The Portland daily press., 1898-08-19

The Business Meeting and Dinner-Omcers
EIected-Post Prandial speeches-A
Most Enjoyable Occasion-The kegi-
mept Won New Honors at Santiago.
ESPECIAL TO THE PREssJ
Gray, Maine, August ls.-ln the van
of the attacking army at Santiago was
the 18th Regular infantry. They suffered
severely in the fierce charge at Eel Caney.
leaving many gallant soldier dead on
the field. In playing its glorious part at
Santiago the 18th was only living up to
it's record for in the days of the Rebellion
it was always in the thick of the light.
its percentage of losses which was among
the highest of any of the regiments In the
great civil conflict, telling It's own story
of bravery and meritorious service. Al
ter the war the regiment saw hard SER
vice in Indian campaigns on the plains
and SO it did what might have been ex-
pected of it at Ell Caney. 1t was the work
of the 18th and the other regulars which
in large measure inspi red the GOODNESS
and bravery shown by the national guard
organizations which had never been I'M
der fire. The 18th is a regiment in which
the people of Maine and especially OF
Portland should take just pride for it
was at Fort Preble that the regiment
was formed under the act of Congress
passed early in the Rebellion authorizing
the increase of the regular army. Fort
Preble continued to be the headquarters
of the regiment until near the close OF
who first enlisted were well known here.
Once a year the veteran association OF
the regiment meets in Maine. generally
n Portland, and these gatherings of the
men who touched shoulders in the Re-
bellion are looked forward to from year
to year with an eageruess which only
the veterans can appreciate. This year
the association held its meeting at the
Hotel Parker in this village, the home of
the secretary, Lieut.. II. F. Rice. The
people here took great interest in this
visit of the veterans and the guests found
that in their honor the hotel and several
other buildings were decorated with flags.
The hotel was in holiday attire. Land
lord George w. Snow and his wife had
spared no pains to make their comfor-
table house more than usually attractive.
In the hotel is large hall where the
business meeting of the association was
held and here the walls were hung with
flags and profusion of flowers were
used in decoration.
When President James BRINE of Bidde-
ford called the meeting of the associ-
alton to order this forenoon, he faced a
group of his old comrades who were
busily engaged in telling again their ex-
perienoes in the war and recalling absent
friends The annual reports were pre-
sented and showed that the association is
in a prosperous condition. Then came
the election of officers resulting as fol-
lows:
Observation-Disclosures d. Rice, Walpole,
Mass.
Vice Presidents-Capt. j. J. Emerson,
Boston; Prentiss Lobdell, Boston; VIM
X. Hudson, Boston.
Secretary and treasurer-H. F. Rice,
Gray.
Mass.
A vote of thanks was extended to the
Portland Steamship company and the
tended
1t was voted to hold the next annual
meeting on the third Thursday of Au-
gust, 1899, the place to be selected by the
executive committee
Shortly after the meeting came the din
uer and the veterans found the dining
room as deliberately decorated as the hall.
With the association there were present
as invited guests Major John D. Anderson
and Rev. E. NJ. Cousins of Gray and Miss
Chadbourne of Wakefield, Mass. The din
ner was excellently cooked and served,
the menu being as follows:
Chicken Soup.
Boiled Halibut, Egg Sauce.
Roast Rib Beef, Dish Gravy.
Spring Lamb, Mint Sauce.
Boiled Chicken. /
Mashed Potatoes. Sweet Potatoes.
Green Corn. Boiled Rice. Squash.
Applo I1o. MluC0 El6. 0IaCk perry lie.
Lemon Pie.
Bananas. Pears. Oranges.
Crackers. Cheese
Coffee. Tea. Cocoa.
President Rice in opening the after din.
ner speaking spoke feelingly OF the pleas
ure the members of the association took
in meeting together again, and said that
nobody but veteran could quite appre-
ciate the feeling of kinship which exists
between those who have touched elbows
on the march and the battlefield. Rev.
Mr.. Cousins was the next speaker, and
to the large number of Massa-
chusetts men present said that he thought
these natives of Maine who are residents
of the Bay States may he the saving salt
to Offset the influx of foreigners to the
mother state. 1t was fitting that Maine
should send some of her sons to live in
Massachusetts, for it was by Massachusetts,