The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1865-03-31
CORRESPONDENCE.
SAco. March Q. 1855,

allow me the use Of the columns OF your
journal, while make few statements with
regard to the military experience and death
of rny son, Charles H. Granger Jr.. who died
at CITY Point, Va, from wounds received in
the battle of Hatcher's Run2 In doing so ]
have no desire to create any notoricty either
for him or myself; but ain impelled to 1t BY
the conviction that IL /, my duty to expose
certain abuses in the recruiting system which
have been going on long enough in our midst
without rebuke.
will make as brief statement as posi-
BILE OF the circumstances attending his enlist.
ment. During the month Of August '6i,
quite number Of tho young clerks Is Saco,
got into fever for enlisting, and my son
was among them. He soon began to urge
me to give him my permission to enlist. !
refused II decidedly for long time, until
finding he had set bis heart upon 1t. l Mt last
reluctantly gave it. He was accordingly en-.
listed by Ivory Mason of Saco, who gave
him to understand that he should have the
choice Of his regiment and company; and
his papers were made out and signed. At
this iuncture an intimate friend OF mine, Mr..
Geo. F. Calef, himself liable todraft, wished
to put in a representative recruit. and called
upon my son to know IL no would 90 for him.
After some hesitation and positive refusal
at first, he consented to do so, provided MIR.
Calef would make up to him the 500 boun.
ty not paid to substitutes and that he should
still have his choice Of regiment and compa-
nv. Mr.. Calef assented readily to the first
part of the proviso. and offered him in addi
ton present OF fifty dollars. When Mr..
Mason was consulted about the choice OF reg.
irnent. he told them that there would DO no
difficulty about that at all, and that he should
certainly 90 where he wished. -.
1t war then finally settled that he should
20 ne substitute for Mr.. Calef. accordingly
went with him to Portland, Mr.. Calef nc
companyng US. We found Mason there ut
the City Hall, and before my sons examina
ton took place, the question WIS asked OF
Masoa: care you sure that he will be al.
lowed tn 20 in B,ker's cavalry?" naming the
regiment and company. Hisanswer was that
"that would be all right. but"-taking out
his wallet and tapping it-"there will he
some extra expense and this will make it all
right. About FIVE dollars will be enough "
Mr.. Calef told him that he would willingly
pay whatever was necessary, but wished to
know if that was not bribery" Oh no,not hri-
berry. it is only few extra papers to be made
out; Oh no. not bribery" We then went
to the Hotel opposite the City Hall, and
made out the enlisting papers anew-please
take note of this-Mr Calef filling up the
blanks with his own hand, and they were
signed by myself and non.
Wo then returned to the Provost Marshal g
Office, and my son was examined. lie was
pronounced perfectly sound and healthy ny
the surgeon, and was even complmented in
that respect. The remaining fornalities
were gone through with. and the enlistment
was finished. Before the final writing, how
evcr, Mr.. Mason informed me that tho Pro.
vost Marshal asked my son whero he wished
to 90, and that he answered Into Bakers
cavalry" This was an admission on tho
part Of Capt. Doughty that It was we'll un-
derstood that tho hoy was to have hls choice.
The question itself completely satisfied my
sou that no would be treated fairly and hon.
orably. Meanwhile Mason was again asked
if that was csrt,in. He Immediately went
to the Provost Marshal'a table and either
talked or pretended to talk with him on the
subject, Tor he came back to Mr.. Calef and
assured him "it was nll right. That Dough.
ty told him that the regiment OF Bakers
cavalry needed men, and that there would be
no sort of difficulty about the matter" tie
then demanded Eve dollars Of Mr.. Calef,-
his words wer- "rhere are five dollars to
paw" Mr.. Calef, however, for some reason
or other did not pay him at that time. We
then went with my son and saw him cx-
change his citizens dress for the U. S. uni
form. then gave him my last embrace, lit
tie thinking it was the very last. and with u
heavy heart returned to Saco, with Mr.. ca.
lsr. felt uneasy and dissatisfied although
every thing had appeared 80 fair and honora.
BILE. My son had left home cheerfully. On
our way to the cars had talked with him
seriously and had urged him strongly to
turnabont and 60 home with me, but he ans
wered me that he wished to go. That he
cared nothing about the money he was to re
ceive and did not wish tho rebellion to he
put down and have It to say that he did moth
ing to bring about the result.
But now came his actual experience in the
life Of soldier. His FIRST letter told us that
hs was In Camp Berry in tho midst of set
of "vile, swearing. gambling. drinking, ruf
fans, and that he should be ashamed TO have
his mother look in there and see him among
them" One of them shot another through
the bowels in his presence. and threatened to
blow his-my son's-brains out. Have the
authorities given the public any account Of
that circumstance? Are su;h things to be
huahed up, and q murderer 20 unpunished ?
He remained in Camp Berry two weeks.
While there he was asked for specimen Of
his handwriting and he was wanted as
clcrx. He gave Il and II WIS approved of
but when il ,oas found thot he iods substi-
tute, the place was denied him. At last he
left Camp Berry ond was sent T., Gallop's lei.
and, and FROM thence TO Camp Distribution,
Alexandria. The next letter we had from
him informed us chat he was put into the
Tioenfieth Me. Vols, Co. X, and was "dopn
on the Weldon Railroad" Still he did not
complain. but simply remarked, sit 10 Of no
use. I am substitute and must 20 whsrsv.
or they choose to pat me; but shall on.
deayor wherever am To do tho best | can,
Gut ! shall nsper hare any further confidence
In those who arc placed over mo-" MIND
Az soon a. received that letter sought
out Mr.. Mason and asked him what Il meant
that nv b,y was not put In Bakers C.valry.
lie could not tell. asked him then what |
no had charged the 6ve dollars for "Oh."|
said be, "ths Eve dollars was not for that
purpose at oil "What was IL for then o.
"0h. Il was for making out his papes.
"What papers?" "Why, his enlistment
papers" !" "But did not Mr. Calcf make out
those papers himself while I and my son and