The Portland daily press., 1885-06-22

listed in Portland, and of Portland members who
served in the war, in other Maine regiments and
the navy, by Major J. M. Gould and B. w. Strick-
land, will prove interesting to many:
First Maine Infantry.
COLONEL NATHANIEL j. JACKSON.
Mustered into U. s. service, May 3, 1861, for
three months Sent to Washington June /.
When the call for troops was made April Ii
1861, there were thirty-1ve volunteer com
panies' or active and uniformed militia in the
State of Maine. Governor Wasnburn ordered
teen of them did So The other sixteen failed, and
so lost their identity 1t is noteworthy that ve of
these thirty-nve were Portland companies. and
that all FIVE filled their ranks mostly with Portland
men, many days before the State and National
officers could arm and equip them. The COM
land Mechanic Blues. Portland Light Guards,
Portland Rifle Corps, Portland Rifle Guards.
Gen. Beal also claims the honor for his company.
the Norway Light Infantry Go. G, LIST Me.) We
Lieut. VIM. NJ. Quimby, who was crippled for life
at battle of Cedar Mountain, Aug o, 1862 and
died In 1876:
/ claim TO be the first man in the State of Maine
to volunteer in the war of the rebellion On Tues
day evening, Jan. s, 1861, after the steamer Star
Of the West was fired upon by the rebels investing
Fort Sumter, arose in the meeting of the Guards,
called by Capt. VIM. NJ. Shaw, at my suggestion,
and stated my views in regard to the war which
felt certain was about to be inaugurated urged
with all my power that the company should make
haste and place itself on record as the first com
pany to volunteer. The meeting was not very
full one, but the members present, with one ex
cepton, voted to volunteer. l was much vexed
because l could not get unanimous vote. There
the matter rested till the day after the reception
of the news of the attack on Fort Sumter. saw
Capt. Shaw, and urged him to call another meet
Ing. He was as ready as myself, and set about it
at good deal of Inconvenience, as he had to hunt
up every member. AT this meeting TUESDAY,
April 16) the enthusiasm was tremendous As
soon as it was called to order / arose and urged
the to volunteer its services
most ably seconded by Capt. Shaw, Leuts. Estes,
Merrill and Marston, and many of the non-com-
misSioned officers. The result was that the com
pany volunteered, by unanimous vote, to offer its
services to the State, in anticipation of call from
the general government Extract from letter of
Lieut.. Quifn6y was appointed messenger to go
to Augusta and formally tender the services Of
ly with recruiting rolls in his hands. The other
Portland companies had TO wait for their blank
rolls to come, aud while they were waiting '.the
Guards in the language of one of the men, twas
filling up as fast as the men could write their
names on the roll or one hundred and eighty men
The Rifle Guards enlisted double the number re-
Quired, and an additional company was neces-
Sary rCrmed composed LARGELY Of residents
that this company had gained considerable no
toriety and had probably made itself unpopular
with the majority of our citizens by suppressing
the "Neal Dow or John Robbins riot June 2
1855. But when the call was made for troops to
20 to war, there came reaction in its favor
rision.
1t will be noticed that Portland furnished six
companies of the ten sent in answer to the first
call for troops - $4,000 three months voun-
teers.
As before stated the men were ready long be-
fore the State or United States could arm and
clothe them. After remaining Sin quarters in the
halls and large rooms of the city, they were sent
May 8, TO camp upon a field in East Deering, be-
tween the Marine Hospital and Grand Trunk
Railway, south of the county road. Here a malig-
nant type of measles broke out prostrating a
hundred men and delaying the departure of the
regiment Tie remainder of the time was spent
on Meridian Hill, Washington, doing guard duty
Portland officers in this regiment We're:
Lieut. Colonel, Albion Witham.
Major, George G. Bailey.
Quartermaster, William s, Dodge.
Chapl9ia, George kGoX
Surgeon, Wentworth II. Richardson.
co. A CORTLAND LIGHT INFANrRY).
Cap;ain George w. Turkey
1st lieutenant, George III. ChadWe.
I'd licGtenant, Charles L. McAllister.
co. B (MEcHANIC BLUEsl.
Capiaisi. Charles Walker.
LIST Lieutenant. Charles j. Pencil
I'd Lieutenant, james NJ. Black.
co. QIGHT GUARDs)
Captain. Meuzies Il. Fessenden.
lift Lieutenant. William Z. Jordan.
I'd Lieutenant, Benjamin NJ Redlon.
CO. d GRILLE CORPS.
Captain, Charles II. Meserve.
1st Lieutenant, William A. Pearce.