Campaign II. JANUARY, 1895. THE Call 1. fV\AINE BUGLE M Its echoing notes your memories shall renew From sixty-one until the grand review. Published Quarterly, January, April, July, and October, and will BE THE Organ of the " Men of Maine" who Served in the War of THE Rebellion. No Other State has a Prouder Record. It will Contain the Proceedings of their Yearly Reunions, Matters of Historic Value to Each Regiment, and Items of Personal Interest TO All its Members. It is also the Organ of the Cavalry Society of the Armies of the United States, and will Publish the Annual Proceedings of that Society, and Contributions from Members of the Various Regiments, North and South, which Participated in the War of the Rebellion. PRICE, ONE DOLLAR A YEAR, OR TWENTY-FIVE CENTS A CALL. Editors, Committees from the Maine Regiments. FUPLIJIiED BY THE AAINE A552aATI2N, ^ ADDRE.SS J. P. CiLLEY, TREASURER, ROCKLAXD, MAINE. Entered at the Postoffice. Rockland, Me., as Second-Class Matter. L THE MHINE BUGLE. CALL 1. CONTENTS. PAGE WITH SIIKRIDAX IN IJvIv'S LAST CAMPAIGN (Continued). Col. Fred C. Nkwiiall 1-7 JURAL EARLY'S POSTlIl'MOrS RRAVKRV. L. F. Dom.E .... 8 SHERIDAN'S RIDE: A LATE VI':RSU)N RY EARLY. RoscoH Dohi.k, Co. K, i6th Maine Reg't . . • . ■ • • • • • .8-11 THE FIFTH NEW YORK CAVALRY AT CEDAR MOUNTAIN AND THE SECOND RULL Rl'N (Continued from page 239, Campaign i). F. S. Dickinson, Fifth New York Cavalry ........... 11-18 REUNION OF VETERAN ASSOCIATIONS : RicrNiON OF Elevknth M.mne Inf.\nty, Rangor, August 14, 15, and 16, 1894 . 18-20 Twelfth Maine Association — Officers ...... 20 Thirteenth Maine Association ........ 20 Reunion of the Fourteenth Maine Inf.\ntrv, Long Island, Portland Harbor, August 8 and 9, 1894 ......... 20-21 Reunion of the F'ifteenth M.-vine Infantry, Peaks Island, Portland Harbor, September 12 and 13, 1894 ........ 21-22 Reunion of the Sixteenth Maine Infantry, Rucksport, August 15 and 16, 1894 23-29 Reunion of the Seventeenth M.\ine Infantry, Cushing's Island, Portland Harbor, August 21, 1894 ......... 29-33 Reunion of the First Maine Heavy Artillery, Rangor, August 21, 189* . 33-35 Reunion of the Nineteenth Maine Infantry, Rath, August 23, 1894 . . 35-43 Reunion of the Twentieth Maine Inf.antry, Cushing^s Island, Portland Har- bor, August 29, 1894 . . . . . . . - . . 43-46 Reunion of Co. I, Twenty-First Maine Infantry, Damariscotta Mills, October 27, 1894 ........... 46-47 Reunion of the Twf:nty-Second Maine Infantry, Dover, INIaine, August 14, 1894 47-49 Reunion of Sixth M.\ine Infantry, Machias, August 22 and 23, 1894 . . 49-52 Reunion of Co. F, Twenty-Third Mainf: Infantry, Rethel, August 30, 1894 . 49 A VISIT TO THE RATTLEFIELD OF DINWIDDIE COURT-HOUSE. Incidents and Anf:cdotes Relating to that Rattle. Ry Lieut. Jeff. L. Coburn, Co. A, First Maine Cavalry .......... 52-75 LEVANT IN THE FIRST MAINE CAVALRY. Ry Sidney W. Clark, Sergeant Co. A, First IVIaine Cavalry . . . • ' ' .^ . . . . . 76-78 ECHOP;S. Daniel Hall, 78; John S. Pierson, 78, '"John D. Watson, 79 ; Robert Lockhart, 79; W. P. Hodgson, 79 ; Willard Rlake, 79 ; Samuel J. Gallagher, 79; A. P. Friend, 79-80; Robert L. Whitcomb; E.K.Gould; Frank P. Merrill; I. S. Rangs ; Robert J. Martin; Waldo E. Perry, 80 ; L. F. Doble, 80. IN MEMORIAM ........... 80-85 Erastus Doble, 80-81 ; Albert C. Pray, 81 ; Col. Asa W. Wiles, 81-82 ; Dr. Henry H. Hunt, 82- 83; Wm. O. McFarland, 83-S4 ; Otis Smith, 84; Miner G. PVye, 84; Dr. luhvard A. Frink, 84-85; Ivory H. Ranks, 85. Error. — For " Willett Carter," page 21, read Willard Carver, vSecretary and Treasurer Four- teenth Maine Association. The reunion proceedings of the Twenty-Seventh Maine, Thirtieth ISIaine, and Thirty-Second Maine, expected to appear in this issue, will appear later, if room can be made for them. THE MAINE BUGLE. Campaign II. JANUARY, 1895. Call WITH SHERIDAN IN LEE'S LAST CAMPAIGN. By Col. Fred C. NewJialL [Continued.] On the morning of the 31st of and annihilate them. To carry March the force of the enemy which out this design. General Warren afterward attacked our cavahy in was ordered, through General front of Dinvviddie had dealt rather Meade, to move his command as roughly with General Warren's stated in the dispatch of the lieuten- command, and repulsed his effort ant-general to General Sheridan ; to gain the White Oak Road. It the movement by the Boydton Plank is not important to refer to this Road being against the enemv's except that the lieutenant-general's flank, and that by Boisseau's house report speaks disparagingly of Gen- directly upon their rear, eral Warren in connection with this It would be tedious to follow the affair, which doubtless influenced course of General Warren's narra- the action of both these officers in tive of the obstacles he encountered the events of tiie following day. in attempting to comply with this When the enemy had withdrawn order, and the civilian reader will from his front General Warren be glad to be spared a full discussion pushed up, and took possession of as to whether they might have been the White Oak Road, just where overcome ; but some of the difficul- the right of Lee's fortified lines pro- ties he found seem almost incom- tecting Petersburg ends, three or patible with the condition of active four miles to the east of Five Forks, warfare in which we were supposed and in the rear, of course, of the to be. Fancy, for instance, a com- enemy's troops at Dinwiddle, which, mand so near to the enemy that it it will be seen, were thus cut off "could not be roused by drums or from the main body of their army, bugle calls, or loud commands, with While carrying on this operation safety," and yet which could not be on their own account. General roused by other means in less than Grant wished to take advantage an hour and a half ! Fancy critical ot then- adventurous isolation to movements expected at any moment throw the Fifth Corps upon them —the enemy within earshot, and a 41229 i. WITH SHERIDAN IN LEE'S LAST CAMPAIGN. corps, l\'ing on its arms, only to be the dispatches before alluded to, on set on foot at such rapidity as this : this same evening had gone that •'Supposing all possible dispatch way. and his horse had forded used, twenty minutes at least would Gravcll\- Run at the bridge without be required for me to make the nee- wetting his rider's boots : the bottom essary arrangements: twenty inin- of the run was hard as a rock, and utes more would he required to there was no current to speak ot. carr\' mv orders to the divisions : The bad weather and the bad roads t\M'nt\" more minules for them to had alread}' soiled the clothes and transmit them to the brigades : and shoes of General Warren's men, and forty minutes at least for the troops they were as wet already as water to get readv to move." ( I ) ^Fhe and mud could make them : and it ci\ilian miglit wt'll deniand ''Why is not too- much to say that a little does not the Army oi the Potomac enterprise would have overcome move?" if a corps commander re- this obstacle, for the practicability plies that il takes two hours to wake of the lord could have been tested the men when the enemy can hear by riding a horse into it as General the word of command. We could Sheridan's stafT officer did. On the beat tliat in the cavalry, and wake other road, leading to the enemy's the horses, too. rear by J. Boisseau's house, of which Other difficulties presented them- General Grant speaks, no effort was selves on the roads leading to made to march until al'ter daylight, Dinwiddie b}' which General War- and therefore it is not worth while ren was directed to march. Gravelly to speculate as to what force of Run crosses the Boydton Plank the enemy might have been encoun- Road between Dinwiddie and Gen- tered there. General Warren's whole eral ^\ arren's jiosilion, and the action in regard to the reinforcement bridge over the run was broken, by this road is quite incomprehensi- and General Warren complains ble. In the first place, when fear- thai this was not taken into account ing that the proposed contraction of in Ibrming the expectations for his the lines of the Army of the Potomac prompt reintorcement of General on this night would affect the morale Sheridan by that road, and espe- of the troops as indicating a failure, cially finds fault with General Sheri- he had, in the most praiseworihv dan for ignoring this impediment, manner, himself proposed to Gen- in speaking of tlie slow movements, eral Meade to move exactly as he in his official report, and w^ith Gen- was subsequently directed to do, eral Grant for authorizing its publi- for the purpose of falling upon the cation, for, as General Warren says, rear of the enemy confronting Gen- " this route was used for communi- eral Sheridan; but when ordered cations between General Grant and to do this his leet seemed entangled General Sheridan." This is very in a mesh. By that road, too, the true. The statV officer who carried troops would have to cross Gravelly WITH SHERIDAN IN LEE'S LAST CAMPAIGN. 3 Run, but, though here was no ditE- intended to start the tardy column culty of tbrding, a staf^* officer had of General Warren, and impress reported long lines of camp fires, him with the importance of utmost and much chopping of wood, and haste. It reads so. It seems to other indicadons of the presence of say, "stand not upon the order of the foe upon the lower bank, and your going, but go at once I Hurry! this report so influenced General If you reinforce General Sheridan Warren that he came to the deter- he can hold his ground, if not, he mination, notwithstanding the most may be obliged to retreat." But urgent dispatches fVom General General Warren, calmly ignoring Meade, to keep these two divisions General Meade and the emergency where they were until he could hear that w^as so earnestly set before that General Ayres, who had gone him. decided that he would not to Dinwiddle by the Boydton Plank reinforce General Sheridan : that Road with the other division, had not being reinforced he would certainly reinforced General Sheri- retreat, and that his retreating dan. General Meade wrote: "A would cause such a condition o'f dispatch partially transmitted is things as would render the presence received, indicating the bridge over of his own command desirable where Gravelly Run is destroyed, and it then was; and he justifies this time will be required to rebuild it. decision by the successful battle of If this is the case, would not time the fallowing day, which probably be gained by sending the troops by would not have happened exactly the Qiiaker Road? Time is of the as it did if all the other things had utmost importance. Sheridan can- not happened exactly as they did. not maintain himself at Dinwiddle Perhaps so ; but then it is possible without reinforcements, and yours that a good deal of cavalry fighting are the only ones that can be sent, before the Battle of Fiv Forks Use every exertion to get troops to might have been dispensed with, him as soon as possible. If necessary, and a good deal of hard fighting of send troops by both roads, and give the day might have been avoided, up the rear attack. If Sheridan is if General Warren had swept down not reinfbrced and compelled to fall upon the enemy's rear at daylight back, he will retire by the Vaughan that morning, as he had exnected TIT., ~ r ^'^^'^"- and ordered to do. One supposi- General Warren seems to mis- tion is as reasonable as the other, apprehend the spirit of this dis- Another point in dispute is as to patch, and to consider that General whether the enemv remained until Meade's urgency was because of daylight in front of General Sheri- a general solicitude for General dan or fell back to Five Forks dur- Sheridan's position, and not directed ing the night. General Warren to him at all. Some reader may thinks they did fall back, General fancy that so pressing an order was Sheridan thinks tiiey did not. The 4 Wri Jl SHI'.RJDAX IN LEKS LAS2' CAJ//\1/GN. tornier bases his ojiinioii iijion the General Warren, while ini|")uting reports of deserters, the latter ujion ignorance of the actual state of what he saw. General Avres, who alVairs to the lieutenant-jjeneral and commanded the division of the Fifth to General Meade, seems again to Corps which reinforced G'-neral misapprehend the spirit of his orders Sheridan by way of the Boydton when he says, "To join General Plank Road, after rebuilding the Sheridan by midnight on this route, bridge across Gravelly Run, sav's, I then had to captinx' or destroy what- " as we ajiproached, just alter da\'- ever of this force was between me light, the enemy hastily decamped ;" and General Sheridan." At 10:15 and General Warren, in his pamph- i*. i\r. General Meade had ordered let, unintentionally, no doubt, per- him to move b\' this route with the verts this report by saying, "They twodivisionsof which General Grant had withdrawn in the night, carry- speaks, and attack the enemy, and ing off their wounded, and leaving took care to point out his course in only a cavalry picket in General case the enemy should tiu-n upon Sheridan's front, which, as General him, so that if he did not succeed Ayres says, hastily decamped," — in reaching General Sheridan, which General Ayres does not say. according to the expectations of He says, " the enemy hastil\- de- General Grant, his failure was pro- camped; " and in regard to this vided for; and there seems to be force of the enemy General Sheri- no good reason why he should not dan oflicially reports, " I mo\ed my have made the attempt. He met cavalry force at daylight against the with no opposition w^hen he did enemy's lines in front, which gave make it, and he claims that there way rapidly, moving off by the was no enem}' there at all. Mean- right flank, and crossing Cham- while he could have communicated berlaine's Creek." The cavalry with General Sheridan by wa}' of pickets of the enemy were never the Bovdton Plank Road, as Gen- spoken of as their *' lines." Again, eral Sheridan did so communicate he says, "As they fell back the with him in a dispatch dated 3 a. m., enemy were rapidly followed by on April i, which he sent off, in General Merritt's two divisions, his anxiet}' lest the plans for the * * * I then determined that attack should not be tullv under- I would drive the enemy with the stood and consummated. He wrote, cavalry to Five Forks. * * * *tj understand you have a division Meantime General Merritt's com- at J. Boisseau's, if so, vou are in mand continued to press the enemy, rear of the enemy's line, and almost and by impetuous charges drove on his flank. I will hold on here, them from two lines of temporary Possibly they may attack Custer at works," which could not have daylight, if so, attack instantly and occurred had the enemy witlulrawn in full force ; attack at daylight to Five Forks during the night, anyhow," etc. This understanding WITH SHERIDAN IN lEE'S I AST CAMPAIGN. 5 of General Warren's position turned connoissance which soon developed out to be a misunderstanding, but it a long line of infantr}-, with skirm- was based upon General Grant's dis- ishers to the front, and mounted patch and General Sheridan's own officers prancing gayly about. The expectations — reasonable enough question then arose under which we may presume, from the fact that king this line was marshaled. We General Warren made no effort had heard nothing of the Fifth then to prove tliem unreasonable. Corps, which was to attack at day- If he had moved, as ordered by light, and it seemed very possible General Meade, and encountered that the enemy might have stolen formidable opposidon, no fault away in the night, declining to be could have been found, and had sandwiched between General War- he failed to reinforce General Sheri- ren's command and our cavalrv, dan, doubtless the Battle of Five and this, then, might be the Fifth Forks would have been fought all corps confronting us. There was the same, for the enemy would a great division of opinion. Field- unquestionably have made the same glasses were leveled and eyes were fudle and blundering effort to hold shaded to discover whether the line that point for the protection of the was friend or foe. Some cried Southside railroad. "They're blue !" and some "They're So much for the disappointments grav ! " but for a while nobody was of the morning ; we shall see that sufficiently certain to venture any when General Grant heard of them nearer ; already we were within he was not pleased. Meanwhile, easy musket range, but not a shot before daybreak. General Sheridan was fired — still the line did not and his staff might have been very advance, neither did it retire, and indistinctly seen emerging from the the anxiety for some sort of demon- Dinwiddie hotel and mounting their stration was growing painful, when trust_v steeds. It was a very foggy one of Custer's staff discovered, morning ; even after the hour of sun- through his glass, most unmistak- rise heavy vapors rendered only in- able blue, and dashed boldly down distinctness perceptible, and when toward a mounted officer who was we reached the picket-line of Cus- caracoling his horse on the neutral ter's division, which was in front, be- ground between our party and his yond Dinwiddle, the most straining skirmishers. We heard a "Halt!" eyes could not see many yards be- a question, and an answer, and then yond the works which our men had the sharp report of a pistol, and strengthened during the night, and Custer's officer came galloping back were now fit to resist horse, toot, through the muddy field, and was or dragoons. Gradually the fog able to report positively that the lifted, and Generals Sheridan, line was gray — a very gray gentle- Merritt, and Custer, each with staft^ man havincr shot at him and called and escort, proceeded to make re- him some highly improper names. 6 Wrrif SHERIDAN IX LEE'S LAST CAMI'AIGN. Our cav;ili\- was at once ordered penelrating as well as it could, forward, and while the order was while the main column of the beino- carried back to the troops the cavalry, under General Merritt, stolid line faced to the right and moved up the Five Forks road. coiled itself rapidlv into the woods, General Sheridan then sent a statT only givini;- us time to send after it oOlcer, with a squadron, to com- our compliments in a couple of municale. if possible, to (leneral rifled shells, which were lired Warren by wa}- of J. JJoisseau's partly for the sake of the damage house and learn what delayed him, they might do, but principally as a and when he might be expected to signal to General Warren that we arrive. Just in front of the histori- were on the move, with the enemy cal Mr. Boisseau's (who must par- in trout of us. But as he had don to the truth of history the liber- hardl\- vet started iVcjui his last ties taken with his name) this party night's encampment, we might well met General Griffin at the head of have saved the ammunition. his division of the Fifth corps. It At this point where General was now between seven and eight Gibbes's brigade on the preceding o'clock, and the slippery enemy day had so handsomely attacked the had slipped across Chamberlaine's enemy in flank as they pressed after bed, and were throwing up a little General Davies, we met the head line of works to check the progress of General Ayres's division, of the of our cavahy. General Warren, Fifth corps, which had come by with Crawford's division of his way of the Boydton Plank Road, corps, had not yet come up, but and here it was that General Ayres was engaged in making a tactical caught sight of the enemy as they retreat from his old position on the " hastily decamped " across Cham- White Oak road. His precautions berlaine's bed. There \vere no were not necessary though, for tidino;s yet of the two other di\isions the enemy took no notice of his which were to come by way of withdrawal — "an oversight," says Boisseau's house, and as General General Warren, "not to have Ayres's men were fatigued with been expected from our previous marching and loss of tiieir night's experience:" and it is well to note rest. General Sheridan directed this here, for, as General Warren's that they should be massed where subsequent removal from the com- they were, cook their coffee, get maud of his corps seems to have their breakfast, and await further been more due to his skeptical orders. The skirmishers of the mood in regard to success than to cavalry had already overtaken the any positive delinquency, we may enemy's rear-guard, and there was find in these words some indication lively shooting going on in the of his feeling in regard to the tangled woods, through which the enemy's generalship, and how^ it advance of our mounted men was affected his mind. WITH SHERIDAN IN lEKS lAST CAMPAIGN 7 Seeing that the slow progress of a portion of their troops, but Gen- these two divisions would render eral Merritt dismounted part of his their prompt co-operation with command and quickly drove them the cavalry impracticable, General out. It is a section of country more Sheridan directed General Griffin difficult for cavalry operations than to mass his command at Boisseau's, it is possible to imagine ; the fields and get cofl:ee and breakfast, and all quicksands, the woods all jun- wait further orders ; and then Gen- gle ; and there were heavy casual- eral Merritt was instructed to press ties among Merritt's men, for which on after the enemy, and, if possible, General Sheridan hoped soon to drive them into their fortified lines compensate by an important suc- at Five Forks, where General cess. At 2 p. m. the last of the Sheridan anticipated they would enemy had retired behind the remain, and where he thought they works at Five Forks, along the could be attacked to great advan- White Oak road, and General Mer- tage by the combined force of his ritt had pressed up so close that cavalry and infantry. Meanwhile their skirmish line w^as drawn in. General Crook was ordered to keep and they evidently awaited a gen- his division in hand in front of Din- eral attack. widdie court house, and watch the Meanwhile Crawford's division, crossings of Chamberlaine's bed. of the Fifth corps, had joined Gen- Merritt pushed on in his usual eral Griffin, and about 11 a. m. energetic manner, and was soon General Warren reported to Gen- pretty heavily engaged, the enemy eral Sheridan, and says that "his availing himself at every favorable manner was cordial and friendly." piece of ground to hold our men in General Sheridan had hours before check, and yet, when our lines were given up all hope of doing anything formed and ready to attack, would in front of Dinwiddle court house in generally move rapidly off again, cooperation with General Warren's his infantry gliding through the command, and his disappointment woods with ease, while our cavalry of the morning was now forgotten labored hard in pursuit through the in his designs for the attack at Five thick undergrowth and miry soil. Forks. He is not the man to waste Twice the enemy took time to time in lamenting his own spilled throw up temporary breast-works, milk while there is an enemy at hand and endeavored to hold them with whose milk is yet to be spilled. * [To be continued.] 8 SHERIDAN'S RIDE. JU15AL KARL^-'S POSTHUMOUS 1}RA\ERV. By I. E. Doble. Shorllv after (jcncral Sheridan's death, his old antagonist, Jiibal Early (of Louisiana lottery I'anie), deli\ered an address at a Conl'ederate re- union at lialtiniore. He was very spitetul in his allusions to Sheridan. He was evidenth" a o-ood deal nettled by the popularity of that immortal poem by Buchanan Reid, entitled, " Sheiidan's Ride.'' He said it was not tw^enty miles iVom Winchester to Cedar Creek, where Sheridan made his famous ride, but only twelve or fifteen at most, and moreover he said he was never whipped by Sheridan but simply overborne by weight of niunbers. He was also terribly nettled b}' the remembrance of the stag- gering blow Sheridan dealt the Confederac}' by his famous raid through the Shenandoah valley where he captured and either brought off or de- plo}'ed over $2,500,000 worth of property, on which the rebel armies were dependent for subsistence. It consisted of grist-mills, barns of and stacks of hav and grain which he burnt, and horses, cattle, grain, &c., which he brought away, but he seemed to hold the worst grudge of all against Sheridan for the terrible chastising he gave him at Cedar Creek, w'here Sheridan captured nearly the whole of Early's artillery, besides small arms, stores, &c. Early seized the opportunity while Sheridan was absent at Washington, to plan and very skillfully execute a complete surprise of our forces, hoping to regain the adxantage and laurels he had lately lost at Winchester ; under cover of darkness and still further pro- tected by a dense fog which completely obscured his arm}', he advanced unobserved and unexpected, and completel}' surprised our army, coming upon them before they had time to get out of their beds. The second line had barely time to get into line and could only slightl}' stem the on- rushing tide as they fell back. Sheridan, on his way back from Wash- ington, had got as far as Winchester, where he was stopping over night. His quick ear caught the first sounds of the roar of battle, and instantly mounting that famous "coal black steed"' bedashed madly on till he met his defeated and disheartened army. No need to tell what happened after that; the world knows the whole story. The following is supposed to be a correct report of Early's speech : SHERIDAN'S RIDE— A LATE VERSION BY EARLY. By Eoscoe Doble, Co. A', T6tJi Maine Eeg't. Up from the south, fresh fame to seek, Came a veteran of bloodv "Cedar Creek," To speak to his friends and comrades old Of that struggle fierce — and a tale oft told. SHERIDAN'S RIDE. He spoke of the march, the surprise and rout, Of the soldiers' wild, victorious shout. And then, oh, then did the tale repeat. How victory suddenly changed to defeat. " But that oft told tale," he said with a sigh, " Is a groundless slander — and flagrant lie ; For the tide of victory was stemmed in its course By the foe being heavily reinforced. " And this," he said, " is the way it occurred : Our cannon's thunder afar was heard. And a mighty host came rusiiing down On a coal black steed from Winchester town. "But betbre discussing that terrible force. And its dreadful work ; let us first discourse On the early movements and grand success, Which preceded disaster and dire distress. " In the earlv morn, ere the shroud of Nit^ht Was pierced by the ra3's of the morning light ; When a kindly fog, that was dense as lead. Enwrapped our columns from rear to head ; We stealthily stole on the sleeping host. Surprising the sentinel at his post. Then rushed on their camp with a bound and a yell While they fled trom their quarters in terror pell-mell, From their beds and their tents they went flying half-dressed, Our bullets and bayonets gave them no rest, And the victims by hundreds, our steel and our lead Dispatched, as in fright and confusion they fled. But when glutted with carnage and all out of breath, Then we paused in our work of destruction and death, But we little dreamed that at that very hour, A force of mighty, resistless power. Like the surge of the tempest with headlong haste, Was swooping down at a furious pace And was soon to strike with a stunning shock, That might shatter a mountain of solid rock. That shock our victorious army felt ; In a moment did hope like hoar frost melt ; For we knew that mortals could not withstand The mighty strokes of that master hand. The hosts he found scattered, disordered, dismayed. S/i/'jaDAN'S RIDE. He hurled back with a power that can ne'er be portrayed And 'twere madness the unequal strite to prolong : So we tied from the tleld — a demoralized throng. We fouo-ht and were victors o'er fearful odds, (When we found them sleeping as sound as clods). And we were, in the final defeat, we mourn, Not whipjH'd but simpl\- overborne. Though our hands were full, you may well surmise. When they fairlv awoke from their first surprise; But we sureh- sliould have held the field And compelled the toe still further to yield If no reinforcement had come to him then; For he only needed a few more men To augment his already superior force, Sufilcient to check our victorious course. ''Should ten thousand fresh horsemen against us now ride They would be sufficient to turn the tide. Then in Heaven's name I wdiat could we do but skedaddle When fifty thousand rode in one saddle? But he didn't ride twenty miles that day. 'Twas only fifteen the whole of the way. And 'twas not by fair means, not at all, that he won : Why he snatched all our cannon I the son-ol-a-gun. And I am a better man to-da}'. Than this burner of barns, mills, uheat-stacks and hay ; For, if the old maxim we still may rely on, A live dog is better than any dead lion. But perhaps you may think I'm a little late To repel their base slanders — but if you will wait, I will show my kind friends — and my enemies surely — That when all is considered they'll see that I'm Early. For there's been no time since that t'ateful day When 'twas prudent to meet and talk this way. But he of the fierce, impetuous ride No more disturbs — for he's lately died. But, comrades, now that we've had our say Perhaps we had better hurry away. For I'm kind of nervous — and almost afraid That he may — return from the realms of shade. And if my fears should chance to be real He'll scoop every son of us off to sheol. For as sure as he claps his eye on me. The Devil will have a jubilee (Jubal E.). THE FIFTH NEW YORK CAVALRY. " As I turn to gaze toward the polar star, Methinks e'en now there comes afar On the misty shade of a coal-bhick steed — Phil Sheridan's ghost — at a breakneck speed. " My friends and comrades, I'll haste away So 1 bid you one and all good day. And now to avoid the gibes of critics I'll go — and attend to my lottery tickets." THE FIFTH NEW YORK CAVALRY AT CEDAR MOUN- TAIN AND THE SECOND BULL RUN. By F. S. Dickerso/i, Fifth Neiu York Cai'alry. [Continued from page 249, Campaign I.] During the night of the 9th ot who were thickly strewn on every August, 1864, the pickets were side and beneath our horses. The withdrawn from the upper Robert- blue and grey were mingled to- son, and the cavalry concentrated gether where they had met in near the battle-field of Cedar deadly strife and fought and bled Mountain, the Fit"th New York and died together. As the fog Cavalry forming line of battle arose higher and our vision ex- close to the right flank of Banks's tended, it met the same unbroken division, where they were dis- held of lifeless bodies, and in the mounted, and the men lay on the distance, squarely in our front, ground holding their horses by appeared a long line of cavalry in their bridles until the grey dawn grey facing us, standing in the began to appear in the east, when same field but just beyond the we were again in the saddle and line of their fallen comrades. The marched to the centre of Banks's thought occurs to us, — Are we to line and directly in its tront, and meet the enemy in deadly strife, formed line of battle and waited and trample under our horses' feet for daylight, which was slow to the already mangled remains of appear on account of the dense the Blue and Grey? Sureh' indi- fog. cations point that way, for the When it had become lifjhter, command is given to " Draw and the fog had risen so that a sabres ! Forward march ! " partial view of the surroundings Slowly and carefully we guide could be obtained, the sight tiiat our horses between and over our met our eyes was appalling. We fallen comrades. As this line of were in the midst of the dead, battle moved across that open field 12 THE FIFTH NEW YORK CAVALRY. towards the enemy we noticed tlie in the thick undergrowth of pines, pockets of the dead were turned one man on the left became de- inside out — the work of midnight tached and commenced to halloo oliouls. On and on we march, tor his right-hand man. Slill each movement liringing those advancing, as he emerged into two lines nearer and nearer to open space his eye cauglit sight each other. Now each hand ot two guns of tiie Burnside pat- more firmly grasps the hilt of his tern levelled upon him. lie took sabre, witii nerves at a Ingh ten- in the situation at once. To sion, expectantly listening for the appear to be alone meant death command to •* Charge ! " or capture. To run meant the We look across that little dry same thing. He almost instantly ravine which now separates those cried, "Here they are, boys; two hostile lines, and we see the come on I '* and sprang forward enem\"s line breaking by fours himself and demanded their sur- from the left flank and marching render. The two men siirnitied awa}'. When the last set of fours their willingness to do so, and had wheeled away, cheer after came out of the brush without cheer from the lines of loyal Blue their guns. "Now go back and broke the solemn stillness of the get your guns ! " was the com- morning. The enemy had gone, mand, while his own was levelled The field was ours. The banquet upon them. " Now throw out the prepared b}' the citizens of Cul- loads and start for the rear and peper for Ewell and his staff", was I will follow." The course was left to be eaten by others, much to directed to the headcpiarters of the disgust of the people who had Colonel Broadhead. The skir- prepared the reception for their mishers had already come in and friends. reported one man missing. As The enemy was now retreating the missini*; man came in siirht beyond the Rapidan, the cavalry with two prisoners, after asking a following and skirmishing with the few questions, the colonel said, enemy's rear guard to Barnett's "Well, done, \w\ man! what is Ford. Although the cavalry was your name?" The answer was, constantly on the move, nothing " My name, sir, is William G. of importance occurred until the Peckham." i6th, when detachments of the I'he march being resumed, con- Fifth New York and First Michi- tinned nearl\- all night, by a cir- gan, Colonel Broadhead command- cuitous route, in the direction of ing, were sent out on a reconnois- Louisa Court House. Just before sance to Louisa Court House. daylight the connnand came to They started about the middle the camp of Gen. J. E. B. Stuart, of the afternoon, crossed the Rap- commanding rebel cavalrw without idan and threw out skirmishers challenge of picket. ^Die main THE FIFTH NEW YORK CAVALRY. \% column was halted, and orders New York, being ordered to Kelly's given to make coffee but not to tbrd, were placed in ambush, and build any fires : while the advance gave the rebel cavalry a surprise guard, composed of the First Michi- when they came to take possession gan Cavalry, led by Major Gardner of the ford on the morning of the of the Fifth New York Cavalry, 20th. During the day their infan- made a dash for the headquarters try troops came up, and made an tent of General Stuart, capturing attempt at crossing at a point above, his adjutant-general, and General and between us and the ford at Rap- Stuart's hat, coat, and belt, besides pahannock Station, and succeeded an autograph letter of Gen. R. E. in getting one regiment over under Lee to Stuart, dated Gordonsville, cover of artillery firing. The Fifth Va., August 15, 1862, which con- New York being ordered in support tained the information of the dispo- of our own battery, that took posi- sition of his forces and instructions tion to assist in driving the enemy to take possession of the fords along back across the river. While tak- the Rappahannock. This indicated ing position, the rebel artillery got the determination of Lee to over- a very good range of us, and threw whelm and capture the army under their shot and shell uncomfortably General Pope, then concentrated close, one shell passing between around Culpeper, before it could two sets of fours and through a be reenforced by any part of the horse belonging to Sergeant D. B. army from the Peninsula. Having Merriman, who was doing duty as met with success beyond our expec- file closer, and some of the ^ boys tations, the command was not slow were considerably interested in the in getting out of that camp. In safety of the sergeant, as they had fact the whole work was accom- deposited some of their last pay in plished in about as litde time as it his hands to be forwarded to their takes to tell the story, and was homes at the first opportunity, and aimed to put as much distance when that horse and rider went between ourselves and the enemy down, many an anxious head was as possible before they could make turned to see where their money a start, and the distance gained was was likely to go, and a sigh of pretty well maintained until we were relief came when they saw the ser- on the safer side of the Rapidan. geant coolly unbuckle his saddle. During the night of the i8th, and take it on his back, and start for a the following day, General Pope place less frequented by shot and made a successful retreat to the shell. One man and a few horses north side of the Rappahannock, wounded by fragments of shell were his movements being thoroughly all the casualties of this engagement masked by the cavalry under Buford in the regiment, which resulted in and Bayard, covering the retreat driving the enemy back across the and guarding the fords. The Fifth Rappahannock. U THE FIFTH NEW YORK CAVALRY. We learned later that attempts to identical brass howitzer was about cross had been made at all accessi- three teet long, was mounted on ble points along Pope's front from the back of a half-breed, vulgarly Fredericksbin-g to Waterloo J^ridge, called a mule, which, if not so very with the same result as at Kelly's intelligeni. liad a very inquiring ford and vicinity. These efforts mind, and wished to investigate as were made continuously for thirty- new ideas developed. Tiie mule, six hours, and were repulsed at with his death dealing invention, ever}' pcMut. I>atcr de\-elopments was trotted out into a convenient showed that, in sj->ite of the informa- open field, on a gentle knoll close tion gained by tlie capture of Lee's by the river. The officers began autograph letter to Stuart by the to cluster around to inspect the cavalry on the i6th, General Pope devastation promised by the inven- had been ordered to hold on to tor, and the Johnnies on the oppo- Fredericksburg, thus ix-ino- able to site side of the river ceased lirin<»; to extend his right Hank or move b}- enjoy tlie novel scene. The mule the right flank to get the full bene- and gun (pointed towards the ani- tit of it, and had allowed General mal's rear) were placed ; the gun Stuart to cross the Rappahannock sighted, and the fuse liglited. at Waterloo Bridge, in advance of The tizzle-sizzle of the lighted fuse his army, on the night of August attracted the attention of the beast, 22, unobserved, capture his train, and he commenced an investiga- and destroy his supplies at Warren- tion as to the noise and smoke, by ton Junction on the 24th. whirling round and round, sw^ap- The Fifth New York was sent ping ends so fast that the inspect- to destroy the bridge at Waterloo, ing officers were anxious to get out It was found to be heavily guarded of range of the gun or mule. Of by artillery supported by Ander- course as soldiers they were not son's Division of Infantry, who, afraid ofthegun,so it must have under the protection of logs and been the mule that caused the trees, swept the bridge from end quick dispersion of that crowd. to end making all attempts vain. The blanched faces, the dilated althougii several gallant elTorts eyes, and puzzled expression of were made by Christian Ehman countenances as they came in and I>. F. Packard. Meanwhile ranoe at each revolution of the o-un J^uford had arrived, as iiad also with its lighted fuse w^as all charg- many other generals, to witness the able to the mule of course. In a trial of the jackass batter}', a new mucii shorter space of time than it invention evidently emanating from takes to tell it, the gun was dis- tlie lertile brain of one uho was charged, and fortunately in the neither familiar with the working direction of the enemy, who gave a ot artillery, or the pranks of a }ell and a cheer. The recoil of frightened jackass. Now, this the gun placed that mule on his THE FIFTH NEW YORK CAVALRY. IS head and shoulders, with his heels high up in the air. As soon as his flying heels came down where their kicks would hit the solid earth, they sent him out of sight with the speed of the wind to return no more. And ever after, the army mule has emitted that mournful crv, " Too much brain — too much — too much." As before stated, Gen. J. E. B. Stuart had crossed the Rappahan- nock at Waterloo Bridge on the night of the 22d of August and joined Stonewall Jackson, who had also flanked us by Thoroughfare Gap and formed a junction with Stuart at Gainesville. General Pope was obliged to let go his hold on Fredericksburg and line of the Rappahannock, as Jackson was in his rear with twenty-five thousand veteran troops, besides Stuart Cav- alry, and Lee had flanked him on the right and was in a northerly direction toward Salem. McDow- ell, Sigel, and Reynolds march- ing on Gainesville, Reno followed by one division of Heintzleman's Corps (Kearney's) moving on Greenwich. Porter moving on Bristoe with orders to reach War- renton, and Heintzleman at Sul- phur Springs and Banks at Fay- etteville moving on Warrenton. was about the position and disposi- tion of the Union troops under General Pope at this time. Taylor's New Jersey Brigade was marching on Centerville from Alexandria, and Stonewall Jackson with Stu- art's Cavalry was marching on Manassas on the 27th. I speak here of the disposition of these troops more particularly, for the reason that the Fifth New York Cavalry on this day was detached from Buford's division and assigned to duty at General Pope's headquarters as dispatch bearers, orderlies, etc., but known as body guard, except Companies I, K, and L detached as escort for General Heintzleman and Company M sent to General Banks on the 28th, General Pope's stafl' and body guard marching along with General Heintzleman's Corps towards Bristoe. Jackson reached and cut the Oran<'-e & Alexandria railroad at Kettle Run, then moved rapidly on Manassas on the 27th with his main army. Ewell's division was south-west along the railroad, four miles beyond Bristoe Station. Here it was met by Hooker's division of Heintzleman's Corps ; a sharp en- trao-ement took place. Hooker driv- in<>- tlie enemy before him along the railroad during the day to Broad Run, wh^r^ darkness ended the pursuit. Pop\ made his head- quarters at Bristoe. On the foUow- ino- day the pursuit was continued, Heintzleman's Corps skirmishing with Jackson's rear-guard, retreat- ing along the railroad, destroying it as they moved on towards Union Mills. The corps left the railroad at this point, and moved in the direc- tion of Centerville. That part of the Fifth New York Cavalry at General Pope's headquarters was here sent out as advance-guard. Tirr: FirTif new york cavalry. followino- Jackson in the direction of Centerville. When near the latter place, they were charged by a regiment of Stuart's Cavalry and driven back onto our inrantr\' sup- ports, the enemy capturing some of their infantry stragglers who were prisoners in our hands. General Pope made iiis head- quarters at Centerville August 29, at five o'clock in the morn- ing, two men were detailed from his escort to carr}- duplicate dis- patches to General Porter, sup- posed to be at Manassas, while General Pope, his start', and escort proceeded to the battle-rteld of Bull Run near Groveton, where they arri\ed, about seven o'clock in the morning. Here two more men were detailed to carry dispatches, urging him (Porter) forward. Sigel was pressing Jackson hard and calling for reenforcements which were being sent up from Centerville ; King's and Ricket's divisions were holding l^horough- fare Gap ; and Jackson ^^'as in a corner. The men detailed to carr}- dispatches to General Porter in the morning returned with receipts showing that the papers had been delivered, but reported j-)ri\atelv to comrades, that judging from appearances and the manner in which the dispatches were re- ceived Porter did not intend to obey, and said, '* Porter won't be here." Altiiough the distance was onl\- about seven miles, this breeze. THE REUNION OF THE SEVEN- TEENTH MAINE INFANTRY ASSO- CIATION. The reunion ot" the Seventeenth Maine regiment at Cushing's Island, August 21, 1894, ^^"^^ o"G of the most enjoyable and interesting of tiie many gatherings of old veterans in Portland harbor. The occasion brought together several distin- guished soldiers, some members of other regiments, and men promi- nent in civil life since the war. The old battle Hags, given to the regiment by the business men of Portland as it set out for the front, thirty-two years ago, and brought home in glorious tatters, were borne with loving care in front of the survivors yesterday, and next to the old Third Corps diamond which was on every badge, were the most conspicuous material evi- dences of the once militar}^ charac- ter of the gathering. The veterans of the regiment who were present, with the companies to which they belonged, were : General George W. West, Colonel Edward Moore, Major W. H. Green, G ; Captain J. C. Perry, D; Lieutenant J. M. Safford, F ; Qiiarterm aster Sergeant C. W. Richardson, Adjutant Charles W. Roberts, Captain George W. Ver- rill. General Charles P. Mattocks, Lieutenant D. E. Duncan, Captain G. F. Sparrow, B ; Lieutenant Newell Whitten, D ; Lieutenant L L. Hobbs, H; George O. D. Soule, E ; J. P. Babb, H ; Sergeant S. H. Gammon, D : T. W. Emer- son, I ; F. D. Seabury, A. D. Sea- bury, E ; Corporal M. H. Sawyer, aT S. H. Waldron, B; A. H. Perr}', G; Isaac Rounds, D; Ser- geant Cherry Perragard, E; John Doughty, John O. Rice, Chas. H. Fabyan, B: J. G. Elder, Uriah Cobb, H ; Sergeant Alpheus E. Grover, B ; E. F. Morse, F ; D. D. Hannigan, G; M. L. Babb, B; George A. Whidden, H ; Luther Gore, C. A. Morrill, G: J. G. Scott, Manuel Thomas, H : George L. Norton, B ; Sergeant Samuel Bishop, B ; Charles W. Sanborn, H : Edwin F. Waite, I ; Thomas C. Bradbury, I ; S. C. Donnell, H: Robert Hamilton, A; George S. Jordan, E; James H. Anthoine, Melvin Morton, F; E. G. Thom, B; Orlando Hooper, B; J. H. Hennigar, C ; Thad Noble, H : C. S. Tucker, F; Sergeant Owen Stacy, I; Henry Gratlam, C; J. W. Jose, I ; John Hale, I ; Abra- ham Deane, C ; Chas. Hoyt, Chas. H. Greeley, E ; W. S. Ho'dsdon, I ; Henry S. Trickey, B; James A. Mills!^ C ; D. B. Meserve, C ; Mu- sician A. W. Sawyer, D; J. M. Gammon, A ; Simeon C. Howe, B ; William Rounds, I ; C. H. Parcher, I ; Cyrus Chaplin, H : Jabez Mar- riner, H ; Thomas H. Jordan, George A. Pennell, H ; John Charleton, B: William Bodge, D; H. W. Stewart, H ; Sergeant S. C. Paine, A ; G. C. Pratt, D ; Sergeant William II. Gore, E; Lewis W. Lombard, E ; Andrew Leighton, E ; Sergeant Thomas Brand, I : Ser- 30 RECiY/ONS OF VETERAN ASSOCIATIONS. <;eant George F. Small, E: A.J. most cordiall}' received. Governor Nebers, B; E. H. Brown, F: Cor- Cleaves said that he was always jioral Seth B. Da\', C: Charles II. prepared to sa}' a word for the state Fove, G : M. C. Merrill, Corporal of Maine, especially to such men John F. Totman, A: O. G. Curtis, as the veterans of tiie old Seven- J'>. E. Hanson, F : 1 lenrv Chamber- teenth. lie was proucl lo Ix'ar to hiin, 1): ). W. Flynt, A. this i;rand organization the thanks At the business meeting in the of the seven hundred thousand peo- lorenoon, the following officers pie of the state, w lio recognized were elected : w ith grateful appreciation the ser- President-George W. Verrill. ^'c^^ of the regiment on many Vice Presidents— Charles A. Morrell, famous fields. Governor Cleaves Newton \\'hitten. refen"ed to General Chamberlain as Secretary and Treasurer— Geor<;e O. one of the bravest soldiers who ever I). Soule, of Portland. went from Maine, and then pro- Necrologist — George W. Verrill. ceeded to refer brietlv to the battle- Directors — Charles W. Roberts. C. fields of the regiment, and the glor}' Warren Richardson, and Samuel H. whicii it had won. ^'^"i'"^^"- General Joshua L. Chamberlain The event of the day was of ^^•as called upon next, and received course the banquet which was with much applause. He congrat- served about 2 130, in the pleasant ulated the regiment upon its record, and spacious dining-room of the a record of years that had not only Ottawa. been made honorable in the war, Besides the veterans were many but in the walks of civil lite since ladies and other invited guests, the war. He said that he had Prayer was offered by Chaplain dined with the Seventeenth before. Emerson, after which the banquet '' I was over at Stoneman's Switch was enjoyed. in the mud, and the fare was difier- After cigars had been lighted ent from what it is to-day." [Laugh- President Verrill began the exer- ter.] Commenting on the presence cises bv introducing Governor of ladies, he said, "The only way Cleaves. we could get the men along on that " We have at this table," he said, terrible night march, before Lee's "the present governor, the next surrender, was by bringing out the governor, and two ex-governors ; bands and having them play ' The we have here generals who com- Girl I Left Behind Me.* That girl manded divisions and generals who was ahead of us on that march, and commanded brigades. The regi- the inspiration of her name, with ment must consider itself honored the thoughts of home and loved by this attendance." ones connected with it, was the Governor Cleaves was introduced motive force that sustained us in as the first speaker. After being the long marches. REUNIONS OF VETERAN ASSOCIATIONS. 31 "His old regiment, the Twenti- but in good, generous wine, as m}- eth, was organized at the same time protest against the Maine law." that vou were. Some of our men Colonel Edward Moore was were originally intended for you. called upon to respond for General He was glad of the opportunity to De Trobriand. He said that the express his appreciation of the high latter came to this country with the excellence of those comrades of Orleans princes, but while they yours who became his comrades, went on to McClellan's staff, he He saw, or half saw, the Seven- asked for a regiment and got the teenth another time, after the strug- Fifty-fifth New York. Later lie gle had begun. From the heights was appointed a brigadier. At of Round Top, through drifts of the close of our war he went into smoke, he saw the Seventeenth in our regular army as a colonel. He that deadly line, swaying back and is now retired, living in the winter forward in the mighty struggle in at New Orleans and in the summer the Wheat Field. His own regi- at Long Island and in Brittany, ment was formed in the rear of France. When Colonel Moore theirs for a while, but it could n't dined with him last winter, he sent stay there, and was quite glad to be his regards to his old comrades ot double-quicked back to Round Top. the Seventeenth, Third, and Fourth " When this regiment organized Maine regiments, for the war all the glamour of the Another letter was . read from lirst muster had departed. The Colonel Clayton McMichael, now playing of bands, the waving of of the Philadelphia North Amcri- handkerchiefs, were gone, and as can, and formerly of General Bir- \ve marched through the cities a ney's staff. shiver passed over the spectators. General West, the second colonel for they knew that every man had of the regiment, was called on, and written his name on a deadly roll. recalled the fact that wdien he joined " I know that this Seventeenth the Seventeenth as its major he had Maine had an enviable record in come frqm the Tenth Maine, where the Army of the Potomac, for con- he had commanded Company G, duct on field and in camp, and made up largely of deserters from though our organizations were dif- the English troops in the Canadas. ferent, although you wore the dia- Colonel West recalled the attitude mond while we wore the cross, the of England as favoring the South, two v^ill be emblazoned together on but that company was a splendid the records of fame." body of men. The company lost Mr. Verrill then read letters of nineteen and one half per cent, in regret from General De Trobriand, killed and wounded. It taught him who commanded the Seventeenth's what a good soldier was, for it was brigade, and who requested that splendidly drilled and trustworthy his health be drunk, " not in water, anywhere. The same qualities I 32 J^EUAUONS OF lETERAN ASSOC J ATI ONS. found in the Seventeenth exem- Avith this reujinient. He therefore plitied gforiously at Gettysburg. leh lionored liy beino; called upon. Ex-GoN'ernor Kobie, upon being He did not go to the war, but he introduced, said, '* Brothers and hael nianv old conii")anions who did Sisters : [Laughter.] I used to go in this I'eginient, and lie believed talk at the grange, and I feel some- that no soldiers had a more gallant what at home now, because many record than the}-, of you are from the farms. It was Mr. Verrill next read a letter my fortuni'. ihirty-two years ago, frc^n Captain Tyler, of the regular to be the jiay-niaster who gave to arniv. formerh- of J>erdan"s First each man in his regiment thirteen Sharpshooters, which General Mat- dollars advance. Time has wrought tocks commanded. He recalled many changes since then. Grey that (jeneral Mattocks was very hairs have taken the place of black, popular with the men, but insisted I remember that in 1861, Governor in getting in front of the skirmish Washburn, of whose council I was line in the Wilderness. On one a member, received a message from of those occasions the "Johmiies" President Lincoln asking how many got him and bore him awa\- in men and how much mone>- Maine triumjih. could jiledge for the I'nion. He General Mattocks was then called replied, 'Ten thousand men and a upon and cordially received. After million dollars.' How did Maine a humorous introduction, he said it fulfil that promise? You know that might have been that he got 100 she sent 73,000 soldiers, and gave yards ahead of the Second United sixteen millions of dollars. Those States Sharpshooters, but no officer men were the flower of Maine, of the Seventeenth Maine was ever But their numbers are decimated able to get that distance ahead of now. Of the 1,800 who were en- his men. [Laughter.] The pres- listed in the Seventeenth, scarcely ent occasion was one of great de- 500 are alive now." Governor light, as it carried him back to the Robie closed with a spirited pane- time of his youth, back of the war gyric on the soldiers of Maine, and to the days when General Chamber- the mothers of the soldiers of lain was his professor in liowdoin Maine. college, and after telling him that Colonel F. N. Dow was called his essay was very good, corrected to respond as the representative of it until only the signature was left, the United States government. He [Laughter.] General Mattocks said he had been greatly interested closed with a spirited tribute to the in the remarks that had been made, Seventeenth and other regiments of and felt almost like an intruder. Maine, recalling how, of the twelve Although he was an honorary mem- men who went into Gettysburg her of another regiment, he had not under those colors, only three came even a relative who was connected out, and how the 150 men of the REUNIONS OF VETERAN ASSOCIATIONS. 2^:^ regiment charged and captured 250 applause. "That was the man Contederates at Sailor's Creek, that held Longstreet's corps at Mattocks, accompanied by frequent Devil's Den," shouted an enthusi- applause, then recounted the rec- astic veteran as Colonel Walker ords of various Maine regiments concluded. as compared with the records of The exercises ended by the drink- other regiments in other wars. ing of General De Trobriand's Mr. Verrill recalled that one of the health, although not just in the way bravest acts done in the regiment that veteran wished, was performed by Chaplain Lover- incT, on an occasion when the Seven- ^^^ ^'^- teenth was under a severe and dis- Major H. S. Burrage was a guest astrous fire of sharpshooters. From of the association. a wood 150 yards in the rear of the Chandler's band furnished music regiment. Chaplain Lovering came for the occasion. ambling out on his old sorrel riding Deputv Superintendent Mans- towards tlie regiment, all uncon- comb, of the Boston police force, a scions of the danger. He reached veteran of the regiment, was them safe!}-, having performed un- present, consciouslv one of the bra\est acts r^i ' FIRST MAINE HEAVY ARTILLERY 01 the war. ^ , , T-,-- , TTr ,, -- , REUNION. Colonel Elijah Walker, ot the Fourth Maine, was next introduced This regiment held its eighteenth and cordially received. He ex- annual reunion at the banquet hall pressed his appreciation of the of the new City Hall building in honor conferred bv making him an Bangor on Tuesday, August 21st, honorarv member of the associa- it being the thirty-second anniver- tion. He recalled achievements sary of its muster into the United of the Seventeenth and Fourth in States service. At ten o'clock the the Wilderness, especially at the assemblage was called to order by river Po, on May 10, 1864. On Major C. J. House, second vice the 1 2th, at the Death Angle, on president, and as he desired the the 20th, and a^ain on the 21st at time to take notes from the com- the Nortli Anna, the two reo-iments rades on matters of histor\-, he suo-- were together in memorable gested the election of a chairman achievements. He recalled Fred- to serve until the arrival of one of ericksburg, how his men suffered the regular officers of the associa- there and how, on the retreat, he tion, and accordingly Capt. H. H. withdrew the last picket from the Shaw^ was so elected, and presided river. Colonel Walker recited a through the forenoon. Gen. Chas. poem which he had composed on Hamlin, tirst vice president, was Fredericksburg, It was listened to present, and presided in the after- with interest, and greeted with loud noon. 34 A'JiUA/OAS OF I ETERAN ASSOCIATIONS. The records of the last meeting Boston. The monument commit- at Orono were read by the secre- tee were instructed to tender the tary. Lieutenant Isaac J. Dunham monument and h)t to tlie state of ot l>osl()n. Captain II. IC. Sellers Maine in trust. A letter from submitted his report as treasurer. Colonel Z. A. Smith was read ; showing the linances of the associa- also, a telegram from Lieutenant tion to be in a healthy condition. Ileman V. Smith, of Brooklyn, N. Major C. J. House, chairman of ^^ Comrade \V. \V. Warren of the committee on history, reported Dover extended an invitation to tiie the progress made in the work dur- association to meet at the village of ing the year and the following were Dover and Foxxroft next year, and appointed as a publishing commit- the invitadon was accepted. The tee: C.J. House, Augusta; A. C. following officers were elected for Sawyer, Bangor: Gen. R. V>. the ensuing year : Shepherd, Skowhegan ; Colonel ,, -i , ,. t tt ' , '^ ['resident — C. |. House, Augusta. Zemro A. Smith. Indianapolis, x- • i * \ ^^ e i i Nice presidents — A. C. Sawyer and Ind. : Major Fred C. Low, Glouces- ^ y Crossman, Bangor, ter, Mass. Captain II. H. Shaw, Secretary and treasurer— H. E. Sel- chairman of the monument commit- lers Ban"-or. tee, in his report stated that the Directors— H. H. Shaw, Portland: First Maine Heavy Artillery monu- A. W. Chapin, Monson ; \V. W. Warren. ment had been comj')leted and set Dover; Stephen S. Sawyer, Jjrewer ; up on the O. V. Hare held near R-ufns P. Peakes, Bangor. Petersburg, ^^a., the site of the Auditor — Albert White, Orono. monstrous loss of the regiment June Caterer Lew Hathorn was on 1 8, 1864. A large painting of the hand at the x\. O. U. W. hall on monument and battlefield, which he Maine street, with one of his best had jirepared, was exhibited, and dinners, but as a social gathering it gave an excellent idea of the monu- was a failure on account of the ment and surroundings. smallness of the hall, which seated On motion of Comrade L. K. onl\- eightv-seven, while there were Marston, of Boston, it was voted to over one hundred and tifty com- dedicate the monument after the rades present and probably as many close oi the national encampment ladies. It was one o'clock when at Pittsburg, Pa., and the follow- the dinner hour was announced. ing comrades were appointed to and as manv had partaken of an make all necessary arrangements earlv breakfast, the tables were at tor the excursion to Petersburg, once tilled : the less fortunate scat- Va., and the dedicadon : A. C. tered through the city and got their Sawyer, Bangor; A. P. Eastman, dinners as best they could. Washington, D. C. ; L J. Dunham, Among the older members pres- Boston ; F. R. Knowlton, West ent were William Goodale of St. Acton, ALass., and L. K. Marston, Albans, age 82, Company G: John REUNIONS OF VETERAN ASSOCIATIONS. 35 Hurd, Carmel, age 76, Company 1862, and left the city two days F; John McLaughlin, Castine, age after. The veterans began to 72, Company G; John P. Roberts arrive in the early part of the day of Castle Hill, age 67, Company E, in large numbers; salutations and drove through with a team, bring- hearty greetings were shown by ing his wife. the boys who had not seen each There were fourteen commis- other for many years, sioned officers present and about Dinner was furnished by the good one hundred and fifty enlisted men. people of Bath at Music hall. The The following are those who had ladies of the Sedgwick Relief Corps held commissions in the regiment: waited upon the tables. General Charles Hamlin, Bangor ; At two p. m. the regiment met Colonel C. V. Grossman, Bangor; at City hall for business, J. W. Major C.J. House, Augusta; Cap- Winter, of Bath, acting president. tain F. A. Cumminp;s, Banrfor Captain H. H. Shaw, Portland Captain G. R. Fernald, Wilton Lieutenant II. E. Sellers, Bangor Records of last meeting read and approved. A committee of three were appointed to receive report of deaths for the past year and to Lieutenant John A. Lancy, Maiden, make and forward appropriate Mass. ; Lieutenant S. S. Wood- resolutions. The committee were, cock, Wellington, Kansas; Lieu- Silas Adams, Waterville ; A. E. tenant I. J. Dunham, Boston : Lieu- Nickerson, Swanville ; J. L. Mer- tenant E. S. Wardwell, Bangor; ricks, Waterville. Received invi- Lieutenant S. G. Waldron, Bangor ; tation from Comrade S.J. Gallagher Lieutenant R. V. Moore, Old tendering use of the Fourteenth Town ; Lieutenant Miles McKen- Maine building on Long Island, ney, Levant. Portland harbor, for our reunion in Requests were made that each 1895. Received invitation from company prepare and hand in a Knox Post, Lewiston, to meet there list ot all members present, but as in 1895, wiiich the association only a few companies reported, a voted to accept, full list of the comrades cannot be Committee on Roster, one for given. each company, were appointed, who reported as follows : Co. A, 8 ; B, 10; C, II ; D, 7; E, II ; F, 23; G, 15 ; H, II ; I, 5 ; K, 13. Field The Nineteenth Maine regiment and staff, 10 ; honorary members, held its reunion at Bath, Maine, 6; total, 130. Comrade Albert Aug. 23, 1894. Hunter, Clinton; Daniel B. Han- Unusual interest was manifested son, Pittston, and J. P. Furber of in this gathering at Bath, the city in Clinton, were appointed as com- which the regiment was mustered mittee to nominate officers for the into the United States service in ensuing year, and they made the THE NINETEEiNTH MAINE INFAN- TRY ASSOCIATION. 36 REUNIONS OF lETERAN ASSOCIATJONS. follow in o- report : President, Philip met at City hall at eight p. m., P. (jctchell, Lewislon ; first vice- and w ere ealletl to order by Col- prt.'sident, |. A. Seavey, Sears- onel Sewall. wlio inli-oduced J. W. port; second xice-j^resident, D. W. Wakefield, niayoi- ot' lialli. and toi"- Hanson, I^iltston ; secretary, Silas nierly quartermaster (.)!" the leoi- Adanis, ^\'aterville : Chaplain, F. inent, to preside. Prayer was P. Furber, Clinton : historian. W. otlered b}' Rev. William West- A. W^ood, Bowdoinham : orator, haven. Mayor Wakefield ga\'e F. D. Sewall, liath : ex-coni., A. D. the followinir address of welcoiiK; : Hoxie, Lewiston. S. II. JJagle}', '• When imiled by Nour commit- Lewiston : 'V . 11. Kimball, Lewis- tee to preside at this nieeting, I ac- ton ; Comraiie Silas Adams, of cepted with mino-led feelings of Waterxille, made remarks in rela- sadness and pleasure. Sad because tion t(^ haxing a historx' of the regi- my mind went back thirty-two ment written, while some were years ago. when ^-our regiment left alive, and that an immediate action this city for the seat of war ; one be had. Colonel Sewall, of I>ath, thousand strong of the noblest and and General Cilley, of Rockland, best of our state. I recalled the supported the suggestion, and the fact that the regiment was com- association voted to appoint a com- posed of men of all branches "of mittee of six, as follows: C. E. industry, trom the office, the bench, Nash, Augusta; F. D. Sewell, the workshop, and the field. I Bath : Silas Adams, Waterville ; recalled the regiment as it entered J. L. Brown, Bowdoinham : G. L. upon its duties in the field, where Whitmore, Bowdoinham ; Alfred the stern realities of the deadly con- Stinson, Searsport : to devise plans flict confronted you. I recalled the and take such steps as necessary to severity of the march, the haid- prosecute the work. ships of the picket line, and the The regiment formed and terrible result of the confiict when marched to the old camp grounds, army met army, and the hundreds where they organized thirt}--two upon hundreds who offered upon years before, and it was a rich the altar of their country eveiy- pleasure to once more be upon that thing that was sacred, and crowned "■ Old Camp Ground," standing their sublime ofter by as sublime a there as old men, contrasting their death. former position as volunteers and " Feelings of pleasure, because it boys. Dress parade was held on gave me an opportunity of meeting the old color line, Colonel Sewell once more comrades, taking them being in his original position as by the hand and hearing them talk field officer, and Colonel Fogler over the old war stories of thirty acting as adjutant. years ago. Pleasure, yes, and Supper was served at six p. m. honor, a great honor, to preside at Music hall. The veterans again over a meeting composed wholly of THE FIFTH NEW YORK CAVALRY. 37 veterans who did so much that the less of its sad consequences, and nation mioht live. were poor}}- prepared to meet an "Comrades, — we read in the old opposing enemy. But when our familiar story that one day in the flag was fired upon, it touched the Roman forum, the earth opened hearts of our people, and their and a geat gulf yawned in the very patriotism was aroused as it never midst. The augurs said that this was before, and armies, navies, and gulf would never close its horrid treasure were abundant, and the mouth until it had been fed with love of country speedily disciplined the most precious thing in Rome, green troops. There was doubt as to what the " We can never chant in too lofty most precious thing might be, strains the praises of those who when a young soldier, armed and saved the nation, mounted, rode boldly forward and " No body of men were ever more plunged into the chasm, declaring unselfish — more truly patriotic — that there could be nothing so pre- more actuated by noble motives — cious as life given for one's country, less goaded by ambition — less de- " One day, in our land stretching luded by the phantom of glory, from ocean to desert, a great gulf Glory I why here in our very midst yawned, dividing in twain the very sit heroes, and in the cemeteries, all nation itself. over the land, lie beneath the sod, "Into this widening chasm we martyrs, whose deeds were as have cast our most precious pos- noble, whose places are as hard to sessions — the youth, the strength, fill, and for whom as many tear- the talent, the virtue, the patriot- drops fall, as for any whose titles ism of the land. are cast in enduring bronze or " Life was as dear to them as to sculptured marble, others, deatli not more welcome, " You meet to-day representatives but life must end and death must of a mere fragment of a noble rep'i- come, and they sang the song of ment. The rest are gone forever, the old hero, 'Who kept the bridge For wiiat did they die? That the so well.' union of these states, established by "The gulf is closed, but absent our fathers and consecrated by the ones and maimed veterans remind blood of our brothers and sons, us how imminent the danger and should never be broken or de- how great the sacrifice. stroyed ; that the constitution, the "When that grand old patriot, bulwark of our liberties, might be Abraham Lincoln, issued a call to preserved ; that the national banner, defend the honor and integrity of the symbol of our origin and the nation and to preserve its unity, growth, should never be trailed in the nation had prospered in peace the dust, but should float forever, and plenty so long, that we had Towns, cities, and states, and the given no thought to war, and much nation may erect monuments to 38 REUNIONS OF lETERAN ASSOCIATIONS. commemorate their o-reatness, but in time they will crumble and perish, but the monument erected by their own hands, the founda- tions ()(' which rest in e\erv state and territory ot' this vast country, will never be destroyed, but forever stand to commemoiate their i;M-eal- ness as soldiers and American citi- zens." Mayor Wakefield's remarks were loudly applauded. Then came singing by the quartette, which was encored. Major Rowell, of Hallowell, was then called upon. Among other things, he said how pleasant it was to attend the reunion of the Nine- teenth Maine here in Bath. We are all boys, but in looking over the audience to-day we notice gray hairs, bald heads shining bright and beautiful. The contrast comes up — are these the same men ? Com- rades, it seems a dream. You went out with hope and ambition, and sometimes I think the rebels would not have gone down if it had not been for the Nineteenth Maine. You can recall the days and feel you are instrumental in carrying out the principles you are willing to die by. How man\' in prisons and hospitals have given up their lives I They are gone, but not lost ; there is no death. Now about pay- ing pensions to our bovs. What sort of a country would this be if it had not been for our boys? At Richmond I mingled with many Confederate officers. There they were, without property, and honor lost to a certain extent. I thought of their money as worthless as paper rags, and thought of us at Washington if it had been the other wa}-. The major spoke of the Ladies Relief Corps, and in clos- ing said he hoped all would be spared for the next reunion. A poem written by Mattie Baker Dunn, entitled " Song of the Nine- teenth Maine," was read by Miss Blanche Harrington in a w^ay that brought loud applause. A SONG FOR THE NINETEENTH MAINE. 1!V MATTIE liAKER DUNN. A band of veterans met once more In the dusk of a January night, To sing one song for the days of yore, A song of valor, and battle, and might. A song for the flag and the bugle-call, A song for the camp and the march- ing feet, A song for the whiz of the minie-ball. For the rattling charge, and the wild retreat ; For the beating heart, and the throbbing breath, For ties of conu-ades, for joy, for pain, A song for life and a song for death. And just one song for the Nineteenth Maine. For the Nineteenth Maine, who went to hell. To hell for six long hours, as they lay Only a target for shot and shell. At (iettysburg on the second day. Over them Humphrey's wild retreat Poured like the burst of a sudden storm, A tide of hurried, unheeding feet That paused not for any prostrate form. Humphrey, himself, on foot, went by, Driven, dismounted, forced to the rear : REUNIONS OF VETERAA^ ASSOCIATIONS. 39 "The fight is lost ! " was the breathless Covered by darkness he called his men, cry, To chosen companies gave each gun. But the Nineteenth Maine refused to Hauled by the drag-ropes alone ; and hear. Trampled on, torn by the bursting shell. Waiting for orders or death, they lay In that open field, with its fire of hell, At Gettysburg, on the second day. then. Covered by darkness, he bade them run. Bump and thump went the dragging guns, Whiz ! went the bullets overhead, " Forward ! " the order ; each man runs Over the faces of the dead ; Back and forth by his prostrate ranks. Quiet and calm as at dress parade, Walked the colonel ; little thanks Would he give the coward who Runs through the dusk like a flying wraith ; So came the gallant Nineteenth Maine, Every gun and caisson safe, Back to the Union lines again. seemed afraid ! He steadied his men ; he held them back ; With a steadfast eye, and a courage fine. He watched for the moment of attack. For the weakest point in the rebel line ; Oh ! how they greeted them ! arms entwine. They hugged them, they cheered them, all made way And the moment came; when the col- For the boys who had broken the rebel " Up,' boys, and at 'em ! " the Nine- At Gettysburg on the second day : teenth Maine Uprose like the swell of an autumn tide, Oh ! a song for the fighting days gone by, And chased the gray-coats across the A song for the bullets whizzing rain, plain. For the colonel's courage, and steady eye. And just one song for the Nineteenth They drove them like leaves by the Maine! wild winds tossed. They charged them, fought them, held a song for the flag, and the marching them at bay, feet They took back the guns that Hum- That poured through the land like a phrey lost ceaseless tide. At Gettysburg on the second day ; A song for the memories lost and sweet. For the men who lived and the men They forced the rebels to waver and who died ! yield. Then followed them faster with might a song for the brave Grand Army and main. Corps, One hundred heroes they left on the The army of veterans growing old. field, One hundred men of the Nineteenth Maine. Dusk found them within the rebel line. Rebels around them fast arrayed — Caught like a rat in a trap, in fine — Ah ! but the colonel was not dis- mayed ; Who march in the nation's ranks no more. The tale of whose deeds is a tale long told ! A song for each priceless, unnamed mound Sown thick over southern plain and hill. 40 I^F.rX/OXS OF lETERAN ASSOCIATIONS. A song for a nation's holy ground, this the citizens should honor you A song for the brave hearts beating to-clav. I doubt it" anv citizens still ! , ", . " , would give von a wanner welcome For the free land saved for you and me, ^I'-i'^ the citizens of ]3ath. In re-ard — King out the song like a grand to pensions. Some men are paid l^'-i''-^'^? pensions tiiat are periiai")s not de- For the heroes who suffered to make us . i> .. , < , i ^ servuiu". JJetter to na\' to W\^ who free, ^^ ' - ForthelivinganddeadoflheCi. A. K.I liave not lan-jy earned it than to let one soldier suller. ^'ou ha\"e sa\ed Then General F. 1). Sewall. of billions of properly that would pay Washington, D. C, was introduced, vour pensions one hundred limes General Sewall's remarks were in- over." tensely interesting-. Colonel Fooler ol" Rockland said : Amono- other things he said: " 1 ••Comrades, when 1 sa\- I am g'hid count this as a memorable day in to meet \'ou, I am jiutling it \er\- my lite, it is a pleasure to meet mildly. I see upon \()ur faces the the soldiers of the Nineteenth Maine imprint of hnalU'. You are to me and a double jileasure to meet them the same bo\s w ho growled about on the ground where they gave their vour grub bv day, and ran guard allegiance to the government." and flirted with the girls at night. The General then told a little story Your memor\' not only holds its about two men named Bill and Jim own, but is strengthened. You can who had been engaged in a heavy remember more. Tilings take a battle. Jim said, '• You were almost grander look as we grow older. Irighlened to death \esterda\' : ^•ou Keep right on telling \"our exploits, looked as white as a Hag ot truce." and if thev don't believe it send "Yes," ]>ill replied, "and if you them to me. were half as Irightened as I was, " Ladies and gentlemen of the you would be two miles to the rear." c\\\ of Bath, I am pleased and " And it is just the same with me gratified to meet \o\\ again in this to-night."' said the General, after good and lo\al cit\'. We came the laughter had subsided. " ]>ut here thirlv-lw(i Ncars ago, one thou- I am alraid to run away from the sand strong, and passed a month in Nineteenth Maine. Those times your beaulilul city. When we lell come back as fresh as yesterday, we knew we had llu- |-)ra}-ers of the I remember the young and hardy people." men in line, the streets crowded General Cilley referred to the with mothers, wives, and sisters, Nineteenth Maine as uni\ersally and the 'God bless vou ' tluw ga\'e known as a good regiment, using to us. Never was there in history that term to mean par excellence, of any country any more loyal that the leiiu " good" might also be devotion. You went out for a noble applied in a theological sense, for cause ; to defend }'our tlag. For to-da}' the presiding ollicer ot the REUNIONS OF VETERAN ASSOCIATIONS. ^\ association, who might be glorious of books, asked the hbrarian if any summer instead of Winter, had ap- history of a Maine regiment was proached the speaker and remarked owned by the hbrary. The reply that Mr. Winter well remembered was '; None," but after a moment him, for at one time he was a mem- a correcdon was made and the ber of a Sabbath-school class taught volume containing the history ot by Mr. Winter at the Old South the Fifteenth Maine, presented to church in Bath. Reasoning from the library by the historian. Major this, and the o-ood name of the Shorev, once a resident ot Bath, regiment, the speaker fully believed was found. In that library were all the members of the Nineteenth sixteen volumes of histories ot Maine were all Sunday-school Napoleon, yet only one of a Maine teachers, and the people of Bath regiment. In that library were evidently believed the same for they twenty-eight volumes of Dean had given the regiment full liberty Switl's works and not a single of the police station with all its book or pamphlet containing any accessories. reunion of any Maine regiment. Dwellincr loncrer on the Biblical Its shelves contained the adventures idea, he reterred to Jerusalem as of Joseph Andrews and Tom Jones. beautiful for situation, and this It presented to its readers John S. quality showed clearly in the his- Mosby's works, and Alexander tory of the Nineteenth Maine, tor it Stevens's rebellion accounts, but not occupied the happiest and most an account of any of the reunions beautiful situation at Bristow or meedngs of the Maine regiment StaUon, and the proudest and most and only one history of a Mame beautiful place at Gettysburg, and regiment. with picturesque High Bridge near At the close the tollowing resolu- Farmville in flames, captured the tions were adopted : small bridge beneath with the , ^,,, , , ,. .01 *, . , 1 c 1- J Resolved, Ihattothe ladies of Sedg- woundmg of its colonel, Starbu'd, ^^-^^^ ^^^x^^ ^^^^^^^ f^j. ^i^gj^ j,;,,,! ^^^^^^ and at Appomattox near at hand, for our comfort, we return our heartfelt closed the retreat while the Fifth, thanks. To Miss Harrington, who rp, , i- .1 A ^\ 1 ^ A- iDleased us so much by her rendering of Twentv-fourth, and the colored di- ' nvr ..• t^ 1 t-> - .„, ,„o Mrs. Mattie Baker Dunn s poem, we vision of the Twenty-fifth corps, with extend our warmest appreciation. For the cavalrv, barred the further ad- the Bath quartette we shall always have vance of "the rebel armv. Such a the kindest remembrance for their , . ,111 "1 beautiful music on this occasion, history should be preserved. ^ Resohed, That the Nineteenth Maine Referring to regimental histories. Regimental Association, in reunion he would sav that, attracted bv the assembled, does most heartily extend , ^ r .1 "^ T> .1 13 I r , T ;u ^ ,. its thanks to the citizens of Bath, to our beautv of the Bath rublic l^ibrary ,, 1 at \^^ ^ c \x \,.a t^ •^ old comrade, Mayor Wakeheld, and to building, he had entered its portals ^y^ ^f 0^,^ comrades who have done so and while admiring the collection much to make our reunion a success. 43 J^EL'A'JONS OF lETERAN ASSOCIATIONS. KIKLD AND STAKF. Colonel F. D. Sewall, Bath; Colonel W. H. Fogler. Rockland; Major D. E. I'arsons, Oakland; (Quartermaster J. W. Wakefield, IJath ; (Quartermaster Albert Hunter, Clinton ; Sergeant-Ma jor W. A. Wood, Bowdoinham ; Quartermaster- Sergeant I). B. Hanson, Pittston ; Com- missary Sergeant J. \V. Winter, Bath; Drum Major |. L. Brown. Howdoinham. Company A- — Samuel Jordan, Hallo- well ; G. R. Ridley, Richmond; E. H. Smith, Richmond; T. J. Ganbert, Rich- mond : C. E. Tallman, Richmond ; A. E. Williams, Boston, Mass.; W. F. Beedle, South Gardiner; Samuel Lea\itl. Richmond. Company B — T. F. Young, Lincoln- villa; 1. H. Cross, Lincolnville ; William Clements, Swanville ; A. H. Ellis, Swan- ville ; A. E. Nickerson, Swanville; L. D. Cilley, Brooks ; J. Batchelder, Brooks ; William Briggs, Munroe ; E. S. Batchel- der, Garland ; Ed. Smith, Newburg \\\- lage. Company C — Leonard Perry, Bath ; N. B. Harlow, East Peru ; G. A. Osborn, Waterville ; G. L. Whitmore, Bowdoin- ham ; G. F. Tarbell, Benton ; Richard Whitten, Unity; R. R. Webb, Unity; Frank Buzzell, China; John Spaulding, Benton ; S. H. Bayley, Lewiston ; J. L. Merricks, Waterville ; Henry Judkins, Pittstield. Company D — Levi M. Poor, Augusta ; J. W. White, Bangor ; J. N. Cunning- ham, Waldo; J. W. Webber, Lisbon Falls; G. S. Donnell, Bath: R. Wood- bury, Belfast. Company E — Captain Nehemiah Smart, Farmington ; Lieutenant A. E. Nickerson, Swanville ; Geo. L. Merrill, Di.xfield ; J. B. Campbell, Lawrence, Mass.; James A. Colson, Searsport ; Herbert T. Scribner, Searsport : E. I). Wharir, W. (Gardiner: Parish L. Strout, Belfast; John Baker, Newburg Corner ; I. C. Spaulding, Richmond. Company F — -Silas Adams, Water- ville; Philip P. Getchell, Lewiston; Wm. Stackpole, Hallowell ; Geo. (). White, Montville ; C. I. Burke, Sabattus ; E. P. White, Monmouth ; W. H. Lemont, Hath ; George Ward, Richmond Corner ; C. W. Purington, Bath ; R. A. Went- worth, Hallowell; R. Maxwell, Litch- field Corner ; Anson Turner, Litchfield Corner; George Durgin, Cambridge; J. H. Bowie, Litchfield Corner ; John Davis, I^owdoinham ; Alonzo Durgin, I5owdoinham ; Henry Williams, Bow- doinham ; Alonzo Starbird, Richmond Corner; Philip Foster, Bowdoinham; R. A. Wentworth, Hallowell ; Ed. C:un- ningham, Monmouth. Company H — F. P. Furber, Clinton ; R. M. Estes, Boston ; Fred L. Wells, Togus ; Charles T. Whitten, West New- Portland ; 1). B. Abbott, Clinton; William Leonard, Albion ; Jackson Clay- ford, Oakland ; James Phillips, Holyoke, Mass. ; Albert Hunter, Clinton ; Charles W. James, Dresden. Company G — O. P. Smart, Augusta ; A. liaskell, Augusta ; Andrew Dane, Livermore Falls ; E. Lee, Maiden, Mass. ; Warren Harlow, Peaks Island ; A. Call, Gardiner ; William Tobey, Randolph ; Frank Robbins, China ; Frank Cowell, Lowell, Mass. ; B. Han- son, Vassalboro ; Amos Jones, China : Benjamin Moody, China; T. H. Kim- ball, Lewiston; H. Haskell, China; Gardner Keen, Augusta. Company I — W. S. Vinal, \inal Haven ; C. B. Vinal, Vinal Haven ; R. H. Cary, Rockport ; A. B. Oxton, West Rockport ; John A. Cables, Rockland. Company K— E. T. Mitchell, Bath ; James H. Knight, Richmond : \\'illiam REUNIONS OF VETERAN ASSOCIATIONS. 43 F. Willis, Phipsburg ; Addison Sawyer, Bath ; William R. Lowell, Woodfords ; Melvin Holbrook, Bath ; Charles H. Bowker, Phipsburg; E. J. Campbell, Riggsville ; Thomas Oliver, Bath ; E. T. Curtis, Bath ; William McKenney, West- port ; D. \->. Hanson, Pittston ; Henry Elliott, Bath. Honorary Members — Seth T. Snipe, Bath: E. Rowell, Hallowell; E. O. Fisher, Bowdoinham ; A. Cutler, Bow- doinham ; R. Warren, Bowdoinham ; W. H. Given, Bowdoinham. nent part, had the distinguished honor of being selected by General Grant to receive the surrender of General Lee, and the principal army of the Southern Confederacy, which virtually closed the war. The steamer Forest City which transported to the lovely Cushing's Island the first delegation of the veterans at 2:15 o'clock, floated from its bow and stern flag staffs the colors of the grand old fighting Fifth Corps, — the red Maltese cross TWENTIETH MAINE INFANTRY RE- upon a white ground work. UNION. Tj^g survivors of the Twentieth The Twentieth Maine Volunteers Maine regiment who arrived by observed the thirty-second anniver- this boat, and others who had pre- sary of their muster into the service viously landed, were soon in com- of the United States, August 29, 1862, at Cushing Island, 1894. It was one of the most distin- guished of the many noble regi- ments which Maine furnished for the Northern armies, and as soon as it landed in Marvland in the tbrtable quarters at the Ottawa house. After a comforting lunch, the party took a stroll about the island which of itself is well worth a visit. Dinner was served at 7 o'clock, after which the veterans, with ladies and other guests, assem- dark days of 1862, hurried to the pled in Music hall for the annual front by forced marches in time to meetins"- take part in the Battle of Antietam when General McClellan was com- mander-in-chief. In 1863, under command of the gallant General Chamberlain, the Twentieth Maine were the heroes of Little Round Top in the terrible three days' struggle between the Army of the Potomac and the Army of Northern Virginia, — which Major Holman S. Melcher, presi- dent of the association, presided with his usual grace and dignity. "Joe" Tyler then stirred the souls of the veterans with the familiar call, " Dan, Dan, Dan, Butterfield ! " The president opened the meet- ing with brief but appropriate re- marks, and called upon Comrade was the great pivotal battle of the Theodore Gerrish, who invoked the war. divine blessing. In 1865, at Appomatox, the divi- The president staled that it was sion commanded by General Cham- our pleasure to have present a mem- berlain, of which his old regiment, ber of the Thirty-Sixth Massachu- the Twentieth Maine, was a promi- setts, which regiment went from 44 /^EUA^IONS OF ]'ETKRAN ASSOC/AT/OAS. Boston to Alexandria on the steamer J/;/">" Aifiorntr. l^orthmd. Major Barrage responded in a \ ery iiappy manner. He was lollowc'ii by Captain George W. Verrill, of Porthuid, president ol" the Seventeenth Maine association, as a representative ot tlie reiiiment which returned to Porthtnd w ith tlie Twentieth at the close of the war. Captain VerrilTs remarks were to the point and were received with ajtphiuse. The bugle call was again sounded, followed bv remarks from Captain J. C. Rundlett introducing a riile which had served on both sides dur- ing the war. The secretary read letters from General Adelbert Ames and Major J. F. Land, and expressed General Ellis Spear's regrets that, being suddenl\- called to Washington, he was unable to be present. Interesting and stirring speeches lol lowed Ir^m George S. Rowell, ol the Portland A(/zcrt/sc>\ himsell a veteran and a son of a veteran. General J. P. Cilley, of the First Maine Cavalry, E. P. Merrill, of the First Maine Cavalr\-, and others. Samuel L. Miller, secretarv of the association, then read a jioeni \vritten for the occasion by Mrs. Saraii A. Martin, of Foxcroft, state vice-president of the W'^oman's State Relief Corps of Maim-. The poem was as follows : To the Twentieth Maine on the thirty-second anniversary of " Mus- ter-in '" : There were grand, brave hearts in tlint distant time, In the days of the old crusade. Who marched 'neath the folds of tlie Maltese cross I'o the tomb where the Lord was laid. How they fought, how they fell, con- tjuered and died, In the land of the Saracen foe, Has in story been told, in song been sung, Since those days of the long ago. But 1 sing to-night of a nobler band ; In our nation's struggle and pain They fought not for fame, but for native land. 'T is the brave old Twentieth Maine I The years have gone by since you must- ered in, — Vou number them thirty and two. As you meet to-night 'neath the Maltese cross And the folds of the "red, white, and blue."' Vou miss them to-night, those comrades of old, Whose elbows touched elbow with you ; From Antietam to Ajipoiualtox they lie, — The boys in the brave army blue. I'etersburg claims them, and Chancel- lorsville : Five Forks holds its share of your loss ; At Laurel Hill, Weldon. and Peebles they rest. Who fell "neath the Red Maltese cross. North Anna runs softb' atul nuniuurs its tale. On her banks they are sleeping, I ween ; And for those who fell in the thick of the fight. In the \\'ilderness blossoms more green. Fredericksburg claims them, and lone Hatcher's Run, Where they fell 'neath the leaden rain. REUNIONS OF VETERAN ASSOCIATIONS. 45 And Gettysburg's height is dotted with time and place as the board of otfi- Si'^vss . . cers, who constitute the executive Of the orallant old Twentieth Mame. . . . ^ committee, may deem best. And, Ah, Little Round Top ! There The meeting was then closed by 'hove the clouds, singing America. You fought in the light of the sun, ^ 'Neath the stars and stripes and the ^ "^^'^ ^^'^^'^ present : Red Maltese cross, H. S. and Mrs. Melcher, Portland ; And a glorious victory won. Charles Powers, North Leominster, When the battle of life is finished at ^.^ tj at a i tj j j , , Mass; 11. M. Adams, Hodgdon, length, ^ And ended each gain and each loss Me. ; Theodore and Mrs. Gerrish, May you conquer at last through the Master George Gerrish, Portland ; glorious Son, ^ q Muncv, Livermore Falls; In the hallowed sign of the cross. t/-< ttx/t't-. ,1 t^i ^ J. C. and Mrs. Rundlett, Portland: The poem was received with James R. Martin, Foxcroft ; O. P. applause. Martin, Foxcroft: J. E. DeWitt, The report of the secretary and Natick, Mass. ; Charles R. Shorey, treasure!- u-as read and accepted. Waterville ; L. F. Farris, Lowell, A contribution to replenish the Mass. ; John S. Parker, St. Albans, treasury was taken. Amount of A. P. and Mrs. Bateman, Lowell, contribution, $21.33. Mass.; E. S. Coan, Auburn; E. On motion of Comrade J. C. S. Coan, Auburn; E. P. Merrill. Rundlett a committee of tliree, J. C. Portland; Wm. H. Stahl, North Rundlett, E. S. Coan, and F. M. Waldoboro ; J. W. Morris, West- Rogers, were appointed to nominate brook ; F. AL Rogers, Melrose, a board of officers. The commit- Mass. ; J. H. and Mrs. Stanwood, tee reported as follows : Waldoboro ; A.J. and Mrs. Tozier, For president, H. S. Melcher, Litchfield ; Reuel and Mrs. Thomas Portland : vice-president, Reuel North Cambridge, Mass. ; Geo. Thomas, North Cambridge ; secre- L. Witham, Southport : Sulii- tary and treasurer, S. L. Miller, van Johnson, St. Albans; S. A. Waldoboro. Bennett, Norway ; W. H. True, The report was accepted and they Portland; A. O. Shaw, Portland; were unanimously elected. P. S. and Mrs. Graham, Cumber- The new vice-president being land Mills : x'X. B. Latham, Auburn ; called upon responded with a very F. L. Ilunnewell, Portland ; Chas. happy speech, in which he ifighh' Cook, Portland; W. G. Robinson, complimented the "girls" as he Hyannis, Mass.: L. P. and Mrs. termed the ladies present. True, Yarmouth ; S. L. and Mrs. He was followed by Comrades Field, Portland; S. B. Libby, E. S. Coan, O. P. Martin, J. E. Durham; J. E. Bennett, Foxcroft; DeWitt. C. T. Buck, Snow Falls; Moses Voted, That a reunion of the Verrill, Buckfield ; P. M. Morgan, association be held in 1895 at such Gorham ; Wm. K. Bickford, Nor- 46 KE UN JONS OF lETKRAN ASSOCIATIONS. way : Joseph T'vler, Portland : only the proper thing lor the boys A. E. McLaughlin, Roxbury, to fall into line as of old at the corn- Mass. ; S. L. Miller, Waldoboro : iiiand of Sergeant llutrman. After G. W. Bowman, Orleans, ^Fass. diinier and cigars the meeting was called to order by Comrade II. E. Thursday forenoon the entire ^r^j^.^er, late of Company B, party took steamer lor Peak's island, Twenty-First Maine, for the pur- where they met with a warm re- ^^^^ ^^ organizing an association, ception irom the veterans ol the The following officers were elected ; Eighth Maine then holding a re- p.^.j^ent, J. E. Nichols, of Round union at their association building, p^^^ . Comrade Nichols accepted After a very pleasant hour with the ^,^^ ^^^^^^^^ ^^,.^,^ ^^^^^^^ appropriate comrades ot the Eighth they visited ^^^^^^ patriotic remarks; secretarv the building and war museum ol .^^^^^ treasurer. William Nash, Port- the Fifth Maine. On the return j^^^^^j ^ ,-^.^^ vice-president, J. B. passage to Portland the tollowmg yj^,.,.ii|^ Damariscotta Mills: sec- resoludons were adopted : ^^^^^^ vice-president, Charles E. Resolved, That the thanks of Baker, l^runswick : third vice- this association be extended to the president, Joseph W. Bryant, Bre- comrades of the Eighth Maine for „ien : committee of correspondence, the cordial and heart); reception g^^^^^jj j, y^^^.j^^ Damariscotta given to us this morning on our .,.,, , ^r .- , ti i 5isit to their association building at ^^'^^^ ' Augustus M. bproul, Round Peak's island. Pond ; Thomas N. Ayer, Alna : Resolved, 'V\\,x\. the thanks of the Samuel HolTman, Damariscotta. association also be extended to the Voted, that the date of the next Fifith Maine association for the j-eunion be left to the president and pleasure afforded by a visit to their . ., \ n r.i r ., ,. , -^ vice-presidents. A roll ot the com- building and war museum. ^ pan\' taken b\' Sergeant John F. It was also decided without the Hodgkins while in the service was formality of a vote that the reunion reviewed. There were eighty- nine had been a great success, ver\- en- names on the roll, ot which twenty- jovable to all who participated. one were present and twenty-eight were known tcj be dead. Follow- REL-Mox OF COMPANY I, TWENTY- i„a are the names of those present: FIRST MAINE INFANTRY. Thomas Arnold, Ozn. C. Bryant. Saturday, October 27, the members Charles E. Baker, Joseph W. of Company I, Twenty-First Maine lirxant, Orren Carter, John L. Regiment, met at Sewell York's Flint, II. E. Webster, John Gond\-. hall, Damariscotta Mills. This Samuel Hoffman, John F. Hodg- was the rirst reunion of the com- kins, John B. Merrill, J. E. Niciiols, p;my, and after cordial greeting William Nash, George W. Prentiss, among the comrades of thirt\' years Jacob Rankin. Augustus M. Sproul, ago the roll was called. It seemed Ejihraim Stevens, Da\'id P. Sjiroul, John O. Hkackktt, Major. •rwtiitv-Sccoiid Maim- liifaiiliv. Ditd. April 2. 1S74. REUNIONS OF VETERAN ASSOCIATIONS. 47 Gardiner Waltz, John Waltz, S. P. in his duties. Reports of treasurer York. Letters were read from com- and secretar\' read and approved, rades Captain Andrew J. Erskine, Bills for printing roster, and circu- of Rockland, and Samuel T. Reed, lars, and postage were presented of Massachusetts, who were unable and accepted, and a collection was to be present. A \-ote of thanks taken for the purpose of paying for was passed to the comrades and them. General Gallagher escorted their ladies of Damariscotta Mills for the excellent dinner and refresh- ments provided in Temple hall. THE REUNION OF THE TWENTY- SECOND MAINE INFANTRY ASSOCIATION. Mrs. Brackett and Mrs. Flacrcr to the front of the hall, and the com- rades came forward and gave them a friendly greeting. Voted that the president appoint a committee of three to present the names of offi- cers for the ensuing year and the August 14, 1894, was a gala day president appointed General S. J. at Dover, the occasion being the Gallagher, Colonel N. C. Stowe. annual reunion of the Twenty-Sec- and Sergeant Edwin Lambert. ond regiment of Maine Volunteers Committee reported as follows : For serving in the War of the Rebellion president, General S. J. Gallagher, with the Army of the Gulf. The Augusta ; vice presidents. Colonel hall was magnificently decorated S. G. Jerrard, Levant; Major R. with the national colors and perhaps G. Rollins, Bangor; Colonel Jasper the finest floral display ever seen Hutchins, Brewer; secretary, on the platform, where elegant ex- Frank H. Jewell, Herman Center: hibits of bright flowers are common, treasurer, Melville Walker, Hamp- For this, great credit is due Mrs. den ; chaplain, F. H. Dver, Frances Smith, whose taste in se- Charleston : executive committee, lection and arrangement was given D. H. Robinson, Garland; Elon R. ample scope. Cousins, Eddington ; John D. The morning hour was given up Pease, East Corinna. The com- to the cordial greeting of comrades, rades selected by tlie committee On coming to order under the official were elected b}- the association, organization of last year, the presi- Dinner was served at i o'clock, and dent, Lieutenant T. J. Peaks, of business resumed at 1:30, Presi- Company E, presided, and prayer dent Gallagher presiding, who an- was offered by Chaplain F. H. nounced the names of the following Dyer. Colonel Jerrard was received comrades as corresponding secreta- by the comrades with the heartiest ries from each com pan \' : Company of cheers and a most cordial vvel- A, Melville Walker, Hampden ; come, showing the great respect Company B, George T. Rowe, and love for him. President Peaks Bangor; Company C, A. P. Siuith, detailed Comrade A. P. Smith of Newport: Company D, H. S. Company C, to assist the secretary Grant, Winn : Company E, Samuel 48 A'ECW/ONS OF I'ETERAX ASSOCIATIONS. Morrill, Dexter; Company F, D. Lieutenant O. 13. Williams of San- M. Gardner, Calais : Company G, cferville. actinj^ as toast master, an- L. \'. 'rowle. Fort I^^iirlield ; Com- noinufd numerous sentiments, to pan\' II, \Vm. F. Cjile, East Cor- which resj-)onses were made by inth : C'ompanv I, Colonel X. C. Colonel Ilulchins, Colonel J. B. Stowe. Dover; Company K. j. 11. Peaks, of the First Maine Cavalry, French, North Newjiort. \'otetl Colonel Jerrard, Captain II. C. the matter of the time and place of \'aughan, of the Fourteenth Maine, next reunion be left to llu' oflicers and after singinj; " Marchinurn, COMTANV A, FUtST MAINK CAVALRY. In response to a letter which ap- who took part in the battle of Din- peared in the columns of the Rich- widdie Court House, Virginia : and mond Dispatch of Richmond, Vir- especially to those who were en- ginia, February 18, 1894, address- gaj^cd in that part of the field and ed to the e.\-conlederate soldiers of battle known as the "Sunset the old Army of Northern Virginia, Charge" oi' the confederates at THE BATTLE-FIELD OF DINWIDDIE COURT HOUSE. 53 Chamberlain's ]5ed, March 31st, have any doubts about it, the advice 1865 ; the writer received half a is hereby confidently given to "go hundred or more communications and do likewise." trom ex-confederate soldiers who The old hamlet of Dinwiddle participated in that charge, all of Court House, besides being the shire which were more or less descriptive town of Dinwiddle county, has of the incident referred to in the many things to recommend it to the DisfatcJi article and contained very lover of pastoral life. It has no rail interesting information relative to connections, it is true, the nearest the battle as well as to that of the being at Ford's station, ten miles following day at Five Forks. Many north-west on the line of the Nor- of these letters were written by men folk & Western railroad, in war who have been familiar with the times known as the " South Side field since their childhood ; and who railroad " because all of Virginia fought in the confederate ranks south of the James river and east of that day at Chamberlain's Bed, and the Blue Ridge was and is known there probably never was written a as the " South Side." The city of more interesting or trustworthy ac- Petersburg is situated in Dinwiddle count of that engagement than is county, fifteen miles to the north- contained in these letters, for tlie east. writers wielded impartial as well as The sleepy old hamlet of Din- able pens. The writer left Peters- widdie Court House is situated upon burg at eight o'clock a. m., March an elevated plateau, thus guarantee- 31st, in company with B. D. Akers, ing excellent sanitary conditions, late of the 19th, Virginia infantry, especially pure water: besides, it travelling by the old Boydton plank enjoys a delightful climate the year road and arriving at Dinwiddle round, and the writer would not Court House at ii::5 a. m., emigrate far from Dinwiddle Court where he found quite a gather- House if it were left for him to ing of old confederates in antici- choose, for there one might enjoy pation of our coming. If the writer a quiet, pleasant, restful lite among had had any misgivings as to his a people who have no superiors in reception by the old soldiers of the the world. confederacy they were soon hap- The cavalcade which moved on pily dispelled, for it was not long Chamberlain's Bed, or Run, at before he felt more at home than twelve o'clock that bright spring was the case twenty-nine years be- day, was a unanimous one it not fore, just down under the hills a exactly up to the standard tliat im- couple of miles away at Chamber- pelled it twenty-nine years before Iain's Bed. Nothing could have that hour. Passing out from the been more courteous or considerate old hamlet along the Five Forks than the greetings accorded to him, road for a short distance through then and there, and to those who the forest, we soon emerged into 54 THE BATTLE-FIELD OF DINWIDD/F COCRT HOUSE. the broad fields skirting the road on either side, so well remembered as the place where Sheridan's cavalry paraded at sunset to resist the advance ot" the enemy, as our bri- gade fell back before his fierce onslaught at Chamberlain's Bed. forest and cutting the Five Forks road. The oncoming ranks of blue from the direction of Dinwiddie Court House, the lltlul Hashes of musketry and artiller}', the near approach of tlie combatants, tiie im- pending conflict, made more start- A mile or more from the court ling and impressive by the gatiier- house we left the Five Forks ing twilight, all served to make up road, turning short to the left, west- a scene that would immortalize the ward upon the cross road leading artist transmitting it to canvas, and down to Chamberlain's Bed. It was near this road, about thirty rods from the Five Forks road, that the writer saw General Sheridan for the first time. We were a party of laggards, the last men up, for we had brought Lieutenant Comins otf the field, who had been mortally w^ounded at tlie time our regiment fell back from Chamberlain's Bed a mile or so to the westward. I will what is more tlie confederate arms would surely have immortalized the Dinwiddie plateau itself, if the battle of Five Forks had been fought then and there ; and from a confederate point of sight, it should have been fought, and could have been w^on at that hour with more chances of success at the outset than were presented at the first or second ''Bull Run," " Chancellorsville," try to describe the situation at the or the " Redemption of the Cra- time we reached the barricade in front of the guns, which had been hastily constructed with rails in anticipation of a cavalry charge by the enemy. The gunners were berating us roundh' for delaying their fire and threatened to blow us all into "eternit}^ come," with the yelling fiends behind us, Lieuten- ter " at Petersburg. You ask for my reasons. Very well : there was a superior force on the confederate side, including Pickett's and John- son's justly celebrated divisions of infantry (while Sheridan had not an infantrvman within iialf a dozen miles), W. II. F. Lee's and Fitz Hugh Lee's cavalry and two bat- ant Comins held upon Colonel Cil- teries of artillery ; Sheridan had ley's horse (the colonel had given good cavahy it is true, but was not up his horse to us and had come up expected to win battles against on foot), with the blood dripping infantry and cavalry combined as from his overflowed boot, the anx- well as in superior force, although ious looks of the gunners in front of General Warren seemed to expect us, not twenty feet away, tlie yell- it, else why was the 5th corps not ing charging devils behind us not on the ground? It is simply rot to twenty rods distant, while half a put forward the argument than in- mile to the northwest, Pickett's fantry cannot march across country legions were emerging from the where cavalry can. wlien as a THE BATl'LE-FIELD OF DINWIDDIE COURT HOUSE. 55 matter of fact it is exactly the moment when we arrived at the reverse, as any old campaigner barricade a group of officers were knows. The ablest and the best approaching at the head of a caval- of generals have upon rare occa- ry column from the direction of Din- sions made mistakes and lost battles widdie Court House. Above them which should have been won, but waved all manner and kinds of ban- one may trace the fighting records ners and flags, and the whole out- of soldiers down from the time of fit, but for the advancing column, Alexander the Great to the present might have been taken for any day, and in nine cases out of ten branch of military services on the the lost battles that " should have two hemispheres (captured confed- been won," can be attributed to the erate flags of various patterns and inefficency or disloyalty of subordi- red and white and yellow guidons nate oflicers. Nevertheless, citing and corps standards). Just at that the Dinvviddie and Five Forks bat- moment, one of the group of offi- tles, March 31st and April ist, cers dashed forward and rode up to 1865, a general officer was before a the side and rear of the gun directly court-martial for cause on the fed- in our front, wearing a slouched eral side, and on the confederate hat, a common army blouse, and side more than one should have pants tucked inside his cavalry been, and what is more, would have boots. He wore a belt, but neither been, had the confederacy materi- sword, pistol, nor insignia of rank alized, for general officers were was visible about him, and carried not supposed to be " dining out" at a short, substantial riding whip in the critical moment of the fighting, his ungloved hand, and as he rein- neither down by " Hatcher's Run" ed up short beside the gun, he a half dozen miles to the eastward, struck it smartly with his whip, nor as far to the westward as Din- and spoke sharply to the gunners, widdie or Five Forks ; — which in at the same time pointing with his the latter case was all the more whip toward our party at the barri- criminal, from the fact that the sol- cade. Then he raised in his stir- diers of the Army of Northern Vir- rups, leaned forward and peered ginia had never failed their officers down through the gathering twi- throughout the long years of des- light toward the advancing enem}^ perate struggle and blood}^ sacri- In a minute we were through the fices to which they had been sub- barricade and directly between the jected, and to be "neglected" (to guns, passing close to the soldier put it in a mild form), as can be still raised in his stirrup with his readily proven, they were, in their gaze still fixed upon the enemy, last desperate hour of existence as There was something positively an army, is " lamentable to say the startling in his appearance, for his least." But let us leave criticism eyes seemed like glowing balls ot and go back to our story. At the fire, scintillating with fiendish anti- 56 THE BATTLE-FJELD OF DINWJDDIE COURT HOUSE. cipation, while the expression upon it was Sheridan, besides his eccen- his lace became intensiiied by the trie personality made reconrnition look ot" anxious inquiry wbich an easy thini^ under ordinary cir- crept over it as he gazed. His lips cumstances. The writer saw him were fiercely compressed, and his frequently at'terwards along the whole form seemed as rigid as if way to and at Appomattox, yet sculptured from granite. A mo- never saw other than a relleclive, mentarv lleeting picture, almost self-assertive expression, which was agonizing to the beholders, then he rather pleasant to behold, upon his dropped back into the saddle with face. We knew the next da\' what a long-drawn breath closely re- was meant by his words "' drilling semblino- a siah of relief. What 'em to-morrow," for it meant Five General Sheridan beheld during Forks and the swift ending of the that short minute's gaze trom which last campaign. As we proceeded he could have derived consolation, onward down the road toward was a problem for the writer for Chamberlain's Bed, signs of tiie man\- long years, but standing tierce storm that had swept through there upon the same spot on the the tbrest of pines to the northward 31st of last March, and carefully of the road on that day so long ago, inspecting the ground over which were to be seen on everv hand, the enemv approached, it was all time hax'ing iailed to heal the made plain, for raised in his stir- w^ounds from shot and shell. To rups as General Sheridan w^as, he the south of the road that portion of must have been enabled to see over the declivity which was then open the low bushy scrub pine cones land, is now covered by a dense among which the enemy was ad- growth of pines. As we passed vancing to the open spaces below, the depression to the south of the thus satisfying himself that no con- road where the First Maine Cav- siderable force of the enemy were airy dismounted and prepared to advancing. At all events, that he tight on foot, involuntaril\- the had subdued great anxiety there is writer paused, recalling the picture no doubt, as his appearance almost the two battalions of the regiment on the instant became transformed made just before going into action a for the better, though still remain- short distance below, near Cham- ing hard and uncompromising, as berlain's Run. The other battalion he turned toward our party, looking having crossed the run ; the men sharply lirst at the wounded lieu- standing or lying down in front of tenant on the horse, and then down their horses ; the sudden appear- at the man beside him as he spoke ance of the stall' ollicers bearing these words, "Well, boys, you've orders to move quickly to the front: had rough works this afternot)n, the hast}' formation in column of but d 'em, I'll drill "em for you fours and double-quick movement to-morrow." Then we knew that into and down tiie road toward THE BATTLE-FIELD OF DJNWLDDLE COURT HOUSE. 57 where the firing had become too spreading branches sweep the sharp and near to be longer disre- ground and pierce the rifts in the garded. — Thought, swift and sure, dispersing storm clouds with the had indeed carried me back twen- gleaming lances of a meridianal ty-nine years, two and one half sun, which brightened the misty hours, in a second's time. There atmosphere of the glen ; and our before me, trending southward at picture, in its rude perfectness, is right angles to the road, lay a indeed realistic of the scene on grassy glen. A long line of capar- that March day of 1865 on the isoned steeds standing compactly cross road leading down to Cham- facing toward the west, in front of berlain's Run two miles to the them, standing or reclining upon northwest of Dinwiddle Court the ground, young and stalwart House, Virginia, men in blue uniforms with bur- Let us contemplate it, study it, nished repeaters in their hands or and if you will, admire it, for it is a lying by their sides, the varied ex- picture whose animate parts of pression of whose countenances men and horses would have called was indeed a study ; many smiling- torth the admiration of the confed- ly chatting with their comrades, erates themselves, for the First seemingly indifferent to the con- Maine Cavalry was the regiment flict all knew soon must come, par excellence of the war of 1861- others flushed and pale, nervous- '65, that is, if General Sheri- ly pacing to and fro; a few dan's word is to be allowed. At all with features set and drawn, with events it was a regiment of splen- pallid lips and half-fierce hunted didly mounted, drilled, armed, and look as though each moment com- equipped cavalry, five hundred passed an agony of years. Ah, strong, clad in natty blue uniforms, do not tell me of the love and the every arm, trapping, and equip- longing men have for battle : such ment as bright and clean and well may be the case in rare instances ; disposed as though for holiday indeed such thought has impressed parade, lor the}' were but one day me while observing some soldiers from winter quarters ; young and going under fire, and I should wish stalwart men of martial mien and to possess such spirit were I ever superior attainments, graduates for again to become a soldier, but my the most part from institutions ot army experience was quite the re- learning, disciplined and inured to verse, and I never went under fire dangers and hardships by long without .... years of service in the field, and But let us take up our pencils whose splendid personnel was more and complete our '• Picture of the than a fair representation of the Glen," toning it up with a back- justly celebrated bodies of troops ot ground of low, pale green verdured the pure Yankee type furnished by pines like massive cones, whose the extreme north-east in the war ot 58 THE BATTLE-FIELD OF DJNUIDDJE COURT HOUSE. THE BATTLE-FIELD OF DINWIDDLE COURT HOUSE. 59 i86i-'65. Men who had borne shghtly rising ground, and there it their battle flags " against Virgin- was that our double-quicking col- ians" upon Virginian soil, and umn came " Left front into line," were to return them in safety to by battalions of four troops each, their state capitol With a preeminent just before opening fire upon the number of bloody fields imprinted approaching enemy. At the top of upon their folds, and that is saying this rise it so happened that the quite enough to cause all, who pines have a sparse growth, while behold it, to admire our "Picture from that point down to the Run, of the Glen." A moment and it what was a clean sloping field on is forever destroyed — "• Attention I the day of the battle, is now a Prepare to fight on foot ! Fours dense forest of slender, thrifty right! March !" — Where now shall pines, thirty to fifty feet in height, we seek that splendid column of entirely free from underbrush, the men? From Virginia to the four cor- ground still showing unmistakable nersoftheglobe, the earth enshrouds evidence of its former cultivation, it, or with silvered hair its survivors Changed as the aspect was, how- are swiftly hastening into their final ever, it did not prevent imagination rest. A sound more like a groan from restoring the " Cyclorama " than a sigh escaped me. "What which burst upon our view as we troubles you now?" asked one of reached this crest twenty-nine years my companions. " Oh, only dream- before ; and the general cussedness ing." And the situation was ex- of the situation seemed even more plained as it was twenty-nine years pronounced than it did on the day before. " Oh, yes, we knew all of the battle as I beheld the manly, about it, that is, we thought we did," stalwart, resolved men about me, and " the charge across the Run who fairly represented the enemy's was made expressly to capture your force on the day of the fight ; be- led-horses " — (C. G. Burton, Uni- sides, since then, there has been versity of Virginia). "The led- plenty of time to reflect upon the horses, was it? We thought all the results of the short, sharp introduc- while 3^ou were after us, and that is tory of the Dinwiddle, Five Forks why we went down to meet you battles, and to lay more stress than half wa}'." This reply raised a ever upon the effectiveness of laugh among the confederates, for magazine fire against the muzzle some, who were in the mounted loader, as was demonstrated that charge (Tenth Virginia), knew well day at Chamberlain's Bed (see to what the writer referred: but History First Maine Cavalry), they took it all in good part and we The writer understands too well the went on down the road, discussing valor ot the opposing force that the situation at our first meeting, day, to doubt for a moment the suc- until we came to the place where cess of our charge depended large- the gradual descent changes to ly upon the awful effects of the 6o THE BATTLE-FIELD OF DLYWIDD/E COL RT HOUSE. storm of bullets with wliich we and the Fifth North Carolina Cav- svvept the field as we advanced, airy, dismounted, armed with muz- Our men were dismounted, with zle-charging rifles. Major J. Henry seven and sixteen shootino- rifles in Detton commanded the former, and their hands, while a part of our Colonel McNeil the latter force, enemies were mounted. You may Colonel McNeil was killed, and his say that with a clean, smooth held regiment suflered severely ; the separating the combatants, that Tenth Virginia nuicii less. My mounted men should have been the reverie was broken in upon by ni}- superior force, but the w^'iter risks friend Akers. who must have been the assertion ihat lliis fact j')laces it born with the knack of arriving al about tour to one the other way, if the greatest possible results by the the dismounted men in the field are least possible efTort, for standing up of the right kind of "hostile farm- in tiie carriage he called, " Atten- ers " and in sympathy with that tion, Army of Northern Virginia ! kind of pre-emption business. No The Army of the Potomac sends matter how well armed, mounted, greetings. This is the fifty-eighth or drilled the other side ma}' be, anniversary of my Yankee friend's the chances are two to one that one birthday, who was twenty-nine man against two will hold the field, years old on the day of the battle ; and although the writer has said and as it has been just twenty-nine that our success that day could not years since, it seems to me that be accomplished once in a thousand what the governor of North Caro- times by the same force against the lina said to the governor of South same force, because it has been Carolina must be true, so let "s cele- demonstrated that small bodies of brate both anniversaries at once, men will not charge across an open Commissaries to the front ! prepare field in the face of a superior force to dismount and drink on foot ! of enemies charging at the same Dismount I Gentlemen, here is to moment from its opposite side. On the utter confusion of American the Federal side in this short, sharp politicians and eternal unity of action the force consisted of two American soldiers I Three cheers battalions of the First Maine Cav- for the Army of the Potomac I airy dismounted, commanded by Three cheers for the Army of Colonel Cilley and armed one half Northern Virginia ! " which were with the Henry (now Winchester) given with a will, supplemented by and one half with the Spencer re- an old-time yell; one confed' in peating rilles and Remington army particular kept on yelling, and revolvers, wliile on the confederate fearing that his old-time malady side the force consisted of a detach- might become chronic a double ment of the Tenth Virginia Cav- dose of whiskey antidote was pro- airy, mounted, armed with Sharp's posed, which was administered carbines and Colt's army pistols, readily enough, without tieing iiim ; THE BATTLE-FIELD OF DINWIDDLE COURT HOUSE. 6i in fact, we "celebrated" again all deed seemed impossible that the round and went on down the road scene could ever have been disturb- singing " Hail Columbia, Happy ed by tlie crash of musketry, the Land." As we approached Cham- shriek of shot and shell, and the berlain's Bed the forest north of the yells of infuriated men engaged in road seemed more and more like a deadly combat, and the poet's words familiar place. The large pines descriptive of the Battle of Hohen- here and there showed the old-time linden, where the yells of Mor- shell marks high up and low down, eau's infuriated Frenchmen wrest- LlEUTENANT JeFF. L. CoBURN (1894). the splinters still protruding from their scarred trunks, while down within the forest's solemn depths all was so quiet and restful — undis- turbed save by the whispers amid the high branches of the pines, thrill- ing the mid-day twilight with minor notes, whose melody seemed like the blending of softened, saddened, far away cadences of pacification of the "Blue and the Grays." It in- ing victory from defeat rose above the roar of battle amid the pines of the Black Forest, occurred to me ; — "While furious Frank and fiery Hun Shout in the sulphurous canopy." But it is doubtful that the heroic deeds performed amid the pines of the " Black Forest " at Hohenlinden ninety-four years ago excelled the deeds of valor performed 62 THE BATTLE-FIELD OF D/NWIDDIE COURT HOUSE. by the Blue and the Gray amid the mangled upon both sides, and yet pines at Chamberlain's lied, March all must have been chance shots 31, 1865; at least so far as the fired at random through the dense Tenth "Virginia Cavalry and the scrub. (I'his relates to that part First Maine Cavalrv were concern- of the line for some distance below ed. 'Hid abo\'e the road.) It is quite "Did ever dauntless Southron dare probable that the great changes in Such riaming shores? Was ever there the condition ot" things about the Morestubborn Puritan?" j^^^l have been brought about by A few rods further down, at the the semi-annual o\erflow depositing foot of the declivity, the road makes sediment and thus gradually creat- a sli<'"ht curve, and there, amid a ing solid lands. We took a turn ciant forest of hardwood growth, down below the road through the gleamed the limpid, prattling waters dense pine forest where the smooth of Chamberlain's Bed. What a level field once was, and found the transformation ! It seemed like an ledgy blutVthat skirted its southern inspiration to the mental picture of border on the day of the battle, and the place with which the writer had from that located the spot where the been so familiar during the past gallant Colonel McNeil of the Fifth twentv-nine years — a giant forest of North Carolina cavalry was killed hardwood trees where had been while rallying his dismounted men scrubby underbrush interspersed in the forenoon, and after paying with saplings. A stream of clear, due tribute to the memory of that limpid, swiftly running water skirted gallant soldier by relating the cir- by smooth, solid lands, where had cumstances of his death, the writer been sluggish pools of murky, stag- cut upon the trunk of a tree near nant waters and marshy shores by, ''Colonel McNeil, Fifth North covered with scrub and tangled Carolina Cavalry, killed March vines and grasses, while beyond 31st, 1865.'' In returning to the the stream could be seen distantly road we went up along the line the almost abrupt western banks occupied by the First Maine Caval- rising to the table lands beyond. ry during the afternoon, and upon Twenty-nine vears before that another tree about fifteen rods below hour two lines of battle skirted the road cut "J. W. West, late either shore of this stream from sergeant Company H, First Maine twelve o'clock forty-five minutes Cavalry, wounded March 31st, afternoon till five o'clock thirty 1865." Crossing the road we went minutes afternoon, not a dozen rods up the Bed and back among the apart and yet hardlv a man among old pines and located the line ot them all caught even a glimpse of battle wiiere the First Maine re- his enemies. Thousands of bullets formed to resist the charge of the flew across this stream during that confederates after they had crossed time, and men were killed and the Run. Here was the spot made THE BATTLE-FIELD OF DINWIDDLE COURT HOUSE. 63 forever memorable by the dis- mounted men of the First Maine Cavalry between the hours of five and six o'clock in the afternoon, March 31st, 1865, and above all other hours or places of conflict of the last campaign fraught with the most momentous interest, for had it not been for that hour's delay of the right wing of the confederate army, the battle of Five Forks would have been fought and won by the con- federates on the Dinwiddle plateau, instead of being fought and lost at Five Forks the next day. The above written description of General Sheridan's appearance at the guns at dusk satisfies the writer more and more, upon reflection, that General Sheridan fully realized the danger of the situation at that moment, knew that through the delay, or something worse, of a corps com- mander he had been caught in a trap at the very outset of the last campaign ; and of course, if so, he must also have realized that although the final results of the campaign would not be reversed, yet would undoubtedly be greatl}^ prolonged, and however much other success might enhance his fame, it never could or would revoke the one great failure of his life. Such reflections may seem out of place to many, but not to those who were present on that field, neither to the careful student of history : and above all, bear in mind that the writer's opinions are not founded entirely upon participation in the events of that field nor upon observation since, but have for their basis a far better authority which cannot well be introduced here. Let the reader carefully study the United States Military Atlas descriptive of the battles of Dinwiddle Court House and Five Forks, and also carefully peruse the records of the "Warren Court- Martial," before questioning the above. We reached the road one fourth of a mile from the Run over the route upon which our regiment fell back, and about half way up to the road cut upon a tree " Lieut. Comins, Co. A, ist Me. Cav., Mort'y w'd Mar. 31, '65;" and twenty feet further on "Col. Cilley, ist Me. Cav., w'd Mar. 31, '65," and up near the road " O. E. Lufkin,Co. A, ist Me. Cav., killed. Mar. 31, '65." Private Luf kin's remains were buried near the road the next morning after the fight, and three years subsequently were transferred to the United States Military Cemetery at Poplar Ground, five miles to the south of Petersburg. The old grave at Dinwiddle is plainly to be seen today, and was readily located bv the writer. We buried him at early dawn, April ist, 1865, and " In the gray dawn the forest seemed Like a weird bivouac, yet was there No group defined, no brand that gleamed, Nor sentry's challenge smote the air, Still battle tainted, nor appeared A startled movement as we neared. We knew not of his creed, nor cared, And rude our burial ministry. 'O God, remember what he dared, Be merciful, and let there be Glad welcomings and joy and rest, And life eternal with the blest.' " 64 THE BATTLE-FIELD OF DINWIDDIE COURT ITOUSE. Private Lufkiii, Sergeant H. S. Hnest sensibilities, and thoroughly Coburn, and Corporal C. A. North, imbued with a true Christian spirit, all ot* Company A, were the men he was in the highest degree a who responded to the writer's call Christian gentleman and a soldier, for volunteers to tjo back in the and as such will be remembered face of the advancing enemy to the and revered by his old comrades in rescue of Lieutenant Comins, who arms, whose efforts made then and hiEUiKNAM Leandek L. Co.mins ii804). had been mortally wounded after there in his behalf were prompted our regiment had commenced its by the respect, affection, and ad- retreat. "Don't try it, sergeant, miration for the sterling qualities you can't do it'" (Captain Boyd), which he possessed. "I'll get him. Captain, or stop First Sergeant J. D.Waller, Com- with him ; good-bye." The rescue pany E, Thirty-second Virginia was effected. No braver man than Infantry, Corse's brigade, Pickett's Lieutenant Comins ever died for division, wrote in answer to the his country in any time or clime, — "Dispatch Article," "When our pure at heart, possessed of the line of battle advanced from Cham- THE BATTLE-FIELD OF DINIVIDDIE COURT HOUSE. 65 berlain's Bed, following the retreat squad was concerned at that of the enemy at sunset up toward moment, and which the colonel Dinwiddie Court House, I was in well understood, while we did not. command of the skirmish line, and Any way, at that moment Bar- had advanced but a short distance ringer's cavahy was just entering when I saw a squad of Federals a the tield to the westward near the few rods in our front, bearing a Run, while the woods above us to wounded man from the field. Some the north of the road were swarming of my men hred ; I shouted ' For with Pickett's infantry, and close shame, do n't shoot w^ounded men,' upon us in the pines the enemy, and then shouted to the Federals, who was following up our retreat, ' Take him on, Yanks ; we all won't would soon emerge into the road fire,' not thinking it possible for where we then stood. It was at them to escape capture." And we that very spot we missed Lieutenant should not had it not been for Comins at the time we fell back Colonel Cilley, who took in the from the line of battle down in the situation as we emerged into the pines, and from which the volunteer road fifteen rods or more in the rear party had hastened back to his of our retreating regiment, and what relief, and by happy chance came Colonel Cilley was there for, in such directly upon him. It was an close proximity to the enemy, hunt- awful moment, the forest made ing his stragglers while the sun hideous by the groans of the was going down and a first-class wounded. Lieutenant Comins lay wild-cat show coming up, was more moaning upon the ground, the pine than the writer understood, and needles about him besprinkled and hastily suggested to the colonel in a splashed by his blood as he had rather unmilitary phrase to " Light crawled and writhed about in his out of here. Colonel. You 're a <"igony ; and just down in our front, candidate for Lee's rear." " Rear all in plain sight amid the pines, be d . Qiieer advice for 30U to the Confederate line of battle was be giving just now. Whom have being readjusted, tor the men were you there? What! Comins?" closing upon the new alignment. These words were uttered by the preparatory to following up our colonel as he spurred across the retreat, when w^e reached our road. " Yes, Colonel : lend us wounded friend. It was a trying your horse and we '11 save him moment. No time was to be lost, yet." Colonel Cilley was off his Two rifles were thrown upon the horse in a flash, and although it ground and the lieutenant placed was "all rear"' and he on foot he across them, then turning toward managed to reach our lines in the enemy one swift glance, we safety. As a matter of fact his beheld the skirmishers hastening words " d rear" expressed the forward. " Shall we tr^- it? " For situation so far as himself and our answer, my men stooped and seized 66 IMF. BATTr.E-FlET.D OF DINW/DDIF COURT HOUSE. the rirtes, and we started as best we swept around in an inci^ular curve might upon our forlorn mission, across the field. At this time there "Hall I I lalt I Hall ! " came sharp]\- were but few shots lired, but the to our ears as we hastened on " Do n"l shoot at the horse," through the jiines. and we tried to " Wounded man/" and " Look out swerve behind some large trees. It men, do n't iiurt the man on the was all over in a halt minute: horse," was repeated time and time crack, crack, crack, then a spitelul again. Now is not this a pleasant fusillade up and down the skirmish thing to contemplate? Is it not one line. I^rivate Lufkin was shot of the few bright pictures to be re- through the heart. Lieutenant called of those awful davs? Im- Comins was again wounded, and parted, too, by men who had met not one of the party escaped the our magazine fire a short half hour effects of the enemy's shots. Down before I It is not onl}' remarkable, went the poor lieutenant. Private it is almost bevond belief, and vet Lufkin falling across him. Three it is truth if ever truth was spoken, of us left standing. At that moment else why did any one of our part}- caiue the words, " For shame, men, live to reach our lines? For as the do n't shoot the wounded," and then, enemy came sweeping around " Take him on, Yanks ; we all across tlie field every man of them won't shoot." Three to do the must have seen our squad in the work of four. Leaving our rifles road, which was at that time nearer where thev fell, we raised the lieu- to the confederates than to the tenant in our arms and reached the federals. We were about to turn road with no turther interference, about to prevent drawing the There we met Colonel Cilley, as enemy's fire, when, glancing back, related above. Colonel Cilley's the situation, including the " do n't horse, bearing the wounded lieuten- shoot," did not seem so desperate, ant. had pranced up the road a The enemv's force was not a corn- dozen rods or more perhaps, when pact line ot battle, but considerably our "friends the enemy" indeed scattered, yet preserving a general came out into the road, and the same alignment and capable of rapid voice that had called to us down in concentration. Our men were halt- the pines again shouted, " Wounded ing in squad and single up in our man on the horse, do n't shoot him, right front and firing back at the do n't shoot, look out, men." Which cncmx', which was beino" returned was taken up by many voices and bv the enemy in our right rear, continued along the field as the Corporal Nortli and Sergeant enemy adxanced. Glancing back Coburn. writing of the situation, we noticed that as the enemy came agree that " 'inhere w^ere five hun- out of the forest the skirmish line dred or more confederates follow ing mingled with tiie main force just us not halt rilU' range away, who behind, which, pivoting on its left, seemed to have taken our party THE BATTLE-FTELD OF DINWIDDIE COURT HOUSE. 67 under their special protection." our lines behind the guns on the The lieutenant had been delirious. Dinwiddie plateau, and although " Close up, boys. Hold on ! Hold Lieutenant Comins died ten days on! What, no cartridges? Here, later, it has been a great satisfac- divide your cartridges, boys : club tion to the writer to know that his your nfles now ! Hold on ! " Then remains were restored to his sorrow- some plaintive words of endearment ing wife and family for burial in to some lar away loved one. Then the family vault at East Eddington a stanza trom some old hymn, but Maine. After Lieutenant Coming's at the moment when we had stopped death I wrote to Mrs. Comins, de- the horse, for the purpose of turn- scribing the heroic conduct of her ing back, he was quiet, and rousing, husband in the battle, and the cir- pushed himself up from the horse's cumstances under which his men mane and gazed steadily off toward found him and bore him off the our right front at our retreating field, for which I received her ex- men, and then backward toward pressions of deepest gratitude con- the advancing enemy; his eyes eluding, - Your letter was read in blazed with the fire of battle. He church at the funeral services " was as sane at that moment as ever But let us take up history again in his life and realized the situation down by the Chamberlain's Bed' fully, for after a moment, with an Its crystal waters go sincrina nier- anguished smile, pitiable to behold, rily onward, and are cool^and deli- but with quiet, even tones, he said : cious, in spite of the fact that thev "A^/ell, boys, I must say we make ran red with human blood twentv- a good rear guard": and then, nine years before. We crossed ''This won't do; lay me down over and rested upon the risincr beside the road and go on. Do you grounds of the w^estern shore. From hear. Sergeant.^ Goon, leave me, that point the confoderates focated go on while you can ! " - No, no, their line of battle during the after- Lieutenant ; we shall soon have you noon of March 31, 1865; describ- all right, we are almost up to our ing the force and its formation for hues: do n t despair, they are not the charge, which proved verv bring at us at all, do n't you see?" interesting. Some questions we/e "What. Not firing at us?" Then asked by the writer : -What com- his crushed thigh made him groan, mand occupied this line?" " Bar- and he settled forward upon the ringer's cavalrv bricrade." -What horse's mane and uttered his last regiments and where posted?" words on field of battle,-- God -Fifth North Carolina below its help us!" and after a moment left, resting on the road, Tenth "Thank them, thank them fbr Virginia above its right, resting on me ; them meaning the enemy, the road, both regiments dis- undoubtedly. mounted ; while General Barringer Ten minutes later we were within himself occupied the road leading 68 THE PATTLE-FIELD OF DINU'IDDIE COURT HOUSE. hack tVoin tlu' run wilh two \'ir^iiiia *• Wliicli re^iinciU niatlc the regiments, mounted.'" (C. G. Bur- mounted charge across the lied in ton): "How were you armed?" the morning?" "Regiment? De- " The Tentli Virginia carriiul tachment you mean ? "' '* Well, no, Sharpe's riiles and Colt's arni\' pis- we thought it a t'ull regiment : who tols : the I'ifth North Carolina, commanded the detachment there ? " muz/.le loaders." "With what " Major J. Henry Detton.'' "Then torce did x'oui- left connect?" Major Detton was in command at " Tiiirty-second Virginia infantry, the time you thought you had Corse's brigade, Pickett's division." caught our led horses.'"" "Caught (A. A., General Hooe, Corse's bri- led ^fartars," he laughed : "I know erade. ifives a verv interestino- ac- all about it, lor I was one of the count of the battle. ) luounted men." "What, you one " How many men did the Tenth of them, and here yet?" "Why not? Virginia have? that is, how many You all did n't think you had killed eft'ectives in the charge?" "About as well as fought a whole regiment, three hundred and seventy men, did you?" "Well, no, not quite one fourth out for led horses " and that ; my impression at the time, " Fifth North Carolina about the however, became somewhat toned same, I reckon." " Who com- up, later on, b\- reading an account manded these regiments?" Col- of that action written by one who onel McNeil, Fifth North Carolina, was in it on the federal side. The and Private C. G. Burton, Tenth atmosphere is made to be full Virginia. Private Burton was a of rearing, plunging horses, and cool, daring soldier, and was com- the ground strewn with mangled and manded to lead at the last moment repentant rebels, from Chamber- by' special order ' of General W. H. Iain's Bed up indefinitely.'' " Well, F. Lee, through General Barringer, now, as a matter of fact, we lost and the result proved the wisdom about half a dozen disabled, none of the selection. Why, sir, the killed : the Fifth North Carolina, half has never been told of the however, lost quite heavily, Colonel straits to which our army was re- McNeil being killed ; but the next duced at the verv outset of its last da\- our regiment (Tenth Virginia) campaign." was almost annihilated at William's " How man\- men did 30U lose farm, near Five Forks, Major Det- in the charge? " " The Tenth lost ton being among the killed. Pri- heavilv, 76 killed and disabled : vate C G. Burton, who led the let 's see, one fourth out for led Tenth Virginia dismounted charge, horses, say 280 elTectives, 76 out of is at present connected with the 280, prett\' rough work, was n't it? " Uni\ersity of Virginia at Char- "Yes indeed, we lost 97 in the First lottesville. Jkirton was severely Maine of 500 eflectives, and thought wounded while leading the charge diat pretty tough." across the Run." THE BATTLE-FIELD OF DLNULDDJE COULiT HOUSE. 69 My companions had sauntered " All right, it's a bargain," and "All on, and while sitting there alone on right," came from over the Run. the elevated western banks of The firing ceased along our front Chamberlain's Bed that quiet mid- and then the men began to quiz afternoon, imagination re-peopled each other back and Ibrth across the scene with the actors, who had the Run, as always will be the case stood fortli there twenty-nine years between lines of battle, inactive before to enact the beginning of the and in such close proximity, and end of the last bloody drama of our we had hard work to keep Mike's great Rebellion, and as the shifdng blarney "up," as the North Caroli- scenes flitted before me, the present nians had an Irishman of tlieirown. was lost in the past and the bank of At least Mike thought so, although the Bed became the rim of a hre- an expert in idiomatics would have crater whose flaming interior rated him " Tar Heel." Neverthe- seemed so real that an involuntary less he was an educated one and a movement called me back to life, born mimic as well, and it was in- My companions had passed out of teresting to study him, tlirough his sight over the crest, and the intona- immense brogue, attempt to hide the tion of their voices, rising and fall- listless Southern drawl. ]^ut edu- ing in laughing badinage, reminded cated accent would tell, besides me of a comic scene that transpired the words " I reckon," "you all," there during the at^ternoon of the and " directly," would crop out as battle. The left of the Fifth North Mike got him warmed up by hitting Carolina Cavalry that day rested on below the belt on the Secession the road near where I then sat, and question. " Bad luck to the loikes exacdy opposite, on the eastern side of yees, ye dirthy spalpeen, and it 's of the Run, Company A, First Maine mesilf that is ashamed of auold Ire- Cavalry, was posted in cjur line of land this blissid day that the loikes battle, and it must have been a of yees should ivir be tbightin' member of the Fifth North Carolina Ameriky, the only frind she iver Cavalry who put himself on record had at all, at all I " " Be aisy noo, with Private Mike Durgin of Com- Mike, don't be hard on a poor divil, pany A, First Maine Cavalry, on for it 's a long way I am from Killar- that day. As the afternoon wore ney with divil a sup o' tae nor a on the firing had slackened, and pratee for me pot, while it'syesilf during a lull a voice from above the that's livin' loike an illeirent o-intle- road on the opposite side of the Run man wid the foine things the Yanks called, "O Yanks over there, have have, and it's mesilf that 's thinking you all orders to fire?" "No," that 's why yees are on the wrong some one replied, "We're firing side of the Run." " The wrong side because you are." " Well, let 's all of the Run is it? Faith, and it 's on stop firing and give warning to each the same side of Run yees now are, other before commencing again.'" that yees always were in auold Ire- ■JO THE BATTLE-FIELD OF DLNU'LDDLL] COCRT IfOCSE. land, and divil a sup of tae or pratees describe it better than by giving a is there at all, at all, tor poor divils whoop and a yell and adding sup- the loikes of us on that side of the plementary "Ohs," " ughs," "dam- Run the worrld over." nation to vou, Mike." ** kill '* Sure, Mike, that 's all ver}' foine him," "burn him," while going it indade, but it's a prinsuple we all blind in the hop, skip, and iump are fouightin' tor here, and " back-somersault act, and end bv "A prinsuple. is it? Bad luck to beginning where I left otT. Any the prinsuple that brought ye be- way, that scene discounted a three- yant the Run, and it 's mesilf that'll ring gymnasium and a Tammanv be teachin' \ees on the ind of me ward caucus combined. Poor Mike, shillelah ye 'd better litt yees pryn- who was sitting hatless by iiis tire suples in aould Ireland, and it's me- in a half-dazed condition during the silf tliat will if yees come beyant exhibition, suddenly awoke to its the Run." possibilities as the boys commenced "All right. Mike, never fear, I'll to kick his fire about his ears and koum directly.'' then to curl his back hair bv elec- "• Hush up, men, let the Irishman tritVing his spinal column with a iiot alone,'' and ** Lieutenant, don't let poker which the}' jammed behind this occur aoain," came from over his collar. He grabbed for his ijun, the Run in subdued tones. shouting, " Howly murthei"," just " Beg pardon, Major, but Erin's as some parliamentar}^ crank down Saint over there," — Mike, who was on our left in Company H whooped sitting on the ground beside a small " Contra-minded, it 's a vote." fire attending to his boiling coffee, " Doubted," " doubted," "doubted," pricked up his ears, — "Faith and came the negatives iVom all direc- that same I am, or divil a bit would tions, just as our captain, who was I have minded to be invitin' ye to a acting major that da}", came rusiiing sup of me sthamin' coiTee and to down the line on our right rear, have a dinnie wid me foine frinds in and his " By the gods, men," was the Union, and not be a aitin' raw the first intimation we had of his corn loike the pigs yees — " coming. Now the captain was not Zip. a thud, a rattle of tin ware, only acting major on the colonel's and a rain of scalding coffee from account, but assistant adjutant-gen- a clear sky, which doctored half a eral (limited) on his own tliat day, dozen or more of the boys, some of besides, the most of the men were whom had been asleep; and if you afraid of him, clear through, Mike ever did behold just such another especiallv, and all of us knew what epidemic of acrobatic blasphemy his "By the gods, men," usualU' break out, you can picture to your- meant ; and when we saw him com- self that scene just down below the ing for us in that peculiarly persua- old road on the east side of Cham- sive wa}', with his list protruding berlain's Bed. Any wa\'. I cannot towards us. we came to the sudden THE BATTLE-FIELD OF DLNIVIDDLE COURT HOUSE. 71 conclusion that the " tiring truce "' Captain John W. Freese was a was off on our side of the Run, striking iigure at all times, and whatever the tellows on the other especially at that moment, as he side might think of it. Ye gods ! stood there in the road, his natty what a wilt they did take on, even uniform displaying his magnificent in the shade of the pines on that physique to the best advantage — late afternoon. The acrobats didn't five feet eleven inches, 195 pounds, stop to come down in routine fash- straight as the pines of his native ion, they just ignored all rules, mil- forests, a face of classic mould, fair itary, civic, and athletic, and flat- as a woman's, sparkling black eyes, tened themselves into their normal dark, curly hair, and form sym- condition of "Orders," "Lay low metrically perfect; the picture he and keep quiet,"' and then b}^ de- made standing there could not have grees wriggled along up to the de- been excelled by half a dozen men moralized rails where they be- on the North American continent — longed. Poor Mike, who was mor- "A martinet" in the sense of the tally afraid of the captain, suflering Murat dandy order of dressy dis- more from fright than electrocu- play in the field, and yet one of the tion, squirmed along muttering, kindest and most considerate of " By the blissid St. Patrick, it's men in everything pertaining to the kilt I am, intirely ; bad luck to the welfare of his command. He is dirthy spalpeen beyant the Run that with the silent majority now, and as brought me to the loikes of this." I glance up to his life-like portrait It was too much tor human nature on the wall before me, it seems to to stand without vent, and the snorts assume an expression smilinglv that followed would have put to objective to the praises here be- shame an aggregation of Nile mam- stowed, but the tender recollections mals. The captain stood there of our army association carr}^ me with his clenched fist extended, but back to the banks of Chamberlain's the thunder cloud on his face dissi- Run, and I cannot refrain tVom giv- pated, and his arm fell limp by his ing this pen picture of my dear old side as he turned away and ap- comrade-in-arms. Captain Freese peared to be studying the situation stood there in the road a long min- up the field for a moment, then he ute, seemingly gazing down toward walked slowly back up the line the Run. but really glancing toward slightly nodding as he passed me, his men, and 3'ou may be quite sure saying, "Very quiet on the left, that they were engaged in the same Sergeant?" " Apparentl3s yes ; un- by-play as they lay there so pas- usually so, Captain." " So I ob- sively flat, and which, of course, serve," passing on into the road, the captain fully understood, for where he stopped, standing with when he moved he wheeled short folded arms gazing down towards about and faced up the road, at the the Run. same time letting his hand fall upon 72 THE BATTLE-FIELD OF DLWV/DDIE COLRT HOUSE. the hilt of his sword, wliich he side ot' tlie road, he turned, waved slowly drew from its scabbard, at his cap, and disappeared amid the the same time Hirtinjj; an immacu- jiines. late cream-tinted silk handkerchief As the sun sank behind the for- froni his pocket with the other hand, est and the shadows stretched awav with which he carefull}' wiped the across the field, a sense of impend- shining blade (the sword was a ing danger seemed to take posses- present from his men), and said, sion of the line of battle. It soon "As I was observing. Sergeant, it came in clear, ringing words from is very quiet indeed on this part of over the Run above the road. Cai'Tain Juhn W. Frkksk (1S65). the lines." "As I was observing. Captain, ' apparently, yes.'" "Ab, yes, 'apparently,' as you observed, thank you ; and by the wav, Ser- geant, if another rebellion becomes imminent on this side of the Run kindly let me know, as the one over there is all we can manage just at present, ' apparently ; "' and went on across the road, and as he reached the slight rise on tiie other "Look out, Yanks, we're com- ing," C. G. Burton leading the Tenth Virginia Cavalry, and the truce was oft'. The next minute the dense shrubber\' in our tVont was shaken by the rush of an on- coming line of battle, and a few repeaters in the hands of the ever alert began to crackle up and down our line. No commands were needed. Tl" the voice across the THE BATTLE-FIELD OF DINWIDDLE COURT HOUSE. 73 Run had not been sufficient, the front. But above the road, a few action of the enemy was ; and the rods away, the enemy was just men seized their rifles and swiftly emerging from the shrubbery quite tormed at the slender rail barricade, near our line of battle, and the and then came crash upon crasii of line there commenced to waver and the almost simultaneous volleys by then to fall back amid the pines, but companies, which swelled into one it did not take long to replenish the awiul, ceaseless, prolonged roar, magazines of their rifles and then most terrible of all war's terrible the battle commenced in earnest, sounds. A short minute, and then When the line above the road fell came a lull. The magazines were back before the enemy's advance, empty, but during that short minute Company A, below the road, exe- there was a sheet of flame in front cuted an oblique movement to the of the line of battle as vivid and right rear, and rejoined the main incessant as though generated by force some distance back in the an electric current. Out in the forest and continued the battle held a slight current of air was again. Of course there was a moving toward the enemy, and in reason why the enemy did not push a very short time a dense bank of their advantage below the road as smoke, utterly impenetrable to the well as to cross their mounted eye, slowly moved away from our men by the road, as was done iront, completely enshrouding the in the forenoon, in which case underbrush and increasing in den- not a man of us could have es- sity as the rapid discharges contin- caped, for Pickett's men were ued, while the line of battle itself already on our right-flank, and it stood in the clear air flring into was indeed then, and is doubly so that murky wall of smoke. Above now, after looking over the situa- the road in the forest it was difler- tion, very strange, and one of the ent, instead of moving forward, the mischances so frequent in warfare, smoke appeared to be repelled and that no advance was made by the sank low about the ground, envel- enemy on our left front, as we left oping the line of battle. From my the passage bv the ro,;ad entirely position, just at the south edge of free for their advance, the road, a good view of the situa- Chamberlain's Bed, as the stream tion was had at the moment when is locally known, has a general the flring commenced to lull. The direction" north and south for a mile road itself, where it crossed the above the road where it curves to Run, was skirted on either side by the westward, and a half mile fur- dense shrubbery, and made a suffi- ther up is located what was in cient curve to obstruct the line of war times and is still known as vision ; not an enemy was to be seen " Dance's mill." We had followed in the road, not one could have been up the bed until this mill came in seen below the road ten feet from our sight, and while the writer re- 74 THE BATTLE-FIELD OF DJNWIDDJE COURT HOUSE. mained near the western bank of of Davies' Brijiade, which was the stream, listening to a confeder- stationed near Dance's ford, and ate describing a group of conted- during a skirmish near Dance's erate officers whom he had seen mill. Major Dothan of that regi- at a certain spot engaged in ani- ment was wounded, and carried mated conversation during the bat- into Mr. Dance's house and left tie, our companions had reached there wdien his men fall back the mill. Soon we heard great across the stream. Mumtbrd's Ca\- shouts and laughter up at the mill, airy, to which Mr. Dance belonged, and when we rejoined our party encamped that night near by, and there we inquired what occasioned Mr. Dance visiting his home and their hilarity ; they were, however, finding Major Dothan upon the very reticent, saying that they had floor, placed him upon his bed been " celebrating." But up at the and did everything possible to alle- hotel that evening at dinner, Land- viate his sufferings. The next lord Harris, who had been one of day when our advance crossed the our party during the afternoon, stream the major was remo\'ed. gave the whole thing away. Mr. feather-bed and all, to City Point, Dance, the owner of the mill in and in justice to Mr. Dance the question, was, according to his writer afterwards learned that what comrades' statements, one of Gen- was said by Mr. Dance was spoken eral Lee's bravest soldiers and is in a laughing, joking manner, as one of Dinwiddle's much respected any one might have done under the citizens, and it is with some misgiv- circumstances. Any way, when ing that the Ibllowing anecdote is the story was told, the writer was introduced here. When our party obliged to stand up and promise arrived at the mill and Mr. Dance better things in the future, but had learned who the stranger with while he was up he took occasion them was, and what he was there to remark that Mr. Dance was un- for, — " What, a Yankee down there doubtedly right, and should be paid in the woods with you all the after- for his bed, as it was one of the noon and alive yet?" " Alive .'^ of peculiar traits of Sheridan's cavalrv course he's alive, why not?" to take things in general, and as " Well, well, boys, you are bigger that principle had developed that d fools than ever I reckon, day in the direction of beds, it was But if the Yank is still alive I wish quite as likely that Dance's bed, as he'd show up and settle for that well as Chamberlain's Bed, had feather-bed he stole out of my been taken. Shouts and veils house twenty-nine years ago this greeted this sally, which had n't blessed day." It appears that dur- time to cool before a confederate ing the forenoon the western bank slowly arose at the far end of the of the run was occupied by a New table, and solemnly proceeded to York cavalrv regiment, probably inquire of "The gentleman from THE BATTLE-FIELD OF DINWIDDLE COURT HOUSE. 75 Maine "if he would kindly inform eral soldiers should read. I was the house who it was that occupied invited to visit A. P. Hill Camp Chamberlain's Bed that night, by Lieutenant-Commander Turner, Although the question remains un- which I did, and was received with answered to this day, it cost some the heartiest of welcomes, but did one a "fiver" to pacify it, and not know, until through the next many of my readers will under- morning's papers, that I was the stand and agree with me that it was first federal veteran who had at- a cold-blooded stunner of the first tended a regular business meeting magnitude, not only well deserved, of the camp. Nothing could have but worthy of the soldier who been more cordial than my recep- uttered it. We returned to Peters- tion, having been personally intro- burg the same evening, but, not duced to every member present, feeling quite satisfied with my bat- and, after the conclusion of the tie-field explorations, I went out business meeting, was introduced again a few days later, and felt to the Camp and was invited to well repaid for the second trip, address the Camp. Well, the While in Petersburg I had the morning papers said that I had paid great pleasure of meeting many of " high tribute to the southern peo- the old soldiers of the confederacy, pie and to their military leaders " among them Colonel J. Gordon the previous evening at A. P. Hill McCabe, commander of A. P. Hill Camp. Do n't fail to visit A. P. Camp of Confederate Veterans, Hill Camp when you go to Peters- Lieutenant-Commander Turner, of burg, for you will be sure to meet the same camp, Colonel Fields, with a most gratifying reception, Captain Goodwyn, and our old and come away deeply impressed friend and Bugle correspondent, with the sentiment of good tellow- George S. Bernard, Esq., whose ship extended to all federal vet- " Confederate War Talks" all fed- erans. C;t/ Point , va. 76 LEJ'ANT IN THE hlRST Af.i/NE CAl'A/.m. l.E\ ANT L\ Till-: FIRST MAINE CAX'ALRV. By Sidney W. Clark, m:k(;i:.\\ r (omi-aw a, kirst mainI': c a\ai,kv. If I niusl write tor the Bi'(;iJ':, I llietii to leave their mms. as we were w ish, in order to fully show my ser- going as citizens and civilians, vice for my country, to begin eight tiiougii determined to take the flag, months previous to my enlistment. We proceeded to Soutii Ilermon, When every member of the old First where we were joined by about Maine cavalrv iiuts in his mite, then thirt\' more men, oood and true, and it will appear why it stands so headed by tite and drums and with high in military repute. We read colors flying we continued our jour- that not a sparrow falls to the ney, selecting, before we reached ground without its Maker's notice, the house, a one-armed man named Now 1 will take the role of Swan to demand the flag. This the sparrow as my standard in demand brought two armed men to comparison with birds of larger the door, swearing they would blow type. As General Ilodgdon es- out the brains of the flrst person timated Comrade Sheahan equal who advanced, when Edwin Mad- to six men, I will show the boys docks and mj^self rushed to the before I close uh\' 1 might count door, Maddocks securing, after a as thirteen men : but in the mean- lively scuffle, a shot-irun, while I while will portray my services be- took a double-barrel gun loaded fore enlistment. In Levant, as in with twenty-four buck-shot. A. V. other parts of the state, the war McLaughlin captured a double- excitement ran high, and it was barrel pistol, also loaded, while found necessary to take prompt my brother, Frederick L. Clark, measure to stop treasonable utter- and Josiah Tibbetts climbed the ances. At Hermon, a neighboring unfinished gable of the barn town, a rebel flag was raised, and and nailed the stars and stripes the statement made that eighty men in place of the emblem of treason, could be raised in an hour to protect The old woman in the house, it. On hearing this 1 persuaded attempting to throw hot water on two friends to spy out the facts and the men at the door, scalded her report, and in the meantime I would footbadlv, and was the only person gather a company of men suflicient wounded diu-ing the engagement, to capture the flag. Learning the One Dr. Leonard, ofCarmel, pres- report was true, I worked all night, ent to take notes in the rebel cause, and at sunrise next day had fifl;}^ reported to the old Bangor Demo- men ready to start for the scene of crat the aflair with such treasonable action. Qiiite a number of the men language that the good people oi' were well armed, but 1 persuaded Bangor threw the press into the LEVANT IN THE FIRST MAINE CAVALRY. 77 street and the type into the Ken- where a large body ot" people duskeag stream. Just previous to gathered to see us away, and many the above atiair we had raised a were the tears shed as we shook company of eight}^ good men, but hands with strangers all gathered Avere obliged to disband, as Maine's in sympathy for a common cause quota for infantry was full. Man}^ to bid us farewell and "God be of these men went into other regi- with you." On arriving at Augusta ments as recruits. Soon I was in- we walked to the fair grounds, for formed by General Hodgdon that we had not learned to march, and there was to be a cavalry regiment took "barn room," as the boys raised in Maine, and that Bangor called it, in the horse stalls in the was designated for one recruiting trotting park. The first hours of point. At once twelve men fol- service passed merrily, with jokes, lowed my signature, making thir- songs, and stories. Our company teen, eleven of whom went into was organized first, and designated Compan}' A as follows : Sydney W. Company A. The boys telt proud, Clark, Prentiss M. Clark, Augustus as it gave us the right of the line Lord, Jr., Preston B. Wing, Oren in regimental formation. The Le- S. Haskell, Gilman H. Beede, vant boys claimed that their squad Enoch H. Lake, Richard E. White- of thirteen gained the position bv ly, Nathaniel R. Roberts, Charles filling our company first. During Gardner, and William S. Burrel, our first week's service in Auousta while Ambrose M. Lord joined the non-commissioned officers, in a Company D, and Oren Shapley petition fully signed by the bo3's Company L, being thirteen, all in the company, requested Gover- from Levant ; hence my claim to nor Washburn not to give a com- beat Comrade Shehan as being mission to any outside person who equal to only six men. Soon we had not joined the compan^■ and got notice to report atS. W. Thax- taken their chances with those who ter's office in Bangor, ready to had enlisted. There was no one leave for Augusta. I took nine of to present the petition, as the origi- the boys in my team, viz.: Pren- nators, in their modesty, fell into the tiss M. Clark, Augustus Lord, Jr., shade; so Joseph Bartlett, the bu- Preston B. Wing, Gilman H. Beede, gler, and myself as high corporal, Nathaniel H. Roberts, Orin S. volunteered to do the honors, and a Haskell, Richard E. Whitely, Chas. good chat with the governor was E. Gardiner, Enoch IL Lake, and the only result of such effort, reported with them at Thaxter's Oren Shapley enlisted from office, and commenced an acquain- Bangor, but was a Levant boy. So tance and comradeship which will was Hudson Sawyer of Companv never be erased from my memory D, and I claim the honor of wearing- while life remains. We took the one more scalp in my belt, viz., I was train at the Maine Central depot, the first enlisted cavalryman from 78 ECHOES. mv town. When Scot S. Ellis and haversacks with good things in Hiram S. Ellis, from Guilford, who exchange for pork and hard bread, enlisted tlie same dav with most of hut we were a tired set w lu'ii we llie Lc\"ant h()\s, were heini;- I'xam- reached Washington, ]). C, in a ined, the surgeon exclaimed: "Oh, cold, drizzly rain, and I, too sick to you are friMii Levant, too?" When endure the cold, went to a private asked the reason for such a (.]ues- house, where the good man made tion, he replied, " You have such me a couch in his jiarlor, gave me remarkably sound teeth. I never medicine and tliree hours' oppor- saw such good teeth in tliat number tunity for sleej-). when I followed of men." In spite of our jietition the regiment to Capitol Hill l)v Joseph C. Hill was commissioned directions from a darkey, who said, first lieutenant, and he told Bartlett '* Dem am the prettiest horses I and mvselt' that our jietition was has seen wid collars all picked out." right. At Capitol Mill our first duty was Those were happy days in our to upset the old Sibley tent bottoms winter camp in Augusta. When and make war on the rats, which we lelt. part of our fu'st night on were thick as flies. Here endeth the wav to the seat ot" war was the first lesson. Our next was that spent at the depot at Jhiinswick, of the real soldiers in actual service where the good people filled our in front of the enemy. ECHOES. DOING WELI. IN MAINE. Hon. Daniel Hall, of Dover, N. H., captain and aide-de-camp on General Fremont's, General A. W. Whipple's, and General O. O. Howard's stalls, writes, — "Thanks for your courtesy, and I would like very much to have the reunion pamphlets and the calls, which you kindly say you can send me. I appreciate the Ik gle very highly, and have been particularly inter- ested in Colonel Newhall's articles in the last two numbers, ' With Sheridan in Lee's Last Campaign,' and am anxious to see the conclu- sion. ^'ou are doinji well in Maine in working up the heroic doings of the Down-East boys into good literature which shall last as long as libertv endures, and if I were of your state I should surely possess myself of every scrap written in illustration of the part of Maine in the Rebellion ; but I cannot afford to do that, but I think our Soldiers' Home ought certainlv to have your history of the First Maine Cavalrv, — Tobie's — and therefore it you can do so you may send it to me." A DEAD CONFEDERATE. John S. Pierson, of New York, 133 Bible House, Astor Place, ECHOES. 79 writes, — "I have your October receiving a call from Mr. Willard number of Maine Bugi.k, a most Blake, of Iroqua, Wis. This gen- interestinp" one, and am reminded tleman was a member of the same to send you one dollar for a year's regiment with Mr. Hodsdon, and subscription. Please send a copy was one of his most intimate com- of this October number to a friend, rades. At the close of the war each a confederate soldier, John D. went his way, and this is their first Watson, of Charlottesville, Va., one meeting for thirt3^-one years. Mr. of Pickett's men, who was left for Blake was a resident of Wisconsin dead on the field at Gettysburg, but quite alive to-da}', though on crutches." THE BEST OF ALL. Robert Lockhart, of Custer City, Pa., writes, — " The October number of Bugle came all right, and I am always glad to receive it. Mrs. L. complains a little when iier meals are read}^ that I do not respond to her call. When I get the Bugle I always want to look it over, I see so many names of those who were with me in old Company C. I should like to meet them again very much. If I can not see any of the old First Maine I do meet quite often members of the Fourth and Sixteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry. I tell you they give me a hearty shake, and it always makes me a little vain when they speak of the First Maine, remarks like this : ' The Sixteentii and Fourth were good, but the First Maine was the best of all, — they do not take a back seat for any other regiment.' I often meet Major Maitland, and he has a good word for the First Maine Cavalry." enlisted in the tw^elfth. Mr. W. P. Hodgdon, of Portland, was most agreeabl}^ surpi-ised b}^ at the outbreak of the war, and walked fift3'-tvvo miles to enlist in a regiment in that state, but wlien he arrived at the recruiting office he found the regiment filled. He then left for Portland, his former liome, and enlisted in the Twelfth Maine. ADJUTANT-GENERAL FOR YEARS. The many friends of General Samuel J. Gallagher, of x\ugusta, are much pleased with his appoint- ment as commissary of the Soldiers' Home atTogus. General Gallagher was adjutant-general of Maine for many years, and is perfectly com- petent to fill the position. Captain A. L. Smith, who has been acting treasurer for some weeks, has been appointed treasurer ot the Home. UNITE us MORE SOLIDLY. A. p. Friend, of Company G, First Maine Cavalry, of Brooks- ville. Me., writes, — " The October Bugle is received. I think it is very interesting reading, and I always read it from beginning to end. I see that the boys had a good time at their reunion ; if I live and am able to get around I intend to see some of them at the next reunion. I think the letters from the comrades are verv interest- 8o /.\ Ml'.. \r OR JAM. inc. ^11(1 unite us more yolicllv together."' MIM'IWKV IIISTOR^■. At the hist encauipnienl ol" the Sons of Veterans, a committee con- sisting of Colonel Robert L. Whit- comb, of Portland, member c.\- offici'o ; E. K. Gould, of Rockland : General Frank P. Merrill, of Au- burn : Colonel I. S. Bangs, of Water- ville : W. H. Looney, of Portland; and Dr. Robert J. Martin, of Au- gusta, were appointed to gather and preserve historical documents, por- traits, volumes, pictures, and souve- nirs pertaining to the late war. This committee met Monday night at the West End hotel, and organ- ized with the tollowing officers : E. K. Gould, president ; General Frank P. Merrill, vice-president: and Waldo E. Perry, adjutant of the Maine Division, Sons of \"eterans, secretary and treasurer. The followinfj committees were appointed: Committee on G. A. R., R. L. Whitcomb and Colonel Bangs: committee on Sons of "Vet- erans, K. K. Gould and General Merrill : committee on historical data, W. II. Looney and Dr. R.J. Martin. The object of this commit- tee is to collect all historical data pertaining to the late war, such as important documents, books, souve- nirs, pictures, etc. T'hese data will be collected and preserved, either in the Maine Historical society's rooms or in the state house at Augusta.* THE BEST PUBLICATION. L. F. Doble, of Kingman, Me., writes, — "The poem written by my brother, Roscoe Doble, a few years ago, was never intended for publi- cation. It seems to me worthy of a place in the Maine Bugle, as I con- sider it the best publication in the country for the old soldiers. I was not a soldier but three of my broth- ers were, and I feel as much interest in the War of the Rebellion as any one can who was not a participant." IN MEMORIAM. ERASTus DOBLE. in the Bugle. He died at his h.ome The readers of the Maine Bugle in Kingman. November 19, 1894. for the last year have perused with after a short sickness of only ti\e much interest the clear and graphic days. He was a git'ted writer. An " Reminiscences of Capture, Prison aptitude tor literature appears to Life and Escape," of Erastus Doble, pervade the Doble family, as will and will re^ .cents. Smd I'drl.- On lino :ibnve write the nuniher of t-ach part wanted, or full set 26 parts. Send 10 i-fnts for t'ach part, or $2.()0 for i-omplete set. This coupon is not only a convenieiioe to you as it saves you writing a letter, but it is valuable, fur without the coupon the price of the i)arts is 25 cents each. ycuiie. r. (>. Addrcs.^. State. \Vi;iTK I'I-A1M,V xr^' Send the above coupon with cash to our office and get any or all parts that are ready of Harper's Pictorial History CIVIL WAR. Over 830 mammoth pages, I6xlli inches, and over 1,000 famous Harper war illustrations. Fine paper, large type, colored map; the unabridged original Harper's history, as always sold from $16 to $30. 26 parts, 32 pages each part, 10 cents for any one part. Now ready, parts l to 26. ('Ihis is the uay it is done. You can easily learn. J WE WANT MEN TO SELL OUR A/'/'LK TliKKS AM) (rillKI! XURSEHY STOCK. Write for terras to HOMER N. CHASE & CO. ,\ri'.iTi;\, MAINE. REVERE HOUSE, BOWDOI.N SqrAKK, BOSTON. f:UIlOPEAN PLAN. CENTRAL, CONVENIENT, ATTRACTIVE. y. F. MERIW W e>- CO.. Prnprirtors. THE MAINE BUGLE. Campaign II, APRIL, 1895. Call 2. HOW THE FIRST MAINE HEAVY ARTILLERY LOST 1,179 MEN IN 30 DAYS. By Major Charles J. House, First Maine Heavy Artillery. The organizations of heavy ar- tillery constituted a peculiar and distinct branch of service in the late war. Practically speaking, during the first three years of the war, they were neither artillery nor infantry, though allied to both. Their uniform was of the infantry pattern though trimmed with the red of the artillery, and though they were well drilled in the tactics of all the heavy guns from the six-inch mortar to the hundred pounder Parrott, yet they were fully armed and equipped as infantry and could show a better line and execute all the intricate movements of that branch of service with more precision than any in- fantry regiment in the field. This was their standino;^ when to the number of twenty-five thousand, in the month of May, 1864, this force was ordered from the defences of Washington to join the forces of General Grant near Spottsylvania court house. From this time until the surrender of General Lee at Appomattox, they were to all intents and purposes so many regi- ments of infantry, working in the same brigades, making the same marches, enduring the same hard- ships and fighting the same battles with the infantry regiments, and, in short, after being incorporated into the infantry brigades their only distinction was the red trimmincr upon their uniforms and the cross cannons upon their caps. As a general thing these regiments had been recruited and organized as infantry, then by special orders from the war department they were trans- ferred to the heavy artillery branch of the service and recruited up to eighteen hundred men by filling the ten old companies to one hundred and fifty men each and by adding two new companies of equal num- bers. When the First Maine Heavy x\rtillery marched down Pennsyl- vania avenue in Washington, on the morning of May 15, 1864, it was a regiment of nominally eighteen hundred men but of course all were not present for duty. Some had permanent details away from the command, others were scattered in northern hospitals while a large 88 THE FIRST Af.l/XE HEAIV ARTILI FRY. continjjje'nt iticliulini;- tlu' laroc bulk'ts. This wo learned later on number of sick in our post hospital in the hard school of experience, and inanv others who had been on that is, what few of us there were light duty about cani]"». but were left after thirty days of such school- unable to bear the fatij^ues of the ini^. Early on the morning of the march, were left behind. Besides iSth, we w-ere awakened by the this quite a number were detailed booming of cannon. We had heard as cooks, orderlies, and hostlers, the artillery liring at the second The exact number of men which Bull Run battle in 1S62, and at the reo'iment took into battle the .Mdie in i80^j. and in each case 19th of Mav, I ha\e been unable were at a sale distance with no like- to determine, but the knowledge I lihood of being called into action, have of mv own compan\' and the but now the case was dit^'erent. written statements of several ccmu- The tiring was only a mile or two pan\- commanders noted down at the awa\' and in less than ten minutes time and from all the information I we were moving on double quick can gather, I am satistied that not time towards the point of attack, over sixteen hundred were with us going into line behind well built that dav. breastworks in support of what The regiment embarked on a proved a feeble attack by our forces transport at the foot of 7th street on the bloody angle, the scene of during the forenoon of May 15, General Hancock's brilliant charge and landed at Belle Plain the same on the morning of the 12th. Here evening, where it remained until we prepared breakfast, accustomed the morning of the 17th, when it ourselves to our new surroundings, took up the line of march, passed and enjoyed as best we could our through Fredericksburg and arrived first day under fire. We were well at Spottsvlvania at 11 o'clock that out of the range of bullets but many evening. We had now lilerallv shells burst along the line yet we arrived at the seat of war and were moved out late in the afternoon with liable to be called into action at any ranks unbroken and at roll call the time. Made up from good material, next morning, for the last time, perhaps no better and certain]\- no every comrade answered, " Here." worse than the average regiment .Vll day the 19th, the troops from tVom the old Pine Tree state, the the right of our army were moving schooling we had received while in away to the left and the Fredericks- the defences of Washington had burg Pike, over which our supply made us thorough soldiers so tar as trains were moving, became un- drill and discipline were concerned covered and the enemy, always but we lacked the practical feeling for an opportunity, had knowledge of lighting tlie enemy advanced a force under General or how best to protect ourselves Kwell, which had cautiously moved when in ran