USA > Maine > Cumberland County > Harpswell > History of Brunswick, Topsham, and Harpswell, Maine, including the ancient territory known as Pejepscot > Part 66
USA > Maine > Cumberland County > Brunswick > History of Brunswick, Topsham, and Harpswell, Maine, including the ancient territory known as Pejepscot > Part 66
USA > Maine > Sagadahoc County > Topsham > History of Brunswick, Topsham, and Harpswell, Maine, including the ancient territory known as Pejepscot > Part 66
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Nothing further has been obtained in regard to the participation of these towns in this war, except the list of soldiers engaged in it, which will be found in the Appendix.
After the close of this war the military spirit was still kept alive, and the companies did not any of them disband for several years. The different towns also took care to see that a stock of ammunition was kept on hand, and the town of Brunswick in 1816 authorized the selectmen to build a new powder-house, at an expense of one hundred and fifty dollars.
In 1825, Captain John C. Humphreys was chosen lieutenant-colonel of the Second Regiment, First Brigade, Fourth Division of State Militia, and Joseph Demeritt was appointed quartermaster.
In 1829, Major Andrew Dennison was elected colonel, and Captain John A. Dunning major, of this same regiment. They were all Brunswick men.
The MECHANIC VOLUNTEERS, of Brunswick, was organized in 1836. Who the first officers were is unknown. In 1843, John A. Cleaveland was elected captain, George S. Elliot, lieutenant, and William K. Melcher, ensign.
Musters for review and parade were of almost annual occurrence in these towns in former times. The earliest one known to have taken place was in Brunswick in 1809. It was a brigade review. Similar
1 Narrated by Captain Sinnett himself, who is still living upon the island.
696
HISTORY OF BRUNSWICK, TOPSIIAM, AND HARPSWELL.
inspections were held in Brunswick almost every year up to 1825, when it was held at Bath. In 1829 the Brunswick Light Infantry Company and the Rifle Company were notified to appear for duty, July 4, probably for escort duty, and a dinner was given them at the Tontine Hotel. September 21, 1836, the Second Regiment of First Brigade and Fourth Division was inspected in Brunswick, and on September 14, 1842, the annual inspection and review of all the mili- tary in this vicinity took place there. The line was formed on Maine Street in the morning, and about half past ten the line of march was taken up for the parade ground, about a mile from the village on the river road. It was stated in the papers at that time that the light infantry and volunteers of Brunswick and the rifle companies of Tops- ham and Durham deserved especial notice "for their neat uniforms and good discipline." In 1844 there was a muster, on the twenty-third of September, of the First Brigade of the Fourth Division and attached independent companies, and this is the last occurrence of the kind in this vicinity, so far as known, prior to 1861.
At a muster which occurred on September 25, 1822, some difficulty arose in regard to the proper place in the line for certain companies. The trouble culminated in a court-martial.1
BURLESQUE MUSTERS. - In 1836 the law required all persons tem- porarily sojourning in a place, who were liable to military duty, to turn out for a general muster in May. That year the students of Bowdoin College being warned to appear, and not wishing to refuse to obey a legal summons, but disliking the duty, appeared in fantastic and gro- tesque costumes. They appeared in the same manner in 1837, and although the obnoxious law was soon repealed, the custom was kept up by the students for many years, a burlesque " May training " hav- ing occurred as late as 1856.
BRUNSWICK IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION.
When the Third Maine Regiment passed through Brunswick in 1861, on its way to the seat of war, a salute was fired and a collation pro- vided. That town was zealous in its support of the national govern- ment, and not only voted this year $1,500 to pay the expenses of recruiting, clothing, and fitting out volunteers from the town, but also voted to pay each volunteer " a sum sufficient, with what is paid by government, to equal twenty dollars per month during the time they
1 Owing to the size this volume has already attained, it is found necessary to omit the account of this trial.
.
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MILITARY HISTORY OF THE THREE TOWNS.
may be in the public service," and appropriated $5,000 for the support of the families of those who enlisted.
At the annual meeting in 1862, the town of Brunswick voted to furnish assistance to the families of such of the inhabitants as were in the service of their country, either in the army or navy, and to those who should thereafter engage in such service, to such amount as pro- vided for by an Act of the legislature, so long as they should continue in the service, The treasurer was authorized to borrow $6,000 for the purpose. The town also voted to guarantee the payment to each and every volunteer, who enlisted under the last call for troops, or who should enlist by the fourth day of August, in either of the regiments of the State which were then in the field or in either of the new regi- ments to be formed, and who should be actually mustered into the service of the United States as one of the quota of the town under the recent call for troops, one hundred dollars over and above the boun- ties offered by the State and the United States, to be paid at the time of being mustered in. This time was afterwards extended. The town also voted to hire $5,200 for the above purpose, and a rallying com- mittee of thirty-three was chosen to induce enlistments. Though the large majority of the citizens of Brunswick were intensely loyal, there were some lukewarm ones and a few "Southern sympathizers," who apparently desired to see the Southern Confederacy firmly estab- lished. One of these individuals was said to have given encourage- ment to the Confederates by his letters, and the case was made known through the public press. To show the sentiment of the town, the following resolutions were passed at this meeting : -
" Whereas, W. S. Lindsey, a member of the British Parliament, is reported to have stated in his place in that body that he had lately received a letter from a ' citizen of strong Union feeling in Brunswick, in the State of Maine, expressing his hope for British intervention in the contest now going on,'
" Therefore, Resolved, That the citizens of this town will spare no pains to discover and ascertain whether this declaration thus made by a member of Parliament is a fabrication, or whether we really have among us such a black hearted hypocrite, traitor, and knave, as could thus scek to add the calamity of a foreign war to our present distresses.
"Resolved, That we need something more than such a naked declaration to convince us that there is in our midst such a com- pound of the villain and the fool ; but if it should prove that there is, be it further
" Resolved, That we will purge the fair fame of our town by con-
.
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HISTORY OF BRUNSWICK, TOPSIIAM, AND HARPSWELL.
signing him to the deserved punishment of all traitors, whenever he shall be discovered.
" Resolved unanimously, That the citizens of this town abhor the idea of foreign interference in the affairs of the Republic. That we will always resist, to the utmost of our power, the intervention of any monarch or potentate whatever against our government, and that we hold in utter detestation the fiend or fool who would seek to bring such a thing about.
" Resolved, That Brunswick is no home for traitors, and that if any lurk here pretending to be men 'of strong Union feelings,' while secretly sympathizing with the rebels in arms against our government, they had better remove before they are discovered.
" Voted, That a copy of the above resolves be signed by the mod- erator and clerk of this meeting and be sent, one to the Honorable Freeman H. Morse, and one to the Honorable Charles F. Train at London, and that a copy be sent for publishment in the Portland Press, Boston Journal, and the Brunswick Telegraph."
At a special meeting, held August 23, the town voted to guarantee to each volunteer who should enlist in any of the nine months' regi- ments, between that date and the time fixed for a draft, the sum of twenty dollars, to be paid when such person has been accepted by the governor as a part of the quota of the town. It was also voted to hire nine hundred and twenty dollars for the above-named purpose, and a committee was chosen to solicit subscriptions for a volunteer fund, to make up the sum of fifty dollars to each volunteer.
At another meeting, held August 30, the town voted an additional sum of eighty dollars for nine months' volunteers, making a total of one hundred dollars. It was also voted to hire $3,680 for this.purpose.
[1863.] At the March meeting in 1863, the towns voted to furnish aid to the families of persons in the service of the national govern- ment, either in the army or navy, to the extent allowed by the law of the State, and to such an amount as the State had agreed or might hereafter agree to refund to the town. The treasurer was directed to hire for this purpose, as a temporary loan, $6,000.
At a special meeting, held August 17, the selectmen were directed to pay each drafted man who was, in person or by substitute, mustered into the United States service, a bounty of three hundred dollars. Payment was to be made as soon as practicable after such drafted man or substitute had been mustered into service. It was also voted to hire $20,000 for this purpose.
At a special meeting, held November 21, the town voted to pay two hundred and fifty dollars each to volunteers credited as part of
699
MILITARY HISTORY OF THE THREE TOWNS.
the quota of the town, under the call of the President, dated October 17, 1863. It was also voted to hire $14,000 for this purpose. On December 1, an additional bounty of fifty dollars was voted, which brought the whole up to three hundred dollars. Voted to hire $2,800 for the additional bounty.
[1864.] At the annual meeting of the town in 1864, it was voted that the debt of the town incurred in raising money for the pay- ment of bounties, and expenses connected therewith, should be funded as authorized by the Act of February 20, 1864, and that bonds there- for should be issued in such sums as the selectmen and town treasurer deemed most for the interest of the town. The bonds to be payable after three, and not exceeding twenty years, at the pleasure of the town, with coupons attached, bearing yearly interest not exceeding six per cent, payable semiannually.
The selectmen and treasurer were authorized to issue such bonds to the amount of $35,000. The town also. at this meeting, voted aid to the families of soldiers as heretofore, and to borrow $7,000 for the purpose.
At a special meeting, held August 8, the selectmen were authorized to expend a sum not exceeding twenty-five dollars per man, of the town's proportion of troops required by the call of July 18, 1864, in paying recruiting agents and other necessary expenses of procuring enlistments. It was also voted to pay each recruit raised to fill the quota of the town. under the last-mentioned call, such bounty as the recruit might be entitled to receive from the State, according to the terms of General Order, No. 27, issued from the adjutant-general's office, July 20, 1864, said bounty to be reimbursed to the town from the State treasury agreeably to the provisions of Chapter 227, of the laws of 1864. It was also voted to hire $1,550 for recruiting pur- poses and $12,000 for paying bounties.
At another meeting, held August 15, a bounty of five hundred dol- lars for three years' men, four hundred dollars for two years' men, and three hundred dollars for one year's men, was voted to enrolled men fur- nishing substitutes, under the call of July 18, 1864. It was also voted to pay volunteers enlisting to fill the quota under said call the same sums as bounties as were paid to enrolled men furnishing substitutes, . and to pay a bounty of three hundred dollars to men who may be drafted under that call. Voted to borrow $20,000 for the above pur- poses, and the selectinen were authorized to appoint recruiting agents to fill the quota of July 18, 1864.
[1865.] At a special meeting, hield February 11, 1865, the town voted to raise $1,300, to be expended in paying the expenses of recruit-
700
HISTORY OF BRUNSWICK, TOPSIIAM, AND IIARPSWELL.
ing to fill the town's quota of troops, under the call of December 19, 1864. It was also voted to pay cach volunteer, each enrolled man furnishing a substitute, and each drafted man entering the service of the United States in person or by substitute, three hundred dollars for one year, four hundred dollars for two years, and five hundred dollars for three years. An additional bounty of fifty dollars was also voted to each veteran volunteer who had served at least two years and had been honorably discharged, and twenty-five dollars to each volunteer who had served at least nine months. The town voted to raise $25,000 for the above bounties. At the annual town-meeting this year, it was voted to aid the families of soldiers and sailors as heretofore, and $7,000 was raised for the purpose.
TOPSHAM IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION.
The earliest reference to this war found in the town records is dated May 1, 1861. At a special meeting of the town held at this time, the selectmen were authorized to make proper provision for the support of the families of all persons having a legal residence in town, who might enlist in accordance with an Act of the State, passed at the extra session of the legislature, and approved April 25, 1861, during their absence from the State, and whose families might stand in need of assistance, and the selectmen were authorized to borrow the money necessary for the purpose, or to assess the town therefor. It was also at this meeting voted to pay all persons who volunteered their services to the government, eight dollars per month while they were away on duty.
[1862.] At the annual meeting in 1862, the selectmen were author- ized to raise money for the support of the families of volunteers.
At a meeting held July 26 the town voted to give a bounty of one hundred dollars over and above the bounties paid by the State and the United States, for each volunteer who had enlisted "under the last call for troops," or who might enlist up to the time of drafting (dating from July 26, 1862), in either of the regiments of the State that was already in the field, or that should be formed, provided he was finally accepted and mustered into the service of the United ยท States as one of the quota of the town, under the recent call for troops. The selectmen were also authorized to hire $1,800 for the purpose, or so much of that sum as might be necessary.
There being some question as to whether this action of the town would be legalized by the legislature, forty-six citizens pledged them- selves, to the amount of fifty dollars each, to indemnify the selectmen if the doings of the town were not legalized.
701
MILITARY HISTORY OF THIE THREE TOWNS.
At a meeting of the town held August 29 it was voted to pay a bounty of one hundred dollars to each volunteer who would enlist in the service of the United States, under a call from the President for 300,000 men for nine months, and it was also voted to raise $2,500 for the purpose, or so much thereof as might be necessary.
Sixty-five citizens pledged themselves to indemnify the selectmen in the sum of fifty dollars each, should the action of the town not be legalized by the legislature.
At a meeting held December 6 the town voted to reimburse all those citizens who had subscribed money for volunteers. The town also at this meeting voted to raise three hundred dollars for the needy fami- lies of soldiers
[1863.] At the annual meeting in 1863 the town voted to raise seven hundred dollars to be paid as bounties for soldiers.
At a meeting held July 18 it was voted to pay drafted men, or those who provided substitutes, three hundred dollars each.
At a meeting of the town, August 27, the selectmen were author- ized to pay drafted men, or those who provided substitutes, three hun- dred dollars each, and to procure a loan for the purpose, not exceed- ing $5,000, for a term of years, and bearing interest annually.
At a meeting held November 7, it was voted to pay each volunteer one hundred dollars, whether new recruit or veteran.
The treasurer was authorized to raise by loan sufficient money to pay this bounty for a number not exceeding twenty-one volunteers.
At a meeting on December 2, it was voted to pay two hundred dol- lars more in addition to the one hundred dollars voted in November for volunteers. The treasurer was authorized to borrow a sum not exceeding $6,300 for this purpose.
[1864.] At a meeting held January 6, the selectmen were in- structed to raise a sum of money, not to exceed $1,000, for the purpose of obtaining and paying volunteers, and they were also instructed to take such measures as in their judgment seemed best to fill the quota of the town.
In August it was voted to pay a bounty of five hundred dollars to enrolled men furnishing substitutes previous to the draft under the last call (July 18, 1864) of the President of the United States for 500,000 men for three years, to pay a bounty of four hundred dollars to those furnishing substitutes for two years, and to pay a bounty of three hundred dollars to those furnishing substitutes for one year, to be paid after the substitutes were accepted and mustered into service on the quota of the town under said call. The selectmen were also
702
HISTORY OF BRUNSWICK, TOPSHAM, AND HARPSWELL.
authorized and directed to pay volunteers, enlisting to fill the quota of the town under said call, the same sums as bounties, for the same periods as are before stated, and to pay a bounty of three hundred dollars to men who might be drafted under said call, to be paid after such volunteers and drafted men were accepted and mustered into service on the quota of the town under said call. The selectmen were also authorized and directed to pay to men drafted under said call, and furnishing substitutes, the same sums as bounties, for the same periods as before stated, to be paid after such substitutes were accepted and mustered into service on the quota of the town. It was voted to raise by loan $15,000 for this purpose.
[1865.] At a special meeting, held January 21, 1865, to see if the town would vote to accept the surplus men already enlisted and take measures to pay them, it was voted to accept them, and that the money raised August 17, 1864, be appropriated to pay the men so far as was necessary. The selectmen were authorized to take such action as they deemed best to provide men and means in case of another .
call, which was then anticipated.
At the annual meeting, the town voted that the selectmen be author- ized to raise $5,000 to be expended in raising men for the govern- ment.
[1867.] At the annual meeting this year, the selectmen were authorized to raise a sum not exceeding $10,000, at not more than seven and three tenths per cent interest, to meet the liabilities of the town. It was also voted to fund the town debt and issue bonds to the amount of the debt, payable, one fourth of the sum in five years, one fourth in ten years, one fourth in fifteen years, and one fourth in twenty years ; said bonds to bear six per cent interest, payable semi- annually, and to be disposed of to the best advantage by the select- men as fast as necessary, to meet the liabilities of the town for its existing indebtedness.
[1868.] At the annual meeting in 1868, the town voted that the sum to be raised to fund the debt of the town, as authorized by the town in 1867, be limited to $20,000.
HARPSWELL IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION.
[1862.] The earliest action of the town of Harpswell having refer- ence to the late civil war was at a special meeting, held July 21, 1862. At this meeting the town voted to raise money to induce men to enlist as volunteers in the army. They voted to raise $2,000, and pay each man who might enlist or be drafted one hundred dollars when mus-
703
MILITARY HISTORY OF THE THREE TOWNS.
tered into the service. A committee of four, namely, Albert T. Tru- fant, Lemuel HI. Stover, Alexander Ewing, and Alcot S. Merryman, was chosen to procure the quota of men required from Harpswell, and to pay the same their bounty. The selectmen were also author- ized to furnish aid to families of volunteers at their discretion.
There appears to have been a doubt as to the legality of the above action of the town ; and in order that the votes might be carried into effect. a number of prominent citizens signed a paper agreeing to indemnify the selectmen in case the action of the town was not legal- ized by the legislature of the State. The amount pledged was $3,270.
On the fifth of September it was also voted to pay each man who should enlist into the United States service one hundred dollars as a bounty for him to enlist as one of the nine-months' men, under the call of the President, of August, 1862, and to continue paying it until the draft was commenced, unless their quota should be full before. The bounty was also to be extended to those enlisting in old regiments, if reckoned as a part of Harpswell's quota. It was also voted to extend aid to the families of those who enlisted, if in the opinion of the select- men any ai:l was needed. The selectmen were also chosen a commit- tee to solicit men to enlist and to pay the bounties.
At a special meeting, held on September 12, it was voted to place the bounty at two hundred dollars per man, instead of one hundred, and the town treasurer was authorized to hire money for the purpose of paying these bounties.
[1863.] Several town-meetings were held in 1863. At one, held on June 29, the town voted to raise three hundred dollars for each drafted man in Harpswell under the Conscription Act, and to place the money in the hands of the selectmen to be used in paying the bounty to those who were mustered into the United States service, or in furnishing substitutes, or in paying fines for those who were liable to be mustered under said Act. The selectmen were authorized to hire the money for this purpose. At a subsequent meeting, held July 25, the above action of the town was reconsidered, and the article in the warrant under which the vote was passed was laid on the table. A vote was then passed similar to the foregoing, except that instead of paying cash, the selectmen were anthorized to give " town orders " for the amounts, the orders to be on interest at six per cent, and to run for ten years, or at the discretion of the town for a less period.
At a meeting held October 6, David Webber and Sylvester Stover were elected a committee to hire money to take up the town orders. On November 7, Lemuel H. Stover was delegated to go to
704
IIISTORY OF BRUNSWICK, TOPSHAM, AND HARPSWELL.
Augusta and confer with the adjutant-general and governor, concern- ing an enlistment of non-residents, and also in regard to having the enrolment reduced. On November 24 it was voted to raise $8,250, to induce men to enlist to fill the town's quota of volunteers, under the call of the President, dated October 17, 1863. The selectmen were instructed to hire the money, and to pay each man two hundred and seventy-five dollars, or less, and if they could not fill the entire quota to obtain as many as they could.
[1864.] On March 7, 1864, a special meeting was called to see what method the town would take to answer the call of the President, of February, 1864, for more men, and whether they would vote to raise money for bounties, etc. This article was " dispensed with," and the meeting adjourned. At a special meeting, held August 1, Lemuel H. Stover was chosen an agent to go to Augusta, and confer with the adjutant-general and governor as to the best method of fill- ing the quota of Harpswell under the call of the President, of July 18, for 500,000 volunteers. The meeting was adjourned to August 8, at which time it was voted to instruct the selectmen to issue to each enrolled man under the above call a town order of three hundred dollars when mustered into the service, the order to be on interest, and to be in addition to the State and United States bounties. The selectmen were also to appoint an agent to procure recruits, and it was voted to raise eight hundred and seventy-five dollars to pay the expenses of the agent. This vote to issue town orders for three hundred dollars was, however, rescinded at a meeting held August 25, and it was then voted to raise $15,000 by issue of town notes to that amount, payable in five years (or at the option of the town in a less time), the money to be disbursed by the agent as follows : Three hundred dollars to each man who should enlist or furnish a substitute for one year, four hundred dollars for two years, and five hundred dollars for three years, under the call of the President, of July 18.
[1865.] On January 17, 1865, the town voted that each enrolled man who enlisted upon the quota of Harpswell, under the last call of the President, or any future call, should receive from the town the sum of three hundred dollars for one year, four hundred dollars for two years, and five hundred dollars for three years, either in scrip or money, at the option of the selectmen ; and each enrolled person who might have, or should furnish, two hundred dollars for the procure- ment of a substitute to represent him, in the army or navy, upon the quota of Harpswell, under the last call, or any future call, should
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