The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1885-12-23
The M0dd,casko War.

have recently received from n friend
IN Boston slip cut frt m the Boston Adj
vertiser In which it copies from the Lew
iston journal mn account of the stirring
scenes OF the "Aroostook War" at Bangor
In 1899. There were also exciting times
in Portland and vicinity which the article
referred to did not mention, and myself
having twice been drafted to 20 to the
front, | will give few of the incidents
that occurred st that time.
When the time arrived to take decisive
action Gov. fairfield ordered draft of
about 5000 men from the military COM
panies of the State, forty from each com
pauy. The county of Cumberland furnish
ed one regiment, The Light Infantry,
Mechanic Blues, Rifles, (and l think one
or two other companies) of Portland, Sc
lected their quota, and were awaiting
marching orders. Soon the order came
to Graft half the number already drafted
and proceed Immediately to Augusta, and
the remainder to hold themselves ready
for another call. About seventy-fve men
from the Portland companies with the
men from the other towns in the county,
took conveyance at Tukev,s Bridge for
Brunswick, where we arrived in the even
ing, quarters having been engaged at
Tontine Hotel. There was dance in
progress in the hall when the regiment
en'cred; the soldiers entering the hall by
enc door and the dancers passing out Mt
the opposite door at double quick. The
next morning the regiment started for
Augusta on foot where it arrived In due
time, when it encamped under strict mill
Iary discipline, awaiting orders to DO
coed 10 the boundary line to meet the
invaders. Meanwhile Gen Scott and Sir
John Harvay n II (,pl, ;cb
the Ashburton Treaty afterward ra ifud)
by which Maine held all she claimed.
Orders came to pay off the regiment
and give each man a certificate of an hon
orahle discharge at Augusta. The
regiment marched back to Portland, arriv-
ing there In due time, and escorted by The
Portland companies to the Old City Hall
and dsbapded
President VaDBuren decided not to send
government troops to Maine as asked for
by Gov. Fairfield. Some time later Con
gress considered the affair important
enough to pass law giving those who
had served a certain length of time land
warrant for l60 acres of land, 1t so
happened that by this limitation the
Cumberland county regiment was barred
from receiving the bounty in consequence
OF having been discharged at Augusta in
stead of at Portla nd (beng apout two days
short of the time specified in the law
About the time oft the assembling of the
next Congress the writer met in a car Hon.
John Appleton, the then member of Con
gress from this district, on his way to
Washington In the convention held the
subject of the injustice to the Cumberland
County soldiers was talked over, and he
promised to do what he could to have the
lsw changed. In time the law was amend
ed and | received warrant for $50 acres
of land. Hav NC at the time taken up my
residence in Boston, (for thirtytwo years,
do not know that my comrades ever re-
ceived their bounty, but presume they did.
There were many amusing incidents
during that exciting time. Perhaps Mr..
Goold, the historian, has notes taken at
the time; If so perhaps the puplic may
sometimes be favored with a communica-
tion on that subject.
As reunions are now in vogue perhaps
it will be in order, after the Honorables
have their reunion next month to have
a reunion of the soldiers who didn't fight
in the famous 'Aroostook War
| albert Harmon, IN Portland Press.
STATE EXPERIMENT STATION The
hoard of management OF the Stat expert
! menting station, situated at the Maine
State College, cousis ing of Hon. Il. A.
Gilbert, Turner, president; Hon. S. l..
Boardman, Augusta, secretary; b. F.
Pease Esq Cornish. Prof Walter Balen-
tine, OroUo, Williams Bowns, Esq Sc
Dec, met at the Cony House, Augusta,
Monday evening, Prof. w. II Jordan, the
director was present The evening was
chiefly devoted to settling the accounts
and continued ueeting will be held
The station Is now experimenting with
two yokes Of steers and four milch cows
to ascertain the value of coarse fodder
fed in conjunction with concentrated
food, as compared with the best English
hay.