The Portland daily press., 1901-02-15
With Brief Sketch Of His Service In
War Of 1912.
Interesting Papers on
Historical Subjects.
Celebration of 1OO0th Anniver-
sary of Alfred the Great

The meeting OF the Maine Historical
Society yesterday afternoon was well
attended. President james =. Baxter
was In the chair and presided.
Samuel L. Dole read list oil the early
tax.payers of Windham, another contri-
button to the valuable historical matter
of that town.
The committee consisting OF Key. Dr.
Burrage, Nathan Goold and Col. Jonn
nj. andden. appoinste1 to consider tne
adyisability Of celebrating with societies
In all parts OF the world the l0O0th anni-
yersary OF Alfred the Great, made It's re-
port, recommending q suitable oeiebra-
tion. The COMMITTEES was continued and
instructed to make all the necessary ar
rangements.
Mr.. Talbot made very witty and
somewhat sarcastic speech In regard TO
this proposed celebration which was
very amusing.
The sabre and sash worn by Capt. Ru-
fus Mcintyre in the War of 1879. In the
artillery which served on the frontier oil
New York State, was presented to the So
ciety by =. W. McIntyre, who accompa-
MED the gift with the following state
ment:
This sword was worn by Rufus Nc
Intire, captain in the Third United
states Artillery during the war of 1879
a regiment renowned IN the sarvioe and
notable TO this day on the muster rolls
of the regular army.
In the war of 1912 the regiment served
on the New York frontier under General
Alexander Maoomb, participating in the
Plattsbulg campaign. Captain MoIntirs's
company, numbering over hundred
men, was recruited from York county,
mostly from the western towns. On the
muster rolls copied by the late u. X.
Harmon, to whose inderatigsbls industry
Maine is so much indebted for pressrva-
rion of the records Of her soldiery, can be
found the names OF the man composing
the company.
With the sword is McIntire's letter to
his mother, Rhoda Allen MoIntire, writ
ten lust before he went to the wars. 1t is
q iette. that an affeotionate son would
naturally write to the loving mother in
whose bosom he had been nurtured, and
only of public interest as rejecting the
feelings OF the youth who girded sword
on thigh or carried musket on shoulder in
those days.
This Is the letter:
CharIestown, April IL, 1878
My dear mother;
Being anxious to have my conduct meet
your appreciation, will endeavor 10 ex-
plain my motives for entering the army,
and for leaving home without informing
you that had orders to Join the western
army. l did not engage in this seryioe
by the advice or oontrivanoe or at the
instigation of anybody. as you suspect;
nor did 1 engage without due considera-
tion or because l could not get living
by my profession. In fact l know l sacri-
fice my time, my earnings and my ease,
and expose my morals to be corrupted
by the licentlousness of q camp, my
health to be impaired BY fatiguing
marches and the chilling cold OF q more
northern climate, and my life to danger.
but l am sensible that / was not born
for myselr alone or for my particular con-
neotions; and being In state Of civil
society am under other obligations than
those OF nature, and have other duties to
perform than thoss which contribute to
my particular benefit. Among the most
important OF these duties Is that OF sup
porting the government that protects me,
and to which l owe allegiance. It is this
duty which at this time impels me to de-
vote my personal services to the defence
CT the rights OF my country. am salts
fed that the essential rights OF my ooun-
try have been trampled on and are at
stake and that the war In consequence
thereof is a righteous ana necessary war,
and that 1t ought 60 be sDiritedly sup
ported by every man in America. l haze
notl ing to offer but my personal services.
To them my country is entitled, and be
the consequences what they may, these
cannot oonscientiously withhold. When
onos engaged / was determined TO make
It as little distressing as possibls to my
self and connections. For this reason