The Portland daily press., 1896-08-11
remembered

the next DAY alter being mustered into
the United States service, June %, 1861,
the Fifth was sent to Washington and
won't into camp at Meriden Heights.
Crossing over into Virginia soil in time
to participate in the first battle of Bull
Run the Fifth Maine was engaged in
almost every important battle during the
war. A list of the more important en-
gagements in which the Fifth took part,
shows something of the work done by
this superb organization. The most i'm
portant engagements were as follows:
West Point, Gaines Mill, Savage Station,
White Oak Swamp. Gross Roads. NAL
vern Hill, Crappton Pass, South NAL
vern, Marie's Heights, Second Bull Run,
Salem junction, Antietam, first and
second Fredericksburg, Gettysburg,
Rappahanook Station, where the regi-
ment captured 1900 prisoners and five
stands of rebel colors, Mine Run. Wild
erness, Spottsyavania, North Anna, Gold
Harbor, Petersburg.
The Fifth Names time expired on
June 81, 1864. but about. 100 of What was
left of the noble regiment re-enlisted in
the First Maine Veterans and fought at
Winchester, Fishers Hill, Cedar Greek,
Fort Fisher at Sailors Greek, and was
under the guns at Lees surrender at
Appomatoxnax Court House.
In all 1900 men served in the Fifth
Maine during the war. Many of them
lie in unknown graves on Southern bat
loft nth oh d ~
Rebel prison pens, and among the few
who returned home only part of these
are able to gather today in the handsome
regimental headquarters at Peaks island
and grasp one another's hands with the
fraternal grip which only the comrades
of the old lighting regiments know and
really enjoy.
This cottage which is situated on one
of the most beautiful spots on Peaks,
will be crowded tonight when the annual
oampfres held and when once more the
boys of the old regiment will hear the
the voice of their fighting commander,
Col. Edwards, who never misses a reunion
and see again the faces of old officers and
comrades ON whom Old Father Time is
yearly leaving some mark of his passing.
But at the reunions the mem bers of the
old Fifth are boys once more and can
tell story, play tricks and laugh at the
old war time jokes with as much pleas
ura as they could when they shouldered
their nuskets in '61 to march to the
front
Among those present yesterday at the
Fifth Maino cottage were Col. c. S. I'D
wards and daughter, John Nesbit and
wife of Co1eua, N. Nicholas r. Lougee.
wife and daughter of Washington, A. J.
Bean Of Lowell, Capt. Bucknam of Ms
chanic Falls, Capt. Geo. E. Brown of
Portland and Thomas Ward of Lewis
ton.
MIR. John Nesbit of New York, has not
attended a reunion of the Fifth Maine
since the war, but he is on deck Tor this
one and his old comrades were delighted
to see him once more and shake him by
the hand. The other night at campfire
of the BoswoIth Post Mr.. Nesbit was
present. and during the eYening.was in
troducad TO the memb ers of the post by
CapU. La. ~. MIlltkeQ as q Nom Der or the
Fifth Maine. Shortly afterwards Capt.
Milliken introduced Mr.. Strout, also of
New York, and of the Fifth Maine. For
o moment Strout and Nesbit, who were
great chuins during the war, but who
had not seen one another since it's close,
although living in the same city. looked
at one another in silence and then Strout
said: "Hello, John, don't you remem-
Der me?"
''You bet do.'' said Mr.. Neshit, and
| there was handshaklng the like of which
even the old Bosworth Post members
have not seen tor years.
The meetings OF the Fifth Maine are
held in the Memorial hail. which con-
tains about as fine collection of war
| relics as is to be found in the state. Here
are the old battle flags of the Fifth Maine,
torn and shattered by shot and shell. but
more precious to the boys of the old regi-
| ment than all the gold in the world. 1t
is not the first flag the regiment carried,
for that, Of what there is left Of it. 10 to