Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-01-31
Military Affairs

In a voice filled with emotion, Ma :
jor Henry S. Burrage Of Portland. rep
resenting the military order Of the
LOYAL Legion of the United States. De-
partment of Maine, made plea before
the committee on military affairs this
afternoon for the erection of an equcd-
trian statute of Major General Oliver
0. Howard and standing statue Of
Brevet Major General Joshua l.. Cham
berlain at Gettysburg, speaking on a
resolve which calls for $4,000 to de-
fray the expenses Of the erection of
these two monuments by the State Of
Maine.
Senator Butler OF Knox presided at
the hearing in the Senate chamber, and
there was a large delegation represent
ing the Grand Army and other pa
triotic organizations present.
Harry Il. Virgin Of Portland said
that a new draft of the resolves had
been prepared in which the commits
sion would locate the statue of Gen
eral Howard and which provided for
the selection of the site Of General
Chamberlain'S statue.
Major Burrage, who said he repre-
scented the remnant of that rear guard
of the Grand Army of the Republic,
who had appeared before the Legisla-
ture six years ago and asked that a
commission be appointed to consider
the ACCESSIBILITY of the erection of these
monuments The commission met and
General Chamberlain went with them
to Gettysburg and selected the spot
between the two Round Tops, where
his monument should be erected. Major
Burrage then read a long list of names
of major generals who had gone out
from Maine and of whom only Major
General Cilley of Rockland was left.
He said this was not the first time
Maine had been asked to erect memo
rails to their honored dead, but only
one had been erected, and that was OF
an old sailor at Camden. He then de-
tailed in a descriptive story the part
that the Maine regiments had played
at the battle of Gettysburg. and said
Maine was the only state that had not
yet erected Il statue of it's two gen.
erals who were in that battle.
In picturesque language he fought again
the battle of Gettysburg, and then told
of that great review Of the Grand ArmE
at Washington at the close of the CIVIL
war. I'VE stand here today" he said
"the last remnant of that Grand Army
and ask that the State Of Maine erect
to the memory OF those two great gen
erals these statues. You have here an
unique opportunity Of seeing an officer
of a Massachusetts regiment making a
plea for Maine officers"
He then told the purposes of such me-
MORALS, which he said was to keep alive
the spirit Of patriotism, Ind read Letters
from prominent men from all parts vi
Maine who endorsed the movement 81
know nothing, so far as preparedness Is
concerned, that will do more to keep
alive in the hearts of our young men the
spirit Of patriotism and devotion than
these memorials. My state would give
thousands and thousands OF dollars II
she had the opportunity to erect monu-
ments to such men,"
Mr.. Virgin then spoke upon the prob
able expense Of the designs, which were
TO be Of bronze, one a standing heroic
size bronze statue of General Chamber
lain. and the other a bronze equestrian
statue of General Howard. Virtually
the cost would be $4,000 He said this
could not all be appropriated at once,
and that was why he had asked for $lo.Ool
year for 1917. 1918, 1918. 1920 and 1872. He
believed that proper recognition should
be made by the State SO that all might
see what illustrious sons Maine had sent
to the Civil war and the prominent part
they had taken in 1t, that Maine should
not omit to do what other states have al
ready done. He asked Senator Butler of
Knox to read a letter from the COM
nander OF the Grand Army Of Maine.
representing 1900 old soldiers. which en-
(consinusd On Pass f2, Column y