The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-08-20

Yesterday the Veterans Talked of Old
Times-Heard From Absent Members
and Transacted the Business of the
Annual Meeting.
Once year the veterans of the 18th
infantry U.S.A., meet together and talk
over old times. The 18th is the only regi-
ment of the regular army which has, SO
far as known here, a regimental veteran
association. This organization of the
Seventeenth has now about go members
The doings of these old soldiers have a
peculiar interest to the people of Port
land, for it was at Fort Preble in this
harbor that the regiment was mustered
in at the beginning of the war. 1t be-
came soon credit to the army ,participat-
ing in many of the hardest fought battles
of the great conflict and suffering heavy
losses. The meeting of the veteran asso-
citation this year was held at the Preble
house in this city yesterday, the members
to the number of about % gathering at
II O'Clock for the business session. The
officers for the ensuing year were elected
as follows:
President-James Burnie, Biddeford.
First Vice-P resident-Capt j j. Emer-
son, Jamaica Plain. Mass.
Second Vice President-Charles G. Rice,
Walpole, Mass
Third Vice Presidents. W. Roode,
Corona n. Y.
Secretary and Treasurer-Lieut. H. B.
Rice Gray.
Chaplain-F. 4. Gowen. Wakefield,
Mass.
The above officers constitute the execu-
tive committee. 1t was decided to hold
the next meeting at Gray on the third
Thursday of August, 1898. The annual
reports were read and accepted. Votes of
thanks were extended to the Maine Cen
trail railroad and the Portland Steamship
company for courtesies received.
1t was when the members met at the
dinner table that they talked Of tho old
days and heard the story of the fortunes
of the year that is past as related in the
remarks of those who were present and
members. Lieut.. Rice sat at the head Of
the table and these were the other mem
bers who were around the banquet board,
and the wives and children who accom-
panied them as is the custom at these
meetings: James Burnie, H. F. Rice, T.
A. Gowen, Mrs. F. R. Hudson, VIM. R.
Hudson, Mary 6. Hudson, Prentiss Lob
dell. Alfred L. bearing, Mrs. Alfred l..
bearing, S. W. Roode, A. M. Elmes,
George W. Debeck, John j. Curran, Miss
A. E. Curran, Charles Rice, Esther Dow,
Calra A. Green, E. l.. Green, P. O'AIal-
ley, Mrs. Louise Haney, Andrew Clifford,
Eugene Sullivan, J.J. Emerson, John H.
Collins, Thurlow Dow.
MIR. John f. Nesbitt of Corona, N. Y,
was guest of the association. The din
ner was one of the best which the Preble
is able to serve and that is equivalent to
saying it was delicious. The post prandial
exercises began with the reading of letters
kilograms by Chaplain Gowen. The alb
sent members who sent greetings to their
old comrades were: NJ. T. Kippax of Ten
nessee, G. W. Bennett, Somerville, Mass.
H. B. Raleigh, Antrim, N. H.; G. II.
Mason, Somerville, Mass; L. A. Albee,
Machias; and S. S. Sturgeon, Maiden,
1Aesoo' I'LL t0utI S5Ool1 WIoUC VI bA1O UiA IL
a strain which aroused the enthusiasm
OF those who heard his letter. After ap-
propriate reference to the death of Ser.
geant S. S. Furbush of Gray, Mr.. Stur.
geon quoted from the history of the battle
of Gettysburg by John NJ Vanderslice
what is there told of the gallantry of the
regulars in that decisive battle of the
war. In the fight around Little Round
Top the 18th out Of a total of 200, en-
gagged, suffered loss Of 143 killed and
wounded and seven missing. The Second
lost 81; the Fourth, SO out of total of
lie engaged the Tenth, 81 out of a total
of SO engaged, and the Eleventh, $780,
Continuing, Mr.. Sturgeon said: $50
you see the old 18th Maine Regulars as
they used to call us, gave a good account Of
themselves when their services were most
neeGed, and we, the survivors, have a
just right to feel proud of our record in
the field. But, comrades, that record is
secure. 1t is now part of our country S
history. We have earned the right to be
proud of that history, but our duty is
not with the past. We musti live for the
present and the future. We are to stand
as the Old Guard, always on duty, me-
nance to all those who would plot to de-
throne our civil and religious institutions,
and guarantee that right must prevail
as long as the old veterans are able to
touch elbows along the line"
Mr.. Sturgeon closed with expressions of
regret at his inability to be present.
After reading all the letters, Chaplain
Gowen made appropriate reference to the
deaths of three of the comrades during
the past year.
Capt. George W. Smith, member of
the association, died in Philadelphia. He
came to Portland in October, 1862, from
the Norwich Military Academy and en-