Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1899-01-10

4 flGn0l tOfps. CONSISTING OF TWO tofnftlS-
stoned officers and 40 enlisted men. max
ing a total of the land forces volunteer
Ing In these organizations In the war
| with Spain OF I'LL officers and men. A
| large number Of soldiers. seamen and
marines also volunteered and enlisted
| In the regular army OF the United States,
| and in the naval service OF which We
have at present no account or record.
| In response 10 request Of the secre-
| tary of the navy the Volunteer Naval
| Reserve associations OF Portland and
| Bath organized for service, and enlisted
| for one year. There were six commits
| stoned officers and IS priyates In the
| Portland organization; three commits
| stoned officers and IS privates In the
| Bath organization Roth the signal corps
| and the naval reserves were in excess of
| the quota assigned to Maine. The signal
| corIs was ordered to the front. and did
excellent service in the several battles
! on the leland of Cuba, near Santiago.
| which led to the surrender OF that city
| and the Spanish forces occupying 10, The
| volunteer naval reserves have also tcon
mustered out Of the service. The four
| batteries of heavy artillery afN NIL -
| the Maine troops now In the service of
| the United States They are NJ presen,
| Georgia and VIII form a part of the
army of Cuban occupation. NJ they have
| already received orders To- prepare 10 20
| to Havana.
The health Of these four batteries at
| the present time is excellent. All of these
soldiers and volunteer naval reserves.
both officers and men, were and are IA
gallant and brave troops rs ever mus
tered In any land TO do battle for the
right. and II they We're not permitted 10
participate more extensively in actual
warfare IL was no fault Of their. - they
were ever ready and sollcitous Ia he Sent
10 the front. They have represented their
| state with honor and deserve its thanks.
The number OF deaths In the regiment
while In the service Was two commls-
stoned officers and IL non commits lOned
officers and men In the four batteries
up To- the present time seven enlisted
men. In the signal corps three enlisted
men: making n total OF 20 officers and
men. This includes one man who died
after his company was mustered out
and is not quite 3 per cent Of the iseu
.. listed So low death rate. whrr con
sit!ering the large amount Of sickness.
especially In the First regiment Of Maine
Infantry volunteers. speaks well for the
care and attention which was bestowed
by officers. surgeons. nurses and al
Others having charge OF the sick.
The secretary OF war. when the first
call for volunteers was issusd lSsigned
as the quotn ~ the state OF Maine regt-
ment OF infantry and one battery ot
heavy artillery. and he expressly re-
ouestcd that this call be filed 80 far a.
possible from the National Guard OF
the state az the government desired men
that were somewhat familiar with milf
tnry drill and tactics Before the call
was issued Adjutant General John T.
Richards and myself had consulted to-
Ccther, and had foreseen that the guard
would probably be the first troops asked
for and had already taken some effective
measures 10 prepare IL g. revpOnd An
order had been issued directing ali com
manding officers Of companies 10 report
for honorable discharge all soldiers In
their several commands having any
physical disa hiity which might prevent
them from being mustered into the
United States service: and another order
requesting and directing that every COM
pany be recruited. by new enlistments.
TO the miximum number allowed under
the present military laws Of Maine and
mat no recruit be accepted unless he had
passed the physical examination re
army. Also orders FOR tents. clothing.
blankets and for other necessary equip
ment were placed early II was fortu
nate for Us that we did this. otherwise.
We should have experienced no little DIM
Guilty In obtaining many things that
were very necessary for the proper
equipment and comfort ofthe men.
To comply with the request of the sec
retary OF war TO All the quota from the
National Guard as far as poss BILE. both
regiments were ordered into camp at
Augusta the first OF May end found on
their arrival AL things prepared and In
readiness TO receive them. All efforts to
get a change In the assignment OF quota
made by the war department. So that
they would receive both regiments in
stead of one larger regiment and n bat
tery OF heavy artillery. were unsuccess-
ful. then determined that. by military
usage. u was the right OF the First regi-
ment OF the guard 10 be used 20 till the
call FOR the regiment OF infantry. as It's
officer. claimed the right and privilege
OF 40 doing and that the battery OF heavy
artillery should b. enlisted from the
Second regiment OF the guard.
Notwithstanding the order 10 bring
none but physically sound men into
camp. on an examination by the United
States surgeons, nearly. or quite. one
third OF the non commissioned officers
and men In the regiment weie rejected.
This left complement OF officers with
about one half the requisite number of
hen The United States officers would
not accept or muster into the service
any compans until there was full COM
Nlement OF on-commissioned officers
and privatcs.
There were grea; difficulties in obtain-
Ing enlIstmenis from the Second regi-
ment To nil the companies OF the First.
as "A disinclination existed on the part
OF most OF the officers and men Of the
Second regiment 10 do 50, although all
very very anxious TO so To the front II
they could be permitted 10 have their
own organization. Beside. the officers
and men believed that there woul- soon
be another call. when they could 90 as
regiment Hence but few enlisted. with
the exception OF the Bangor company,
under Captain bennett. Captain Den
nett had his company examined. ana
used IL To MI what was lacking in TWO
companies OF the First regiment. taxing
himself a second lleutenancy. which hap
pened TO be vacant. He was one OF the
best officers In the guard. Had been edu-
Gated at Annapolis commissioned him
as a first lieutenant before the regiment
was mustered out. l should have been
glad could have seen an opportunity
to have raised him to the rank or cap
tain
At this time. when we sorely needed
men. the University OF Maine sent MS
more that 40 splendid volunteers, ia
miliar with military tactics and dril
Who enlisted as privates. II was timely
and much needed aid. II encouraged
Others. II was an act that the state
should not forget.
There was also quite number OF men
| OF the several companies or the FIRST
regiment who passed the examination,
| but declared that they did not feel that
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,
| realized that something must be done,
and done quickly, as / was extremely
| anxious that Names quota, for the credit
| OF the state should be filled at 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
were very urgent that An extra session
of the legislature be called. i could not
comprehend how an extra session OF the
legislature would furnish To them an
| adequate or additional protection. or
should have called IL at once. was con-
vinced, after careful examination,
| that the only real and effective defense
| for our cost towns was To estab ish bat
teries and mines, and to obtain from the
| United States cruisers to sail along the
| shores, and in conjunction with our dele
| CATION In congress We succeeded In OBJ
| tanning two cruisers. and having the