The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-12-06
Meeting Of Maine Loyal Legion at
Fairfield.
How the Brigade Was
Organized.
Maine Men Who Commanded
Regiments.
[srncrA1 TO THE rREss.l

| Fairfield, December 5.-About % MEM
bers OF the Maine Loyal Legion were
present at the annual banquet at the
Gerald house this evening. The guest OF
the occasion was Brigadier General 1.
S. Bangs of waterville. Zen. Bangs gave
an interesting talk, taking for his SUD-
ject The Ullman Brigade-the first COL
ored organization authorized by the
government"
Gen. Bangs related In an Interesting
manner the circumstances attending and
| the final influences brought 70 bear up
on President Lincoln by Hon. Hannibal
Hamiin and Mr.. Stanton, secretary OF
war, to induce him to arm the blacks;
how a coteris of officers called upon the
President, in company with Mr.. Hanlin,
early in January, 1868 and after express
ing the belief that the time had come to
arm the blacks, said they were willing
ana anxious to take service In suoh an
organization.
| This decided Mr.. Lincoln and on the
same day he directed MIR. Stanton to or
ganize a brigade of colored infantry with
out brigade.
Daniel UIlman, the know Nothing"
candidate for Governor OF New York, In
1854, was colonel, of the 18th N. Y. Vols,
and was promoted to brigadier general
for the purpose OF organizing and COM
manding the brigade, and hence 10 be-
came known as the "Uliman brigade
by order OF the secretary OF war, the
brigade was to be composed OF tive skele-
ton regiments. The appointment Of Gen.
Uilman was on line OF nee sssary policy
OF the administration OF conciliating the
Fictitious, who were SO numerous In
1862 y, but proved an unfortunate one for
the organization,
Line Governor OF Maine was requested
by the secretary Of war TO appoint the
otficers OF two of these regiments. the
Governor of New York, two, and the Gov.
ernor OF Massachusetts,, one.
Theee appointments were approved by
Gen. Ullman and confirmed by MIR. stan
ton, secretary OF war, who. in special or
ders, directed 1.-THE officers and enlisted
men," named therein, to report to Gen.
Uilman in New York. Here they were
mustered into service as the LIST, ID, Sd,
4th and 9th regiments U. s. volunteers
OF the UlIman brigade, and went to sea
under sealed order April 10, 1868.
Their orders directed them to proceed
to New Orleans, where they arrived about
the goth of the same month, and proceed
ed TO recruit the regiments.
The first regiment was assigned to the
command of Col. A. u. Botsford OF
Buffalo, N. Y; the second to the COM
mAnd of Col. Henry @. Thomas, son of
Hon. w. W. Thomas OF Portland; the
third to Col. Cyrus Hamlin Of Bangor,
son OF Hon. Hannibal Hamlin, Vice
President of the United States; the
fourth was the command OF Col. John
f. Appleton OF Bangor, son of Chief
Justice Appleton; the fifth was command.
ed by Col. Ladislas l.. Zulavsky, nep-
hew OF Kossuth, the Hungarian patriot
and exile.
The regiments were quickly recruited
and participated for 40 days in the siege
of Port Hudson, after the surrender OF
which they became part Of the garrl-
son OF that stronghold.
Upon the arrival Of the Brigade at
New Orleans, Gen. Banks, then IN COM
mand OF the 18Th ID Corps, Department
Of the Gulf, made feint OF attacking
Port Hudson, as a cover for the passage
OF the fleet past the batteries. quickly
transferred his army 10 New Orleans and
by railroad to the Atchafalya river, and
had just announced in General Orders
No. 2S bis success In forcing the enemy