Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-03-28
WHAT NORWAY DID.

;.
Thcfollowing remarks OF Adjutaut Gem
eral George l.. Beal. at the Banquet of the
Second Regiment, March /, contains some
very Interesting and highly creditable facts
Of history; e.
Gentlemen:
In listening TO the remarks OF the gen.
tlemen present, find all naturally turn TO
the record OF the militia before the war,
and having been connected with II sine
1856, perhaps may be pardoned If relate
some unwritten history Of that time.
At the opening OF 1861 there were organ
lied, or partially so, eighteen companies.
doing duty without any encouragement
from the State or Nation, with the eXcep-
ton of being furnished with arms anG
equipments by the State. .,.--.ta .l,..
The riot at Baltimore, on the passage OF
the Sixth Massachusetts, took place or
the 10Th or April, 1861, aud Governor
WaShburn, or Maine, the same evening
sent the Following despatch TO fourteen o.
Of the companies in different parts of the
State:
"Can you muster your company into
immediate service? IL SO, recruit additi
onal men SO thst your company shall com
prise live sergeants, four corporals, on'
drummer, one iiier, and sixiy-four privateS
Answer by telegraph what you eau 10.
4. WAsHBURS, JR.,
COMMUNICATIVE Chief
The replies 10 this despatch were re-
ceiyed in very short time from all, witt
! the exception or some few cOmpan'rs
| who Immediately sent messenger 10 Au-
gusta. % af %
I'VE omit the replies read by Gen. Deal,
except that from Norway.
april Goth. Your dispatch received
My company have voted TO be rec y,to
answer yonr CALI Ranks rot full ,hu will
recruit at once. When must we be- ready !
Answer. GEo. L. BEAL,
Captain Norway Light IulAntry.'
The Lewiston Light Infantry. Portland
Light Guards aud Auburn Artillery, sent
messengers 10 Augusta immediately np1D
receiving the dispatch nom Governor
Washburn, aud all responded, so that 80
i've days time the First Regiment was In
camp at Portland, and the other compan-
| les OF the militia which went into the 9th
er three regiments were all organized aud
| Joined the regiments Gs soon - the order
- u
| four irst regiments formed IN the State.
The first regiment; took eight 20 these
companies: the second took five; the third
took one. and The fourth took three, while
/ the artillery Comp3uy'Of k,;tcry Captain
Mark Wentworth, WAS assigned % Fort
McClary for garrison duty. thu, c""-' -
lug The organization, elrii,iihs and mus
tering into The United States service o!
one thousand three hundred and seventy
! one enlisted men and twenty-one Held AMI
staff offices.
Many Of these were frequently changed,
serving In different regiments. those oi
| The FIRST serving in three, the lSt, 10Th
and 29th regiments, aud the others con
tinulug through the war with their organ
/ izstions.
To show Won some of the frnl,s OF these
| organizations, / will here give you the
record Of my company, the Norway Light
| Infantry, which entered service a. Go. q.
! u MCiue REGIMENT, consisting Of seven
| ty->lN rank AMI AZ. Ot.tlrc>r, fITty-Out
/ re.cutercd the service, aud all but one man
served IN 4 higher grade than he had A,ici
| W the int regiment Forty wen differ
cnt commits -ions were received, consisting
| of one Major General, Que brcyet Major
General, one Brigadicr General, two Ore
vet Bri.adior Generals, four Colonies, ore
/ Lieutenant Colonel, nine Captains tween
| ty-cight LioutenantS; aud there are now in
! the possession Of men who belonged % tn
company before the war the battle hags cd
the lst BrlSaG", 1t DiviSon, 18th Army
Corps, aud the rccimeuIal atsN or The
10Th. 18Th and 23rd regiment, of Infantry.
! III, service OF the company Ms from
Ny 3rl, 1861, 10 Jane 2l>t, lsd6,-hye
years and one month furnishing Tor tho
Government three hundred and thirty-foul
men.
Tai, record Is fair illustration Of that
of all the rest Of the companies and shows
the spirit that prevailed Throughout tht
poorly organized Militia OF our State.
They had been shameillly neglected by
the State, but overlooking all they r.
,ponded Is one man 10 the call Sucl
was then and such is now the character ol
he officers aud men composing the Mliitis
oC Maine.