The Portland daily press., 1880-08-17
The I1th Regiment Band.

The following statement is received from
Gen. Plaisted with request for publication.
AS we printed the original allegations against
him, we cheerfully give him the benefit of his
explanation although it is courtesy not often
awarded 10 political opponent. We certain
ly should not wish to do Gen. Plaisted or any
other opposing candidate any injustice. There
are enough good and just reasons why Gen.
Plasted should not be chosen Governor of
Maine without resorting to any other means of
defeating him:
"Gen. Plaisted was not Colonel of the 11th
Regiment when it was organized, or at the
time it left the State He enlisted his compa-
ny for the 18th regiment, but was ordered to
Augusta to complete the organization of the
11th. Only few days before it left for Wash.
ington he was commissioned Lieut. Colonel of
the 11th. He had nothing whatever to do
with the organization of the regiment or en-
listment of band or the purchase of any in
strument.
These were all done by Col. John c. Cald-
well before he Joined the regiment. The band
was ON duty when Plaisted Joined the regi..
ment. He was not promoted to the command
until May II, 1862 Previous to this time,
while Lieut.. Colonel, an arrangement was
made with the band between James M. LARA
bee of the band and Major VIM. NJ Shaw Of
the regiment, by which the band agreed to
purchase the instruments for three hundred
and seventy dollars and Col. Caldwell was to
consent to their discharge. The instruments
belonged to the regiment. After the agree
ment between Larrabee and Shaw Gen.
Plaisted assented to it as one of the council of
administration. Col. Caldwell assented to it,
but Gen. Casey declined to recommend their
discharge and thus the matter stood on the 31st
OF May, when the instruments were lost in the
battle of Fair-Oaks.
Tho hoy, dxuo 1aft in Will mi In
struments, and when our forces were driven
back the band retired, leaving their instru-
ments hanging in a tree over their heads
After the battle Gen Plaisted called upon the
regiment to pay for the instruments as per
agreement. One instrument was not lost, rated
at forty dollars, which was deducted, and they
settled, without objection for three hundred
and thirty dollars, one hundred dollars cash
and a note for two hundred and thirty. The
note and cash were endorsed over to Major
Spofford, the treasurer of the regiment, by
Gen. Plaisted. Major Spofford subsequently
sent the note to John A. Peters for collection,
the band having been discharged by order of
the war department. Major Spofford supposed
the note to be sued in his name in Hancock
County where he resided. Mr.. Peters upon his
own responsibility brought his suit in Penob-
scot County in the name of Gen. Plaisted,
while the latter was in service. The regiment
was disbanded in 1866 and the note as one of the
assets of the regiment was given to Memorial
Hall, Watervilie. The action was tried and
decided for the defendants upon the ground
that the instruments were lost by the fortunes
of war. There was no suggestion during the
trial of any fraud or Misrepresentation on the
part of Gen. Plaisted, as Judge Peters, who
was counsel in the case, we'll knows. Gen.
Plaisted never had particle of interest in the
note or the money received for the instruments
and never claimed any. He was acting simply
in the interest of the regiment. The instru-
ments were purchased by Col. Caldwell for
some seven hundred and fifty dollars, which
was debt upon the regiment at the time of
their discharge. Every dollar of this amount
Gen. Plaisted saw paid before he left the SER
vice out of the regimental funds''