The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-12-14
The Madawaska War.

10 the Edat0f OF the Press:
!. l have recently received from friend in
Boston slip cut from the Boston Advertis-
er in which it copies from the Lewiston
Journal an account of the stirring scenes of
the "Aroostook War" at Bangor in 1889.
There were also exciting times in Portland
and vicinity which the article referred to did
not mention, and myself having twice been
drafted to go to the front, will give few
of the incidents that occurred at that time
When the time arrived to take decisive ac-
ton GeY. Fairfield ordered draft of about
5000 men from the military companies of the
State, forty from each company. The coun-
ty of Cumberland furnished one regiment
the Light Infantry, Mechanic Blues, Rifles,
land think one or two other companies) of
Portland, selected their QUOTA and were
awaiting marching orders. Soon the order
came to draft half the number already draft
and proceed Immediately to Augusta, and
the remainder to hold themselves ready for
another call. About seyenty-fve men from
the Portland companies with the men from
the other towns in the county, took convey
ance at Tukey's Bridge for Brunswick, where
we arrived in the evening, quarters having
been engaged at Tontine Hotel. There was
a dance in progress in the hall when the reg
iment entered the soldiers entering the hall
by one door and the dancers passing out at
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 military discipline
awaiting orders to proceed to the boundary
line to meet the invaders. Meanwhile Gen.
Scott and Sir John Harvey arranged a set
Element (Which the Ashburton Treaty after
ward ratified by which Maine held all she
claimed.
Orders came to pay off the regiment and
give each man certificate of an honorable
discharge at Augusta. The regiment marched
back to Portland, arriving in due time, and
escorted by the Portland companies to the
Old City Hall and diSbanded.
President VanBuren decided not to send
government troops to Maine as asked for by
Gov. Fairfield. Some time later Congress
considered the affair important enough to
pass law giving those who had served
certain length of time land warrant for 100
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 instead of at Portland (being about
two days short of the time specified in the
law
About the time of 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 Wash
ingten. 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 law changed.
In time the law was amended and [ received
warrant for 100 acres of land. Havins at
the time taken up my residence in Boston,
(for thirty-two years. 1 do not know that
my comrades ever received their bounty,
but presume they did.
There were many amusing incidents dur
ing that exciting time. Perhaps Mr.. Goold,
the historian, has notes taken at the time;
if so perhaps the public may sometime be ia
vored with communication 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 reun-
of the soldiers who didn't fight in the ia
nous "Aroostook War"
ALBERT HARMON.