Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-03-10
Gen, Henry Beynton.

at about o'clock Wednesday morn
Ing, OF a complication Of heart and
lung troubles. He was "A years of age,
and is survived by widow. He, was
u native of Detroit, Me-, but went West
when young man. At the breaking
out of the Civil war he enlisted and
served with distinction until its close.
Upon returning to Maine he took up
his residence in this city, where he
aftcrward became State pension agent.
He Travelled extensively. makin. two
trips to Europe to collect data for
books he was writing. He was the
author of The Worlds Greatest Con-
fiict," History Of the United States
and France from 1899 to 1905" also Il
volume entitled Thirteen THOUSAND
Miles of Sight Seeing in Thirty Days
and History of the United States ard
Europe in the Nineteenth Century,
Funeral services will be held at his
late residence, at o'clock, Friday af-
ternoon, Rev. II. f. Dunnack officiat-
ing, and the remains will be taken to
Detroit, Me, Saturday morning, for
burial.
The following appreciative sketch of
General Boynton's military career is
taken from the Maine Adjutant Cen
erals report for 1865:
General BOynton commenced his
public career in Kansas, in 1856. when
at considerable pecuniary sacifice, he
TOOK a prominent part in rescuing that
territory from border-riffian and pro-
slavery rule. Having raised Il COM
pany, he was commissioned captain
under the Topeka Convention, and was
soon after wounded in skirmish, at
Tecumseh.
Subsequently he became a student at
law, and was admitted to the bar in the
United States District Court in Kansas,
May, 1860, and in the same year was
appointed reporter for the Kansas
legislature. Afterwards, returning to
Maine, he raised a volunteer company
which was organized at Newport May
Sd, 1861, but which was not accepted by
the War Department. Immediately
after the battle of Bull Run however, he
raised company at Detroit. Being
accepted, it formed1Co. d, Sth regiment,
of which the subject of this notice was
mustered in as captain, Sept. 7th 1861.
He witnessed the battle of Port Royal
Nov. 18th, and with IL men had a
Shll Will AdDl. MlChlcT anu
South Carolina Suerillas on the "a of
December, when the enemy retired
with a loss of one officer and three men.
Capt. BoyntOn soon after assisted
i'll erecting the extensive Notifications
to Hilton Head, S. c., and in the eX-
cessivcly severe toll and exposure of
mounting guns in Gen. Gilmore's secret
batteries on the marches of Tybec
Island, Ga. He also took part in the
bombardment and capture of Fort
Pulaski, April 18th, 1862
In the official report of the expedition
up the St. John river, Fla, in March,
1863, Capt. Boynton is referred to as
entitled to much credit for the faithful
manner in which he discharged the
duties of provost marshal, and for pre-
serving valuable property and the lives
of many Union citizens. 1t was mainly
through his active eXertions that the
city of Jacksonville was saved from be-
ing entirely destroyed by fire.
On the 21st of Dec. 1868, Capt.
Boynton was promoted major, and to
licnt.-col., April 18th, 1864, and in the
campaign of the latter year, took COM
mand of the regiment. On the 9th of
May, he assisted in destroying a por-
ton of the Richmond and Petersburg
Railroad. Pushing rapidly on, he
participated in the battle Of Swift
Creek on the same day, and on the fol-
lowing day made Il forced march to
reach Chester Station, where at
another action, he supported a battery.
On the night Of the 18th, with two rcgi-
ments. he patroled the Richmond
turnpike, protecting Gen. Gilmore's line
of communications, and on the 18th
and 18th, held the crossing of Redwater
Creek. At sunrise on the 18th, by order
of Gen. Butler, Lieut.-Col. Boynton re-
ported to Major Gen. Smith, who
directed Gen. Wetzel to post the Sth
right on the direct road and near Fort
Darling, in order to protect our right
flank, these generals being fully alive
to the Importance of holding that point
Lieut.COl Boynton not only succeeded
in holding it, but captured also an i'm
portant position, for which he was
thanked on the field by Mai. Gen.
Smith, and complimented by Gen.
| Hickman.
The splendid brigade of the latter hay
ing then taken the right. Col. Boynton
moved his regiment up to within 30 yards
his skirmish line to within 80 yards of
the encmy's cannon. kept up Il constant
fire upon them for several hours. until
nearly morning, when the bloody battle
Of Drury's Bluff was opened by that ter
rible charge made by Bcauregrd on the
Union right, by which he swept our whole
| lire to the right of the Sth Regiment.
consisting of iIeckmans five regiments.
and when every field officer. excepting
one. was killed or seriously wounded. and
| Gen. hickman captured. Lieut. Col
Boynton caused his regiment to lie fat
upon the ground and to withhold its fire
until the enemy was within twenty-five
yards. when the command poured n fire
| so rapidly and accurately upon the che
| my's ranks. which not only did immense
slaughter. but repulscd and forced them
back to the shelter of their works, lcay-
| ing many a rebel dead and wounded and
about thirty prisoners. Then lying in
ambush. he soon caught n rebel briCad,
| in close column, and thanking and defeat
ing it, cut the Richmond CITY l,tt,Ii,,,