Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-09-17

ly found itself in the army of the Shan
andoah, under Sheridan.
At the battle sfs Winchester. or OPP
guam. ca Sept 10. 1864, is expended 2s3
solid shot. 23o spherical case, G6 SHELLS,
and 80 canister. total Of COS rounds.
In other words \ burned leo pounds OF
powder and hurled 729G pounds OF iron
into The enemy's ranks with loss Of
| only six men wounded.
| In that engagement Sheridan with his
Victorious army captured five pieces of
artillery. nine battle flags and 1000
stands Of small arms.
| The 5th Battery was next engaged
at Cedar Creek. Oct ., 1864, when 1t
lost two men killed and &c wounded.
| In that engagement five OF the enemy
were killed by one shot from the 5tl
Maine Enttery
| Sheridan and his army, in the space
OF three months and six days, captured
81 pieces of artillery, 40 battle. flags.
1920 stands Of small arms and 10, 900
| prisoners.
Major C. J. House said:
Mr.. President. Comrades of the 9Th
Maine Battery Ladies and Gentlemen:
As the soldiers of the War OF the Re-
bellion gather in their annual regimentai
and battery reunions. to live over again
the past. to talk of hardships endured of
| battles fought and of victories won, each
| naturally holds in his breast laudable
pride In his own organizations; and BY
ism. to long service faithfully performed
| under the most trying circumstances. to
some brilliant achievement or series of
| achievements, or some lofty display OF
courage and patriotism. he feels Conf
dent that the position of his organization
on the roll of honorable mention should
be at the head. But should We begin to
particularize We would naturally com
| mence at home, in our own State and
| might say what can outshine the bril-
liancy of the record of the LIST Maine
inscribed on its banners than any other
regiment in the Union army. and
greater loss in killed than any other In
the cavalry branch of the service; or the
| Goth Maine Infantry whose courage and
gallaEtry. under the intrepid Chamber
| lain. saved the day at Little Round Top.
turning the tioe of the Rebellion here
met at hts flood. and whose deeds and
doings will be known and read as long
as our country shall endure; or the Sd
Maine Infantry. the pride of the kenne-
bee valley. whose brilliant record COM
menced at Bull Run. and was In the fore
front of the fight until hts term OF SER
vice closed at Cold Harbor. whose en-
durance and devotion are proven by the
| fact that. Notwithstanding its severe and
oft recurring losses for three long years,
| 70 per cent. of it's loss in killed occurred
during its last month in the field. But
| why enumerate? T.,ere were thousands
of regiments and batteries from the loyal
| North equally brave and devoted to the
| cause of the Union each with its own
| honorable record. and worthy of a high
place In honor and in the gratitude of
| the nation.
But We are here to speak of the 5t,h
| Maine Battery, AS l understand the
matter. a detachment of men that usu-
ally works gun In light artillery con-
| corporal who is designated as gunner.
and eight cannoneers. making 10 men:
| and on six guns. which constitute full
battery. there would be 60 men. besides
three lieut.nants. each in charge of a
section of two pieces. and the captain in
charge of the battery. AS look back.
s vensa since May ), 1868. When You as a
House at The ba,.tle of charlottesville.
when in an open field without the slight.
destructive fire that cotl,G be put forth
from three Of the snemS's batteries at a
distance of less than 700 yards. and be-.
hold you, as officers ana men, coolly.
carefully and effectively working your
| guns both in replying To the enemy s ar
tillery and In holding IN check large
| the woods on their left. until out of your
four officers present, Captain Leppien
falls MORALLY wounded and Lieutenants
| Stevens ard Twttchell severely 50. until
six of your enlisted men lie dead on that
| field OF carnage and % others more or
less severely wounded: say, with half
in your limbers exhausted and 10 Of your
battery horses killed or injured beyond
further use. you had gone through with
an ordeal more trying. had been longer
time under such severe fire and sus-
| tanned a much heavier loss than proba bly,
fell to the lot of amy other battery dur
| ing the war.
might follow you to Gettysburg.
/ where on Stevens knoll. between Culp's
Hill and Cemetery Ridge. you stood in
the brunt Of the battle and sustained
House. to Cold Harbor, where saw You
| with faded horses, and tired men. to
Petersburg then up the Shenandoah val
ley through your oft repeated battles
and terrible losses, bur tine forbids
AS most OF YOU are aware. was in the
army from 1862 to 'G5. and as a member Of
the lst Maine Heavy Artillery partici-
one of which, that of June IS. 1864. at
Petersburg. in five short minutes. in
| wild and reckless charge. out Of 800 men
present. the regiment lost 632 in killed
and wounded. A short time ago. In
| speaking of this and the various other
| battles in which the regiment was en-
| gagged, a member of the 9Th Maine than
| which no more brave and gallant reg-
ment ever left the Pine Tree Statel. Gen.
John Harper of Lewiston. remarked to
ms that to the LIST Maine Heavy Artillery
he stood ready to take of his hat. but
to no other regiment In the service as
compared with the 9TH Maine.
| have been in many trying positions In
the army and fully realize that 1t takes
one kind of courage to brace a man for
| / wild charge into the Jaws OF death. and
| still another to hold him in place for hours
among the plungng shot and bursting
| shell. when fine calculations must be
made in cutting. fuse and elevat.ng pieces
to proper distances.
l AS Gen. Harper said to me. so, as one
| who participated in .he most deadly
charge of the entire war say to you,
for the part you played at Chaneelldrs-
Vile. for that higher type of courage
| which enabled you through the long
hours of tha. terrible rain Of the missiles
Of death. to cooily estimate your dis
tances, cut your fuses to proper lengths,
adjust your breach sights to the proper
height and turn the elevating screws to
A nicely stand ready to dOff my hat to
the 9Th Maine Battery. a
Miss Cassie Holmes Of Augusta. re-
cited several pieces in her usual enter.