Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-08-15

service, ana whose TIME WAS uHcN-
pired when the regiment was mustered
out, were transferred to the Goth Maine
Infantry.
At Augusta, on the 18th of August.
| 1862, the regiment was drawn up and
| mustered into the United States SER
vice by Major J. w. T. Gardiner. y
| few days of preparation followed.
when orders We're received for the
regiment to go at once to Washington.
| 1t left Augusta on the morning of the
| 18th. and reached Washington on the
evening of the 21st.
Next day it crossed the Potomac.
over Long Bridge, bivouacked four
miles beyond; the day following it
| moved to Arlington Heights and laid
out its camp at Fort Tilinghast. near
the former residence of the rebel gen-
| eral. Robert F.. Lee. Here heavy
artillery drill was begun in the fort.
in addition to the daily infantry drill.
The Sixteenth was numerically on the
war-footing maximum of thousand
strong. Its official roster at that time
was as follows:
FIELD AND STAFF.
Asa W. Wildcs of Skowhegan,
ttlbilt'l, ollsilltS w. 4 liltH. SuStilit
lieut. Augustus r.
| Farnham. Bangor. major; Albert f.
| Small Watorvillc, adjutant; Isaac n
| Tucker. Gardiner, quartermastar;
Charles Alexander Pennington. sur
geon: Joseph g. Baxter. Gorham, as
sistant surgeon: Francis A. WildeS
Skowhegan, sergeant major; George
w. Brown. Augusta. quartermastcr-
sergeant: Charles H. Parlin. Show
hegan. commssary sergeant; VIM NJ
Eaton. Brunswick. hospital steward;
VIM. III. Palmer Calais. drum major.
THE LINE COMPANY OFFICERS.
Company A-Charcs A. Williams
| Skowhegan, captain; S. Forest Rob-
| inSon. SkoWhcgan. first lieutenant:
Isaac ~ Pennell New Portland, sec
oEd lieutenant.
Company R-CharleS X. HutchinS,
Augusta. captain; EleaZer w. Atwond.
Gardiner, first lieutenant: George w.
Edwards. Gorham. second lieutenant.
Company C-Daniel MarSton, Phil
| lips. captain: H"vey Austin, Pressure
| Isle. first lieutenant; Marshall :.
Smith. East Livermorc, second lieu
| tenant.
Company D-Moscs w. Rand, Wa
tcrford. captain; Humphrey T.. Eusts,
Dixt1cld. first lieutenant: Henry p
IIerrck. North Yarmouth, second
lieutenant.
Company E-Arch n. Lcavitt, Tur
ner. captain; VIM. F.. Brooks. Show
hogan. first lcutcnant; VIM. A. stew
ems, Watervillc second lieutenant.
Company F-Thomas +. Went
worth. Gorham. captain: Oliver II.
Lowell, Gorham. first lieutenant; Geo.
A. Deering. Saco. second lieutenant.
Company G-Samuel Clifford Reich-
er, Pennington, captain. Joseph III.
Malbon. SkoWhccan, first lieutenant;
Isaac Fl. Thompson, Arson, second
lieutenant
Company Holm Aver, Eangor,
captain; Ira s. Libby. Limerick. first
lieutenant: Israel II. Washburn,
Orono, second lieutenant.
Company I-Wm H. Waldron.
Lewiston. captain; VIM. Bray, Turner.
first lieutenant; Charles A. GarCelon,
Lewiston. second lieutenant.
Company K-Stephen c. White
house, Newcastle captain; Augustus
T. Somerby. Ellsworth. first lieuten-
ant: Augustus c. Peters, Bluchill,
second lieutenant.
At Fort Tillinghast companies We're
detached to garrison three other forts
ir the line of works around Washing
ton on the south. and Il chain OF
rile-p to connect them was begun.
but before completing them an order
was suddenly received to join Gen.
McClcllan's army. then advancing -
meet the enemy, who had crossed the
Potomac and was threatening Penn
sylvania. On the night of Sept. 'tn
the regiment was collected at Fort
Tillinrhast and at daybreak next
morning crossed the Potomac IN light
,,,,ch;nr order and took the ROAD 10
Leesb trough.
Tn the period from Sept. to NOV.
~ tho men suffered greatly from the
cola and storm exposure by reason Oh
bainr without their overcoatS anu
wooden and rubber blankets. which
through some official tangle. failed 10
bc forwarded from Washington. NO
wonder there was much homeslckness
in comp. But. by happy coincidence.
the Ionged for protectors arrived on
the day appointed by President Lincoln
for national Thanksgiving, Nov. 2Ith'
and if ever n set of men felt reason to
| be thankful" it was they when their
| treasures were restored to them.
| Owing to continued i'll health. Col
wildes resigned. and Lieut-Col. I'll
den took his place. and was the
regimental commander thenceforth to
a prominent civilian, and was long one
| of Names railroad commissioners
The Sixteenth's first baptism of fire
| was on the red field of Fredericks-
burg Gen. Mcclellan had just been
superseded as commander of the Army
of the Potomac by Gen. Burnside. The
new commander was a brave soldier
and fine man i'm all respects, but it Is
a matter of history that he lacked the
necessary executive ability to handle
50 vast an army. The result was
Fredericksburg and the other engage
ments which he conducted against the
enemy were failures. The General
himself realized his unfitness, but
when the responsibility was thrust
upon him he accept, 4. it and did the
best he could.
The battle of Fredericksburg, Va.
was fought Dec. 18th, 1862. The Six
teenth was assigned to the left Of