Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1867-08-30


entered til" building to witness the pro-
cccdings. He was a warm hearted Irish.
man, named Michael Cahill. past the age
of military service az defined by law
Upon hearing his employers speech. he
rushed forward. and. clanlbering upon the
platform. cried out
Put down my name'too! can't bear to
have the old man 60 alone.
SO down went the name Of Michael Ca
hill, coachuian, next to that of Elas Howe.
Laughter and cheers, mingled in about
equal proportions, followed the announce
III. mt OF Mikes intention. Other names
now cane in with great rapidity. A large
number of men were obtained that night.
aud such zeal and enthusiasm were crca-
ted in the county by the events of thecven'
ing that in twenty days the 18th Conncc
ticut had upon its rolls the names Of one
Thousand men. 1t was commanded by
Colonel H. II. Noble. one of the leading
lawyers Of Bridgeport.
a difficulty arose when Mr.. Howe had to
be examined by the surgeon ut the regl-
hlcnt, Mr. Hubbard. All his life the in-
venter OF the sewing machine has been
troubled with an hereditary laneness. ln-
deed. it Was owing to the eXtreine fatigue
which his daily labor as II jonrnryman ma
chnist caused him, in consequence of this
laineness. that he set about invcnting soinc-
thing hy which he hoped to earn his living
less labnliousy. The probability is, that
never havciIvcnIcd the sewing machine.-
" hen DR.. Hubbard lc>itatcd about acccp-
ting hin, and told him that he could not
Aiarch:
No matter. said the inventor. you
must ass me-. | AN gungi'
Both the officers amt u,'il of the rcgi
,uit soon discovered that to have man
N regiment who is both rich and gcncr-
GUS is extremely convenient. To some ot
the field officers he gave horses from his
stable, and To the others he len; them and
Whenever there was delay or difficulty in
procuring an article necessary for the regl
ncilts speed, departure, his purse Was al
ways open to supply the deficiency. Ear
II III September. the regiment started onits
way toward the seat of war, and Went into
camp near Baltinore.
" men the camp was organized and the
Regiment entered upon Its routine duties
sir. Howe discovered that the doctor was
right. He could not march with Il inuskct
in his hand, even to the Xtent Ot standing
sentry But determined To be ot service
he volunteered to serve the regiment us ITS
postmaster. messenger. aud eNpressnian.
sending home for il suitable horse and way
on he titovc INTO Baltimore twice every day,
ana brought to camp the letters and par
Z, /, tor the rrgIaIent, Which he distributed
nom his own tent with his own hands. lie
81. u, Il
mcnt. Going ho ne occasionally To bridge
port, where he was tn III buildings large
factory. hr always gave notice ot his III
tnliou. and made his journey with small
cargo ot letters and bundles Tor the tani
H., Q of his comrades, IN toek unwr z. III
i,iius in performing every coiIinlssion m
trusted to him. As one ot the officers sad
10 ne. The would run over half the State to
deliver letter to some loucly ni"thcr anx-
lous for her soldier boy, or bring back to
iii.n in the camp a tavorite PAIR Of boots
which he needed during the rainy winter
of Maryland.
once heard Mr.. Howe relate curious
anccuo,c ot on. of the journeys. He WAS
sitting in the cars behind ;wo wild srccs
sionists, VIII" were c"nvcrslng eagerly about
the wGr One of t en- sath to the other:
Yes sir, the Whole thins was got up
for the purpose of giving tat contracts to
the d-d abohtionists. There old
Howe. the sewing machine man. worth hi
uillions; they have actually gwen him the
Contract for carrying the .,ia, To the army.
You don't say So. said the other.
lis u fact, rcioined his friend. i saw
Howe myself riding i'll one ot the mail
carts Yesterday.
Mr.. Howe s,,lled. but said nothing.
Another story of his war Ike experience
is related by Colonel stephen a. Walker
paymaster of the division to which Mr.
Howe regiment belonged
For four months after the Seventeenth
Connecticut entered the field. the govern
ment was So pressed for nlonty that no
payment to She tr 'ops could he made, aud
consequently there WAS great suffering
alony the families OF the soldiers, and II
stll more painful anxiety suffered by the
airn themselves. One day private sol
di''r callc quicdy into the pay1naster of
lice III Washington. and as there We're sew
rral officers already there to be attended
To, he tuok his seat in corner. to wait his
turn. When tie officers had been dlspos-
ed of Colonel Walker turned to him and
said
Now. my man. what can do for you?
Il have called, said the soldier, TO see
about the payment oithe Seventeenth Con-
uecticut.
The paymaster. little irritated by what
he supposed II needless aud lmpcrtinent IN
terruption. told him somewhat bluntly,
that a pavmastcr could do nothing without
money, and that until the government
could furnish some 1t was useless for sol
diers to come hothcrins hun about the pay
of their regiments.
i, know, said the soldier the govern
nent is IN straits. and have called to
find out how much money 1t will take to
rive nv regiment two months pay. and ii
yon viii tell NE am ready to furnish the
The officer stared with astonishment.
and asked the name of the soldier. who was
uo other than Elias Howe. On referring
To his hooks, Colonel Walker found that
the sum rtquired WAS thirty-one thousand
dollars. Upon receiving the Information,
the uriyate wrote Il draft for the sum, and
received in return IL memorandum certify
inr the advance. aud promising reimburse
lncnt when the government could furnish
the money.
Two or three DAYS after, at Fairfax Court
House the regiment Was paid. and there
were thousand happy men III canp.-
When Mr.. H0We's nanic was called, he
went up to the payn,aster's desk. received
twenty eight doll rs and sixty cents of his
owu money. and signed the receipt there
for, Private Elias Howe. Jr. We can