USA > Maine > Maine; a history, Volume II > Part 23
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"It is fair to Frye to remember that Delany is a suspicious witness and that Rhodes, after considerable examination of the working of the Provost Marshal's Bureau, says that "beyond a doubt Frye's management was honest and efficient."
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Different from yet allied to the question of graft or corruption, is that of the making or conniving at false statements by public officers. Select- men freely made affidavits that the men whose credit they bought were residents of or liable to enrollment in their towns, when they knew that such was not the case. They excused themselves on the ground that the affidavit was a mere form, that the men were living in the United States and not claimed by any town, although this statement was accepted on the mere say so of the brokers, and that they might be regarded as residents of the town to which they were assigned.
Higher officials were also concerned in the matter. Adjutant-General Hodsdon had some knowledge of what was going on and connived at it. When consulted by the agents of towns, he advised them to fill the quota from residents of their towns, and made entries on his books in such a manner that the towns would not be able to claim reimbursement from the State for bounties for the purchased men. But in the matter of giving credits, he regarded himself as the mere clerk of the United States assistant provost marshal general at Augusta. When the question of the credits first arose this office was held by Major Gardiner, a highly honorable man. A list of names for credit was presented to him. He at first accepted it, then decided that the responsibility was too great, and refused to return the list, but sent it on to Washington. Soon after, Major Gardiner was re- moved and Major Littler put in his place, and orders came from Washing- ton to credit the men in the list as the agents desired. Major Gardiner had been in poor health, but Adjutant-General Hodsdon testified that his duties were always well performed. Major Gardiner for some months tried in vain to be reinstated, and he firmly believed that he had been got out of the way that a more compliant man might be put in his place.
A naval commission consisting of the Governor of Maine and the act- ing assistant provost marshal-general had been established to deal with the matter of naval credits. Adjutant-General Hodsdon was asked by the investigating commission :
"Q. Was there not a great anxiety on the part of the Naval Com- mission to swell the claim of naval credits as much as possible for the pur- pose of relieving the State from bounties and the towns from the pressure of the draft, so that less scrutiny was exercised in examining said returns than would have been under different circumstances?"
"A. Yes."
"Q. Did not the duplication of returns give municipal officers oppor- tunities to claim the same man twice over in many instances, and did not the Naval Commission, in all such cases, fail to correct such duplication?"
"A. The names upon returns were extended upon the books and indexed as fast as claims were filed, and it was the duty of the clerks to make thorough examination of the recorded names upon each return and strike out those names duplicated. A slight variation in names was very likely to have secured improper allowances."
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Political considerations also had their influence in assignments. A State agent for recruiting in Washington and the South wrote to Adjutant- General Hodsdon: "I have today forwarded the papers fully approved, of 31 naval recruits from the gun-boat Canonicus; as I only desire to retain a sufficient number of these men to remunerate me for the actual expenses incurred, you or the Governor, or both, are at liberty to assign 10 or 15 of them to any towns that may be hard pressed politically, if it will aid us any in the election."
An investigation of the subject of the paper credits was made in 1870. Governor Cony was dead, but a member of an earlier committee stated upon oath that the Governor had told the committee "that he distributed these credits for political purposes, that if he had to do it again he might do it in a different way, but should do it because we were fighting, as he said, a political battle of equal importance, in his opinion, to any in the field."
The affair which made the greatest stir in the matter of the paper credits was the alleged granting of sixty naval credits to A. B. Farwell to dispose of at his pleasure. Mr. Farwell was a man of some prominence in Maine, and his conduct was the object of severe criticism. He gave several statements of what his action as recruiting agent had been, and there were serious discrepancies between them. The investigating commission of 1870 remarked:
"With the most strenuous purpose to credit Mr. Farwell, we should be perplexed to determine which Mr. Farwell,-the one who, fresh from the event, in February, 1865, made a statement before the legislative investigat- ing committee, which was taken down in writing by Hon. Nathan Webb, or the one who more than six years after the event-subscribes and swears to the testimony taken before us. In the former he states that he had a commission from the adjutant-general, and procured all his men under that authority. In the latter he swears that he refused to take a commission from the adjutant-general, and to be considered a recruiting officer, and only had a letter from the Governor. In the former he said that he paid a maximum of $600 for men, and $450 for a personal substitute. In the latter he testifies that he paid a maximum of $700 for men and $550 for a personal substitute. In the former he relates that of his 60 or 80 men all but twelve or twenty were men already in the Navy, on board two different war vessels, whose enlisting papers he had bought. In the latter he makes oath that the whole number, not varying ten from seventy-five, were en- listed and mustered into the army in the vicinity of Washington. In the former he plainly implies that he bought the enlistment papers of Stim- son's, Gaslin's, Emery's and Manley's men. In the latter he admits that he bought only Emery's and Manley's men, and it is otherwise proved that he did not buy Stimson's. In the former he makes no complaint of mis- assignment or loss of men. He was so successful that he had men to spare, and after generously donating ten or fifteen men, which the adjutant- general assigned for political purposes at his written request, he sold what he had left so as to get back what he had paid out, and a little more. In the latter he complains under oath that he lost some 50 or 60 men, by the misassignment of the State authorities, and more than $30,000 which he had
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disbursed for them, more than what he got back by sale and payment, and that the State authorities repaid this loss by turning over to him 60 or more men from the general naval credits. It is difficult to reconcile these two statements or to make them appear like veritable recitals of the same trans- action."
Mr. Farwell's final explanation was that his men were credited to towns by mistake, and that to save him from heavy loss naval credits whose sale would balance his expenses were put at his disposal by Governor Cony. The commissioners mentioned various improbabilities in this story, and regarded it as unworthy of belief. It may be that they did not make suf- ficient allowance for real defects of memory.
Adjutant-General Hodsdon confirmed Farwell's story and his evidence is valuable. On the other hand, papers relating to the matter had disap- peared and some which remained threw doubt on Farwell's tale. An elab- orate discussion of the matter might unduly lengthen the chapter and weary the reader. Those with a special interest in the scandal or a fond- ness for historical puzzles, will find material for further study in the com- missioners' report.
Another person who later played a prominent part in Maine politics and who was involved in the sale of credits to towns, was Joseph H. Manley of Augusta. He testified before a committee in 1866 that he had by con- siderable effort secured the credit to Maine of the men whose names were on his list, and that he refused an offer of $550 a man if he would abandon the Maine claim and prosecute in behalf of Massachusetts. In 1870 Mr. Manley was an officer of the Internal Revenue bureau. A request for his attendance on the commission was sent in, but he seems to have been unable or unwilling to appear.
Chapter XVIII HISTORY OF MAINE REGIMENTS
CHAPTER XVIII
HISTORY OF MAINE REGIMENTS
The First Regiment-This was composed chiefly of companies already existing. It enlisted for three months in the United States service, went to Washington, did no fighting, and returned home when its term expired. Many of the officers and some of the men re-enlisted in what was consid- ered by the authorities a new regiment, and named the Tenth Maine. Most of the old companies, however, retained their identity and letter, but Com- panies A and D, formerly the Portland Light Infantry and Portland Rifle Corps, were not recruited to the required number and other companies were raised to take their place. The new Company A came from Saco. Company D came from Aroostook and New Brunswick, and many of the soldiers were deserters from the English garrisons. Its first campaigning was under Banks in the Shenandoah Valley, where it won high honor and suffered serious loss at Cedar Mountain. It was also heavily engaged in the battle of Antietam. Late in April the regiment was sent home for dis- charge, the period of service being reckoned as two years from the muster in of the First Maine. Companies A and D and the three years' recruits were retained and formed into the Tenth Battalion. The battalion remained a separate organization, serving in Virginia, Tennessee and Louisiana, for about a year, and was then merged in the Twenty-ninth Maine, which had been raised by officers of the Tenth.
In February the Twenty-Ninth took a highly honorable part in the Red River expedition. A little later it was sent to the Shenandoah Valley, and distinguished itself in the battles of Winchester, Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek. It remained in the Valley till the end of the war, and took part in the Grand Review at Washington. A portion of the regiment was then discharged; the rest was sent South, where it remained, maintaining order and, with the Freedman's Bureau, governing the district where it was sta- tioned, until June, 1866, when it was then mustered out. An excellent account of the triple regiment, especially interesting at this time, may be found in the history of the First, Tenth and Twenty-Ninth Maine, by Major John M. Gould. This is one of the very best of the histories of Maine regiments. It is not a mere description of battles, but gives a vivid picture of the life of the camp. Bound with the history is a good account of the Tenth Battalion by Chaplain Leonard G. Jordan.
Second Maine Infantry .- The second regiment was drawn from the Penobscot Valley, chiefly from the upper part of the district. Five of the companies were reorganizations of voluntary companies. The others were specially raised. Six came from Bangor, and one each from Brewer, Old Town, Milo and Castine. Although the second to be mustered in, the regi- ment, thanks to the measles in the First, was the first to reach the front.
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It left Bangor on May 14, but did not arrive at Washington until May 30. being obliged to remain on Long Island, New York, for about a fortnight, while it also wrestled with the measles. Flags were presented to it in Ban- gor, Boston and New York, and at Centreville on the way to Bull Run it received a magnificent silk banner costing $1,200, the gift of Maine ladies residing in San Francisco. It had been sent to the first Maine regiment, and a question arising as to whether this meant the first to enlist or the first to reach the front, the donors were appealed to and they requested Vice- President Hamlin to select to receive it the first to reach the front, or a regiment composed in part of lumbermen. The Second possessed both qualifications, and was given the flag.
The regiment took an honorable part in the battle of Bull Run, where the new flag was saved with the utmost difficulty. Messrs. Whitman and True say in their history, "Maine in the War":
"Capt. Jones of Company C, which was the color company, fell in the first charge, mortally wounded. He was taken prisoner and died during the month, at Richmond, Virginia. Lieut. Skinner of his company was cap- tured while he was endeavoring to rescue him from the enemy. William J. Deane of Company A, color sergeant, was mortally wounded at the same fire as Capt. Jones, while carrying the new and beautiful flag presented to the regiment but the day before from the ladies of San Francisco. He was placed on a stretcher and fell into the enemy's hands, but died the same day. Chaplain Mines wrote that he saw him after he was wounded. He was carried off tenderly and laid on the grass close by a little brook. A shot had broken his arm and cut through his throat, so that he breathed through the wound. Lieut .- Col. Roberts had told him meantime the fate of the flag. He beckoned to the chaplain, who knelt and put his ear close to the sufferer's mouth. He whispered, 'It's safe!' 'What,' said the Chaplain, 'the flag?' He nodded his head, smiled, and closed his eyes. He never spoke again. The flag, stained with his blood, was seized as he fell bv Corporal Americus V. Moore of Old Town, a member of Company K, another of the color guard, who was almost instantly shot dead, and the flag was left on ground which the rebels immediately occupied. All shouted at once, 'We must have that flag.' Up the hill Col. Jameson led the regiment. The rebels almost had their hands on the standard, when our men rushed to the rescue, and it was recovered without being polluted by rebel hands."
The flag, or rather the remnant of it which is left, is owned by Mrs. F. L. Tuck of Bangor and was carried in the Liberty Loan parade of April 6, 1918.
The Second had won honor by its bravery at Bull Run, but a little later some of its members stained its reputation by a mutiny. The regimen: had enlisted for three months under the President's call, and for two years in the service of the State. While on Long Island they were visited by a United States officer who wished to muster them in for three years, and most of the men signed a three years' engagement but some refused. On August 3, three months after the regiment left the State, 66 men refused to do duty. Such action was unjustifiable, for they were at least bound for
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two years to the State. They were arrested, tried by court martial and sentenced to imprisonment on the Dry Tortugas, "but this was commuted to a transfer to the Second New York, where they served about one year when they were returned to the regiment and served faithfully during the remainder of its term." The regiment took part in the Peninsular cam- paign, doing good work at Hanover Court House and Gaines' Mill. It suffered considerably at the second Bull Run, and at Fredericksburg lost nearly a fourth of the number engaged. The regiment was present but not heavily engaged at Chancellorsville, and about a fortnight later was sent home for discharge, its period of service being considered as two years.
Third Maine Infantry .*- The Third Maine was mustered into service on June 4, 1861, with Oliver O. Howard as its first colonel. "The regiment was composed largely of hardy specimens of Kennebec lumbermen. The average individual weight of one company was one hundred and seventy pounds." The regiment shared in the long hard march to Bull Run, the misfortunes of the battle and the disorderly retreat. Shortly afterward it was stationed on Flag Hill, and is reported to have executed a neat bit of camouflage. Messrs. Whitman and True say: "The operations of 'the stove pipe artillery,' as it was called, originated here. The boys went into a meeting-house, got a piece of stove pipe, mounted it on a pair of wagon wheels that they obtained, and run it up a hill in sight of the enemy, where- upon the rebels commenced firing at it with their cannon; our boys aban- doned their 'gun,' after the first shot, but had the satisfaction of seeing the enemy waste twelve shot on it."1
The regiment took part in the Peninsular expedition, and lost nearly a third of its number killed and wounded at Fair Oaks. It was actively engaged in the battles of the Second Bull Run and Chantilly, and greatly distinguished itself at Gettysburg. It again suffered severely in the Wilder- ness. Its lieutenant-colonel and major were both killed in the first battle of that campaign. Its term of service being about to expire, it was ordered home while in line at Cold Harbor, was returned to Augusta, and there disbanded.
Fourth Maine Infantry .*- The Fourth Maine Infantry was raised in the Penobscot Bay region. Four companies came from Rockland, two from Belfast and one each from Damariscotta, Winterport, Wiscasset and Searsport. The regiment reached Washington on June 20th. It took part in the battle of Bull Run, losing 21 killed and mortally wounded. By a curious coincidence the first man to fall, Sergeant-Major Chapman, of Rockland, had been the first to enlist.
On September 21 nearly a hundred men in the regiment mutinied. The
*One of Fox's "300 Fighting Regiments." In this chapter a * will be placed at the head of the sketch of each regiment belonging to the 300.
"Whitman and True, "Maine in the War," 63.
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cause, or pretext, was the same as that which had produced the outbreak in the Second Maine, a dispute as to the term of enlistment, the soldiers claiming that they had enlisted for three months only. They were of course arrested and tried, and 97 were transferred to a New York regiment. Company H was disbanded and replaced by a new company raised in Bangor and Belfast. Colonel Berry, the commander, though an officer of unusual ability, was not fitted to cope with a mutiny. His kindness of heart and love for his men made him unwilling to take severe measures. Perhaps his reluctance was increased in this instance by the circumstance that the chief offender, Company H, came from his home town, Rockland, and that Company D, which was also seriously involved in the affair, con- tained many Rockland men.
The Fourth was, however, by its splendid courage, to make noble atone- ment for the misconduct of some of its members. The regiment did not take a prominent part in the Peninsular campaign, although it was engaged in a sharp fight at Fair Oaks, but it greatly distinguished itself at the Sec- ond Bull Run and at Chantilly. In the first battle it lost in killed and mor- tally wounded, twenty per cent. of the men actively engaged, and in the second battle twenty-five per cent. At Fredericksburg its loss was much greater. It was not involved in any of the hopeless and fatal attempts to storm the enemy's position, but it fought splendidly in meeting a Confed- erate attack and lost more than half of its number. It took part in the battle of Chancellorsville, and at Gettysburg was engaged in the desperate struggle of the second day. Its losses were not so large as at Fredericks- burg, but were still very severe. Both Colonel Walker and Major Whit- comb were wounded, the latter mortally, and there being no lieutenant- colonel, the command developed on a captain. At the battle of the Wilder- ness it met with its severest loss, 46 killed and mortally wounded, 122 wounded and 3 missing. It was lightly engaged at the Po River and Spottsylvania, and more heavily at the North Anna. "The Fourth Maine lost three majors killed in action: Major Pitcher was killed at Fredericks- burg, Major Whitcomb fell mortally wounded at Gettysburg, and Major Grey was killed at the Wilderness." The term of service of the regiment expired on the 15th of June, 1864, when it was ordered home for muster- out, and the recruits remaining in the field were transferred to the Nine- teenth Maine.
Fifth Maine Infantry .- The Fifth Maine Infantry was the first regi- ment from the State which was composed entirely of new companies. Lieutenant Bicknell's history of the regiment gives a roster of companies by which it would appear that Portland furnished three, and Gorham, Biddeford, Saco, Brunswick, Lewiston, Bethel and Minot, one each.
Its experiences on the journey to Washington, the march to Bull Run and in the battle, were similar to those of other Maine regiments. Like the Second and Fourth, it was guilty of mutinous conduct, but not for
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the same reasons. There had indeed been some difference of opinion as to the true term of service. Mr. Bicknell states under date of August 31 : "About this time there was much excitement and discussion upon the ques- tion whether the Fifth Maine was really a three years' or a three months' regiment, many taking the latter ground. But it finally quieted down into a settled conviction that we were good for three years, unless sooner dis- charged by death or the War Department. We all thought that the former was destined to do the heaviest business in that line." Trouble came not because of any question of service, but from the appointment of new officers. Colonel Dunnell resigned, and the officers of the regiment "elected" (really expressed a wish that the Governor would commission) Lieutenant- Colonel Illsley, colonel; Major Hamilton, lieutenant-colonel; and Captain Thompson, major. But about a week later there came a report that Colonel Jackson, formerly of the First Maine, was to take command. Lieutenant Bicknell says: "Now there was fun among the officers. They laughed at our speculations, but methinks we could then see expressions of intense anxiety and disappointment depicted on their countenances. If he came, of course, the recently elected officers failed of promotion. Fearful ac- counts had reached us of his 'tyranny,' yet there was not a man who did not know that we needed somebody to straighten us out. Our discipline was at the lowest ebb."
The feeling was the stronger because the adjutant and quartermaster were also superseded by former members of the First Maine. The new men had never been under fire, the officers of the Fifth had, and had done well, and it was felt that they deserved promotion. Moreover, Jackson was a Republican, Illsley a Democrat, and it was suspected that this was the real cause of the favor shown to Jackson.
Officers encouraged the men to disobey Jackson's orders. Captain Thompson made a speech criticising the action of the Governor, and de- nouncing the appointments from the First Maine in bitter and unmeasured terms.' Speeches announcing that they should leave the regiment were made by Illsley and Hamilton. The next afternoon crowds gathered before headquarters, yelling "Send Jackson home." "The camp for an hour was almost a pandemonium ; all order was destroyed." At last the arrival of an aide of General Slocum's, threats of the Dry Tortugas, and the tardy effort of the line officers restored quiet and the soldiers saw that there was noth- ing to do but submit.
"So ended the mutiny in the Fifth Maine, nor was a second ever attempted. Under Colonel Jackson the regiment grew; a strict discipline
"General Butler says in his "Book" that for the commander of a battery which he wished raised in Maine for the New Orleans expedition he recommended "Captain Thompson, one of the best artillery officers that I ever knew, as well as one of the most pronounced Hunker Democrats. But I may say here that when he got to New Orleans and saw the iniquities of the system, he turned one of the most virulent oppo- nents of slavery in my command, save Phelps."
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was inaugurated, special care was given to the comfort and welfare of the troops, and but a few weeks rolled by before we were as proud of our bat- talion as we were ashamed before. Colonel Illsley afterward served in the Twelfth Maine as adjutant, under Colonel (afterwards General) Shepley. Captain Thompson also re-entered the service, and served with considerable distinction as commander of the First Maine Battery.
"Quiet and order restored, the power of the ringleaders destroyed, we proceeded to the regular duties of the camp. None were punished, a fact which served to render Jackson popular at once."
In the Peninsular Campaign, the regiment did good work, with slight loss at West Point, and made a gallant charge with heavy loss at Gaines' Mill, the casualties amounting to 10 killed, 69 wounded, and 16 missing. "Colonel Jackson was wounded and carried from the field, and Lieutenant- Colonel Heath, upon whom the command then devolved, while riding up to ascertain whether our troops were firing on friends or enemies, was shot through the head and died instantly." Major Scamman was in the hospital, and for a while each man fought as pleased him best. The regiment was also engaged at Charles City Cross Roads, standing firm under a terrific cannonade. At Antietam and the first Fredericksburg the regiment was in reserve; it did excellent work at the second Fredericksburg and Salem Church. In the latter battle it lost exactly one-third of those engaged. In the Gettysburg campaign it did little fighting, but some very severe march- ing. Lieutenant Bicknell says: "The Sixth Corps, led by the Fifth Maine Regiment, arrived at Gettysburg, having made a continuous march of nearly forty miles in nineteen hours, all this after the forced marches of nearly a week. During that severe march, I am reliably informed that in our own regiment there were only four stragglers."
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