The Republican journal., 1892-05-19
On the Ocean Wave.


One of the most readable, and typo
graphically the most attractive Of recent
contributions to war literature, is ''The
Story of the Maine Fifteenth by Henry
A. Shorey, secretary and historian of the
18th Maine Regiment Association. Major
Shorey entered the service as second lieu
tenant of Company B., when the regiment
was organized in the closing months of
1861, and he served until the regiment
was mustered out at the close of the war,
retiring with the rank of captain. Fol
lowing is an extract from chapter III,
telling of the embarkation at Portland in
March, 1862:
Upon leaving Augusta the plans contem-
plated immediate embarkation on board
ship ''Great Republic, with the expec-
tation that the vessel would at once pro
coed to sea: and. reaching Portland late
in the afternoon. the regiment was at once
marched to the vessel, the soldiers spend
ing the night on board 1t was very soon
discovered, however, that the ship was
not in readiness for ''trst-class passen-
gers hardly for the horses, which We're
assigned the ''steerage.' The ship was
cold, damp, and exceedingly untidy. The
commissary stores were not on board, and
the facilities for cooking were insufficient
to the supply of cooked rations for any
thing like the number OF men we had
brought on board. In some other respects
the ship had failed to make the necessary
arrangements for the voyage; and, in con
sequence of this culpable negligence in
some he O
great discomfort
Happily, however, we We're in friend
ly port, and, furthermore, had thus early
in our military career learned to
! 'g-r-o-w-l.' The situation was at once
brought to the attention OF the mayor of
! the clty-who, upon consultation with
and the acQuiescence Of the commanding
offlcers-promptly repaired to the wharf
where our vessel lay and in neat and
appropriate speech welcomed the regi-
ment to the inequalities of the city of
Portland With deafenMg shouts of APP
plause the soldiers greeted the invitation,
and the regiment at once embarked and
marched to the (then) New City Building,
which it occupied as 4 barracks for il
week. and where the soldiers were the
recipients of many kindly attentions from
the patriotic people of that goodly city.
The week sojouln in Portland was
characterized 10y no specially noteworthy
incident; though in many respects it was
quite pleasurablc to the soldiers. Nume1-
Gus opportunities We're afforded fol ming
ling with the people and of attending the
religious meetings. social gatherings ere
A number of the members of the re4i
ment also here received calls from rela-
tives and friends while not a few were
bl'It.f leaves ia ,,-lti,.l
visit the old home and exchange the part
ing words With loved ones-a privilege
very highly appreciated by those thus
favored.
Owing no doubt largely to the seeming
ly unnere ssaIY exposure to which the
men had been subjected On all hands since
breaking camp at Augusta the list of
those sick in quarters and in hospital had
again become quite formidable From
forty to fifty quite serious cases were up
on the hospital list. to say nothing OF
those sick in quarters or at their homes:
and despite the most faithful nursing and
assiduous attentions from all quarters, it
was found. when the hour of departure
arrived. that quite a large number must
be left behind.
On the sixth of March, the vessel S
preparations fer the voyage being com
pleted, the regiment again embarked upon
the ship Great Republic-then the LARGEST
sailing vessel atloat-and at noon of the
9TH. amid salvos of artillery and music
from the forts in the harbor. and the
cheers of the throngs of spectators gath
cred upon the wharves to witness our de
parture. we proceeded to sea; bidding
adieu for time-many. alas. for all time
to the dear old estate ii the Pine Tree -
and the loved ones scattered all alon. her
hills and wales.
The great ship upon which we had taken
passage. with its large and diversified
populations seemed like 4 little world Of
itself. and was an object III unceasing In
tcrest. especially to those Who We're now
making their first voyage 20 eroltl ocean ,,
wide eNpanse" Here were nearly or quite
one thousand men r nciuding the ship :
officers and crew-ullartered uprn the YES
sci; hunks being arranged 'between
decks and elsewhere III such manner as
to utilize every inch I'll space: W lille ION
the ground floor We're a large number of
cavalry and artillery ho.se,-al,out two
hundred and tftv-so closely slowed
in as to be absolutely unable to lie down
even in death,
The commissioned officers were assign
ed excellent accommodations in the ship
capacious cabin and saloons but. unha,,-
PLY the enlisted men hardly Jared as well.