Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-03-17

under General Mcclellan in the fol-
| lowing Spring. About the first of July
| 1862 for conspicuous gallantry display
| ed in these engagements he was COM
| miss.oned by Got. Washburn as lieu
! tenant colonel of the Sixteenth Maine
| .nen being organized at the Capitol,
Receiving this commission while at the
| front he Immediately resigned as cap
| tain in the Second Regiment and pro-
| ceeded to Augusta to cast his fortunes
with the Sixteenth Maine, which left
| fer Washington, August 10. 1862 with
| 1000 men with A. w. Wildes of Show
| hogan as it's colonel. Owing to i'll
| health Col Wildes resigned prior to
the battle of Fredericksburg after
| which the command devolved upon
| Lieut.. Col Tilden, who was promot-
ed colonel of the regiment, Jan. 8. 1868,
and for faithful and merftorious SER
vices during the war; was brevetted
| brigadier general OF volunteers
| March 1s, 1866 He led the 10th in the
| following battles: Fredericksburg
| Charlottesville, Cold Harbor, Gettys-
burg Wilderness, North Anna, Tolo-
| potomy, Bethesda Church, Peters,
burg, Weldon Railroad, White Oak
Road Matches Run, Five Forks and
at Apponattox April 9, 1865. The
| regiment also took part in the bat
tie of Mine Run, fought while Col.
Tilden was a prisoner of war.
During all his services he was re-
lied upon by his superior officers and
loved by his inferior officers and by
his men. What greater attributes can
q man have-loyelty, bravery, love
of his feIlow-men. Two reasons can be
given for the love his soldiers had
for him. First his kindly interest in
them, his manly treatment of them,
and second, their confidence in and
success under him. Because OF love
and confidence in their leader, great
results came to his regiment Famil-
lar to us all are his acts at Gettys-
burg Gettysburg in the old Keystone
state, where the Declaration Of indie
pendence and the Constitution of the
United States were given birth.
Gettysburg. to be bathed in the blood
of the best of the North and the BRAY
est of the Southland, where our friend
himself held his position until the
men in gray reached the very muz-
zles eff his guns until hand to hand
struggle took place; Gettysburg, where
the Blue and the Gray in mortal COM
bat fell dead side by side. where the
sharpshooters from the Devils Den
crushed out the lives of hundreds of
his brave comrades. There he stood at
Gettysburg, and by command of his
general denied the right TO further in
vasion to the Southern hosts. 1t was
here and at this time when the regi-
mental and national colors were
stripped from their stats, torn into
pieces and hidden by the men to pre-
vent them from falling into the hands
of the foe. What better illustration
could one have of his patriotism for
his country and his love for the flags
which represented that country, and
may I read to you possibly the last
letter ever written by him, which
shows with what sacredness he held
those torn pieces of the banner under
which he and his companions fought
"Hallowell, Me-, Jan. 18th, 1914
Lieut. Frank Wiggin, Portland, Me:
My dear lieutenant and companion: In
looking over some of my army relics a
few days since I found piece OF the
| 18th Maine colors, destroyed at the bat
: tie of Gettysburg; also, a Star of the Sec
ond Maine Regimental flag. presented to
California. both of which were so care
fully taken care of by my wife that /
have lost sight of them during all these
many years that have passed As you
expressed a desire to have a small piece
of the old flag and as the piece is suffi-
GENTLY large to spare small bit, | am
sending you herewith a small sample
which trust will reach you and will not
| be surrendered to anyone, either friend
or foe. This piece of the flag was car
ried on my person during my confinement
| in Libby prison and was also in my coat
| when | crawled through the Rose Tun-
! a L from
the prison.
AS always, Lieut., yours sincerely and
C. w. TILDEN.
| And do you know that this time a
| single piece of that emblem to him
SO sacred and SO dear goes with him
! into life eternal. companion to the
| button of the Loyal Legion which he
at this time wears.
| The gallant 18th of Gettysburg had
| before this time gained another name
! at the battle of Fredericksburg, where
| it was baptized in blood, and where
! 237 men, more than one half of the
regiment, fell, either killed or wounded.
| In the height of the contest, prac-
tically surrounded by the enemy,
| amidst one of the fiercest and sharp
est engagements of the war, our friend
| found time and place to speak words
of encouragement to and confidence in
his men, and we can hear him now,
across all of the intervening years, and
through all the cares of life, as he ex-
| claimed Men of the 10th, / wish |
| could take everyone of you by the
hand and thank you personally for
your gallant bravery"
Under command of such man,
ever thoughtful of his men and APP
preciative of their work, is it any won
der that his regiment at this time was
christened the Bloody 18TH?
These references will bring to mind
many incidents of like character, and