Daily Kennebec journal., 1897-09-18
NAMES FIGHTING MEN.
Some Of Them Held a Meeting Fri
day in Grand Army Hall.
They Organized the 3lst Maias Rsslmsnt Al
sociatIon -Oalcsrs Elscisd.

union, Friday, in Grand Army hall, A
permanent organization was made ant
plans for other meetings were dis
cussed. The regiment was mustered ir
in Kennebec county and many of it:
members are living hereabouts, but a.
yesterday was very unfavorable da,
for travel the attendance was not large
During the morning while the mem.
bers were gathering there was an in.
formal discussion of affairs so when the
meeting was called together in the
afternoon everything was in readiness
for business.
The meeting was called to order al
1.S0 p. NJ, by Rev. Edwards Gould OF
Hallowell. Mr.. Gould asked Divine
blessing. A permanent organization was
perfected by electing officers.
Following are the names of the Off
GERS elected: George II. Harrington
Gardiner. president; Cyrus Golf, Red
ington Mills, William Ware, Augusta
F. l.. Merrill West Gardiner, vice pres
idents: Rev. Edward Gould, Hallowell
secretary and historian; Evander Gill
patrick, Waterville, treasurer; Rev. Ed
ward Gould, chaplain; and Thomas F.
Ingraham. Boston, j. r. Peacock, Gar
diner, Charles H. Webber, Augusta, E.
M. Lugee, Augusta, and w. H. H.
Demmons, Bradley, executive commit
tee. .-
The name chosen for the organization
is the 31st Maine Regiment Associa-
ton. The addresses of many of the
regiment are unknown and it was i'm
possible to give them personal notice of
the reunion. A tracing committee was
chosen and members of the regiment
will be looked up and reported to the
secretary, Mr.. Gould. The tracing COM
mittee includes one members from each
company represented at the reunion.
The gentlemen on the committee are
William H. Ware, Augusta, for Com
pany c, Edison Lougee, Augusta, for
Company G, w. H. H. Demmons, Brad
West Gardiner, for Company I.
1t was voted to have the secretary
order 100 badges for the association.
A vote of thanks to the Maine Cen
trail Railroad Co., the Bangor & Aroos-
took Railroad Co., and the Boston SsE
Maine Railroad Co., for reduced rates
was passed.
Discussions of some of the points in
the history of the regiment took place.
The fact that about 100 different regi-
ments claim to have been the first to
enter Petersburg was mentioned and
members present who were present at
the great campaign said there could be
no possible doubt that the 31st Maine
went in first as the entrance was made
by the whole corps which marched in
after the battle had been won. The
31st Maine marched at the head Of the
corp and was therefore undoubtedly
the first regiment to enter Petersburg.
The 31st Maine arrived at the Wilder
ness on the second day and there began
the career which won for it a place in
the list of the 30 fighting regiments of
the Rebellion. The regiment continued
in the great campaign and took an ac-
tive part at Cold Harbor, North Ann
Bridge, Spottsylvania and Petersburg.
At the latter place the regiment was in
several charges and lost a great many
men. The regiment was made up of
the surviving fragments of the 31st and
32d and when history was being so
RAPIDLY made on Sunday, April I'd, 1865,
the men from the Kennebec valley
were at the front.
1t was in the fall of 1864 that the 32d
was united with the 31st. The 32d has
an organization which is the means of
bringing together the survivors of the
fighting both before and after the con-
solidation with the 31st and some of the
men of that association also became
members of the 31st organization, Fri
day.
The talks upon the principal points
in the history of the regiment served to
remind the members of the new asso-
citation that the work of learning the
addresses of all the living members
would probably be quite difficult and II
was voted that every members should
consider himself an assistant to the
tracing committee and Mr.. Gould re-
ouested that the names and addresses
secured should be reported to him next
summer previous to the reunion.
The association passed vote thank
ing Seth Williams Post for the use OF
| it's hall.
Refreshments were served and Mr.
Gould read poem which he had writ
ten for the occasion.
| Contributions to the association