Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-01-06

| arrcr HIS Cc7lTr1ry was fnusteTeu out
| and is not quite per cert of the men
| enlisted. So low a death rate, when con-
| sidering 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 issued. assigned
| as the quota of the state of Maine regi-
ment of infantry and one battery Of
| heavy artillery. and he expressly re-
| Quested that this call be filled, so far as
| possible. from the National Guard OF
| the state, as the government desired mer
that were somewhat familiar with mill
! tary drill and tactics. Before the cal
was issued. Adjutant General John T
Richards and myself had consulted to-
gether. and had foreseen that the guard
would probably be the first troops asked
for, and had already takensome effective
measures to prepare it to respond. An
order had been issued directing all COM
| manding officers of companies to report
| for honoraEAa discharge all soldiers ir
their several commands having any
| physical disability which might prevent
| them from being mustered into the
i United States service: and another order
requesting and directing that every COM
! pany be recruited by new lenlistments
to the minimum number allowed under
| the present military laws Of Maine, and
! that no recruit be accepted unless he had
, passed the physical examination re-
| -quired by the regulations of the regular
! army. Also orders for tents. clothing
/ blankets and for other necessary equip.
ment were placed early. 1t was fortu.
| nate for us that we did this otherwise
we should have experienced no little diff.
Guilty in obtaining many things that
were very necessary for the proper
| equipment and comfort of the men.
To comply with the request of the Sec
, rotary of war to fill the quota from the
| National Guard as far as possible both
regiments We're ordered into camp al
| Augusta the first of May, and found or
| their arrival all things prepared and in
| readiness to receive them. All efforts ia
/ get 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 bat
terry of heavy artillery, We're unsuccess-
! full ] then determined that, by military
| usage. it was the right of the First regi-
ment of the guard to be used to fill the
call for the regiment Of infantry, as its
officers claimed the right and privilege
| of 80 doing. and that the battery of heavy
artillery should be enlisted from the
| Second regiment of the guard.
| Notwithstanding the order to bring
none but physically sound men into
camp. on an examination by the United
States surgeons, nearly. or quite, one
| third of the non commissioner officers
and men in the regiment were rejected.
| This left a complement of officers with
| about one-half the requisite number of
| men. The United States officers would
not accept or muster into the service
| any company until there wasa full COM
| plement of non commissioned officers
| and privates.
| There We're great difficulties in obtain
| ing eniistments from the Second regi-
| ment to fill the companies OF the FIRST.
| as a Discrimination existed on the part
Of most of the officers and men of the
| Second regiment To do SO. although all
| very very anxious to so to the front II
| they could he permitted to have their
own organization. Beside, the officers
| and men believed that there would soon
/ be another call, when they could go as
| regiment. Hence, but few enlisted. with
, the exception of the Bangor company.
under Captain bennett. Captain Den
| nett had his company examined. and
/ used it to fill what was lacking in two
/ companies VI tflt l. II 81 les tuNi'o
/ himself second iieutenancy which hap
pened to be vacant. He was one of the
| best officers in the guard. Had been edu-
/ Gated a t Annapolis commissioned him
as first lieutenant before the regiment
! was mustered out. ! should have been
glad could [ have seen an opportunity
! to have raised him to the rank OF cap
/ tain.
/ At this time when we sorely needed
NT-.,& cRv,f
/ more that 40 splendid volunteers. ia
/ miliar with military tactics and driii.
/ who enlisted as privates. 1t was timely
I and much needed aid. 1t encouraged
! others 1t was an act that the state
/ should not forget.
/ There was also quite number of men
| Of the several companies of 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 l 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
1 anxiety in some oil the towns ana Clues
| 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. 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. was con-
WINGED, after a careful examination.
that the only real and effective defense
| for our coast towns was to establish 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 Oh
tanning two cruisers, and having the
/ coast very generally and effectually for
! titled.
1t turned out in the end, however, that
| all fears of an attack were groundless.
Personally. l should have much pre-
| ferred to have called an extra session.
| and been relieved from the responsible
| ity by legislative action. But was con-
| fdent that a very large majority of the
people in Maine were opposed to calling
il. and felt constrained to 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 to
aid enlistment in the early part of the
! war of 1861 found that an extra session