Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-11-04
Saturday, November q, 1905
Names Part in the Revolution.

IL ever CdH Dc "TltIcIi
ness or i'm d way to do full justice to
our State. Those who were fortunate
enough to be at the Lithgow library,
Thursday evening, on the occasion of
the dedication of the tablet presented
by Koussinoc Chapter Daughters of
the American Revolution, and bearing
the names of the % Augusta men who
served in the Revolutionary army.
were much impressed by the talk OF
Judge Oliver G. Hall on the extremely
interesting subject Of Names part IN
the Revolution. 1t was a revelation 10
many of those present and gave them
new reason to be proud of our State
and the important part it played DUR
ing those irving times when American
independence was won and our re-
public established.
Judge Hall declared on the authority
of those most competent to make the
assertion, that there are in Maine, TO-
day, a larger number of descendants
of the soldiers of the Revolutionary
war than in any other state IN the
Union. He also said that in no other
state has less been done in the past to
those soldiers. This condition OF
things. however, is now being remedied
as far as possible, by the earnest work
of our patriotic and historical societies,
notably the Daughters of the American
Revolution, to whom our own city is
now further indebted for its labor in
rescuing from gathering oblivion the
names upon the bronze tablet which
was dedicated. Thursday evening. AS
to the number of men from the pro-
vince OF Maine, who responded to their
country's call when the struggle for
liberty began, Judge Hall had this to
say.
who can tell even the number of
Names Revolutionary soldiers? His
tory credits all to Massachusetts.
our mother-or our guardfan-state,
but for whose sturdy strength we
should have remained provincials and
a part of Canada. We know that with
Names willing help was furnished 6S.-
900 soldiers in that war. but how many
were Maine men will probably never
be known. But here are a few luStrous
facts that are Oh record: that our fore
fathers were early eager for indepen-
dence; that Maine men assisted in
splitting the tea, for which Boston alone
has credit; that Maine soldiers were
among the very first in the field: that
Maine had a whole regiment at Bunker
Hill: that the first time the British flag
was ever struck in American waters
was to a Maine crew off the Maine
coast. And the Massachusetts !egisla-
tive records show, the significant fact
that the General Court organized the
province of Maine into military dis
trict at the very beginning of the war.
with the extreme provision that all its
able bodied men from boys of 16 to
grandsires of so should be liable to
military duty. Thus early in the
struggle the boys of Maine were called
from the playground and the old men
from the chimney-corner to bear arms
on the field of war. But there was no
complaint 1t was but a matter of
course. The spirit of 1745 was still i'm
the Maine blood. The frontier pro-
vince assumed the brunt it's location
imposed. The memories of Louisburg
inspired their valor. Had not this pro-
vince provided the greater part of the
whole outfit for that famous and sue
cessful expedition, from it's commander
down to the drummer boy? Had not
Maine soldiers of 1859 stood by Wolfe
when he fell in the hour of victory on
the plains of Abraham? And should
they falter in the field of crisis of the
country's ight?"
There has been much difficulty in
gathering from the Massachusetts
Revolutionary rolls all of the names
which would shed lustre upon Maine
In many instances the residences of the
soldiers were not given. and doubtless
there was a goodly number of Maine
men who We're in other regiments than
those OF Massachusetts. Varneys His
tory of Maine is the authority for the
estimate that this province lost 1oof
men on the battlefields of the Revo,u.
ton. and in it's camps. hospitals and
prisons. From the facts as far as tho,
can be ascertained, it is doubtless tr,,s
mat this State was foremost in propor
uoh TO the population in furnishing sol,
oiers' and that none excelled it in if,
devotion to the patriot cause. This -
course. is without reference 70 n,
many Revolutionary soldiers who =. ~,
mere after the war and whose thou
SANDS of descendants are now . nor. -.
!. our population. In his address ,rh,rs
oaS evening, Judge Hall referred 20 =,
2 recent correspondent with M Con-
OF Portland. secretary of tho Mi
society OF the Sons of the Amsr,o,
Revolution. and probably the man ~,
equipped as an authority in the u.,,,
OF Names Revolutionary history ~
service. Mr. Gould bas ,,,.a