The Portland daily press., 1896-08-21
WENT FROM PORTLAND.
The Seventeenth Regulars Saw Much
Hard Fighting.
VETERANS OF A FAMOUS REGIMENT
MET HERE YESTERDAY.

They Elect Officers and Talked Over War
Time Scenes-Those Who Were There
An Absent Commanders Entertaining
Description of a Raw Recruits Arrival
at Fort Preble-Bits of the Regiments
Stirring History.
AT Fort Preble In the early days of
the great Rebellion was stationed regi-
ment Of the regular army. 1t was then a
regiment new to the service, but Its
officers and men were destined to be
made veteran troops by service on many
battlefield, service. too, in which the
regiment distinguished itself by gallant
conduct, seeing some of the hardest fight
ing of the great conflict. The 18th Regu-
lar Infantry was formed by virtue of
President Linooln's proclamation of
May Sid. 1861, adding number of regi-
ments to the regular military establish
mont. 1t went into commission with a
list OF field officers, some of whose
names were to become household words
a few years later. Samuel P. Heintzel-
man was its first colonel; j. Durell
Greene, Its lieutenant colonel; Abner
Doubleday, William II. Wood and George
S. Andrews its majors. Fort Preble was
designated as the headquarters and here
the regiment remained until in March,
1862, it was ordered to Jim SybeSs
brigade at Arlington Heights. From
that time to March, 1854, wherever the
famous regular division Of the Fifth
Corps was to be found there in the thick
of the battle, was the fighting Seven
teenth. In the number OF officers killed
the regiment was equailed only by the
First Cavalry and Eighteenth Infantry.
both larger organizations. The regi-
ment Is still in active service, and the
veterans of its war time history are still
as proud of it as they were when it was
the fighting 18th of Rebellion days.
Once year group of these veterans
together to go over again the scenes Of
their service and renew fraternal rela-
tions. The reunion of 1895 was held yes
terday at the Preble House. and was as
enjoyable as these occasions always are.
The members had much to talk over and
many stories to tell They recalled
among other things the fame of Pop
penberg's band, which was attached to
the regiment, and of which Charles
Grimmer was a member. Among those
who received warm welcome was Ser
geant Andrew Clifford, who is now on
the retired list after 2s years of gallant
servioe. With the veterans came their
wives and children, and to an outsider
the gathering suggested more family
reunion than a.meetinR of men who had
shouldered nuskets together on the bat
tlefield.
The meeting Of the Veteran
association was called to order at II
a. m. with President g. b. Gard, of
Peabody, Mass, in the chair. The an
nual reports were read, and acce pted,
and the following officers were elected:
President-JaJnes Burnie, of Bidde-
ford, Ne.
Vice Presidents-Capta1nJ j. j. Emer-
son. Jamaica Plain, Mass; Charles W..
Bennett, Somsrville, Mass. E. L. Green,
Rookland. Me.
Secretary and Treasurer-Lieutenant
q. 4. Rice, Gray, Me.
Chaplain-E. A. Gowen. Wakefield,
Mass.
The officers elect were appointed execu-
tive committee.
1t was voted that the next meeting be
held on the third Thursday of August,
1887, at the Preble House, Portland.
A vote of thanks was passed to Bos-
worth Post, No. 2, for oourtesies extend
ed to the Association at their reunion in
August, 1895.
Central railroad company, and the
Portland Steam Packet Company for
favors shown the Association.
After the business meeting, there was
an hour or more Of social converse in
the parlors of the hotel. and then the
were just the right number present to
fill the long table spread in the small
dining room. There are the guests who
gathered about the banquet board
Elijah L. Green, Rookland, G. A.Green,
Rockland Glare c. Dow, Alfred S. Dear
ing, Mrs. A. S. bearing, G. H. Miles,
Lillian NJ. Sturgeon, Il. F. Rice, Jam es
j. Emerson, James Burnie, F. A. Gowen,
S. S. Sturgeon, Mrs. s. S. Sturgeon,
George f. Ward, Oh. Mason, Mrs. J. II.
Farrar. J. M. Rice. Walpole, Mass.
Charles Rice, Walpole. Mass; P. O'Mal-
ley, CIV. Bennett, S. B. Bennett. John
Fl. Collins, Prentiss Lodell, l.. Lane, An
drew Clifford, Greenleaf SWEET, Law
renoe, George W. Debeek, Westbrook.
A dinner was served which as excell-
ent and to which justice was done. The
postprandial ex' Uses were of an infor-
NAL character, but were none the less en-
Joyable for the absence of set speeches.
Very appropriately, the first thing on
the programme was the reading of mes
sages from absent comrades, Letters