The Portland daily press., 1886-07-21

While waiting for the announcement OF
dinner, the time was pleasantly spent by the
members of the association, who exchanged
greetings and recalled the incidents and
events of their service in the war, and their
meetings since that time.
Promptly at o'clock the doors to the din
ing hall were thrown open, and the company
entered the smaller dining room, adjoining
the main hall The rooms had been hand
somely decorated for the occasion with flags
and bunting shield hanging from the chan
delier bearing the words, welcome,
Ninth Maine The menu cards bore as a
frontispiece the picture of a soldier and the
words Greeting, Veterans of the Ninth
Regiment, Maine Volunteers" Col Geo. b.
Dyer welcomed all present in few happy
words, and the company then showed their
appreciation of the dinner, which reflected
credit both upon Capt Ivory, proprietor OF
the Ocean House, and his steward, Mr.. Per-
kins.
The post prandial exercises were presided
over by Col Dyer. The speeches Of Adju-
tant James E. Shepard, Col. Dyer and Lieu
tenant c. L. F. Howe, viyidly recalled the
days of the war, and told in fitting language
the bravery and achievements of the Ninth
Maine. Mr.. Shepard was first introduced,
and spoke upon
MORRIS ISLAND AND FORT WAGNER,
Adjutant Shepard's subject related to a
portion of the war in which the regiment,
conspicuous for its prominence and bravery,
won the admiration Of the country. The
speaker said in brief: To the world at large
the war IS portion OF history. Inc rebel
lio, ic fyya old and a
ton has grown to manhood who were un-
born when the great conflict was raging. 10
you the war is a reality, and the names OF
Morris Island and Fort Wagner VII! SUI
your pulses. You recall the morning of July
IL, 1868, when 1000 picked men lay in boats
close to the shore of Folly Island. In the
distance Sumter could be seen, and nearer
the outline of the Notifications on Morris
nature was fair. At the signal of three guns
from Folly Island the shelling commenced,
and the boats containing the troops swept
around the point to Lighthouse Inlet, when
the whole scene, with the Rebel forts and
batteries, was before. us. Then ensued those
terrible moments under plunging fire until
after the order had been given to charge.
The Ninth formed in the midst OF a rain OF
artillery and musketry fire, and advancing
at run swept the enemy before them, and
with half right wheel captured the rifle
pits from which the enemy fled, thus making
good their landing. The assailants had cap
tured eleven cannon, many prisoners and
number of battle flags, besides inficting Sc
we're loss to the enemy, while their own was
slight. After this the regiment was moved
up the beach nearly to the walls OF Fort
Wagner, where they lay until night under
fire. The next morning the regiment was
one of three selected to assault the tort.
They advanced, supporting Pennsylvania
regiment, but the works, whose strength had
been greatly underestimated by the Federal
generals, could not be taken, and the Ninth
was withdrawn in good order, leaving OF
force of 900, Sc men and one officer on the
field.
The great strength of the fort being now
apparent, the work Of reducing 1t by seige
commenced. On the 18th of July, the bonn
bardment opened and was so fierce that the
great fort was nearly hidden by the lying
sand. Again and again the flag was shot
away, to be replaced by the brave defenders:
AT nightfall it seemed that the works must
again % made for assault. The Ninth Maine
formed part of the assaulting brigade un-
der Gen. Strong. The attacking force adj
vanced in the midst of terrific fire. 1t was
rapidly growing dark and shells from Forts
Sumpter and Gregg and the batteries on
James Island fell constantly into the ranks
doing terrible execution. Wagner, however,
remained silent until the regiment was with
in three hundred yards when It's walls
blaZed with line of fire and the boys in blue
went down on every hand like the grass in
| the mowers swath. The ranks were closed ana
| the men pressed on. Some of the regiment
| in advance of the Ninth Maine crossed the
| ditch but were forced back. The Ninth
| pressed up the slope but no effort OF theirs
| could carry the works. They retired in good
| order and later left the field in perfect order,
| no supports being on hand. In concluding
| his remarks, Adjutant Shepard said th at the
| Old Tenth Corps of which the Ninth Regl-
ment was a part. would go down through fu-
ture ages with Cesar's famous Tenth Lee
| gion.
The remarks were frequently interrupted
with applause and cheers. After the ap-
plause at their close had subsided Mrs. JAS
E. Shepard, recited "The Returned Battle
Flags" in pleasing manner. Col. Dyer
then spoke upon the history of the regiment
HISTORY OF THE NINTH MAINE.
Col. Dyer in his remarks paid glowing
tribute to many of the members of the regi'
ment who lost their lives on Southern bat
tlefelds or were wounded there. He also
mentioned the services of some OF the veter-
ans present at the reunion. The speaker re-
ferred to the many actions in which the regi-
ment was engaged and said that it is now the
time for review, not of the lines in uniform
and with glittering arms, but a review of thu
records of the men. No regiment sent il
the war, contained better material and fey
regiments lost more men or were in more ac
tions thar the Ninth Maine. In many al
order, officers and privates were honorabl
mentioned by the commanding general TO
their distinguished services. What Stat
sent out better men than rock bound Maine
We gave our best. No history of regimen
can tell the suffering in the field and the sol
row at home. 1t was no playing soldier wit
us. We fought bravely and we fought brav
J men. The feelings of the war may survive
! | but it is not among the soldiers. Today yo
l hear no recriminations between the Blue an
the Gray.
! Col. Dyer alluded to the value of histor
of the regiment, and said that if the work
0 prepared the members of the association ca
: promote it materially by the means
diaries, letters and other records of the W;
they may have in their possession. Go
Dyer's speech was received with applause
Lieutenant Howe was the last speake
and in the course of his remarks won Il
frequent applause of his hearers by his all
: sions to the campaigns and battles of Il
: Ninth Maine. He spoke of the men of Il
> regiment as they appeared in war time, al
said that everywhere he went he was prol
- of his State and her soldiers. Of the thirt
70 two stands Of regimental colors carried
. the volunteers of this State, every one w
: brought back by the Boys in Blue, and
q now in Augusta. They may have been ca
Il tured, but only for few minutes did 6
n Maine soldiers leave them in the hands
i the enemy Lieutenant Howe alluded 10 q
+ women's part in the great strife in apr
pirate language.