The Republican journal., 1897-09-23
Reunion of the 10Th Maine~Regiment.

About one hundred members of the 10Th
Maine Regimental Association met at Win
dermere Park, Unity, Sept. 18th. The day
was pleasant and by ten o'clock a goodly
number of veterans, with their ladies', had
arrived. The forenoon was spent in shak-
ing hands and greeting old comrades, and
only those who followed regiment like the
10Th can realize what reunion means. Din
ner was served in the dining room by a
member of the 10Th, and it was good one.
At two o'clock the President, DR.. A. J. Bill
lings, called the meeting to order and the
minutes of the last meeting were read. The
committee on place of next meeting report
ed in favor of Belfast, which was accepted.
Remarks were made by the President and
others.
A campfire was held in the evening, at
which remarks were made by DR. Billings,
j. o. Johnson, Fisher, Cunningham, Silas
Adams and others. After singing the fol-
lowing letter and poem were read
SPRINGFIELD, MASS, SEPT. 3, 1897.
MY DEAR CoMRADE: little thought when
as a little, red checked girl l visited camp
of soldiers in Bangor, that the time would
ever come when I should be called upon by
the Maine Veterans to write poems to com
memorate their deeds of valor, but it is even
so. l had the honor i'll 1889, when the
Maine monuments were dedicated at Gettys.
burg, to stand on Little Round Top that bright
October day and read my poem in the pres
ence of the august perSonages, who repre-
sented that occasion. Again, when the 9Th
Maine Regiment Association dedicated their
beautiful building in Portland harbor l was
honored, and also at various other times.
remain her with n)aaSura tho
expressions of gratitude which have come to
me from the veterans all over the Union
even from far California. Only last Memo
rial Day our own dear Gen Chamberlain
took my hand and said "You are sweet
Souled woman" That was absolute flattery
pure and simple, and yet withal pleasing.
1t gives me particular pleasure to be re-
membered by the Waldo County Veterans,
for was born ia Winterport, and there and
in Belfast rest my kindred. 1t will probably
be my lot to be buried afar from my native
town and it is many years since have visit
ed there, but my memories of my birthplace
are very tender
1t seems like dream to me now when my
two brothers went away to the war. One
never came back, but sleeps with the un-
known dead at Antietam
| trust you will have successful reunion.
l have just returned from Buffalo where
saw $1,000 veterans in line, marching in solid
lines for hours. 1t was grand sight. With
many kind wishes for happy returns of the
day you celebrate, | am fraternally yours
HELEN N. PACKARD.
HAIL AND FAREWELL.
Reunion 1871 Maine Regiment association.
Like an eloquent tale from a book that's well
worn,
That we've LAID on the shelf with its pages
thrice read,
Like a play that we've seen in the years
long agone,
Or a dream that we dreamed in the davs
that are dead,
Like an echo that sounds from the far dis
tant hills,
Or the faint babbling murmur of fresh noun.
tain rils,
Come the notes of remembrance, sounding
nearer and nearer,
AS the light from the past blazes clearer and
clearer.
1t seems 50 far off, that fierce battle we held
And as faint as the breath of the comrades
who died
And as dim as the scenes on that smoke
clouded field,
When the pride of the North stemlned the
fiery tide.
The cycle of years finds us grizzled ana scar
red,
And the rungs of lifes ladder are battered
and marred,
And the bugle that calls us sounds clearer
and clearer,
And the camp that awaits us looks nearer
and nearer.
And yet it was real on that terrible day,
When we marched meath the pitiless burn
ing sun
Hour after hour on the heat-burdened way.
Till the night shades fell and the day was
Did we rest then? All, no, we kept up the
march
Meath the soft Southern stars, and the
heavens blue arch,
Straight onward, and onward, till the con
fict came nearer,
And the dread notes of war sounded clearer
and clearer.
We were jaded and tagged with our march
and our load,
And hushed was the lest and the light spoken
word
AS we tramped through the dust of the bat
tle-hned road,
And scarce complaint or a murmur was
heard.
The hush that proceeds the wild tempest
was there
And each of us muttered low silent prayer
AS the deep cannonade sounded nearer and
nearer,
And the smoke from the batteries showed
clearer and clearer,
How we met Pickett's charge with invinci-
BILE force,
Mid the terrible onslaught that swept us
like rain,
How the pride of the North turned the bat
ties fierce course,
Has been told and repeated again and again.
How the ehivalrous hearts hat marched up
the hill
In the cyclone of battle, lay pulseless and
still,
How the glad cry of victory came nearer and
nearer,
And the rainbow of promise glowed clearer
and clearer.
Now the heart of the Nineteenth is turned
once again
Toward our own Waterloo, our boast and
our pride
While the bronzes and granite (sweet Liber-
Mark the spots where in honor our own he
They sleep, but the story shall be told and
re-tod,
Not the faint mystic legends of a lost Age of
Gold,
But bright page in history, shining clearer
and clearer,
AS the call of the reveille sounds nearer and
nearer.
Gone the years like the shadows that fall
when the day
Sinks to rest on the calm tranquil bosom of
night,
And the 1.-the forms are bent, and the dark
locks turned gray,
And the 'boys' are fast dropping out of our
sight.