The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1888-10-18
First Maine Artillery.
REUNION OF WESTERN SURVIVORS,. Tue REG
IMENT THAT LOST THE MOST MEN IN THE
WAR,


[Chicago Tribune.I
The small body of men which held reunion
at the Grand Pacific hotel, Tuesday We're re-
presentatives of an organization that had the
sad honor of having more men killed and
wounded than any of the two thousand .cgi-
ments engaged on the Union side during the
war of the rebellion. The most remarkable
fact in this connection was that it was all SEf-
fered in the campaign of less than one year. be
tween SpottsylTania and AppomattoX. one
colonel. one major. seven captains. fourteen
lieutenants. anu 400 non-commissioned otii-
ers and privates We're killed, and $40 were
wounded.
1t is part of history that the division of
heavy artillery left Washington. ID. c.. to REIN
force Grant after his enormous losses in the
Wilderness. and received their first baptism Of
fire at Spottsylvania. May 10, lSG4 when GEN
eral EweIl left his intrenchmentS an,l marched
around the flank of the Union army and at
tempted to capture its supply train. He would
have succeeded hut for the stubborn fighting If
the untried heavy artillery division. which
drove him back behind his works and Won 4
reputation in the army of the Potomac that
,hey maintai'ied to the end. The First Maine
lost in that engagement one hundred and forty
seven killed and three hundred and thirty-onc
wounded. In their charge on the ntrcnch-
ments of Petersburg. June Is, 1864. out of @lG
More than one hundred of the survivors OF
this celebrated regiment now reside in the
Western States, and being unable to meet with
their comrades in Maine, have formed a West
ern branch of the regiment. and this was their
second annual reunion. Two-thirti> of those
present carried reminders of rebel lead upon
their persons, and most Of them had not met
since the mu>ter-out in lSG5. making the occa-
sion of special interest to al present. Among
the members are.
Col. 4. A. Smith. editor and proprietor Of
the leading paper in Kansas at Leavcnwortl :
J. b. Parsons. of Dwight, ILL.,, a large dealer il
hardware and furniture. who has been prom-
nenty connected with the Illinois State militia
as lieutenant colonel; DIR. q. J. Shaw, of i.om-
barlviile, ILL. Capt. c. c. Roberts. foreman of
the stamping department in the Chicago post
office: r. NJ. Chamberlain, cashier of the Mil
waukee Il st. Paul railroad at La Crosse. Wis. ;
Lieut.. Frank A. Clark. of Webster City, Ia,
who has been for the last eight years connect
ed with the United States treasury depart
ment; Lieut.. $. S. Woo,lcock, of Muyane,
kas., who carried the regmental co!ors and
had every one of his color guard shot on two
occasions, and is now deputy sheriff of Sumner
county, Kansas; Lieut.. I. G. Spratt. of Alpe-
ma, Mich, eN-Mayor Of the city. and a prolui-
nent business man there; Capt. r. G. lersey,
of saltwater, Mimi, a wealthy !umberman; ;
Capt. c. W. Lenfest. hotel proprietor, of Ano-
ka, Mimi; Walter S. Gilman, of Kansas City.
Mo-. agent of the Hale Elevator company; and
Lieut.. &. l.. Haywood, of Topeka. Kas., a sad
,llery dealer and large real estate holder
The association listened to the annual adj
dress by the president, and speeches from
Comrades Clark, Woodcock, Gilman, Cham
berlain. Roberts. and j. w. Phipps of the Old
1st Maine cavalry. Officers for the ensuing
year are /: President, j. b. Parsons: Vice Pres
idents, z. A. Smith, G. l.. Haywood. +. G..
| Spratt, q. }. Shaw, G. W. Lenfest; Executive
Committee, L. A. Clark, j. b. Parsons, S. $.
Woodcock, w. $. Gilman, c. {. Roberts, T..
NJ. Chamberlain; Treasurer, Walter S. Gil
man; Secretary, Z. c. Roberts,
J. W. Phipps and W. NJ. p. Davis were
elected honorary members. 1t was voted to
meet at Milwaukee in September, 1889.
| After the banquet at the Grand Pacific the
| members were entertained by Mrs. l.. T..
| Mudgett at her residence, No. 1l.1 Millaru
| avenue. She is the widow of Lieutenant Colo
| mel Mudgett, of Maine, who was killed while
CALAMITY leading his regiment at Fort Blakely.
Mobile, April Q, 1865. Miss Parepa Roberts
read a poem written to commemorate the
charge Of the regiment at Petersburg, and Miss
Paulina Roberts rendered the poem. ''Wherc
| are you going, you Thousand of Men," written
| by Names poet. David Barker, at the time
| the regiment left for the war. Mrs. +. NJ.
| Pratt presided at the piano and the veterans
sang all the old war songs over again, and at Il
late hour broke ranks in old company style and
pledged each other if alive to meet at Nlilwa,l-
kce next wear.