Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-08-25
Much To Be Done
Perfecting Project
Petersburg Park

Al the beginning of the Civil War.
Maine had a population of about
$4,000. and during the war It fur
nished 3S regiments. batteries and
% companies, which was doing its
share certainly.
A sad and gruesome record was
attained by the First Union HEAVY
Artillery, with the distinction of
suffering the heaviest loss of any
regiment in the entire struggle. This
regiment was organized in Bangor
and was mustered in August l,
1852, leaving the state for Washing
ton. on August "a. Its quota was
1890 men. After serving in the de-
fences around Washington. they were
sent to Belle Plains. Virginia. Nav
10, 1854, s part of Tyler's Heavy
Artillery Division, and on the 1911
they fought at Harris Farm on the
Fredericksburg Road and met with
terrible slaughter.
Nothing daunted by this loss. the
brave remnant entered their next
fight at Petersburg, Va, and were
almost eXterminated but the remain
ing few continued to fight it out on
that line with Grant until Peters,
burg fell April 2, 1865, returning later
to Washington for the Grand Re-
view.
The scene of the great struggle at
Petersburg is marked by a Maine
Monument, and through the efforts
of few loyal and interested people
like Mr.. Philip Dunbar, formerly of
Portland, Maine. and Capt. Bishop,
of Petersburg, Va, an act was pass
cd by the last Congress and signed
by the President July 3. last. auth
orizing the acquisition of about one
hundred and eighty-five acres to be
made National Military Park for
the purpose of preserving for all
time. the breastworks, earthworks,
walls, and other defences of shelters
connected with the campaign and
siege of Petersburg Virginia, In 1864
and 1865.
To consummate this project, there
is still much to be done, and that
must be done by separate effort and
organization, in acquiring the land
from its present owners. and Maine
which was proportionately the larg-
est loser, should make the greatest
effort to complete what Congress- and
the president has sanctioned. and
should aid In insuring the battlefield
being made hallowed ground.
Through the efforts and perserver-
ance OF Mr.. Dunbar, also. he has
caused to be recovered and sent to
the Maine State Building at Poland
Spring. number of relics found in
the immediate vicinity Of the strug-
gle made by this heroic regiment,
such as a number of bullets and a
guns. and found on the Union side.
and bullets and piece of shell from
the Union guns, found on the Con-
federate side. There is a gun bar
rel. bent like bow, the explanation
/ being that when muskets were to be
| thrown away. they bent them so
they would be useless to the enemy.
An interesting thing is revolver
that was found on the battlefield be-
yond the crater and said to have be-
longed to an of1Aer. Another article
is a piece of wood about two feet
long by ten inches wide. board
taken from the Confederate tunnels,
where it had reposed ever since
1865. The Confederate tunnels were
supported with pine while the
Federal tunnels were supported
with oak. Mr.. Dunbar also has in
Guided in his gift to the Maine State
Building large photograph of the
court House at Petersburg. showing
the remarkable exhibition of the
confederate Flag flying at half mast
IN honor of Maine soldier, a men,
Der OF the 31st Me. Rgt.. whose name
was James Anderson. but falling 70
obtain his parents consent to ioin
the army, he had enlisted under the
name Of James Lawrence.
All these articles will ada "a fhe
interest and Appropriateness Of the