The Portland daily press., 1888-10-15
AT GETTYSBURG.
Exercises at the Dedication of the
Seventeenth MaIne's Monument.
Col. Hobson's Grafton and Captain
verriII's Poem.
Col. Edward Moore Recounts the
Achievements of the Regiment.

ing iOr thtm. In the evening the cltlZenS 0l
the town with the city band gave the veter.
ans fine seIenade. This morning at s
o'clock the whole party took carriages and
proceeded to the Wheat Field where the
beautiful monument of the 18th Maine is lo-
Gated. At 1880 Col. Moore, the president OF
the Association, called the assembly to order
and introduced Comrade Holyoke who Of
fered prayer. Then there was singing by a
quartette of young ladies from Gettysburg
who kindly volunteered their services
Then Col. Moore, the president of the Asso-
citation, spoke as follows:
COL. MooRE's ADDRESS.
Comrades: A quarter of a century has
passed by since you were upon this field, a
field which you made historic by your deeds
of yalor on July I'd, 1863 and which has been
ably termed by the historian as the whirl-
pool Of the battle of Gettysburg. You visit
this field today for the purpose of dedcating
this beautiful monument which has been
erected by our State to commemorate the
gallant deeds Of her sons and to perpetuate
the memory of those who were connected
with the 18th Maine Regiment and fell upon
this decisive battlefield of the war. You
will pardon me. comrades, if on this occa-
sion take the liberty to refer briefly to your
war record aside from the part which you
took in the battle of Gettysburg. During
your term of service you took part in twenty
seven battles besides doing duty on the pick
ct line during one-fifth Of your whole term
OF enlistment. Your loss during your three
years services was 2O7 officers and men
killed, making the regiment stand 35th in
rank as to killed in battle out of over 1900 in
iantry regiments which were engaged in
the late civil war on the Union side. Your
loss during the war by disease was 12S off,
GERS and men who died in the field and in
army hospitals. You had 6S officers and men
taken prisoners of war, and 704 of your num-
Der were wounded, making your loss some
tning over sixty per cent. of the whole num-
Der OF men engaged during your term of SER
vice.
Your connection with the battle of Get
tysburg dates back to June 11th, 1868, when
you left camp Sickles, Va, with the army of
the Potomac and after a long and tedious
march of over two hundred miles YOU arrived
at the college near Emmettsburg on the night
OF July 1st, where you bivouaced for a few
nours. On the morning Of July I'd at 1.30 a.
m. we received orders to march toward Get
tysburg. At 4.30 a. m. we were on the
marcn, and at 10 a. m. you arrived on the
neid OF battle, having made the distance of
tnlrteen miles in five hours and half.
AS we came down the Emmettsburg road
we received the compliments of the COnfed-
crate picket line belonging to Longstreet's
corps. To gain the position which had been
assigned TO us we were obliged to pass be-
tween the skirmish lines of the two armies.
we took up position near the left of the
nhlrd corps line, and supported the picket
line OF our brigade until about 230 D. M.
when the regiment was ordered forward to-
ward this wheat field. We entered this field
at 8 p. M. with 20 officers and $50 muskets.
and became actively engaged with Ander-
sons brigade, Hoods division, of Long
moved across the field, driving the enemy
back until we gained possession of the stone
wall In our front. Our right rested near the
gully or ravine along the line of the rail
fence, our colors resting on the spot where
tnls monument now stands, our left wing
resting along the line Of the wall. The con-
test for this wall became very severe along
our whole front, the lines of battle being not
over one hundred yards apart, and a number
OIL times during the contest the enemy were
upon the wall on one side, while we were up
on the other. Winslow's battery. which was
located on our left flank, did us Splendid
service and enabled the regiment to drive
the enemy back and hold possession of the
wall. On our right was the 10th Pepnsvl-
vanla, which gave way, owing to the su-
thus leaving our right flank unprotected.
Ihe enemy taking advantage Of this break in
our lines, attempted to gain our rear. but
fortunately the enemy's movements
were discovered in time to enable the
commanding officer to refuse the right
wing OF the regiment to nearly right angle
with the left. This movement, although a
very difficult one to perform under fire was
executed IN good order under a severe fire
from the Confederate lines. The enemy.
which attempted to gain our rear, were ex-
posed to murderous fire from our right
wing, which compelled them to retreat by
moving OFF to our right. We continued the
hight along the front of this wall for three
hours and thirty minutes, thus holding the
enemy in check on this portion of the line
from p. m. to $50 p. m.
About p. IN. we received orders tn fall
back across the field to the road in our rear
ana replenish our ammunition. The enemy
taxing advantage of our retreat, followed MS
up, and attempted to capture the Winslow
battery which occupied ground in the rear
OF our lett flank Their movements were
discovered just as the left reached the road
py our gallant division commander. Gen
David Bell Birney, who rode up and ordered
the regiment to face about and drive the en-
emy pack at the point of the bayonet as our
for our gallant commander who led ms across
tne neld the left forced the enemy back over
tne stone wall and Winslow's Battery was
saved. Our ammunition was replenished
ana the hghting renewed, and it was of a
most deadly character along our whole front
and at times 1t became hand to hand fight
Your loss in both officers and men was very
severe at this poi t. In your color guard,
composed Of teY IN, during the fight but
two escaped ur red. After the repulse
OF tne enemy $ point you were relieved
9y otner troops and were ordered to with
draw from the wheat field which you did in
good order and formed a line in rear Of the
road where you bivouaced for the night.
On the morning of July Sd, at 8 a. m. the
regiment was moved to the right and formed
In line OF battle on the same ground that
you occupied on the previous day at | d. m.
We held this position until noon of july 3D.
when, we were startled by those two signal
guns from the Confederate right. which was
the prelude to the most terrific cannonading
our army ever experienced. For over two
hours and a half, 100 Confederate guns sent
Longstreet making his assault upon the CEN
tire OF our lines. During this artillery duel,
we received orders to move to the right and
reinforce the lines of Gen. Doubleday. Pro-
ceedlng at double-quick march, we were
soon upon the line in front Of Longstreet's
assault, better known.as Pickett's charge You
were placed in line, supporting the 9th Mich
lgan battery. Throughout the enemy's as
sault the regiment was exposed to severe
artillery and infantry fire, and suffered
heavy loss in both officers and men. At 8 D.
M, on the Sd, you were sent to the front to
perform picket duty when you remained
for the night. On the morning of the 4th
the regiment was relieved from the picket
line and set to work throwing up earthworks.
On the morning of July 9TH, the Confederate
army was on the retreat, and the battle
of Gettysburg was at an end. Tho list of
casualties in the regiment during the en-
gagements of July I'd and Sd, numbered 1873
killed and wounded. [The names were read
by Col. Moore.
After Col. Moore closed. Gen. Geo. West
made few remarks, describing the move
ments of the regiment while in the Wheat
Field. Letters were read from Col Merrill
and other members of the regiment who
were unable to be present. Col. William
Hobson of Boston, the orator of the day.
was then introduced and spoke as follows:
COL. HoBsoN's ADDRESS.
Comrades and Felloto Citizens:
Ii stranger from foreign lands should
finish his inspection of our famous battle
fields of the late war by visit to Gettysburg.
he might ask why this only Of those many
fields is covered with monuments of various
designs, but all tasteful and elegant,
and why this field in special manner is
the Mecca Of pilgrimage to all lovers of our
Constitution and Union. The answer is not
far to seek. The battle of Gettysburg enjoys
distinction which cannot be accorded to
any other of the great conflicts of which the
history OF the war is full. 1t has been we'll
said that it marks the high water of the tide
of rebellion. The waves of fire which surged
around these heights on the first three days
of July, 1868, ever after reeeded until they
sank into an eternal calm at AppOmattOX.