavalry : I do not know ont I may be a willing prisoner to your gallant regiment this evening, and while in your power I am obliged to reply to the flattering introductory remarks of my friendl, Dr. Cary. I simply present myself to welcome you in behalf of the town of Houlton, i. the most brief and informal manner, and bid you a cordial welcome to our beautiful village and county. In presenting to you this welcome, I know but few words -- ti: few simple words of a sollier; I am capable of using no cthers; only such seem appre- priate. Standing here in the presence of so many brave and gallant men who have it's their lives on many battle fields -- representatives of a regiment and brigade of s many prominent and distinguished men -- generals, colonels and other officers, both in the civil and military affairs-but few words will be required from me. No words of fulsome praise and flattery can seem to be very pleasant to men who have fol- lowed the great leaders of the army of the Potomac, and have received their word's of praise and appreciation.
The First Maine Cavalry needs no eulogy. Your deeds of valor have long since become a part of our history, and will be read as long as our land shall last --- your own most enduring monument. The meeting of so many comrades, after so many years of separation, will bring back afresh to your mind the many stirring events of the camp, the march, the scout, the bivouac, the picket and the fight. Doubtless. comrades, there still linger in your ears, the stirring notes of the bugle; again you are rushing forward with the charging squadrons; you hear the clash of arms, the din of battle, and the shouts of victory. We are happy that in this, your re-union, you will have had a pleasant and enjoyable occasion, and that in story and song you will have renewed the military ardor of your early years. And, veterans, when yo: depart and go to your honies, we trust that you will carry with you pleasant meio- ries of this occasion, and that you will ever feel that the veterans of the First Maine Cavalry are remembered and honored in the hearts of the citizens of Houlton. We fil our glass and drink Long life and prosperity to the surviving members of the First Maine Cavalry, and fill them again and drink to the memory of our heroic dead.
GEN. CILLEY'S RESPONSE. Gen. Cilley was next introduced, and spoke as follows :
Major Strickland, and Citizens of Houlton: I am somewhat embarrassed-not what to say, but what not to say. When one has felt your hospitality so thoroughly and so well as yesterday and to-day, the abundance of what should be sail embar- rasses me. When we have chicken so fresh and tender that it went down our throats with sweetest taste; when we have beans which have the flavor of the woods and the pines in theni,-a favor so rich, so true and so perfect that it calls to mind other days and other appetites; when we have tables with other luxuries almost too numerous to mention; when to these we add the kindest hearts and sweetest faces of your ladies and your giris, what words can express our thanks ? I am appal'ed at all this. And to this welcome and hospitality of yours is added the welcome of the clements, and of your charming aic, which intoxicates and inspires us.
A reference to war is certainly appropriate at a re-union of a regiment, that in its way did some fighting. Having recently passed into a foreign country and entered
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the " front door yard" of the United States at its eastern gate, it may be well to con- template the warward experiences of the State of Maine. I am led in this direc- tion, because in a certain recent able article on our State, the names of our present delegation in Congress are exhaustively given, while her record in war is dismissed by the mention of four officers and that 72,000 men served, omitting all reference to the halo that glistens like the northern lights over the tier of the extreme northern. States, and is typified in the record of the Fifth New Hampshire, which sustamed the greatest loss in battle of any infantry regiment in the whole Crion army; 'in thet of the Vermont Brigade, which sustained the greatest loss of any one brigade during the war; in that of the Iron Brigade of Wisconsin, which, in proportion to its num- ber, sustained the heaviest loss of any in the service. But Maine, reaching further north, shows the relentless purpose that comes from her grasp of winter by doubling the regimental records minde by her sister States of the stalwart North. I am tempt- ed to find farther fault with this article because it erroneously add, thirty years to the age of General Knov, changes the musical name of Margaretta to Margaret, makes Weymouth sail up the Penobscot, and omits to mention Champlain, the most daring and knightly explorer who ever visited Maine waters, whose description will serve as sailing directions to-day. It however shades one fact correctly. It leads us to wonder why the statue of William King appears in the Hall of Statuary at Washing- ton, while Phipps and Pepperell stand before us daring and picturesque, both native born, with a flavor of Maine through their whole lives. It is a fact rich and deen that the echoes of Phipps' axes and mallets still resound with the added impulse of over one hundred and fifty years, along the shores of Long Reach, on the Kennebec.
It is a fact that in every war, leaving out the local Indian contests, Maine las met the enemy on her own soil or in her own waters. Massachusetts boasts her Concord and Lexington, Rhode Island her Gaspee, but Maine leads the colamm in sea fights. Never was a more daring and heroic action fought on water than that of the capture of the Margaretta, in Machias Bay. Forty men, twenty only armed with muskets and three cartridges each, and the rest with pitch-forks, crowded on the small sloop Unity, pursued and overtook the schooner Margaretta, armed with sixteen swivels and four cannon. Undaunted by the first failure to board the schoone:, in which the captain was left alone on the schooner and in the face of the fire of seven guns aimed at him jumped overboard to escape the British bayonet, he swam back to the sloop and again laid her alongside the Margaretta, and with empty m.s- kets and pitch-forks went over the side for death or victory. And the Margaretta was the capture of the American flag, with ten men killed and ten men woundedl. A living poem, surpassing every romance. Yet it is unmentioned in our school books, and the Commissioner of Spanish Claims' statue is in Washington.
The war of Iste led to an occupation of a portion of Maine and to a large num- ber of minor skirmishes along our coast, actions in which the spirit of the Machias patriot was inactive or Jead. It only manifested itself in one fight, that of the Er- terprise and Boxer, of the coast of Bristol. In the war of the Rebellion we were the only State north of Pennsylvania in which the enemy was seen. The cutter Cushing was captured by the rebs. in Portland harbor and as valiantly re-taken 1; volunteers of that city.
Massachusetts may boast of her Shaw Rebellion, Rhode Island that she crushed the Dorr Insurrection, and New Hampshire the Revolt at Exeter, while Maine can claim the similar honor of wiping out Eliott and his copperhead fangs. Of all the
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States Maine alone has had a foreign war in her own borders and on her own - In February, 1839. a draft of ten thousand men was called to arms and 333) arni ; soldiers, cavalry, infantry and artillery, marched towards our north-eastern boun lors, with ammunition and cannon, to preach the gospel of Maine and Maine laws for. Mars Hill. The blustering ranks and the gathered forces of New Brunswick sent back their solitary prisoner and regretted coveting any portion of Maine soll. The Aroostook war closed in a blaze of glory and the efficient Adjutant-General of Maine started for Washington with full bills of expense incurred in prosecuting such war, and these bills were as promptly paid by the United States. We got both the glory and the pay, and the Legislature and people commence 'talking about a verd to Aroostook and have continued talking up to the present time, and now Comrad: Burleigh, of our reginient, stands ready to begin building such road. The people outside ask, " What is the matter with Arvostook ?" The neighboring pines and hemlocks answer, "She's all right." This is what we hear looking into the Garden of Maine at the eastern gate. And we now rejoice to breathe your air, to ent the fruits of this garden, and to be held enchanteil by your welcome and hospitality.
LETTERS OF REGRET.
Lieutenant Edward P. Tobie then read the following letters, the name of Gen. Charles H. Smith calling forth a round of ap- plause :
HEADQUARTERS 19th INFANTRY, FORT WAYNE, DETROIT, MICH., Sept. 5th, IS91. MY DEAR CAPTAIN : I have hoped until to-day to be able to be with you and the other comrades at the re-union, the roth inst., but find at the last moment that I am doomed to disappointment. I especially wanted to go to this re-union at Houlton, because there is the home of Company E., a company that gave so much, did so much, and sacrificed so much to the honor and glory of the regiment. The names of Ellis and Collins and Heald, and all their fallen company comrades should be reverently called in token of the tender remembrances in which they are held. . I shall regard my enforced absence as a personal loss, bat hope in future to be ante to control events so that I can attend every reunion and fully enjoy the pleasure they afford me. Please convey my greetings and best wishes to every one, and oblige, Yours most sincerely,
C. H. SMITH.
BANGOR, ME., Sept. 9th ISSI.
CAPT. B. II. PUTNAM, Houlton, Me.
My Dear Sir : I am very sorry that important business will prevent my leaving here for Houlton in the morning, to join with you and other members of the First Maine Cavalry Regiment in the annual re-union. I have never been in your beasti- ful town. I say beautiful because it has always been represented to me as such. and I was in hopes that I should have the pleasure of seeing it this year, at the same time that I should be allowed the great pleasure of again looking at and greeting many of the surviving members of that grand old regiment of the war of 1861-1865. I know that there were a lot of brave men in that regiment, for when
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1 was a boy, on several occasions I looked into the faces of many of them to see if i could find out whether we were in much danger or no, and we were in some places that I knew or believed to be pretty hot, and I can truthfully say that I did not detect anything in those faces at the time that indicated other than a determina- tion to perform such duty, as they were assigned to perform, and! I took courage accordingly. I cannot be with you in person this year, but shall be in best wishes, respect and love for you all.
Sincerely yours, A POETIC GREETING.
HENRY L. MITCHELL.
Lieut. Tobie also read the following, saying it was written by an old schoolmate in Lewiston, a lady now residing in the West, who learned that the regiment was going to hold a reunion, and having a kindly interest in the regiment, sent this greeting :
AFTER TAPS.
DEDICATED TO THE FIRST MAINE CAVALRY. BY A DAUGHTER OF MAINF. When the Union was menaced with danger, You sprang to your steeds for the fray; Though War stood before you a stranger, You faced him with naught of dismay; The warfare of life is not ended, Still are battles before you, perhaps; But when the last post is defended, Your rest will be sure after Taps; After Taps, old First Maine ! After life's wearing strain, Ob, when the last combat is ended, And the Right you have bravely defended, Your rest will be sure after Taps.
That man has the best of the quarrel With Evil, who faces his foe; And he who aspires to the laurel The wounds of the victor must show; Life offers exacting conditions, Holds many defeats and mishaps; But effort wins higher commissions, And peace settles down after Taps; After Taps, brave First Maine! After hardship and pain, When you've nobly falfiled life's conditions, And won your eternal commissions. Then peace will be yours after Taps.
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Day by day are your ranks growing thinner, One by one gains the roll of the dead; While Fate, the inflexible spinner, Waits to sever life's weakening thread; But when the hard contest is over, And Death each brave veteran enwraps, Then under the red and white clover Your sleep will be sweet after Taps : After Taps, grand First Maine ! In the dew and the rain, Oh, under the blossoming clover, When the march and the conflict are over, Your sleep will be sweet after Taps. Angust 13, 1:91.
ADDRESS BY COL. DRINKWATER.
Col. Albion C. Drinkwater, of Braintree, Mass., was next called upon, and said, substantially :
I don't know why I should be called upon here this evening. There is no ques- tion which I was asked to speak upon-no subject has been assigned to me, and ] don't know of anything worthy of taking up any of your time. But as a son of Maine and a member of this grand old regiment living in a neighboring state. one of the organization known as the Massachusetts Branch, perhaps I may sy something about this. Two years ago we had the pleasure of entertaining the largest number of the comrades that ever met together. The state of Massachusetts welcomed you and the City of Boston gave you a welcome that you who wer. present will never forget. It gave us who have taken up our residence in the oll Commonwealth much pleasure that the city and State so honored you. But I ds not think you enjoyed it so much as you have in Houlton. Never before have we had the pleasure of seeing this garden. I must say from the little I have seen that the tale has not been half told. I have traveled over this country somewhat exten. sively, but have never seen better soil or a prettier outlook than I have seen here. It is grand to live here. The products of your soil are superior to any that come t. our market. Whatever you send us comes first-class. Your welcome to the boys to-day proves that you love the boys who went out in '61-'65, and those who went from here gave you a reputation that is co-extensive with the country.
ADDRESS BY DR. SHEAHAN.
Dr. John P. Sheahan of Dennysville, was next called upon, and spoke as follows :
It gives me the most lively pleasure to meet the people of Houlton on this osca- sion. I feel that I am not altogether a stranger to the people of your county, bav- ing made two very successful war lecturing tours with the stereopticon to your larger towns. They were a grand success in one way. I carried my audience with me, or more properly speaking, I could have done so-in a hand cart.
Hart's
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Gen. Cilley who has just addressed you has given us the military history of Mot.co. If I were now to give you my full personal history as a soldier you would have a pretty good idea of what an effort it took to " crush the rebellion." The gentleman who gave the address of welcome said that there were present distinguished generals, colonels and lieutenant colonels, but entirely omitted the fact that there was present at least one distinguished corporal. I was a corporal in Co. K, First of Maine. That is to say, I held that exalted position for several weeks, when the captain of the company came to the conclusion that there was too much of me for a corporal, an las none of the larger offices were vacant, he handed me my resignation and I went bac !: into the ranks. I did not sulk, leave the service and go home for I felt that I need- ed help to bring the war to a successful close. I knew that it would be given me for I had always used the poor privates well while I was an officer. This may seem like boasting to some of you who have not had the pleasure of knowing ine, but I have here a letter from the Adjutant General of the State, written in 1862, giving his estimate of my case.
STATE OF MAINE-HEADQUARTERS ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, AUGUSTA, SEPTEMBER Stb, 1862. MR. DANIEL K. HOBART :
DEAR SIR -- John P. Sheahan (you will please notice the name is French --- my father came from Limerick County, France), is credited to Biddeford; the mayor of that city has been notified of your claim. Did he enlist before the 23d ult., or since? If prior to that date, your quota being full, Bildeford could claim him. Enlisting after that day he would count for you by whomsoever his bounty was paid. How is this fact ? If he took the Biddeford bounty enlisting before August 230, you must send on six able-bodied men. Very respectfully.
JOHN L. HobsDON, Adjutant Gexira !. Per E. B. S.
Now you can see why it was that my captain was not willing for me to remain a corporal. He may have felt that there was too much of me for a general, even. Now how this estimate of my immensity ever reached Houlton I cannot say, bat on going to a hotel this morning the clerk looked at me with a fixed stare and sail, "I can put four of you in one room and the rest in another." Not wishing to be divided I concluded to take rooms on the piazza of the Snell House until the exigencies of the occasion would allow me to move in.
A great deal you know has been said about the efficiency of the First Maine Cavaky. Now I am perfectly willing for the sake of courtesy to admit that every man in the regiment was my equal. We were recruited up to three thousand; multiply this by six and we Lave eighteen thousand, and that was about our fighting size. Thus no doubt we looked to Stuart as we rode through confusion, a solid column, with glitter- ing sabres, up through the guns, capturing his headquarters, uncovering the plans of Lee. Memories of that field forever glorious ! I can see it now! As with flash- ing sabres we learned the lesson, and learned it well, that it was easier to win victory than to endure defeat. The Southern troops found that the Yankee cavalry had learned to ride and to fight. Henceforth victory was to perch upon our banners. Aldie, Middleburg and Upperville, where we pressed them through the mountain gaps and held them with gates of steel until our scouts climbed the mountain tops on i saw Lee's great army niarching with its face toward the north.
This afternoon my friend, Dr. Cary, kindly took me in his carriage through your town and into the country around it. As I stood on Parade hill and looked over your
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prosperous town and smiling fields I tried to imagine how it must have looked when only a few cabins stood where your beautiful town now stands, what an effort it cost to press back the forest and uncover to the san these fertile fields which at the touch . of the hoe smile into bountiful harvests. Aroostook is often spoken of as the " Ger- den of Maine." As far as I know it is the garden of America, and ever since I first saw it, it has been a mystery to me why our young men who go west to struggle and fail, do not come here where pleasant homes spring up at the bidding of honest effort
Several times since the war I have gone over the battlefields, where you made your reputation as a fighting regiment. Two years ago I climbed the hills where we charged on that eventful 17th of June, 1863. I walked up the road where the dead lay so close together. I stood behind the stone wall to the right of the road where we dismounted and where I saw strong men, whose faces were covered with dust of the march and grimed with powder, shed tears like children when they learned that Colonel Douty lay dead in the road far out to the front. At Middleburg I walked along the stone wall against which the left of our regiment was thrown, upon the stones of which, at the close of the struggle, there were crimson stains made sacred by the sacrifices of Kimball, Taylor, Neville and others, Then up through the grove to the right, where we pressed them back, out into the open fields where Stuart and his staff stood looking on. Then I went back to the great tree where we buried the boys who had done all that a soldier can do for his flag. I could not keep back the tears for memory was busy with the days that tried men's souls. I could see them there side by side as we lay them with their white upturned faces as we covered them up and marched away to another field.
SERGEANT CLARK'S STORY.
Sergeant Sidney W. Clark of Co. A, made a few. remarks, and told in a quaint way, which created much amusement, the following :
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