Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-09-20
STATE HOUSE.
Sketch Of the Life Of Hon.
Charles A. BouteIIe.
New State Fish Hatchery at Squaw
Brook in Fine Condition.
Recent Changes in Officers Of the
Hawai- Reserves of Maine.


| district Of Maine, has been received
at the State House, and hung in the
rotunda near the pictures of the late
| Governor Plaisted and ex-Goyeruor
Perham. The portrait is a. gift from
J the three surviving daughters of the
| dead congressman.
| Charles Addison BoutelIe. eldest son
of Charles Boutelle and Lucy Ann Cur
tbs, his wife, was born at Damariscotta
| on the 9th of February, 1889.
His father was a shipmaster, and the
| seafarinS life appealed TO him so
| strongly that he did not take a col
| leSIatc course, but went to sea al an
| carly age, and remained in the u7er-
| chant marine until the spring of 1862,
when he returned from a foreign voy-
age to enlist as a volunteer in the
navy. on April 9Th, he received his
| commission as acting-master, and was
| assigned TO the war steamship Paul
| Jones of the South Atlantic squadron
| tie served in the North and South At
lantic and West Gulf squadrons. par
| ticipatilS in the blockade of Charleston
| ana Wilmington, the Pocotaligo expedi-
| ton, the capture of ST. Johns Bluff.
! and the occupation of Jacksonville
| Florida.
While he was navigator and ordnance
| officer on the Sassacus, the engage
ment With the rebel ram Albemarla
took place, on May 9Th, 1864.
| Commenting on this action, the De-
| troit Free Press, of Dec. 10th, 1882,
says:
while the fights between the Mont
| tor and Merrimac. Alabama and Hat
| teras, kearsarge and Alabama brought
| out some terrible fighting, and proved
| that American pluck had lost none of
| its ardor since the days of Paul Jones,
| the affair with the Confederate Ram
| Albemarle. off the mouth of the Ros-
noke river on the 5th of May, 1864, may
be set down as the bravest and most
| determined action between vessels
| atioat in any war for the last nun
dred years. Nothing in the naval his
tory OF Europe approaches it, and cir
| cumstances will never bring about SUE II
another action ON this side OF the
ocean"
In recognition of the skill, bravery
and GOODNESS with which he handled
the Sassacus on this occasion. he was
promoted by the Hon. Gideon Welles
secretary Of the navy, to the grade Of
lieutenant
In 1866. at the age Of twenty-six, he
was given command of division Of
vessels in Mississippi Sound. In the
famous attack on Mobile bay, his YES
sci was the first to penetrate the Oh
istruction in the channel.
4 While mt home furlouGh in
1863, lie had become engaged to Miss
Elizabeth Hodsdon. daughter OF Ad-
jutant General John l.. Hodsdon. who
organized the military forces Of Maine
throughout the war. They were mar
ried on the 18th OF May, 1856.
AT the close of the war he command
cd a steamer running between VIII
nington and New York. and later Was
engaged for a time with shipping
| commission house in New York city.
He became editor Of The Bangor
Daily Wing and Courier on May 5tt,
1874. and afterward purchased 4 con-
: trolling interest in the paper. IN 1882
ne was nominated by the Republicans
las their representative, and was
elected to The 4Sth Congress. His
Congressional career extended from
the 10th to the IS Congress. lie re
l ceired his first appointment as chair
man of the Naval Committee in the
5st Congress. and held the position
until his resignation. except during the
j, 5ed and ODD Congresses.
During his first term, he drafted aud
accompIisheti the passage of laws au-
: thorizing the first three modern battle
Ships OF the new navy. He protested
strongly against the purchase Of naval
engines abroad and advocated So
earnestly the establishment Of steel
GIANTS ana the development of snip
| ,trr- h4tt n r.
imam seven years. he saw his theories
iyindicatcd by the finest ana fastest
warships a;loat, and by the steel works
lama gun forging plants at Bethlehem,
lalidvale and Homestead.
Though SO much Of his effort was
r.iven toward the improvement and eN
lnonsion OF the navy, he kept In touch
with all other important issues. In the
l53d Congress he forced the admins
ltr.tion 10 declare its attitude toward
Itbe Hawaiian question. and in the 94lh
Icongress. he stood alone against the
yn,ez,jelan resolution. He voted
ar3inst preeipitate rushing into war
vj+b Snaln. but labored with all III;
strength and ability to strengthen tie
n,yv in every possible way. so tina Il
,,ar should come, we could be ready 10
meet IT,
The sudden death Of his wife, on the
9Sth Of June. 1892. was so severe a
shock that he was never quite as
strong again. His intense sympathles
With all who turned to him for aid, ana
his LAVISH giving of himself in his pub
u lie WORK. further Slapped his splendid
yitaIitv. ana on the 2lst of December
$3.50 he was taken seriously i'll in Sos
ton while on his way home from
Washington for the Christmas hoi,-
days.
The trouble was with the arteries or
the hr1in. and he went to the Mclean
nosnital ut Waverley for treatment.
Although he WAS still obliged TO r.
main there. in the fall of 1890, his ioy@i
Land generous constituents re-eiecttd
him 10 Congress, but in the Following
February. being impressed win tne
,profotnad conviction that he should
ney-er Recover he sent his resignation
as member of the seth Congress and
as ! rnember-elect of the 5ath Congress
Ia Governor Hill AT Augusta
On the 9Th of March. 1901, he was
4 Is..4 ..s fg,.. ,..t,F a