Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-07-13

street, at $50 by Rev. Paul S. Pha-
len, followed by the service at the
Unitarian church at o'clock, at which
Mr., Phalen officiated and the eulogy
was delivered by Rev. DR.. Henry S.
Burrage of Kennebunk, former chap
lain at the Eastern Branch n. H. D..
v. S. at Togus. Interment was made
In the family lot at Forest Grove GEM
etery. the committal service being read
at the grave by Paul S. Phalen, fol-
lowed by prayer by Rev. DR.. Joseph
Kelley of Washington, D. c.
| The honorary bearers were Chief
Justice Leslie c. Cornish. DR.. w. A.
Brooks of Boston, Gen. John T. Rich
ards of Gardiner, Col. 0. n. Backing
ton, Major Henry S. Burrage of Ken
nebunk, Arthur L. Bates of Portland,
Hiram Kicker of Poland and Judge H.
w. True of Manchester.
| DR.. Burrage's Eulogy
Rev. DR.. Burrage of Kennebunk. a
warm friend of General Conner, in de-
livering the eulogy, spoke in part as
| follows:
A highly honorable life, ennobled
by worthy events, has come to a
close in the death of Gen. Seldom Con-
nor at Augusta, July 9. He was the
last of our Maine Civil War officers
of high rank. How much he will be
missed, now that he is no longer with
us, words cannot express. Little re-
mains for us who are still left but to
close up the ranks, recalling hallowed
memories most fondly cherished.
My acquaintance with General Con-
nor Che was born in Fairfield, Maine,
JAN 25, 1880 was not an acquain-
lance that dates from the Civil War.
Though l could not have been far
from him in the battle lines when he
received his severe wound at the
Wilderness, it was not until after
made Portland my home, and espec-
tally in connection with the meetings
of the Loyal Legion, that l came to
know him and to appreciate his great
personal worth Notwithstanding his
disabilities because Of his wound
there was in his appearance no sug-
gestion of physical weakness. OF
heroic size, strong and manly in his
bearing, he seemed almost to the last
the embodiment of sturdy qualities OF
mind and heart, all betokening his
fitness for added achievements in many
a worthy cause.
He was not wont to make mention
o. his army experiences. Something
OF the story of his life in the service
learned from one of the war papers
he read before the Maine Comman-
derry of the Loyal Legion. Gradual
ing at Tufts College, near Boston, in
1859. he returned to his home in Fair
field on the Kennebec, there to take
ur the pressing question as to his life
work. Already, during his college
career, he had become interested in
the political problems then attracting
attention throughout the country
Abraham Lincoln became the candi-
date of the Republican party in the
summer of 1860. At the September
election in Maine that year the young
graduate cast his first vote for Gov
ernor Washburn. vote that indi-
Gated where he stood with reference
to the national election that followed
in November. But, with the people
of the north generally, he had at that
time no marked apprehension Of ap-
preaching war; and not long after the
election Of Governor Washburn he
was induced by two of his college
friends to enter upon the study of law
ir Woodstock, VT. But with the OPP
ening Of 1851 the action Of the seced-
ing states, in the south stirred the
heart Of the young law student and
when in April tidings came Of the at
tack upon Fort Sumter in Charleston
harbor he was at once caught in the
great uprising of the north. In order
that he might respond to President
Lincoln's call for the defense of the
nation, he at once sought permission
from home to join the Woodstock
Light Infantry. His request was
promptly granted and so General Con-
nor first saw military service in a
Vermont regiment, the First Vermont.
He was then twenty-five years of
age and as stalwart in appearance as
we have known him in his later life.
At a company roll-call one evening
before the company left Woodstock.
ar onlooker was heard to remark
DO you mind that tall fellow on the
right? He is an Irishman. His name
is Conner. I heard the name called
plainly" That story. as told by Cen
eral Conner. has enlivened more
than one campfire or Loyal Legion
dinner since the war.
The three months service Of the
First Vermont, in the vicinity Of For
tress Monroe. was a period Of pre-
paration largely. and on the return of
the regiment Corporal Conner had
shown so we'll the stuff of which he
was made that he was offered a cap
tain's commission in a Vermont regi-
ment then forming. Learning how
ever, that a captains commission
awaited him in his native town, he re-
turned to Fairfield and accepted pro-
motion there. The company was as
signed to the Seventh Maine, the next
Maine regiment for war service.
When field officers were appointed for
this regiment, both Captain Conner
and Captain Hyde of the Bath COM
pany were made majors of the Seventh
by some misunderstanding. Governor
Washburn relieved the situation by
appointing Captain Conner Lieuten-
ant colonel and Captain Hyde, major
| In an address delivered at Gettys-
burg Oct. 8. 1889. in connection with
the dedication Of the Maine monu-
ments on that historic field General
I ~ IA %