The Portland daily press., 1862-09-01
The Celebration at Fort Popham.

the only reason why report did not appear
In full in our columns the next morning, is
that we preferred to give a correct account,
made out in accordance ,ciM actual facts,
rather than draw upon the imagination in ad-
vance, and thus-as some of our cotempora-
ries have done-introduce speakers and actors
who were not even present. We find in one
in one of our city papers, at least, the names
of Judge Kent, Geo. p. Sewall and numerous
others mentioned as dctire participants in the
festivities of the occasion, when they were
probably hundred miles away. We propose
in our notes to confnc ourself to facts, and in
dulge in no fancy sketches.
The numbers present at the celebraton,-
which took place on point Of land at the
mouth of the Kennebec, twelve miles below
Bath,-was unprecedented, when the attend
ing circumstances are considered. All who
were there, had to be transported thither. there
being very few inhabitants in the neighbor-
hood. Tne U. S. Government is building a
substantial and extensive fortifcation on the
spot. and the operations have drawn there per-
haps from hundred to a hundred and fifty per-
sons,-workmen and others,-and aside from
this population, the peninsula of "Sabino" pre-
sents very sparse settlement.
The Committee of Arrangements had made
preparation to accommodate 1900 persons !;
when, the efore, not less than from 5000 to
G,000-some would estimate higher-people
were unexpectedly poured in upon them, it is
not difficult for stranger to imagine what
kind of comfort and pleasure were extracted
from the celebration of the 255th anniversary,
of the landing and settlement OF George Pop
hams Colony on the shores of the New World.
The train which left this city at I 1-2 o'clock
swollen by the addition of those from Angus
ia and Pennington, entered Bath at 8 1-2
o'clock, with eighteen compactly filed cars.
The steamers and barges, with the exception
of the Terror from Bangor and her attend
ant barges, had departed for the gay and fes-
tive" scene before the train arrived, loaded
down TO the waters edge with human freight
The remaining boats lay at the Railroad wharf,
seemingly filed with people, and yet the con-
tents of those eighteen cars ,cere crorded on
board-t being Hopkins Choice" of convey
ance, that or none. There was much dissatis-
faction occasioned by the officers of the Bangor
boat charging Just double the advertised price,
for conveyance to and from the locality of the
celebration; but we learn that the Committee
of Arrangements were in no way responsible,
this boat being an extra one, outside, entirely,
of their arrangements. The boat came from
Bangor ON private account and for private
speculation.
Those who had purchased tickets at the low
price had their money refunded by the Com
mittee, by a provision made by them with the
officers of the boat, TO receive them at the price
Tor which they had been sold.
1t was our good fortune to find seat with
friend in a private carriage, and to ride from
Bath to the Fort by land, through the town of
Phipsburg. and over a beautiful road for near
ly the whole distance. Arriving in sight of
the locality, a grand scene opened TO view. In
the inside bay, near the Fort, rode at anchor a
large number Of small vessels gay dressed
while the Revenue Cutter, Caleb Gushing, from
tlAis station, presented an appearance worthy
of the occasion. She was in perfect gala dress
while from her deck belched forth at intervals
big war dog, in honor of the occasion.
1t consumed much time for the crowded
boats to disgorge their freight, and before this,
was fully over, the ceremonies appropriate to
the occasion commenced. A stage had been
erected in front of the stone shed, at the side
of Fort Popham, and near which was the me-
mortal stone with its gilded inscription 1t
was nearly II o'clock when the Chief Marshal.
Hon. G. j. Gilman of Brunswick. called the
multitude TO order, and made a brief address,
setting forth the occasion and the objects of
the celebration, and what it was intended to
commemorate. lie then introduced Rt Rev.
Bishop Burgess, arrayed in his canonicas, who
led in the large ritual service of the Episcopal
Church, in its antiquated phraseology,as ,as it ex-
listed in the days of Popham. Though clergy
men of all sects were in attendance and the cell
ebration had in it no tinge of sectariansm, the
Episcopal ritual was followed in Difference to
the fact that this was the service used by Pop
hams Chaplain, on the landing of his Colony,
the 10Th of Aug. o. S. 1907. We suppose, OF
country, and the Chaplain had been Priest of
the Holy Catholic Church" the service at the
celebration would have conformed to the Cath
oc ritual, as it did under a difference of cir
cumstances, to the ritual of the Episcopal
Church.
Hon. VIM. Willis, President of the Maine
Historical Society, did not read the historical
statement that was intended to be read, but
omitted it on account of the lateness of the
hour.
President Woods, of Bowdoin College, adj
dressed the assembly, respecting the occasion,
and its influence. Over two hundred years
since one hundred and twenty colonists came
TO this spot in the vessels Mary and John, and
now, tardy honor places stone to mark the
site of their ancient fort, and to immortalize
those martyrs. The permission of the State
was solicited to erect the stone, and in the alb
sence of Hon. Israel Washburn Jr., Hon. Abb
ner Coburn gave the assent of the State. The
governmental authority TO insert the stone
was granted by Hon. Abraham Lincoln, thro'
the Secretary of War, and submitted by Capt
Thos L. Casey of the U. S. Corps of Engineers.
The Captain assured the society that the
block of granite should be put in prominent
position, where it could be seen by all passing.
President Woods then called upon the NJ p.
G. N. Drummond, who signfied his intention
to deposit the stone, and called upon the fra
ternity to observe the due forms. Prayer was
offered over Etl,e stone and structure nv the