The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-04-01
LoNGFELLow AS A SOLDIER.
A "Reminiscences of the Polish Revolution.

Mr.. EprroR:-ln the summer of 1925, as the
record shows, six Portland members OF the
Bowdoin class about to graduate were elected
and enrolled their names as members OF the
portland Rifle Company" viz: Stephen
Longfellow, Jr., Edward D. Preble, son of the
Commodore, Henry W. Longfellow, Frederick
Mellen, Patrick Henry Greenleaf, and John
d. Kinsman.
H.W. Longfeliow and his lifelong play
mate and college chum, e. d. Preble, less than
year his senior, and whose homesteads
Joined, went to Europe and were absent sever
al years, mostly in Germany. Soon after the
elder Longfellow (Stephen, Jr.,) went to the
Netherlands as private secretary to the minis
ter, Judge PEBBLE. whose daughter he after
wards married.
In 1881 these three travellers, classmates and
quondam soldiers, had returned to their homes.
The Polish revolution was then in progress
which excited the sympathy OF the friends OF
freedom throughout the world. The represen-
tations of Preble and Longfellow so excited
our corps that they put their best orator, Will
liam Pitt Fessenden, forward to deliver an
grafton on the subject He was then %, and
fine looking. His appearance in his academic
silk gown was the admiration of all, when, in
company with the chaplain, DIR. Nichols, he
marched in the centre of the company, behind
the banner, to the First Parish church.
OF course their comrades of the T. Il. Y.
supposed that these returned travellers had
learned in Europe everything pertaining to the
military art Solomon 81. Nudge, broker,
was captain of the company, but the places OF
Lieutenant and Ensign were vacant, or were
made SO to admit of the election OF such desir-
able subaterns. Preble was made lieutenant
and the elder Longfelow-Stephen Jr.-was
made ensign, and both accepted. 1t was then
the custom for newly elected officers to give
their companies an entertainment.
The house on Grove street, over the creek,
now owned by Jeremiah Dow, was then kept
~ VIM. B. Peters as public house, under the
name Of "The Lafayette Restaurateur." To
this place, after street parade, the company
and many others were invited by Lieut.. Preble
to a collation., and for an afternoons recrea-
ton. Henry W. Longfellow never was partial
to soldering when he first joined the company,
so his associates said but on this occasion, after
so long an absence, he was prevailed upon by
his friend Preble to don uniform, take rife
and Join his old comrades in the merry-making.
The company had recently made an excur-
sion to Boston by invitation of the Rifle Ran
gers of that city, and had large lot OF cart
ridges left. 1t was understood before we left
the armory that we should be permitted to
make some noise before our return, and for
that purpose we filed our cartridge-boxes with
the necessary ammunition. After march to
the Hill, where some of the European tactics
were tried, such as extending the line some
half mile in double-quick time, and closing up
again, with an easy route-step, to the time of
one of Fred Mellen's *refrains. we took our
way to the house of entertainment.
After the collation. and social recreation, tho
line was formed, rifles charged, and the march
taken up in strictly military order for town. 1t
was nearly dark when we had reached the
head of Green street. Order was given to fire
by platoons, in double rank and in close order,
After the glare and report of the first fire the
excitement ran high. The rifles had flint
locks, and often missed FIRE, when, inadver-
tently, another cartridge was put on top of the
first. At the next fire perhaps the double
charge eXpiodeu. Inc Itnes nau oooA AAViO
than twenty years in use and the vents had
become enlarged. If the double charge was
fred by one in the rear rank his file leader was
sure to get burned. Although it is more than
fifty years since, have yet in my face some
powder marks of that nights doings.
While the first platoon were reloading, the
second advanced and fired, and then the first
again in turn. In this way Congress and Middle
streets were kept in blaze for an hour, and
the entire population seemed to have come to
witness it. The cartridges finally gave out,
and the powder-stained company went to their
armory in the south corner Of the Old City
Fall. W. G.
*Lonefellow was not the only poet in the
Bowdoin class of 1925. 1 will send you some
verses by Frederick Mellen.