Oxford Democrat., 1921-03-08
olIbert M. Whitman.

At his home In Seattle, Washington,
on the afternoon Of February I'd, 1921,
Gilbert N. L. Whitman, member Of
the 10th Maine Regiment of Volunteer
Infantry answered the last great call.
He was the fourth Of the five sons of
Zephanish B. Whitman and Eliza Chase
Whitman, and was born among the hills
of Old Oxford In the town of Woodstock
April 2Sth, 1874, and had nearly reached
the age Of u years.
1t might be said he was also the fourth
son of Mr.. and Mrs. Whitman to enlist
in the civil war. The elder, Gilman A.,
served an enlistment in the 23d Maine,
the second, Napoleon B., In the 2Sth
Wisconsin, the third, Alanson NJ, In the
9th Maine, and met his death In Ander-
sonville by starvation, and the fourth
the subject of this sketch.
Although but boy at the outbreak Of
tho war between North and the South,
he at once offered himself % Q volunteer
and was rejected because Of his youth,
and also the further fact that he was
small Of bis age. Disappointed but not
discouraged, In 1852 he again offered
himself for service and to bis Joy was
accepted and assigned to Company D of
the 18th Regiment Of Maine Volunteer
Infantry.
Soon after reaching the front he came
down with the measles and while recov.
ering from them, but while still under
tho surgeons care, his regiment was
called into action. Disregarding the
direction of the surgeon to remain In
quarters he left bis cot, secured bis gun
and Joined bis company In action. After
that he saw much service with his regi.
ment.
Few to-day have any idea of the his.
tory of the old 10th Maine of what she
was asked to do and to suffer. During
those last days Of June, 1858, the 10th
found herself some miles from Gettys.
burg but by forced marches she reached
that now famous field, and was at once
wheeled into position and told to hold
he line, and that certain other troops
would support her. Reduced by the
severe service which she had already
passed through she numbered only be-
tween 900 and 700 men when she wheel
ed into position.
Soon the Confederate fire was sweep.
ing across her front. No support came. |
The Confederate fire and attack turned
their right flank and they were under |
FIRE from two sides. The Confederate |
attack swept around TO their rear and
hey we're under fire from three sides. |
No support, no reenforcements, only
disaster and snnihilation.
Crushed, scattered and overwhelmed,
but they had paid tho price. The his
torian speaks calmly of the defeat Of |
that Let Of July, 1858, and talks about
Meade, Hancock, Lee and Longstreet,
but what OF the men in the ranks. Oh,
we'll, they say that in the battle of Get
tysburg our losses were covered by 3,592 |
killed, wounded 14,497, and missing
s 5,434, making q total Of 2S,623 men.
What Of tho old 10th Maine which went
into that action between 600 and 700
strong. Two days after she wheeled
into position and after she had been
swept from Cemetery Hill they called
the roll and there were found only 68 to
answer Here" Ah! it ID not strange
that 30 few remember her history.
Gilbert n. L. Whitman had passed
through oil Of tho service up to July let,
1858, without scratch and ont OF the
"Hell of Gettysburg" he came nm
So II continued through oil OF
bis service and JunS 9th, 1896, he was
Greater love for bis coun-
try hath no man.
After bis discharge he returned to
Woodstock, Maine, for afew months
and then turning bis face westward set
tied In the State OF Minnesota, where he
was married to Mary A. Dudley Of Paris,
Maine. OF that marriage he leaves
and son surviving him, Mrs.
[mogene Shelly and Jay whitman. He
was divorced from his first wife In 1877,
Ind on March Goth, 1889, ct Fremont,
Nebraska, married Alice G.. Thomas,
Who survives him. By this last mar.
'isge he leaves four sons and daughter,
albert n. whitman, Jr., Chas. D. Whit.
nan, Alma Whitman, Martin 3. Whit
nan and Mrs. Francis n. Patterson, al
# Seattle, Washington.
Since leaving the army he lived In
iinnesota, In Alberta, Canada, and the
ast ton years In the State Of Washing
on.
He will march no moro. Taps have Z
cunded and the lights are ont. The
entfnel IL calling "All 10 WE'LL" but !
ONE hearts are sad because he sleeps
be sleep they can not break.
'ut tn nmemory's m voics sssin Of thee shall speak.
rom ont that B0undloss Deep,
There thou art camped.
ruei true 10 dutyS CALI
rue Vhere'ef nfe'e duty chanced 70 be, n
bus spsaks the voice Of memory 70 the hsAsn
pssks. ny oonrads, spsais Of tAss. ~
4 .