The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-03-07


sketch quite fully various services per-
formed by the corps in the Department
of the Gulf ending with the following
in relation to some Of the sharper fight
ing:
sept.1, 1868, pursuant to orders re-
ceived from Gen. Banks, Capt. hoe
reported with his whole force to zen.
VIM. b. Franklin, commanding the Nine
teenth Army Corps. He distributed bis
Off GERS as follows: Lieut.. Eaton with
Gen. Wietzell, on the Belvlaefe; lieut.,
Thos. S. Seabury with Gen. Emory, on
the Crescent Lieut.. John ". Dana was
placed on the gunboat Clifton. ana
Lieut.. Henry c. Dane on the gunboat
Sachem. Capt. Roe accompanied Gen
franklin on the steamer Suffolk. The
expedition left New Orleans on tie
evening of Sept.4, ana arrived at the
mouth of Southwest Pass early the next
morning. After organizing the expedi-
tlon they set sail for Sabine Pass, Texas,
which point they reached Sept.7.
The next day at 3 80 in the afternoon
the gun boats attacked the fort at Sabine
Pass. Lieuts. Dane and Daua were sub
Jected to a very severe fire from the
enemy's works, as they occupied very
exposed position, to enable them to COM
munlcnte with each other and with Gen.
Franklin. During the engagement, con
stRnt communication By signals was
maintained between the fated gun boats.
AT p. m. the gunboats were compelled
to surrender. The two signal officers,
Dane and Dana, and their two Surviving
fiagmep, John F. Ridley aud Lafayette
G. Stebbins, were among those taken
prisoners. Early in tie engagement
Shot from the rebel fort passed through
the boilers of the Sachenl. Flagman Alb
raham e. Borden and Andrew z. Cobb
were killed by the escaping steam. I'M
mediately after the surrender orders
were sent by signals to the different gem
erals to get underway and move to the
mouth of the Mississippi river and await
orders. Gen. Franklin arrived at the
mouth of the river OH the morning of
Sept. IL. Orders were signalled to Gen.
Weitzell and Gen. Emory to encamp their
troops at Algiers, where the command
arrived at II O'Clock that evening. Capt.
Roe complimented Lieut.. Seabury for
the faithful manner i'll which he per-
formed his duty, also for staying ON
board the steamer Crescent, when others
abandoned her and greatly assisting in
getting her off the bar.
On the 22d of April the army renewed
it's retrograde movement, harassed by the
enemy until it reached Alexandria, and
fighting them back to Cloutersville and
Cane River Crossing.
Lieut.. A. B. Jerome was now acting as
chief signal officer of the signal corps of
the field, Capt. Marston having been
called to New Orleans. He directed
Lieut.. Hallett, with his men, Serg. Lum-
ford V. Bailey and privates Clark Dix
and William Shuniaker, to report to Gen.
A. j. Smith, commanding the rear guard.
Lieut.. Hallett, by the aid of signal glass
es, was enabled on several occasions TO
discover important movements of the
enemy and report the same. Lieut..
Irwin remained with Gen. Franklin and
Lieuts. Harris and Bigbee were on duty
with Gen. Cameron, in command of the
18th Corps. Lieut.. Benner remained at
Departments headquarters with Lieut..
JeromeLittle. Little signal duty was done
until the advance reached Cane river.
The enemy occupied formidable posi-
tion upon the hills commanding the
CT ossipg. Gen. Cameron's forces forded
the river some two miles above in order
to flank the position. His engineers
then commenced bridging the river, in
order to pass over artillery and ammuni-
tion. Lieut.. Jerome at once established
a station at the bridge. Lieut.. Irwin
fording the river in order to ascertain
Gen. Birge's position and keep communi-
cation open with Lieut.. Jerome's station
at the bridge, Lieut. Benner was posted
in the centre, observing the enemy, and
performed good service under a heavy
Ii
then moved up with the generals head
quarters, and shortly after saw signal
flag on the hill. and answering it, re-
ceived the following message
Maj. Geo. B. Drake, Asst Adj't. Gen.:
Gen. Birge's men took the hill fifteen
minutes ago. No signs Of the enemy in
the front. Our loss is heavy. Col. Fes-
sender wounded.
C.S. SARGENT, Aide-de-Camp.
This was from Lieut.. Harris, and
was the first information of the success
of Cen. Birge. The movements of the
attacking column were en- tirely conduct
ed by this line of signals, and the
officers, Harris. Higbee, and Irwin per-
formed their duties under heavy fire
unsupported and with marked ability.
Private Warren W. Palmer was compli-
mented in the reports for standing at his
post like true and tried soldier, while
staff officers were running their hor ses
to the rear for position or more secure.
The enemy did not further modest the
column. The country was so denssly
wooded that the signals could not be
used until they reached Alexandria,
where they arrived April 25. The en-
listed men on the detachment were COM
plmented by the chief signal officer for
their efficiency throughout the march.
At Alexandria Lieut.. jerome established
Il line of stations between the head
quarters of the 18th corps and the artill-
cry and cavalry headquarters of the De-
partment.
A vote of thanks was returned to
Companion French for his paper, which
was loudly applauded.
Major Burrage showed an autograph
letter Of General Meade, which the lat
ter's son, George Meade had presented
to the Maine Commandery. 1t is a let
ter to General Grants chief of staff dur
ing the operations around Richmond in
1864, and describes what was known as
the cattle raid.n
In conclusion. Rev. Nelson Howard,
accompanied by Companion French and
members generally in the chorus, sang
"A Thousand Years, My Own Column
bia."