The Somerset reporter., 1899-01-05

plement Of non -commissloned Officers
ana prlgaies-
There were great difficulties In obtain
ing enlistmentz from the second rexi-
nent To hli tn cpmpanle-s Of the First
as a disIn"ll nation existed ~ the rart
Of most of the officers and men ~ the
Second tegius IL ~ - ~. although al
very very anxious u 70 70 the front If
they could bo permitted to have th-4r
own organization. Beside the officers
and men Deiies 81 that there - ~ COON
be another cal. when they cou - a. a
regiment Hence. but few enlisted aItI
the exception o. the Bangor company.
under Captain bennett. Captain Den
nett had his company examined and
used il IL fil what was laGkIGg in TWO
companies Of the First regiment. taking
himself a second iieuJenAucy which hap
pened to be vacant. He Wa one q 'hr
best officers In tho guard. Had been edu-
Gated at Annapolis. / commits oned him
as frst lieutenant before The regiment
was mustered out. / should have been
glad could / nave seen an opportunity
to have raised him TO the rank Of cap
tain.
At this time when we soreIy needed
men. the University of Maine sent ne
more that 10 splendid volunteers IA
mlliar with military tactics and DR. j.
who enlisted as privates. 1t y as timely
and much needed AID 1t encouraged
others It was an act that the stat
should not forget.
There was also quite a number Of men
of the several companies Of the Fret
regiment who passed the examination
but declared that they did not feel thai
they ought TO. or could, volunteer unless
something Was given To them 10 leave
with their families that were very needy
While matters were in this condition. I
realized that something must be dom
and done quickly. as l was extremely
anxious that Names quota for the credit
of the state should be filled al an Early
date. and We succeeded in being the 18th
state to do SO.
About this time there was considerable
anxiety in some of the towns and cities
along the coast. fearing that they might
be attacked by gunboats or cruisers Of
the Spanish navy. And some persons
We're very urgent that an extra session
of the legislature be called. ! could not
comprehend how an extra session Of the
Legislature would furnish to them an
adequate or additional protection. or |
Should have called it at once. l las con-
WINGED. after d careful examination.
that the only real and effective defense
for our cost towns vas to esfab ish bat
teries and mines. and To obtain from he
United States cruisers t. sail along the
shores, and in conjunction With our dele
cation in congress we succeeded in OBJ
tanning two cruisers. and having the
coast very generally and effectua!ly To-
titled.
1t turned out in the end. however. that
all fears of an attack We're groundless.
Personally. | should have much pr =
ferred to have called an extra session.
and been relieved from the responsible l.
ity by legislative action. But | was con
fident that a very large majority Of the
people in Maine were opposed 10 calling
Il. and | felt constrained 10 obey what
felt to be the wishes of that majority,
unless some eXigency should compel me
to do otherwise.
examined as TO what the state did 20
aid enlistment in the early part Of the
war of 1851. found that an extra session
of the legislature. called by Governor
Washburn in April OF that year passed
an act tchapter 49, section ?. Laws of
1S6D authorizing and directing that a
gratuity or bounty of so be paid To each
private S24 TO each musician. SIC TO each
corporal. $34 to each sergeant and L a
first sergeant $40 who shou enlist aid
be mustered into the service Of the
United States, and that these seEsra.
sums were paid to the first 10 regin1s nts
organized. Later on very much higher
bounties were offered and paid
consulted with Colonel Kendall. who
commanded the regiment. and with SeV-
eral captains of the different cbmpanle~,
and they informed me that some Of their
men had been in the strikes in Lewis
ton and Biddeford, and must have aid.
/ told them 10 send cut recruiting Ulcers
to the towns and cities where the com
panies Of the First regiment had bee
organized. and endeaVor to iii up th@S
companies with the least possible delay,
and | authorized him and them To state
to all men enlisting that they should
have the same treatment and the same
gratuity as was given by the act Of Apr,
1861, to the soldiers OF the first 10 regi
ments, assuring hem that l would eithe:
raise the necessary funds to de this my
self, or call an extra session IF tho ieg
lature, and recommend that II be done
in which event | had no doubt IL WoulC
be.
After due deliberation.I finally decided
under all the eIrcumS tanCes. 10 pay In :
bounty to the men on my own persona.
responsibility, trusting and believing
that after you had full knowledge OF
the facts. the needs of the men ana the
urgency of immediate enlistments that
the wisdom and propr1ety. as we'll as
the necessity OF SO doing. would com
mend itself to your judgment, and the
act be ratified by you. There are Ger
tanly as cOgenb reasons for pay ng thu
small bounty to these volunteers as there
were to those in 1861. Many of the meu
were in pressing need of some money
to purchase little necessary articles Tor
themselves and others must have some
thing To send to their very dtstlut,
far or he n
While We We're graphing with and
overcoming these difficulties incident L.
filling the quota by using the National
Guard, | was constantly receiving nu-
merous applications, from all parts al
the state. from patriotic citizens Who
desired TO raise companies, and who x
pected to be commissioned in those com
panies. Offering services Of themselves,
and various numbers of volunteers. and
ii had felt at liberty 10 disregard The IN
structions from Washington To use the
guard. and to accept these yoluuteer
companies l could have raised several
regiments in very short time. and al
less cost TO the state.
For the reason above stated and for
others which are obvious. | am very de-
cidedly of the opinion that there should
be some radical amendments or thanEeS
in the laws relating T. tht National
Guard of Maine Al the present time
both regiments Of the suard are very
much shattered and di@orEanized from
the results OF the var and orders have
been issued furlougmus HI entire guard
to the first of May next do not IN the
least desire To rvilect upon the officers
or men who constitute the National
Guard of our state Ii is not their fault
If the march Of events has oUtgrown th-
regiment provided by our military Avs
and demand something If different
char.aot.r ~ A-.--cuLL-.S l. nv nl-nL