The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-08-18
AGAIN FIGHTING BATTLES.
The 18th U. S. Infantry Association Hold
Their Third Reunion

The 18th United States Infantry ASSO-
citation, which was formed in this city
in 1890, held its third annual reunion at
the Preble House yesterday morning,
holding its business meeting, and at its
close enjoying an excellent dinner.
The 18th U. S. Infantry was, in great
measure, a Maine regiment. At the
breaking out Of the Rebellion, the gov
eminent decided to raise number OF
additional regiment and the intention
was to have each regiments composed OF
three battalions of 800 men each, the
regiments to be commanded by colon
ell, lieutenant-colonel, and three majors,
one major for each battalion. Fort
Preble was assigned as the headquarters
of one of these new regiments, and an
old army officer of distinction, Col.
Heintzelman, was assigned to the COM
mand. The officer in charge at Port
land, however, was Col. James D.
Green of Cambridge. Mass, an appoint
ment from civil life. Col. Green, how
ever, had had much experience in mill
tary matters, and had invented rifle
which had received the approval OF the
Russian army. The major was Col. An
drews, who married the widow of James
Olcott Brown, son of Hon. j. B. Brown
of Portland. Many of the line officers
were afterwards married to Maine ladies.
The names of Captains Dodd, Prince,
Temple, Dana, Lieutenants Inman,
Suartwont, Rice, Corning, Howell,
Schwackhammer, Swan, Walcott, among
others, win readily be recalled by resi-
dents of Portland during the winter of
lS62-63
While the officers ordered here were
supposed to be on recruiting service in
different parts Of the state, there was al
ways large delegation on duty at the
fort, who took part in all the numerous
social entertainments afforded by our
citizens. Many of the enlisted men were
residents of Portland and vicinity, and
others came from all sections OF the
state. Poppenberg's band was enlisted
in body as the regimental band. This
organization was the crack band of Buf-
falo, N. Y. Among its members was
Charles Grimmer, who has SO long led
the Portland Theatre orchestra and who
was a musician of note before taking his
residence in Portland. The music of the
band was great pleasure to Portland
people for a long time, and especially
on summer evenings when the officers
used to serenade their lady friends in
town. The ladies of the city presented
the regiment an elegant set of coloars,
and at the dinner at the Preble House
yesterday, Vice President DeBeck dis
played star cut from that old flag
which had been smoked and torn by the
fierce conflicts of the war.
The 18th was assigned to Sykes's di-
vision of regulars on going into the field,
and quickly received their baptism of
fire. Their record is one of the finest
of all the troops that went from the
North to defend their country. They par
ticipated in - of the most important
battles Of the Civil War, without count
ing the skirmishes and slight engage
ments, and were at one time for "a con-
secutiye hours under fire. Many of the
officers who went with the regiment laid
down their lives in defence of the flag,
while the enlisted men we're decimated
by shot and shell again and again. 1t
seems only proper to recall these facts
because the regiment was essentially a
Maine regiment.
At the business meeting yesterday
morning, these members were present,
the president. Sergeant L. A. Albee OF
Machias in the chair: -