The Portland daily press., 1897-08-12
THE FIFTH MAINE.
Members of a Fighting Regiment a
Home at Peaks Island.

A little more than SO years ago the
sound .ofsdrums and flies might have been
heard in front Of the several recruiting
offices in this city. Young men were
seen to go inside and put their names to
the enlisting papers. In a day or two
enough men had promised to defend their
country's flag to form company. Three
of these companies were raised in Port
land and they marched to camp on what
is now the Rolling Mill property at Cape
Elizabeth. Other companies came from
Gorham, Bethel, Saco, Biddeford, Bruins
wick, Lewiston and Mechanic Falls, and
the 9th regiment was organized. The
regiment went to Washington and from
there was ordered to the front where they
took part in many hard fought battles.
During the three years of service their
were such that more than 800 recruits
were added to the rolls of the regiment.
At the end of their service the regiment
returned to their homes with hardly
enough men to form two good companies.
Now from year to year they meet at their
comfortable quarters at Peaks Island to
recall the days of the fpast and to renew
old friendships. Yesterday was the open
ing day of their reunion and the comrades
are beginning to gather in good numbers
for the final session which occurs today.
The event of interest in yesterday s
+1,o iaI
number of the comrades with their wives,
families and invited guests attended.
The meeting was called to order by the
president of the association, Mr.. f. F.
Goss, who after welcoming the comrades
and guests upon the occasion Of another
reunion called upon Mrs. J. B. Hammond
of New Gloucester, the president of the
Ladies' auxiliary of the association to
preside.
Mrs. Hammond announced that few
literary and musical numbers would be
rendered to be followed by speech making.
Miss Alice Tenney first rendered in an
acceptable manner an ocarina solo and
was followed by Miss Charlotte Brown
who gave very interesting reading of a
patriotic selection.
The closing number of the programme
was vocal duet by Miss Alice Tenney
and Miss Alice Stevens, rendered in a
pleasing manner.
Mrs. Hammond then called upon Presi-
dent Goss of the regiment association to
open the series of speeches.
Mr.. Goss spoke briefly and in closing
suggested speech from Capt. George E..
Brown. Capt Brown in response to his
name arose and spoke in an interesting
vein and reminded the comrades of the
value of the annual reunions, and ex.
pressed the hope that the future gather
ings would be of more value to the sur
viving members than those of the past
Capt H. R. Sargent of the Bed regi-
ment, an invited guest, spoke of his
pleasure in being able to meet the COM
rades under different circumstances than
those that surrounded them on the battle
field, and reminded the boys of the value
of making their last days their best ones
and becoming better acquainted with one
another at each successive reunion.
Comrade Strout of New York, a veteran
of the 5th Maine, was then called on and
spoke in very interesting vein. In his
remarks he referred to the fact that the
government had never taken any action
in the way of framing laws or doing any
thing definitely to give worthy comrades
the preference in government positions.
He also spoke with much feeling on the
pension question and gave statistics in
support of his claims. Mr.. StrOut spoke
of the difficulty of the old soldiers in
securing what was rightfully theirs in
the way of pensions, while with retired
easier matter for them to secure pension
than for the comrades that marched in
theranks as private.
MT. Strout called attention to the fact
that of the amount said to be paid every
year for pensions not over one third
went to the veterans of the army.
but that the appropriation was used
in paying the pensions of latter day
retired officers or their widows and
families, SO that the soldiers of the ranks
We're not receiving what is commonly
supposed to be paid for their pensions.
Mr.. John Nesbitt of New York Mr.
Thomas Ward of Lewiston, Capt. Fl r
Bucknam of Mechanic Falls of the 9Th
Maine and Charles w. Slxillings of Port
land of the LIST Maine cavalry each made
interesting remarks
A the conclusion of the speech making
refreshments were served after which the
remainder of the evening was INDUCED in
in a social way.
The annual meeting of the directors and
the meeting of the association and election
of officers will be held today commencing
at 10 O'Clock.