USA > Maine > Knox County > Camden > History of Camden and Rockport, Maine > Part 29
USA > Maine > Knox County > Rockport > History of Camden and Rockport, Maine > Part 29
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1. See " Maine at Gettysburg," Pages 291-324.
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to dash against the wall of blue and the Nineteenth Maine was lying directly in its path. Pickett's charge was about to be made. At one o'clock the artillery of the enemy opened the cannonade that was to prepare the way for the charge and for ninety minutes the Nineteenth suffered the rain of shot and shell with no pro- tection but a stone wall. Then from the far-away woods the magnificent charge began. Pickett's division, the flower of the South, with splendid discipline swept across the mile and a quarter of intervening fields, regardless of artillery shot and in- fantry bullets poured upon them by the waiting soldiers of the North. The Nineteenth began firing when they were 300 or 400 yards away. Webb's brigade of Pennsylvania first received the shock of their advance, and gave way before it, but the Second Corps rushed to the rescue, the Nineteenth Maine among the first. While the Titanic struggle is going on batteries of friend and foe are throwing shot and shell into the area of the struggl- ing mass. The Confederates break through and are thrust back in a hand to hand combat. The Union line is pushed back from the wall and the Confederates possess it. The men of the Nineteenth and their comrades move down upon them and they are hurled back again. The line is preserved, the last wave re- ceedes, the great battle is won, the rebellion has received its death blow, the Union is saved. 1 Of the Camden men in the regiment Joseph W. Wilson and John F. Carey were killed and Edward B. Sheldon, Daniel G. Lamb and Amos B. Oxton were wounded.
The Sixth Battery, known as "Dow's Battery" being under command of Lieut. Edwin B. Dow, on its arrival July 2, reported to Maj. Freeman McGlivery. 2 The enemy had just captured four guns of a Massachusetts battery and under directions of McGlivery the Sixth Battery opened fire upon them and restored
1. At the " Bloody Angle " where the regiment awaited Pickett's charge, was erected of Hallowell granite the State's monument to the Nineteenth.
2. See " Maine at Gettysburg," Pages 325-347.
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GETTYSBURG
three of them, after driving the enemy away. Later McGlivery found the enemy advancing in full force, and hurried into position Battery I. 5th U. S., three guns of the 5th Mass., two guns of Thompson's Penn. Battery and another volunteer Battery. As the Sixth went into position it came under a heavy fire from two Confederate batteries, to which Dow responded with shot and shell. Soon the enemy evidently determined to dash through the batteries. No infantry was at hand to support them and the batteries were in a most critical and perilous position. The Sixth Maine and Fifth Mass. alone stood to their guns pouring in upon the advancing enemy canister shot with such rapidity that they were forced to retire. The Sixth expended 240 rounds of ammu- nition, and while under a severe fire lost not a man killed and but eight wounded. On July 3, the Battery did good service in break- ing up the Confederate batteries engaged in shelling the Union line before Pickett's charge. And when Pickett's line advanced the Sixth assisted in pouring upon them such a withering fire that only decimated regiments at last reached Hancock's line to be hurled back by the Nineteenth Maine and the other regiments that met the charge of the doomed Confederates. But five men of the Sixth were wounded during the day's action, and during the two days the Battery did not lose a gun. 1
It only remains to say that the First Maine Cavalry, attached to the Brigade of Gen. J. Irvin Gregg, bore itself bravely in the cavalry battle on July 3, and on the following day began its work of following up the retreating forces of Lee, hanging upon his flanks and capturing many of his stragglers and wounded, until he crossed the Potomac on July 15. 2
1. The monument to the Sixth Battery at Gettysburg is of Hallowell granite, with a group of cannon balls upon the plinth.
2. "Maine at Gettysburg," Pages 469-516. The monument to the First Mine Cavalry was erected on the Hanover Road.
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
CHAPTER XLV.
ON MANY BATTLEFIELDS.
1863. After the battle at Gettysburg the Union army followed the retreating enemy back across the Potomac.
The Second Battery followed Gen. Lee into Virginia and went into camp at Kelley's Ford. In September it marched to near Culpepper and thence to the Rapidan River. Later it was ordered into Camp Barry, artillery depot, Washington, where it remained for the winter.
The Fourth Regiment also followed into Virginia, its division meeting and engaging the enemy at Wapping Heights. In the fall it took part in the manœuvres from Culpeper to Centreville, and was present at Kelley's Ford, Orange Grove and Mine Run in November. It went into winter quarters at Brandy Station, Vir- ginia, on Jan. 1, 1864.
The Nineteenth Regiment after marching south, encamped at Morrisville until Sept. 12, when it moved to Rappahannock Station. Later it maintained an extensive picket line on a part of the line of the Rapidan and on Oct. 8, it moved to Culpeper. On Oct. 10, it was called out in haste and two days later was hotly engaged with the enemy at Bristow Station, capturing a stand of colors from a North Carolina regiment, besides a large number of prisoners and small arms. Afterwards the Regiment encamped at Warrenton and Brandy Station, in the meantime joining in the movement to Mine Run and afterwards went into
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ON MANY BATTLEFIELDS
camp at Stevensburg.
The Twentieth Regiment in its movement southward engaged with the enemy on July 10, on the Sharpsburg Pike, losing ten men. In August it encamped at Beverly Ford and later shared in the movement between Culpeper and Centreville, but was not actively engaged with the enemy until Nov. 7, when it took part in the battle of Rappahannock Station, and was subsequently in the affair at Mine Run where it suffered from the severe cold but had but slight loss in wounded and none killed. The Regi- ment was assigned the duty of guarding the Rappahannock Station railroad bridge, where it was comfortably encamped.
The Sixth Battery crossed the Potomac into Virginia on July 18, and there moved to Warrenton encamping there and at Warrenton Junction until Sept. 16, when it marched to Culpepper. On Oct. 12, it proceeded to Centreville Heights subsequently arriving at Brandy Station. In November the Battery was posted along the railroad to assist in guarding the communications with Washington. On Dec. 3, it reached Brandy Station where it finally went into winter quarters.
The First Cavalry Regiment engaged the enemy in a severe battle at Shepardstown on July 16, meeting with heavy loss. In October at Sulphur Springs, it had a strenuous reconnoissance, constantly marching and fighting for six days and two nights. This Regiment also took part in the Mine Run affair, skirmishing, reconnoitering and picketing in extremely cold weather. In the latter part of December, with three other regiments, it made a successful expedition through the Blue Ridge destroying a large manufactory of Confederate government cavalry and artillery equipments with contents, and several tanneries. The Regiment went into winter quarters near Warrenton.
1864. During this year the following Camden men joined the Second Battery : Dexter C. Andrews, Richard Collamore, William House, Ezra B. Hall, Thomas H. Ingraham, Andrew Mitchell, Isaac F. Pattee, Augustus Peabody, Charles M. Prince,
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
and Emnery S. Upham.
The following Camden recruits joined the Sixth Battery : Geo. A. Andrews, Osgood H. Blake, Frederick J. Currier, Henry E. Howard, John H. Marshall, Thos. M. Maddocks, Christopher C. Stinson and Albert E. Studley.
The Eighth Regiment received the following accessions from Camden : Oliver Metcalf, Henry T. Ogier, Nathan B. Hopkins, Ezekiel T. Keller.
Camden also furnished the following for the Ninth Regiment : Peter E. Robbins, Henry S. Simmons, Amos Allen, Hovey M. Andrews, Thomas Blackington, John B. Ott, John Osmond, Francis Overlock, Edward Parkinson, Comfort W. Perkins, Chas. A. Potter, Isaac G. Keller, Joseph T. Keller. Levi Morton, John Noland, Sanford L. Oxton, John E. Playze, John C. Thorn- dike, Edgar S. Packard, Ezra B. Wilson, Sylvanus H. Young, Otis S. Gardiner and Minot D. Hewett.
The Fifteenth Regiment was joined by John E. Thorndike, the Sixteenth by Wm. Green, and the Seventeenth by Edward D. Harrington, all of Camden ..
The Camden recruits for the Nineteenth Regiment were Oscar E. Page, Rufus C. Thomas, Joab Gray, Elvirus E. Gregory, John H. Sumner, Sumner H. Bennett and Geo H. Bennett.
Joseph Bishop and Wm. McLaughlin joined the Twentieth Regiment.
Benj. O. Barrows and Stephen B. Gurney, of Camden, be- came members of the First Battalion of Infantry Co. B. 1
The following Camden men became members of the Coast Guards : Frank Milliken, Lieutenant ; Abraham G. Dow, Ser- geant ; William E. Clough, Musician; Cornelius W. Thomas, Wagoner; Richard B. Grinnell, James P. C. Kimball, Herman Rankin, Herbert Thorndike, Franklin L. Start, and Edgar E.
1. A few of the recruits named in this Chapter as en ering the service in 1864, actually entered in the very last of 1863, and the very first of 1865. The great majority of them, however, entered sometime during the year 1864.
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ON MANY BATTLEFIELDS
Witherspoon.
Erastus R. Dailey, George W. Gregory, Chas. B. Simmons, and Geo. B. Yeaton of Camden became members of the First Regiment of Cavalry. Moses L. Strickland of Camden joined the First Regiment of Heavy Artillery and Levi W. Martin the Thirty- first Regiment of Infantry.
To follow the movements of all the Camden men engaged in their country's defense during the last year and a quarter of the war would be impracticable in a work of the scope of this history, and we shall only be able to touch upon the most important of the many affairs in which they participated during the year 1864 and the early months of 1865.
The First District of Columbia Cavalry, after performing im- portant services at Washington, Portsmouth, Petersburg and elsewhere, joined the Union force at Malvern Hill on July 26, and assisted in repulsing the enemy there. August 2, it crossed the Appomattox river and the next day took up headquarters at Sycamore church. It was on picket line from Aug. 8th to the 21st, near Petersburg on the Weldon and Petersburg railroad. From that time, for several days, it was participating in fights -and skirmishes. On Sept. 15, it was attacked by a heavy force of the enemy from three different points just at the break of day. The fferce attacks of the enemy here and at Cox's Mills, time after time repulsed, until finally the Regiment was forced to retreat on account of the overwhelming force with which it was engaged, is one of the brilliant chapters in the history of the war. In Sep- tember all the Maine officers and men of this Regiment were trans- fered to the First Maine Cavalry Regiment and their history from that time became indentical with that of the Maine Regiment which was engaged during the months of September, October and November in doing picket duty and reconnoitering, excepting that in the latter part of October, it was attacked on the Boydton Plank Road and nobly held its ground against a superior force. Dec. 1, six companies, under command of Lieut. Col. J. P. Cilley,
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
marched to Stony Creek Station and assisted in its destruction, and on the 7th, five other companies assisted at the Weldon Railroad in burning the bridge and barracks, after which the Regiment was again employed principally in picketing and scout- ing. The casualties of the Regiment for the year 1864, were 76 officers and men killed, 215 wounded, and 130 missing in action.
The Second Battery moved out of winter quarters on April 26, joined the 9th Army Corps, and entered upon campaign of the Potomac under Gen. Grant. After various meanderings it engaged the enemy on May 10, about four miles from Spottsylvania Court House. From that time for a period of several days it was participating in severe engagements or throwing up earthworks. In June the Battery found itself in the line of battle then forming in front of Petersburg, where it participated in that famous seige. On July 30, the occasion of the explosion of the mine, the Battery kept up a fierce fire on the enemy's works nearly all day, firing 550 rounds. On Oct. 13, the Battery was removed two miles from the front, occupying the outer defenses of City Point. It did not participate in any subsequent engagements. Thomas F. Simpson of Camden was killed before Petersburg, June 30.
The Fourth Regiment removed from winter quarters March 15th, and was assigned to the 2d Army Corps, as the army was reorganized under Gen. Grant. It was engaged in the battle of the Wilderness losing 34 killed, 147 wounded and three missing. It was then employed in reconnoitering, building fortifications, etc., and later took part in the charge upon the enemy near Han- over Junction. On June 2, it moved to Cold Harbor where it was occupied in building breastworks, rifle pits, etc., until the 13th. The next day it crossed the James river and took position in line of battle, and on the following day was relieved from further duty. This old veteran Regiment that had seen so much service, then returned to Rockland where it arrived June 25, and received suitable honors in a reception under the auspicies of the
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ON MANY BATTLEFIELDS
municipal authorities, and on July 19, the battle scarred veterans were mustered out of the United States service.
The Nineteenth Regiment remained in winter quarters until the opening of the Wilderness Campaign on May 3, in which it participated with severe loss. Then followed the engagements at Spottsylvania, River Po, North Anna, Totopotomy and the san- guinary and useless assault upon the enemy's works at Cold Harbor. On June 15, the Regiment arrived near Petersburg where it took part in the seige and bore itself most meritoriously in the battles of Deep Bottom, Strawberry Plains, Ream's Station and Boydton Road. During the year 1864, its casualties were, killed and mortally wounded 101, wounded 299, prisoners 133, making a total of 533 out of 614.
The Twentieth Regiment left its winter camp on May 1, and from this time until the end of the year had a history very similar to its sister regiment, being engaged in the Wilderness, at Spott- sylvania, North Anna, etc., and participating in the long seige of Petersburg. The aggregate casualties of the Regiment in 1864, are said to be 254.
The Sixth Battery also left camp on May 3, and engaged in the battle of the Wilderness. Its subsequent history for the year is so similar to that of the other troops that to follow it will be almost a repetition of what we have already written.
Among the Camden killed during the year were the gallant Corporal George S. Cobb, who fell in front of Petersburg, Oct. 17 ; Harvey C. Joice, June 9 ; John D. Leach, May 7 ; Albert E. Studley, May 10; while many were wounded and taken prisoners.
The Eighth Regiment remained in winter quarters at Beau- fort, S. C., until the 20th of March, when Col. Rust with 16 officers returned to Maine in charge of 330 men, who, having re- enlisted for a term of three years, had been furloughed for 35 days. The rest of the Regiment continued at Beaufort until April 13, where it embarked for the Department of Virginia and New Orleans, and on the 16th landed at Gloucester Point and was
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
assigned to the 10th Corps, 1st Brigade, 3d Division. Col. Rust with the veterans and a party of recruits returned on April 26, and joined the Regiment, and on May 4, the 10th and 18th Corps embarked on board of transports landing on the same day at Bemuda Hundred where it took part in all the active opera- 1 tions of the army of the James, and on May 16 took part in the battle of Drury's Bluff. Thence the Regiment went by march and transports to White House Landing where it was assigned to the 2d Brigade, 2d Division, 18th Army Corps. On May 31, it took up the line of march for Cold Harbor reaching there June 1, and on the 3d participated in the general assault upon the enemy's line. The Regiment remained in the trenches suffering continual losses until the 11th, when it was relieved and later moved to the defenses of Petersburg being then reduced to 270 guns. The Regiment remained in front of Petersburg under con- tinual fire for the most of the time and engaged in the most exhausting duties, until Aug. 25, when the Corps was relieved from duty before Petersburg and went into the works before Bemuda Hundred. On Sept. 13, Lieut. Col. Boynton was mustered as Colonel and took command in place of Col. Rust, discharged for disability. The Regiment was on Sept. 28, en- gaged in an assault on the enemy's works near Chapin's Farm, and afterwards remained in the trenches near Chapin's Farm until Dec. 5, when it was assigned to the 4th Brigade, 1st Division, 24th Corps, and moved to the right of the lines near Deep Bottom. The Regiment garrisoned the works at Spring Hill and on the 10th, Longstreet's Corps approached very near the work on Spring Hill resulting in a loss to the Regiment of five killed and six wounded. This closed the work of the Regi- ment for the year.
When Admiral Farragut "lashed to the rigging" entered Mobile Bay on Aug. 5, 1864, a Camden man, Capt. James W. Magune, was in command of one of the vessels of his fleet, the Sciota, and took part in all the operations of the fleet and in the bombardment and surrender of Mobile.
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THE WAR DEBT
CHAPTER XLVI.
THE WAR DEBT.
1864. Many town meetings were held during this year to act upon questions relating to the war,-bounties, support of families, etc.
At the annual meeting held March 14, the Town Clerk, Select- men and Treasurer elected in 1863, were re-elected. At this meeting it was voted to raise $1000 for the support of families of volunteers. It was also voted that the town place at the disposal of the municipal officers, a sum not to exceed $6000 "To make temporary provisions for and pay to its recruits if needed."
At a town meeting held Aug. 27, it was voted "That the Town raise two hundred and twenty-five dollars to pay recruiting officers for each and every man they cause to be mustered into the United States Army or Navy either as substitute or volunteer to fill our Town Quota for the last call of the President."
And again on Oct. 17, we find the town voting "To raise the sum of Three hundred and Seventy-five dollars to each volun- teer or drafted man who has or shall enter the service of the United States, or to Principal or Substitute entering such service on the quota of Camden under the President's call of July 18, 1864." It was also voted "To raise by loan the sum of Twenty- one Thousand dollars to pay said sums provided for by vote *
and that the selectmen give Town orders for the same or notes on time not exceeding ten years."
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
Also at a meeting held Dec. 12, it was voted to raise $25,- 000 to be paid, $200 to one year and two years men and $375 to three years men ; which sum it was voted to raise on time not to exceed ten years.
It was about this time, we think, when a strong opposition arose against the draft among some of the citizens of the town and it was feared that the draft would be resisted. So strong was this sentiment that a United States cutter came into Rockport harbor with deck cleared for action and guns pointing to the village. Some who had strongly committed themselves to this movement, with the help of their friends, got away to Canada where they remained until the close of the war. The cutter, however, was not needed and the draft proceeded without trouble.
This year Gov. Cony was re-nominated by the Republicans, while the Democratic candidate was Joseph Howard. Mr. Cony was re-elected by over 19,000 majority.
In Camden Mr. Cony received 387 votes, and Mr. Howard 266.
Elbridge G. Knight of Camden was again one of the Demo- cratic candidates for senator receiving in Camden exactly the same vote as the Democratic candidate for governor. He was not elected, but, by the death of his opponent, he became entitled to the office and served in the legislative session of 1865.
For Representative to the Legislature, George L. Follansbee, Republican, was elected, receiving 386 votes, while his opponent, Ezekiel Vinal, Democrat, received 266.
On the question of amending the Constitution, allowing soldiers, absent from the state, to vote wherever they might be in the Army of the United States, the vote stood, 416 in favor of the amendment and 49 opposed to it.
At the presidential election in the following November the Republican electors received 377 votes and the Democratic electors 281.
On May 6, of this year a sad accident happened on Mt.
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THE WAR DEBT
Megunticook. A Maying party from Lincolnville was seated near the edge of the precipice, nearly one thousand feet high, that overlooks Lake Megunticook and the Turnpike, when one of the party, a young girl some thirteen or fourteen years of age, the daughter of Zadock French of Lincolnville Beach, in attempting to gather some flowers at the edge of the cliff, was thrown forward in rising and fell headlong to a rocky shelf several hundred feet below. She was reached with difficulty and strange to say was still living, with no bones broken, although terribly bruised and unconscious. She was lashed to a plank and lowered from crag to crag, taking several hours, and conveyed to the nearest house where everything possible was done to save her life, but she died that evening. A cross now marks the spot where she fell and the precipice has since been known as "Maiden Cliff." 1
On Dec. 12, Hiram Bass was elected Town Treasurer to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr. Rawson.
This year a very old, prominent and respected citizen, Ben- jamin Cushing, died. Mr. Cushing was born in Hanover, Mass., in 1774. He was the son of Hon. Joseph Cushing, who was Judge of Probate for Plymouth County. Mr. Cushing came to Camden in 1794 with his brother Joseph, and entered into trade in the store vacated by John Dergen on the site of Carleton, Pascal & Co's. store and subsequently built and occupied the Hunt building. After the death of Mr. Hathaway, he succeeded to the office of Postmaster which position he held for thirty years. The salary of a Postmaster in this town was $6.00 per quarter and at the time Mr. Cushing first became an incumbent of the office the mail carrier used to arrive once a week at no particular hour of the day and he was considered punctual if he arrived at any time during the appointed day. 2
Mr. Cushing married Miss Jane 1. See poem "The Mid of Megunticook " by Geo H. Cleveland.
2. The salary of the Postmaster of Camden is $3000 per year, besides which the government pays the wages of seven clerks and there are three mail carriers. The salary of the Camden Postmaster is larger than is paid the Postmaster at Rockland and far exceeds that of any other Postmaster in this vicinity,
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d
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3
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
Eaton, daughter of Joseph Eaton, on Oct 21, 1800. While en- gaged in trade he also carried on the shipbuilding business in which he was concerned for many years. He was several times a selectman of the town, and after the formation of the new State of Maine, he went to Portland as Representative to the Legislature, for one term. He was also a Justice of the Peace. As the most
Benjamin Cushing
prominent business man of the town he went on board the "Furieuse " with the first selectman, Robert Chase, as a hostage, in 1814, as has already been related. Mr. Cushing was one of the most influential of our early citizens and was a man of wealth and character. He was also influential as a Mason and was one of the charter members of Amity Lodge and its first Senior
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THE WAR DEBT
Deacon. Mr. Cushing's residence was situated on Chestnut street, and was built by him. The house in later years has been better known as the "James Seward House " and is now owned by Mrs. Sallie H. Henry. Mr. Cushing had the physique and rugged constitution of many of our early settlers and lived to the great age of 90 years and 6 months. Benjamin and Jane Cushing were the parents of five daughters, viz : Eliza, Julia (who married Frederick Jacobs), Adeline (who married Samuel G. Adams), Sarah (who married Ralph Johnson) and Lucy.
1865. There was no change in the board of Selectmen elected at the annual meeting held this year on March 13, the old board being elected. E. T. G. Rawson was the Town Clerk elected and Hiram Bass the Treasurer.
It was voted that the Selectmen and Treasurer call in all out- standing war debts and issue bonds therefor payable in six years, for an amount not exceeding fifty thousand dollars.
It was also voted "To pay persons, who, by private subscrip- tion gave bounties to volunteers who were mustered into the ser- vice of the United States in the Second Maine Battery, in 1861, and Twenty-sixth Maine Regiment in 1862, and credited upon the quota of Camden, upon satisfactory proof being presented to the Selectmen of the amount so subscribed and paid, the sum of five thousand dollars, to be raised by assessment."
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