Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-08-27

II
steel nary. Congressman Dinsiey gave IN
iutefestins stsf<msut Of the work doi e
Tins far. spd the work yet 20 DO
done, and closed amid loud applaase.
0pssch Ct d.. Augustus G. aamiu.
The Grand Army Of the Rspublic needs
TO euIogy from me. The migasy organ
IL Atom Of 500 600 men. this noble inssisu-
ton founded on the principles q fraternity,
charity and lsyaity make II today ne
ernndest institution the world ever sas and
prt baby ever viii See Nos viii youf
permission. Mr.. Chairman. ~ il II late IN
the afternoon. / will relate one or two IN
cidenss in the history Of the 10Th corps
which vas kucwa in the var a. the De-
psr,reot 81 the south And in which the
sub, 9.h and ilth Name bore cars 1icuous
part. When the history OF the 10Th corps
10 written it will form one OF the moot
brilliant Of oil the corps that composed our
army. In the GUNNER Of 1868 the
rebel dag hsd ti,sted for two
year. from Sumpter in defiance Of
al the Efforts Of the United States, when
an unknown captain Of engineers BY the
name OF Gilmore offered 10 cur government
to 70 down TO Charleston and destroy the
cutiyiu ing forts by means Of new appliances
in military science. He supported his
statements By Arguments 90 good thst they
authorized him to z, down and take Fort
Pulaski, which WAS large fort, built for
one hundred and fifty cannon. then defend
ing the approaches to Savannah. He
foI med bis batteries en- sn island ~here l. G
mud was twelve feer th.cx and in ei2nte 70
hours preached The fort and compelled its
surrender. Oae Of the batteries was
named BY rwo con panles Of the s h Maine,
and for their services they received the
praise of General Hunter, who At that
time vas coumsDder of the department.
II was the rule in Europe NJ this. time thai
no fertilization could he breschsd beyond
the distance of 1700 yards, and then 1t
~ uld require frcm four to six weeks S.
saum, bus Gilmore in Is hours bresc ed
Fort Pulaski and compelled its surrender.
He was then authorized to tsbe
Mo,ris's island and The outlying fc,r'
which commanded Fort SrmpIer ard
the spproAch to Charlesoi. He obtain d
posse sion Of Morris's island by strs;egem
and ia this enterprise the 9Th Name bore d
Very conspicuous part. Gilmore CHAINED
possession of the lower end Of NORRIS
Is,sn1, AZ d although 10 fort M TO that
time had en- preached beyond the dis
tAIcs OF seventeen hundred yards, be
boldly attacked Sumter, and ~ tbs
di,tsrce of two and q quarter miles in sew
en- DAYS be rendered that fort harmless.
Duiipg this time an incident occurred IN
which the | h Maine took part and il hiss
become Al important episode in the mill
tary history OF our country. At the time
Gilmore took posse ssion Of the island be
ordered Gen B.aureyard 10 remove sill
non. combatants from he city Of Charleston.
bat Beanreg.rd lsughtd at the demand
He etatt 10 the Inhabitants Of Charleston
ths. no city ha1 ever been bombsrdsd at the
distance of three miles and they were per
ieciIy safe there. During the perpetrators
for the taking Of Sumes he ordered Certain
colonel to build battery on place where
the mud was Is feet deep The lieu,enan
VINO was ordered 10 make he dessil from Oh
Of the Maine regiments II build that
battery thought that the whole thi
was joke. He made GU
MS detail for men Is feet high to work
in mud feet deep. The next morning
the lieutenant was put under aires. and
another detail ordered. The battery was
built by m sans Of sand. bags and RATS OF
logs, and single gun, which WAS q 200
pouad Parrot gun, was mounted upon th.t
battery and two companies of the Eleventh
Maine were ordered to man it. Charleston
was 1--WE miles and quarter away.
The fret trial Of the gun was made
little past midnight, and the officers of Gil
more's staff stood upon little hill near By
TO watch the first shot. When the gun
flashed and thu shot was heard hitsing 10
the air, one of Gil more's s:sf said: There
goes the angel Of death" Another mem
Der Of the staff, a citizen Of Maine, stated
that it was the swamp angel. From
those remarks syrarg the historic name OF
Swamp angel The gun, in order to
RI sch that imme distance Of five miles
ard a quarter, vas ele vsted at So degrees.
Ii could not stand many Ci.charges at thai
extreme eleyaIiol, and at the thirty d
di charge it buFsr, without il juring, how
ever, any Of tie llh Nj zine boys. The
next dsy flag of truce came from Gen.
eral Bssuregard. quo'lrg All the authorities
of war, and deIouncing Ger. Gilmore for
his bsrosiity in sbelling a city five mile.
and a quarter away. Lsusher At the
close If the war hspl Ell ed to be in North
ere Georgia aid called at A house kept by
8 planter by the name IF Williams. He III
foimt me thar he was relative Of Reuei
Williams Of Augusta, and that he
had a brother OF The ssm' name living
in Cha lesion. Said he: "D0I.'l you think,
that first shot from that cursed old Swamp
Angel struck my bfo,he1's ware house and
like to killed fellow fsom Augusta,
NJ aine, by the name Of Bridges l have
never been able to fad out who Bridges
was, but it is little Tgusr
that that Swamp Angel should be
manned by Maine boys, should he
named by Maine boy, ard that its fita
thot should strike Maine property it
Charleston aud nearly kill Maine hey
from the city Of Augusta There art
many irc,dents in the history CT tbs
corps tina, would like to relate, bu. The
time Is too short. Applause
R.ms,ks CT Il. M Heath
In many respects this is remarkable
gathering. Physically, you are collection
If olj-fashiOned bric-s -brac. Some are
wind. broken; al. of you \ liiile sprung-in
the knees, Nut moth, RS son Of ytu could
again run the foot race thai won the worlds
championship ~ Buti Run. The leg that
TO-DAY does Go Ih'e duty is silent witne,s
to The h.foIrm thxt on the heights Of
Gettysburg challenged The admiration ~
the world Across your breasts are pinned
the empty sleeves th at waved in glory above
the clouds Of Lookout Mountain, where the
sunlight of Heaven kissed the glisteniDg
steel and re fected the rainbow Of promised
liberty 10 generations then unborn. Your
shoulders stoop little lower than
IN the dHvs of yore. Then were
they wghtel with the kpapsack
laden with love offerings, stained with
~omel's t.srs, c)nsecrated with mothers
prayers Today they carry the response
bii;ies Of honorable age and American
ci,iz .nship.
| spprehend ycu could visit no place so
suggestive of the possibilities Of American
cit zepship ss this. the beautiful city of
Augusta. We can furnish you on cali with
a candidate for any office from justice Of
the peace to Governor. 1t is a mighty poor
day that d iesn't bring out at least one new
candidate for Congress.
That you have keIt your magnificent
organization, the grsndsst the sun ever
shone upon, free from the stains Of par
tissnship is an eternal tribute to your SIN
cerity, your homes and your patriotism.
Charity, white-ro and pure, has no cause
to blu.h. At her right hand, Loyalty with
40 hou est eye; at her left, Fraternity with
hands unspotted 1t Is 'he secret Of your
strength. No greater honor can come to
any man TODAY than 10 be commander-iu-
chief of tle Grad Army Of the Republic
Siandi0g as do, surrounded by COVER
noIs and ~ouldbe governors, senator's
crowned with fame, congr essmen of ma.
tioosl renown and candidates for congress
as thick as the famous leaves of Vallam-
brosa. ststesmen in sill stages Of develop
mept from the e9g to the gorgeous butterfly,
repeat With emphasis that these trsnsi;ory
honors are but the dust Of the whirlwind
compared with the heritage you bsqussth