The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1892-03-17

LYNN. FEB. %, 1892. We are glad to in
form your readers regarding one of the best
reunions and banquets ever held by the
Maine Veterans of Massachusetts. Knowing
that goodly number of your many read rs
are old veterans, who can fully appreciate
the situation and take in the real spirit of it,
we are prompted to write a few words de-
scriptve of the occasion.
In accordance with the call Of the Secre-
tary, members We're to assemble at the
American House Boston at 5 p. m. and the
parlors We're Immediately taken possession
of by comrades, with wives, sons or daugh-
tiers. About the first person our eyes rested
upon was our tried and true Secretary, S. G..
Small formerly Quartermaster of the ID Cav
airy To use nautical phrase, he is the main
stay and toppn lift of the Maine Veteran bus
mess in Massachusetts,. The next to come
was genial George T. Ranlett of Co II, ID
Cavalry, who is now Captain Of the Quaran-
tine steamer Nigilant, Boston Harbor. 1t is
needless to say that the Captain is just as
good looking as ever, and only a trit1e gray
haired. He is the same cordial boy, with a
heart bigger than ever. We talked over old
times and wondered how all the boys of Co.
II were-Sam Colson, Sim Crockett, George
Osborn. Frank Whitcomb, Lewellvn Carter,
Jim Palmer, Rube Dickey. In fact we had ex-
hausted the list, when along came Lieut. Bill
Gillespie of Co D, the President of the Assoc
citation, chock full Of fun, and real hustler in
more ways than one. Then we saw Col. Walk
er of the 4th Maine Infantry, whom we all
honor as the officer in charge of the picket line
in front of Sickles Sd Corps at Gettysburg,
where it was almost annhilated. Among the
many constantly arriving we saw General
Hamlin, of the LIST Maine Heavy Artillery.
Col. Shaw, Col. Aver, Sergeant +. F. Moore,
of Co. I, % Maine, accompanied by wife,
daughter and son, and Corp. Bryant, of the
10th Maine, who is inimitable humorist
and comic reader. Nearly every Maine regi-
ment was represented At $50 members and
ladies with friends marched to the spacious
dining hall of the hotel, the orchestra play
ing Grand March. The President extend
ed a cordial welcome and invited all to par
take of the good things prepared for the in
ner man without 1urtner ceremony. L he
supper disposed of. Comrade Small intro
duced a resolution upon the death of Col. {.
F. King, of the 10th and Goth Maine Regi-
ments. Col. Shaw spoke, enlogizing Col.
King as also did Col. Aver. Comrade Geo.
II Innis, Department Commander, related
many pleasant "reminiscences of army life
as did President Gillespie, Gen. Hamlin and
others. Excellent singing was rendered by
a Boston lady, while a comrades wife gave
a beautiful recitation. Father Locke, known
throughout the Army of the Potomac as a
singer and composer of songs, gave an ac
count of an interview with President Lin.
coin during the war, and closed by singing
one of his songs, composed while the shells
We're being hurled at our boys at Malvern
Hill The entertainment list was cut short
by the lateness of the hour, while nearly
all remained until 10 P. NJ, at which holll
the meeting broke up with three cheers fol
the Pine Tree State, its people and institu
tions. Thus our friends and neighbors who
still reside in Maine, will see that in what.
ever part of the country it's sons or daugh
tiers chance to be, there is a tie that brings
| them together to do honor to our native
State. We may say Of Massachusetts,, as
the mother of Maine, that while we honol
and respect the old lady we cannot help cast
ing loving eyes toward her daughter.
Truly yours. EDWARD B. BILLINGS.