The Portland daily press., 1899-04-04


batteries, and while there, the battle was
| at Its height Col. Seaman dispatched
two sergeants to Gen. Putnam TO ask II
his regiment was needed, and before their
return, he hurried his men forward, but
before they reached the fop Of Bunker
Hill the Americans were In full retreat
from Breeds Hills where the battle was
fought During their advance the Brit
tsh bullets fell thick and fast among
them and two mon were wounded. Col.
Seaman when urging ON his men
shouted, "Come my Yorkshire lads, now
let US show our bravery" Meeting the
rstreating Americans they went with
them az would be expected. They at no
time were near enough TO engage the
British. The only criticism, thrt with
any reason can be made of Col. Scam
man. movements Is perhaps that he
first reached Copble Hill, but then he was
acting under the order Of Col. Whitcomb
whom he supposed had authority. Col.
Mhitcomb diu not remember, four weeks
after, of giving the order, but officers and
men OF the regiment heard 10 at tho time
and so testified Charges were preferred
against Col. Seaman for disobedienoe
OF orders and not showing the proper
spirit in the battle, and after trial, BY
court martial, the verdict was, Col
Seaman is not guilty Of the charge
brought against him." The time Of the
until the last was one hour and a half.
The general battle began about half past
three and ended about i've o'clock.
The army Withdrew to their camps at
Cambridge and Gen. Washington took
command July third. Within three
weeks he organized the army into three
grand divisions, each to consist OF two
brigides of six regiments each. Col.
scsmman's regiment was assigned to
Gen. William Heath's brigade in Gen. Is
rael Putnam's division, which was the
centre Of the army. Col. Phinney's Gum
berland county regiment was In the same
brigade. They were stationed at Cam
bri4ge and COL Scamman's men manned
Fort No. / and the re3oupt on the flank
of Fora No. 2, where Col. Phinney's reg
iment was. Fort No. was on the
Charles river. and Can bridge Common
WAS the grand parade ground.
In those days the soldiers did not stack
their guns, but they were rested on
wooden horses Tor the purp Sc. In wet
weather they took them into their quart
ers Often Iers against military law were
generally punished by lashes on the
naked back, the number given being ac-
cording to the offence committed. Two
hundred was not an usual number for
serious offence. Incorrigable offenders
we're drummed out of camp. There was
no attempt at uniformity OF clothing
until the issue OF the coats In the fali OF
1875. They were made OF undyed cloth,
faced with the sam d, and had pewter but
tons with the number Of the regiment
upon them. / af soldier had coat that
kept him coinforta lie, he was not Obliged
TO take the new one, but was allowed
twenty-five shiliings from the treasury
ms cad.
To distinguish the rank of the officers,
an order was issued about the same time
as the OF ganization of the army In July,
for them to wear the following marks:
Field OfIicers-Ked or pink cockades
on their hats.
Captains-Y Yellow or buff on their hats.
Subalterns-Green on their hats
Sergeants-Stripes OF red cloth sewed
on the right shoulder.
Corporals-Stripes OF green on the right
shoulder.
The field and staff officers of Col. Scam
mans regiment. August first, were as
follows:
Colonel-James Seaman of Saco.
Lieut. Colon el-Johnson Moulton of
York.
Maior-Daniel Wood of Berwick.
Adjutant-George Marsden of London
derry.
Cbaplain-Jacob Foster of Berwick.
Quartermaster-Samu Mason OF York.
Surgeon-John Crocker of Richmond.
Surgeons Mate-Jaoob Brown OF Py-
mouth.
The regiment was made up as follows:
Capt Samuel Darby's Co. Of York, &c
men.
Capt. Tobias Leighton's Co. of Kittery,
50 men.
Capt. Ebenezer sullivan's Co. of Ber-
wick, "a men.
Capt. Samuel Leighton's Co. of Kit
terry, Al men.
Capt. Samuel Sawyer's Co. of Wells
and Sanford, 66 men.
Capt. jeremiah Hills Co. of Biddeford,
SAGE, Buxton, go men.
Capt. Joshua Bragdon's 90. OF wells
Capt Philip Hubbard's Co. of Berwick
and Lebanon, "a men.
Capt Jonathan Nowell's Co. of York,
Berwick, 90 men.
Capt. Jesse Dorman's Co. of Arundel
and Wells, 90 men.
The regiment then mustered 6Oi OH
GERS and men.
The service of this regiment after the
arrival of Gen. Washing on was al I'M
eyentful one. 1t was the work of prepar-
ing for q 81 GO. There were no battles
and the firing between the lines was de-
sultory, while the enc unters with the
British regulars were in the nature OF
skirm isles. The Americans were in
destitute condition to maintain the
siege of Bos.o and confront the British
army. Gen. Washington realizing his
weakness only hoped the enemy would
not MAKE an aUtdCk Uu MS llncS uhtii
they could be strengthened, but from
what source help was to come he could
not tell.
Col Scamman's regiment retired from
tho service, Dec. 81, 1775, and theirs has
since been known as the eight months,
service of 1875. Many OF the commissioned
OIL GERS and men re-enlisted in Col. Phin-
ny's 18th and Col. William Prescott's eth
Continental regiments, for one year in
the new Continental army. Probably
nearly all of Soamman's men entered the
SCI vice again some TINA during the strug-
gle Tor our independence. Col Seam
man made an urgent appeal for COM
mi sslon to raise "a regiment In the fall of
1875, to show thnt he had the proper spirit
for commander, which was not granted.
de had no other service in the army, but
died honored and respected by those that
knew him.
Col Scamman's seth Regt. of Foot did
Its duty. The mistoItunss at the Battle
OF Bunker Hill were those that might
happen to any regiment similarly stu
ated at such q time, in an army without
IA commander and with no Organization
or discipline as now UNDERSTOOD. In the
subsequent campaigns, his men showed
.atr lie frv "a