Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-07-01
A Letter to the Editor of the
Maine Standard.

A Letter to the Editor Of the
Maine Standard.
SIR In your issue of the 18th of June,
you published an article stating the fact that
was in the rebel army, in such a way as to
leave an entirely false impression upon your
readers. As soon as saw this article l
wrote you as follows:
Sir A democratic friend has Just
called my attention to an article in your
Weekly Issue of the 18th inst, which is cal
culated to lead those unacQuainted with the
facts, to believe that served in the Confed-
crate army from choice, and that was con-
verted to republicanism since the war.
cannot think sir that you would have pub
lished the article rs it is had you been cogn-
zant Of all the facts in the case. therefore
give them briefly and ask that you will publish
this in your Weekly.
was born in Wiscasset, Maine, and went
South in Nov. 1855. Taught school most of
the time until the war had begun. In Sep
TENDER 1861 l was tried by the "Ogecchee
Vigilance Committee Soon after | was
Obliged to go into the rebel army. To have
refused, MS I believed then, and AS I still be-
lieve, would have cost me my life. On the
18th day of October 1862. just six months
and three weeks from the time l entered their
service, and the first day was ever on picket,
| escaped from picket station on the Caro-
lima side of the Savannah river, TO Fort Pu-
laski; and in making my escape, carried
through two genuine rebels soldiers, and gave
them up with three sets of arms and equip
ment. Col. William b. Barton of the 4Sth
n. Y. Regiment was in command ut the Fort
at the time; and he, or any of the officers
then under his command can verify this state
ments. After spending few months at home
here in Maine, l entered the Union army on
the I'd of March 1868, and served until after
the close of the war. In view of these facts
I think you will acknowledge there is some
difference between my case and those of Mos
by, Longstreet, and others, with whom you
have associated my name in your article
above referred to. / am quite willing my
war record should be known in its entirety
Very respectfully,
ORRIN MCFADpEN.
Wiscasset, June Is, 20.
In your Tri-Weekly Of June 22d you refuse
to publish the above. but publish ''reply"
thereto, in which you carefully avoid any men
ton Of the facts favorable to me, and excuse
your action on the ground that the Bath Times
has misrepresented DIR. Lancaster, that repub-
lican journals always refuse to correct errors
of statement respecting democrats &C., &C.
will give a moments notice to this "reply" of
yours. You say: ave did not state the
case half as strongly against you, as we had
heard it." Well, why did not you? You
must have doubted part of what you heard
or you would have published it as Strongly"
against me as you heard it. You knew that
your author misrepresented me so strongly"
that you did not wish to adopt the whole mis-
representation, and yet you are willing to
give your readers the impression that served
in the rebel army from choice, that left it
when the Confederate cause became hopeless,
and became a convert to republicanism for
the sake of an office, when the simple state
ment of the date Of my escape from the rebel
army-Oct 1852, when the Confederates
North and South were having their brightest
days--would have completely refuted your
assertion.
You say: The false charge made in the
republican papers that DR.. Lancaster had
served in the confederate army, was the cause
of the publication in the Standard against
you. Neii, Will you uoW your
readers upon what code of morals you base
this action9 Not even the law of retaliation
will justify you in trying to injure one who
has done no wrong, on the ground that some
other party has committed an offensc. do
not publish a republican paper, and have
never sought to disparage the war record of
DIR. Lancaster. was not even aware that
any charge that he had served in the rebel
army had been made in any paper, until !
read the article in your issue of the 18th
headed, "Who Served in the Rebel Army ?"
Your assertion that knew the facts in re-
gard TO his service in the Union army is not
correct. was not acquainted with him I'M
til he came to Wiscasset to reside, and know
nothing of his service except what have
learned from him in conversation and while
never questioned his honorable service, do
not possess that personal knowledge of it,
which would qualify me for witness in his
behalf. You prescribe for me, sir, much
higher plane of action than you are willing
to adopt yourself; for while you ask, ''liave
you taken the trouble to disabuse the minds
of the people who were being misled by the
false charges against him!" you refuse to
give insertion to letter of mine refuting the
false charges which you yourself had pub
lished concerning me. Has the Bath Times
refused to publish letter Of DR.. LIS in refuta-
ton of the Islander against him? You know
very well that the, Kennebec Journal, few
weeks since, published letter of his in re-
ply to some charges respecting him, which
had appeared in that paper, and believe