The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-05-26

standard is one of the company's steel headed
pixies, to be used instead of bayonet to make
or repel charge, with rifle slung at the back.
The history of the formation of this company
is this: President Jefferson's embargo and nom
intercourse policy was unpopular in the sea-
ports generally. Portland was emphatically
commercial town, and a majority of her mer-
chants and ship-owners were Federalists, many
of them made so by seeing their ships rotting
in the docks. The military companies of the
town were differed by Democrats, who taunt
ed the Federalists with want OF patriotic
military spirit AS have said they we're ship
owners and captains and were in favor of
powerful navy, but took less interest in the
army--hence the taunts of the opposite party.
In 1909 petition to the State Legislature
was signed by about forty of the young business
men of the Federal party of the town to be
chartered as military company and to be
armed by themselves with the then expensive
rifle Their petition was granted but it was
not until 1910 that the company was organized.
They had their own band of Is pieces. in the
same uniform, led by the late Col. Thomas
Warren with clarionette. Their first parade
with their splendid stand of arms and snowy
uniform was made on the 18th of June, 1911.
Mrs. Anterior, wife of the captain, present.
ed them a standard in behalf of the ladies on
that day from the portieo of the residence of
Stephen Mcclellan on High street.-the same
now occupied by Ell. N. JOSE
In September, 1874, when the town was
threatened with an attack from British squad
ron, the Rifle Corps rendered their services in
a body for night patrol and performed that
service for several nights in succession.
At that time the brig Boxer, which
had been captured by the Enterprise the
living in tho harhor with
her armament taken out to arm the new prl-
yateer ship Hyder ALI. The Portuguese ship,
"San Jose indiana" was also lying in the har-
bor having been sent in as prize on account
of having British goods on board. Inc snip
masters and mates of the company longed to be
afoat, and the company offered its services to
Gen. Richardson, then in chief command, to
man the Boxer and to transfer the battery OF
the Portuguese ship to the brig and to haul
her into position to repel any attacking force
who might attempt to pass Vaughans Bridge.
An order was issued by the Commanding Cen
eral (who had taken the captain of the COM
panv for his aid) to arm the Boxer as proposed
by the company, and place her as near the
bridg as possible, allowing her to swing at her
anchor without grounding, and to practice gun
merry each day. The order to arm the brig was
obeyed and the starry flag foated from the
same mast to which the British flag had been
nailed in the battle with the Enterprise.
1t happened that the ship had large amount
Vi ux6u ptOpdicu AoA hOt SoAct
which was transferred with them to the brig.
The Rihemen laid aside their green coats and
CABS and fitted themselves out in sailors blue
jackets and round-topped glazed hats, and
obeyed the order to practice gunnery TO the
letter. They bombarded the steep slope OF
Bramhal's Hill with shot and she'll; by single
guns and broadsides, keeping the town in con-
tinaal alarm, but no enemy came. After about
weeks service, the company left the brig
and assumed their soldiers uniform and rlhes
and pitched their tents, and forgot that they
had been memo -warsmen. Most OF the COM
pany marched to Augusta in the Aroostook
war of 1889, and several served IN the war OF
the rebellion, but after that they did not reor-
ganiZe.
original one of 1811 but was prepared about
fifty years ago in memory OF Frederick Mel.
len, the poet of the company, and member OF
the Longfellow class of Bowdoin college: The
motto on the standard, "Our Corps, our Homes
and Liberty" was adopted from the chorus OF
one of Melien's songs COMPOSED for and sung at
the anniversary dinner in 1881. Both OF these
banners we're taken to San Francisco by Il. NJ.
Patten, who had been captain in the Rifle
Corps, who sent them to me with this letter;
SAN Francisco, CAL, February 10, 1882.
Hon. WILLIAM GOOLD:
NV Dear Sir. Having interested myself to-day in
reaiine your history of the Portland Rifle Corps,
and feeling tn at the banner OF that corps should De
returned to Portland, have taken the liberty to
forward the same to you, to be disposed OF as you
may tn nix proper.
notice by the records that you was admitted to
membership in 1880, whilst my name appears IN
1888.
You having served in the old Corps, and having
taken so much interest in the punishment OF its rec
ords from its formation in 1911 to its dsbandment
in 1861, think you are the proper person to ave
the disposal of the banner
You will also receive note of invitation to the
of the first standard, dated June z,
1911. 49,
Ialso forward you the banner borne by the citi-
zans of Portland in Montreal at the celebration OF
the opening of the Grand Trunk Rail Road, the
same having been presented me many years ago by
my friend, John Rhynas Esq.
Yours very truly,
EDWARD NJ PATTEN.