The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-08-28
An Old Soldier Reviewed.
CAPE ELIZABETH, Aug. %, 1879.

CAPE ELIZABETH, Aug. %, 1879.
To the Editor Of the Press:
My attention was recently called to an article
in the Argus of the 22d instant, signed can
Old Soldier and purporting to be an extract
from a letter written by a member of Maine
regiment
1t is more than probable that the extract
was manufactured in the Argus office, for it
passes my comprehension to conceive how any
true soldier could so far forget himself as to
publish such slanderous trash about his own
comrades insulting to all the soldiers of
Maine.
The author of this communication was also
soldier. He entered the service on the Sth day
of May, 1861, and was finally mustered out
Sept. Goth, 1865, having served all through the
war 1t was my misfortune to have been
reared in a Democratic community, where my
youthful ears were daily greeted with such
epithets as "black Republican" id aboli-
tionists,' and similar Democratic texts. The
reader will not be surprised then, when L
frankly declare, that though my better feelings
and true instincts were in sympathy with the
great principles the Republican party was then
laboring to uphold, early associations had raised
my preJuulceS against lndt party.
Now "Old Soldier says that ''his regiment
was composed of two-thirds Democrats" and
further on he tells us that ''some men were al
ways sick and never engaged in battle, for
their courage failed them-always troubled
with some kind of chronic complaint which
qualified Il em for membership of the diarrhea
corps"
This may have been true of 'Old Soldiers"
regiment, composed, as he says, OF "two-thirds
hutf ait ta nc 10
rhea corps" as an example of the soldiers from
Maine, is base calumny, and infamous libel
ON as brave and loyal men as wore the blue and
fought in the Union ranks.
Furthermore, do not believe there was u
regiment from any New England State, much
less from Republican Maine, that was COM
posed of even one-third Democrats There
were, undoubtedly, many like myself who were
not old enough to vote and had no pohtlcai
bias but it is an indisputable fact that most OF
those who lived to return had become staunch
Union-loving Republicans
During my service of over four years, | be-
longed to three different organizations, and
whatever may have been the political predlec-
tions of the members prior to enlistment, can
safely say that the major part of them came
back with the determination to make their
ballots tally with their bullets.
If "Old Soldier will refer to the Maine
State Yearbook he will there learn how the
returned soldier voted in the elections lmmeel-
ately following the war. The same authority
will also show him that the Democrats of this
State polled some of their heaviest votes dur
ing the years of the war, which proves conclu-
sively where they were in the hour of need,
the nations peril. L am aware how many soft
Establishments and other pernicious influences
have been, and are still being used by the un-
natural and hypocritical league in this state to
induce the soldier to so vote as to annul ana
repudiate the principles for which he fought.
My memory, however, is not so treacherouss
as to make me forget the eventful days OF
61-65, when, while we as soldiers were Dat-
ting for the Union cause, the Democracy, IN
convention on the stump and through tnelf
nress were pronouncng us failures, Why
mo ms rs 'hirelings," belittleing Union victo-
r;es and magnifying rebel successes. could
NOT help noticing as L read "Old Soldiers let
fer. that though having deserted to the enemy'S
camp. inc still remembered some good old Re-
nublican sentiments and l cannot do better
than to close this letter as he did his, by quot
ing one of them:
s'The hour of battle is upon us and all good
soldiers, all who love equality, Justice, Tree
dom and equal rights, should stand, rs they
have often stood before, shoulder to shoulder
fighting for the right"
\ SOLDIER OF THE TRUE Blue.