The Portland daily press., 1894-08-30
THE TWENTIETH MAINE.
Reunion of This Famous Regiment at
the Ottawa House.

A Large eAttendance-Major H enry s. Bur
| rage Represented the Seth Massachu-
V setts and Capt George w. verrill the
| 18th Maine - Ex- Department Com
! mander Samuel IT. Miller Read a Poem
| by Mrs Martin of Foxcroft-President
III. S. MeIcher Presided.
The Twentieth Maine was the last of
| the three years. regiments raised underline
| call of the President in the the summer
of 1862. 1t was mustered into the service
at Portland, August ed, 1862. and
reached the front just after the second
battle of Bull Run, and was assigned
to Butterfeld's famous brigade OF the
First Division, Fifth Corps . The reg
iment, under the command of Colonel
Adelbert Haines, never having had
battalion drill, entered upon the Antie-
tam campaign. The Goth participated IN
the battle of fredericksburg and Cham
| cellorsville. 1t entered upon the cam
paign which eliminated in the battle OF
Gettysburg, under the command OF Col
| onel J.S. Cham berlain. Its heroic de-
ICuCO VI UAO OAbl0luO lClU Ol ohO "a LILY W
the Potomac at Little Round Top has
become historic The regiment partici-
pated iAethe Mine Run camp paign, the
Wilderness, Spottsylvania. North Anna.
Bethesda Church, seige of Petersburg,
battle of Weldon railroad, PEBBLES
Farm, Hatchers' Run, Five Forks and
Appomattox.
The regiment had the distinguished
honor of being in line in the brigade
under General Cham perlain, before
which the troops of Lees army stacked
their arms. After participating in the
grand review at Washington. the Goth
was mustered out of the service in June,
1865.
The goth Maine Associ alton was or
ganized at Portland 1S years ago, with
Fl. S. Melcher as president and S. T. Miller
secretary, and they have served in those
capacities ever since.
The association went down to Cush
ing's Island in the afternoon. They dis
played the old First Division Fifth
Corps flag at the bow and stern of the
steamer. On arrival at the Ottawa
House, lunch was served, and all the
afternoon the veterans told stories,
cracked jokes and enjoyed the views and
walks Of the beautiful place.
After the dinner in the early evening,
at which several of the ladies were pres
ent, the company assembled in the hall
below. to listen to the speeches and per-
form any necessary business. 1t was a
great disappointment that two of the
colonies of the regiment who intended
to be present were unavoidably absent.
General Cha berlain, who is now stop
ping at his summer home in Brunswick,
was to sail up in his yacht, but the lack
of wind prevented his arrival. General
Ellis Spear of Washington, who is now
stopping at his summer home in Warren,
and intended to be present, was called
away on account Of sickness.
The assem- bly, call was given by "Joe"
Tyler, of Portland, the old regimental
bugler. The familiar tones of "Dan,
Dan, Dan Butterfield" were received with
applause and encored after the entire
party had come in and taken seats. At
intervals during the evening this famous
and thrilling call on the bugle was de-
manded by the company and played by
Mr.. Tyler in way that stirred the
blood. Mr.. Tyler has not blown bugle
for eight years, since he left Chandler's
Band, but nobody would ever have
known it.
President Melcher, after a few brief
words of welcome, said that the occa-
sion was social reunion, campfire.
1t was their pleasure to have with them
Rev. Mr.. Gerrish, who would offer pray
er.
After the invocation to the Deity, Pres
ident Melcher recalled the regiments
trip to Alexandria, to enter the war,
and its companionship with the 36th
Massachusetts, represen tative of which
was with them" He was glad to call
upon Major Burrage. He was received
with applause, and Immediately plunged
into "reminiscences, which he knows so
we'll how to relate.
Captain George W. Verrill of the 18th
Maine, was introduced as representing
the regiment that came home with the
goth. He said that the 17h Maine feels
pretty good to be in the camp with the
Goth. They feel safe there, and contnt
there, and ne should think the feeling
might be reciprocated
Ex-Department Commander Samuel j.
Miller of Waldoboro read poem, written
for the occasion, by Mrs. sMartin of Fox
croft, and dedicated TO the goth.
There were other speakers. Among
those present were Charles Powers of
North Leominster, Mass, II. M. adams
of Hodgdon Me-, Theodore Gerrish
Portland A. c. Muncey of Livermore
Falls, H. S. Melcher of Portland, j. C
3undlett Of Portland, James e. Martin,
o. T. Martin. j. E. Dewitt, Charles r.
Shorey, &C. F. Farris, Lowell, Mass,
John S. Parker, st. Albans, A. T.
Bateman, Lowell, E. S. CowaD, Auburn,
E. P. Merrill, Portland, W. H. Stahl,
Waldoboro, j. W. Morris, Westbrook,
F. N. Rogers of Melrose, J. H. Stan
wood. of Waldoboro, Reuel Thomas,
North Cam bridge, Andrew J.. Tozier.