The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1901-01-03


coDeop = - class OF, "a was a
dmsent and capable scholar, taking a
nigh stand in his classes. At the end
OF the second year, he found himself
without funds to go further. Having
a brother in California, he conceived
the bold plan of going to California
and becoming gold miner until he
should obtain sufficient funds to pay
his way through. This he did. At
That time it was no small task to 20
to California. There were no Pacific
railroads. He went by the tedious
lsthmus route. All of the hardships
That miners endured, this young man
endured, but with that pluck which
has always been his characte ristic. he
obtained what he went for and re =
turned in time to enter the Junior
year. He was graduated with the
highest honors in 1857. He at once
became the principal of Bloomfield
Academy where he made a reputa-
ton as a first-class teacher. He had
not been there more than year
when he. was called to the Bangor
high school, where he taught until
June, 1862.
Feeling that it was his duty to enter
the army he took a part in enrolling
the militia for that'section and subse-
quently helped to raise men for the
new 18th Maine Infantry which was
assembled at Bangor during August.
1862. lie was appointed the adiutant
OF the regiment, Colonel Daniel Chap
lin being its commander. No better
selection could have been made. His
disciplined mind, his grasp of affairs,
and his great industry made him at
once the master of the situation
With all the different and manifold
duties that came to an adiutant of a
regiment, this man, without expert
ence, with positive dislike for all
military things, became the ideal ad-
jutant. He seemed to take in all the
information that was necessary and
could tell officers how to make a
muster roll, and how to do hundred
other things of which they had no
knowledge.
The regiment went to Washington
and it was expected that it would 90
to the front, but, to the great disgust
OF both officers and men, it was trans
ferred to the artillery arm of the ser
vice and kept in the northern de-
fences of Washington until May, 1864
BY the change in the organization,
the adjutant would be dropped or
else assigned as a first lieutenant to
some of the existing companies; but
so useful had General Shepherd been
to the officers of the regiment, that
all of the captains signed a request
that he be appointed major. 1t is
RI FIN .4,,N
be found where ten captains united in
a request to have man of lower rank
passed over their heads to be their
commander.
He took hold of the artillery SER
vice with great zeal. He mastered
the tactics and his mathematical
mind made him an expert with the
scientific part of artillery practice.
while his experience as a school
master, made him an excellent in
structor. In this capacity he served
until the regiment went to the field in
May, 1864. He was the ranking major
of the three. In the field before the
death of Colonel Chaplin. he com
manded the regiment a large part of
the time. Upon the death of Colonel
Chaplin, who died of wounds August
20, 1864, Major Shepherd was appoint
ed Lieutenant Colonel and subse-
quently Colonel of the regiment.
He possessed all the essential quail
fications of regimental commander
in high degree. He was firm but
careful disciplinarian, just to and
careful of men, lacking only the non
essential qualification of enthusiasm.
He was scrupulously careful of the
welfare of his men. He was also a
just man; for the good soldier, he
would go out of his way to grant him
a favor.
One instance of his carefulness
for his command occurs to me just
now. December LIST, 1864, the Fifth
Corps, the Third Division of the
Second Corps and a division of
cavalry under the command of Gen
eral Warren was sent down into
Virginia to destroy the railroads
bringing supplies to Petersburg and
Richmond. We started from the rear
of the army of the Potomac on bright
morning followed by bright day and
a warm night and by second bright
day during which time we marched
rapidly through the enemy's country.
The rapid marching caused many of
the men to throw their blankets away.
During the night of the second day
there was shower of rain followed
by sudden falling of the tempera-
ture which turned the rain into snow.
That day we struck the line of the
railroad we were to tear up. 1t was
an all days work in the binding
OF in "a Of -
wind. When the work was done the
ground was covered with two inches
of snow. From this time until the
end Of the expedition, which covered
nine days, we had cold weather and
the men suffered intensely. As we
neared the army of the Potomac on
our return and the white tents of the
Second Corps were seen, General
Shepherd called me and spoke some
thing as follows: "Our men are in a
suffering condition and if we do not
look out for them we will have the
hospital full of them. Now | want
you in the morning to go over to
corps headquarters and see Captain
Hunter, the assistant quartermaster.
and borrow of him 300 axes and ask
him to bring them here for you. /
will have the captains of each com
pany instructed to take their share
of the axes and have their men put
under cover as soon as possible. No
officer is to have man do stroke of
work on his quarters until every en-
listed man is under cover and YOU
and l will stay under our shelter tent
until all the rest are under cover be
cause we have blankets enough" /