Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-02-23
Capt. Silas Adams
Passes 83rd Birthday
Quietly at Home

Quietly at Home
Captain Silas Adams quietly
passed his S3rd birthday anniversary
yesterday at his home on Hardwood
avenue with few of his relatives
and friends. For years it has been
the custom OF the family to hold an
annual reunion on this date, but ow-
ing to the heavy SHOWS it was i'm
| possible for all to meet. This year
| he has been exceptionally well and
although he has had rheumatism,
he has been able to attend several
meetings of the w. s. Heath Post
this winter.
| Captain Adams was born in Bow
doinham. Feb. 22, 1871, the son of
John and Henrietta (Hatch) Adams.
At the age Of q he entered the SER
vice in the Civil War, being mus
tered in from Bath. August 10. 1852,
as a private in Company T., 18th
| Maine Regiment. December -, 1860,
= he received his discharge and was
=, promoted to the rank of captain.
With three years and five months of
active service in the army, he served
two years in the 18th Maine Regi-
ment and the remainder as first leu
L
Troops. For several months he
was assistant inspector general and
looked after 5000 men, making
monthly inspections OF their cloth
ing, bedding, camp conditions, guns,
and in fact everything that has to
do with a soldiers outfit, by no
means an irresponsible job for a
youth of % years.
! During his boyhood he attended
the public schools in his home town.
part of the year. and spent the re-
mainder helping his parents on their
i farm. He has had also experience
in shipbuilding. which leads up to
q little incident worthy of interest.
which occurred in the days of the
| Civil War just prior to the taking OF
Richmond by the Union forces 1t
had been the desire Of the COM
handing officers to build a large OBJ
' scrvatory near the place of their To-
cation five miles south of Richmond
on wooded hill near the Dutch
Gap. Through Il discussion it was
learned that Captain Adams had
worked in the shipyards and he was
requested to superintend the build
of the observatory. Although he did
not care to assume the responsibility
of such Il job, he accepted the orders
and with the aid of enough men.
materials and teams soon had the
required building which was 10 feet
high and overlooked the city of
Richmond five miles below. This
building when finished was visited
by many of the commanding officers
of the Union forces and served as an
important factor in the taking OF
Richmond. as a sharp observation
could be kept on the manoeuVefS OF
the Confederates.
/ CAPTAIN Adams has seen action In
10 battles and in all the time he
fought was only hit once. this being
n slight scratch on the back OF the
head which caused no injury. But
the Captain has done other things
besides being in battles. When on
the farm in his native town. he
taught 10 terms of school mostly in
winter. While there he had several
Experiences which called for the
strict discipline that is attained In
army service. One school of 48 large
boys, most of which would be of col
lege age in the present day, was un-
usually difficult for 4 teacher to
maintain order. When tho captain
took charge, he found conditions SO
bad that he decided that he would
have to use the strictest discipline
and although tho scholars expected
him to stay only two or three days
he showed them plainly that he was
there to stay and at the end OF thu
second day they found out the same
thing.
Speaking Of the change in the
school system of~today Mr.. Adams
remarked that although he might be-
long to the old school and carry a
few of tho old fashioned ideas. he
firmly believed that the present day
pupil should be taught little more
about work and should have it i'm
pressed upon him that 1t Is not a
disgrace to learn the carpenter
trade. the blacksmiths trade or the
science of agriculture.
81 believe that today any young
man of ability and ambition, could
succeed In farming" Mr.. Adams de-
clared.
He pointed ont that horses, cattle
and sheep could be raised in ;his
state to advantage and perhaps II
the farmers should start this nusi-
ness on a large scale, mucn could be
saved in the buying of horses, beec
wool and mutton here. without the
cost of shipping from Western fields
Captain Adams came to this city
I'm 1899. where lie had lived ever
since. He is well known in the pub
lie schools of Waterville. for having
been patriotic instructor for the
local post as well as the State De-
rartment of the Grand Army. He
has visited many of the schools here
and has given talks on the United
States flag. giving its history and
leaving a distinct memory in tho
mind of the boy or girl who hears
him. At his own home Mr.. Adams
has a Confederate flag OF the eth
Georgia Regiment which he captured
personally from n rebel on the
eventful day. April 3. 1865 when he
marched into Richmond at the head
OF his colored troops. H7 has the
distinction of being one of the first
to enter that city. when the Confed-
crates fled in terror.
His guests yesterday were his two
daughters. Mrs. George \. Priest OF
Brunswick. Mrs. Charles IT. Prizes;
of Portland. son-in-law With wnor1
he lives. Donald r. Applebee, Il
grandson, Franklin TarboX and a
great grand son, Richard Davis. bot'1
OF Brunswick. and n grandson, Roger
, Stinchfield of Colby College.