The Portland daily press., 1889-09-12
An OFFICER with a Record.

The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of
the United States is an organization COM
posed OF officers who served either in the
army or the navy during the late Civil War,
and. like the Society of the Cincinnati of the
Revolution, ths organization is to be perpet-
uated through the descendants of its mem
bers or their nearest kin. The first COM
mander-in-chief of the Order was Gen. W.
5. Hancock. At his death Gen. Sheridan
was made his successor. The present COM
mander-in-chief is ex-President R. B. Hayes.
There are now connected with the organiza-
ton eighteen Communicates in different
parts OF the Union; and most of the promi-
nent officers of the army aud navy during
the Rebellion are connected with the Order,
as were those who have passed away, incIud-
ing Grant and Meade.
The Maine Commandery is one of the old
est connected with the order, and has its
headquarters in Portland. Gen. John Mar
shall Brown is its commander at the
nsesent tisso. rcA-- s----------A--,
times year at the Falmouth Hotel, the
members dining together. 1t is the custom
OF the Commandery, at the close Of the din
ner, to have paper read by one OF its men,
Defs, recounting some personal experience
OF the writer during the war. At the last
meeting the paper was read by Major Hol-
man s. Melcher, our present Mayor, and in
1t he presented IAN Experience in the Bat
tie of the Wilderness" The experience was
as interesting as it was peculiar, and we
have asked the Recorder of the Comman-
derry, into whose possession the manuscript
has passed, to give US the substance of the
paper for our readers. This he has done,
and the article appears in another column.
1t will be remembered that Major Melcher,
while In command of Co. F. of the 10Th
Maine at Gettysburg, distinguished himself
by his bravery at Little Round Top. Col.
Chamberlain had given to his men, during
the rebel attack on that part of the line, the
order to Fix Bayonets" and Charge" We
will let Rev. Theodore Gerrish, the historian
OF the 10th Maine, himself member of the
regiment tell the story:
Every man understood in moment that
the movement was our only salvation, but
there is q limit to human endurance, and /
do not dishonor those brave men when l
write that for a brief moment the order was
not obeyed, and the little line seemed to quail
under the fearful fire that was being poured
upon 1t. . for some man reckless of life,
and all else save his country's honor and
safety, who would rush far out to the front,
lead the way, and inspire the hearts of his
exhausted comrades! In that moment of
supreme need the want was supplied. Lieut..
ID. 5. Melcher, an officer who had worked
bis way up from the ranks and was then in
command of Co, f., at that time the color
company, saw the situation, and did not
hesitate, and for his gallant act deserves as
much as any other man the honor of the
victory on Round Top. With cheer, and
flash of his sword, that sent an inspiration
along the line, full ten PAGES to the front he
sprang-ten paces-more than half the dis
lance between the hostile lines. Come on
Come on! Come on boysp he shouts. The
color sergeant and the brave color guard
follow, and with one wild yell of anguish
wrung from its tortured heart, The regiment
charged. The rebels were COMPOUNDED at
the movement. We struck them with fear
full shock. They recoil, stagger, break and
run, and like ayenging demons our men
pursue"
The rebels, as they fell back, ran into
Company B, of the Goth Maiue, which was
covering the left flank of the army, and the
result was that more than three hundred
prisoners were taken as the result of this
gallant movement.
Neal Dow, in recent letter, has sneered
ut Mayor Melcher's military record" The
mayor has made no reply to these sneers.
and there is no need that any one should
notice them. But our mayor has military
record of which any man might we'll be
proud, and we are sure our readers will
thank us for the exceedingly interesting mar
rative is this paper which recounts his ex-
perience at the Battle Of the Wilderness.