The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-01-08

limit Of fighting had been reached and that
a biocdless campaign or perhaps one hard
tussle would end it. But during the month
succeeding the regiment fought seven en-
gagements, in one OF which it lost more men
killed than in any other of the thirty six
battles of its career. Thirty-six battles dur
ing three years of fighting! Ono battle for
each month OF the real work Of the war;
one battle month where it's services were
meritorious and conspicuous
The First Maine was recruited in six
weeks time in the fall of 1861, the whole
state being the mastering field. The OIL
GERS had their pick of recruits, because it
was the first call for troopers and the quota
allowed but one cavalry regiment SO they
took none but sound, ablebodied men in
all respects, between the ages of eighteen
and thirty-five years, of correct moral and
temperate habits, active, intelligent, Wig
orous and hardy, weighing not less than
125 nor more thssl 100 pounds"
The first man to enlist was Jonathan p.
Cilley, and he was also the first man
wounded. The surgeons pronounced his
wound fatal, but he lived to be the last
commander of the regiment and led it in
the last eight battles on the list
The troopers feshed their maiden swords.
but only figuratively, in the hide and seek
campaign of the Shenandoah valley in the
spring of 1852 They early met with one
disaster that taught useful lesson. In
covering Banks retreat down the valley in
May, one battalion. galloping in columns of
tours along a narrow pike, ran full tilt into
a Confederate battery. The leaders refined
up in surprise and the rear ranks rushed
on like water over a milldain, men and
horses becoming involved in hopeless and
appalling wreck.
The next experience of the regiment was
at Cedar mountain, on the Rapidan, where
it stood in line for some hours under fire
from artillery and passed the ordeal with
out fiinching. In the other battles of their
first year, Second Bull Run, Antietam and
Fredericksburg. the regiment was often
under fire with fatal results, and in the
Charlottesville campaign went with Gen.
Stoneman on his famous ride around Lees
army, meeting with stirring adventures
and lively brush now and then, by SQUAD
rons, with the Confederate troopers in pur-
suit. But all of this was only practice for
the serious work ahead, and it was an ideal
cavalry corps that Gen. Pleasonton led out
on June 0, 1868, to cross the Rappahannock
river in the face of "Jeb" Stuart's gallant
squadrons and find out what Lee was doing
with his idle army. The First Maine was
in the division of Gen. Gregg, and had for
its brigadier the dashing young Fitzpatrick,
a boy of twenty-five. No need to tell here
how the men Of Buford crossed the river,
met and drove back Stuart's best brigades,
under Gems Jones, Hampton and Lee. II
was the first genuine horseback fight of
the war.
Gregg's division forded the river and
seized Stuart's bivouac, Brandy Station.
headquarters and all, and Stuart, aroused
to wrath, turned his whole power loose
upon the daring brigade of Col Percy
Wyndham that had despoiled his camp.
Gregg was in danger of losing the fruits of
his charge when Fitzpatrick appeared, lead
Ing his command for the first time under
fire. Coming TO the field the brigade emerged
from the wood ON open ground and charged
in column of squadrons. A Confederate
battery, screened by shrubbery, welcomed
the new arrival with shells, and force Of
Confederate cavalry dashed upon the lead
ing regiment, capturing its colonel and
hurting its line back. The second regiment
Jared even worse, and Fitzpatrick rode to
the First Maine, shouting, "Men of Maine,
you must save the dayp'