the women during the war. This point did not hold him long. He then proceeded to say that the war was over and that its animosities should die out. The North was victorious and the South was truly penitent. He had no words for Jeff. Davis. He fought more with words than weapons; but he hoped the time would come when the Union soldier would respect the character and devotion of Robert E. Lee. This was too much. Hundreds shouted, "no politics;""down ;” “no rebel talk here." Gen. Roberts attempted to continue but the wildest confusion prevailed. Shouts, hisses and insulting cries made a very bedlam of the large tent. When Gen. Roberts attempted to speak he was greeted with the same angry, excited voices. This interesting episode continued for some time. Judge Shepley at length got a place on a table and shouted: "Gen. Roberts was a brave soldier, give him a hearing and we will reply." "He resigned at the first of the war," shouted an intense fellow with robust physique and strong lungs, because he wasn't in favor of the

war."

Gen. Roberts faced the crowd and said that he never was frightened. Col. Burbank sprang to the table and said, "hear him, we'll reply.” Comparative quiet was restored at length, and Gen. Roberts closed by giving a sentiment to the nation's dead and expressing the hope against hope that the scars of the war would be hid from view as are the graves of our patriot dead by the verdure of God.

No sooner than Gen. Roberts had sat down Judge Shepley sprang to the platform and claimed the right to reply. He saw the last steamer which brought Union soldiers from rebel prisons. He had helped to carry those emaciated and starved men from that boat. The next day he marched into Richmond. He entered the residence of Jeff. Davis, whom he had known when he (Davis) was a loyal man. He also entered the residence of Geh. R. E. Lee. Both of those residences overlooked the prison grounds from which these starved and abused men he had seen on that boat had been taken. Just above there was an excellent camp ground where men would have had good air and dry camping ground. Jeff Davis not only knew this, but Robert E. Lee knew it. He had then and there sworn that he would denounce those men as the murderers of Union soldiers. That duty was never more clear than when he heard Gen. Roberts claim from Union soldiers their respect for Robert E. Lee.

Judge Shepley stepped down, and then followed the most intense cheering of the evening. Men jumped and shouted as if life depended upon it, and the performance was repeated again and again.

The applause had hardly ceased when Col. H. H. Burbank sprang upon the table. His name was not in the programme, but he must speak. He had been nine months in a rebel prison. He knew its horrors. R. E. Lee knew its horrors; and knowing that he knew it, he would not sit and hear him applauded in an assemblage of Union soldiers. Talk of the flag being a sentiment. To him it was a reality when it first greeted his view after nine months in a rebel hell. Gen. Sherman, the noblest Roman of

them all, whose name had not been spoken to-night, while a rebel general had been eulogized, opened the prison doors, and his big heart and strong. hand were given to the starving prisoner. God bless him. Give him three cheers. These were given with a will.

There was fun all

The speaking was kept up until long after midnight, and was interspersed with singing, smoking, &c. Even then the comrades did not all seem to have had enough. Then to sleep. Some had made up their beds in the tents long before, some did now; some did not at all. Not all who made up their beds went right to sleep-oh, no! night long. There were old army tricks to play over again, there were stories to tell, there were jokes to crack, and many, very many, did not sleep at all, nor seemed to feel aggrieved about it. Some told stories and listened to stories all night long. Everybody seemed to be there for a jolly good time, and they had it. Still there was no unseemly noise, no rowdyism, no brawling,-nothing of that sort, but real, jolly fun. There was the return of an old sensation as the comrades rushed to the barn for hay to make up their beds, and old sensations kept returning until daybreak, which came all too soon.

Daylight brought new enjoyment. Even the washing in the open air served to bring up matters long since forgotten; and, in short, the whole 'stay on the Island was one grand revival of old memories. Breakfast came in good time, and then came the steamers from Portland bringing accessions to the ranks, until it was estimated there were not less than two thousand veterans present. During the forenoon the business meetings of the several associations were held, and in some cases where organizations had not previously existed they were formed.

8

Fifth Annual Reunion First Maine Cavalry.

BUSINESS MEETING.

At the Business Meeting the following officers were elected for the ensuing year:

President-MAJOR PAUL CHADBOURNE, Saco.

Vice President-SERGEANT A. R. DEVEREAUX, Ellsworth.

Secretary-SERGEANT L. B. HILL, Augusta.
Treasurer-SERGEANT W. B. SMITH, Portland.

In the afternoon was a dress parade, of which the Portland Press thus spoke :

"The event of the day was the dress parade, which took place at about 3 o'clock. No field on the beautiful island was of sufficient area to permit the formation of the parade in a continuous line, so the line was made to occupy three sides of a square. The veterans got into position in a manner which showed that they would fall into the old trick of soldiering in a marvelously brief period-so brief that any nation counting upon the United States as having no army would be fearfully mistaken. A large number of the veterans who had to return on the afternoon trains had left on the one o'clock boat and many did not take a place in the ranks. Nevertheless by actual count there were 1375 men in line “present for duty." Gen. Chamberlain, the commander of the camp, conducted the parade. The four bands of music united in "beating off," performing a medley. There may be again, but there never was before, so notable a parade in Maine. Men in these ranks represented every arm of the service and nearly every battle-field of the war. Ex-Gov. Washburn, as Maine's first war Executive, did the Frst Maine Heavy Artillery the honor of accepting a place in its ranks."

Next came what was promised as a chief feature of the occasion, viz., a "mammoth clam bake." Then came the sail back to. the city, where the comrades separated, and the grand reunion of the veteran soldiers of Maine for 1876 was over. There had been lots of fun and excitement, and hurrah boys, and the comrades of this regiment had enjoyed it; but it was not so satisfactory and did not make so lasting an impression upon them as had some of their own reunions.

THE SIXTH ANNUAL REUNION

Was held at Old Orchard Beach, Wednesday, August 8th, 1877. The headquarters of the regiment were at the Ocean House, and here the comrades began to assemble early in the day, while each arriving train. added to the number. They received a cordial welcome from the President of the Association, Major CHADBOURNE ; and the time until the business meeting was passed most pleasantly in the manner common to reunions and so dear to the hearts of the comrades, varied according to the surroundings. A walk along the beach watching the bathers, (which brought to mind one night on the Pamunky, when the whole brigade went in swimming,) a plunge into the water by some of the comrades, a stroll around the place, a game of croquet, (in one of which the veteran Fred Douglas was prominent,) &c., added variety to the pleasures of meeting kind friends, old comrades, once

more.

BUSINESS MEETING.

At half-past one o'clock the Association was called to order for the transaction of business, the President, Major PAUL CHADBOURNE of Saco, in the chair.

It was voted to hold the next reunion in Augusta, the time to be fixed by the local committee.

The following officers were elected for the ensuing year :
President-MAJOR JOHN D. MYRICK, Augusta.
Vice President-SERGEANT HENRY LITTLE, Auburn.
Corresponding Secretary-LIEUT. O. S. HASKELL,

Pittsfield.

Recording Secretary-LIEUT. JOHN R. ANDREWS, Saco. Treasurer-SERGEANT WINSOR B. SMITH, Portland.

The usual reports of the Secretary and Treasurer were read and acted on.

Sergeant W. B. Smith, Major S. W. Thaxter and comrade J. T. Darling, were appointed to procure a suitable case for the preservation of the regimental colors, and place them in charge of Bosworth Post, G. A. R., Portland.

THE BANQUET

Was served in the Ocean House, the dining-room of which, handsomely decorated, was given up to the Association. Major CHADBOURNE, the President, called the comrades to order, and after all were comfortably seated, called on Rev. J. B. LUCE to invoke the divine blessing. President Chadbourne then read General Order No. 1, as follows:

HEADQUARTERS FIRST MAINE CAVALRY ASSOCIATION,
Old Orchard Beach, August 9, 1877.

GENERAL ORDER No. 1.

Charge the works before you!

By order of the Commander-in-Chief.

}

And the men obeyed promptly and charged satisfactorily. The dinner was excellent and well served. The waiters were pretty, patient, kind, obliging and efficient. After full justice had, been done the spread, the comrades were ready for the post prandial feast.

The first speech was by Adjutant General CILLEY, who said:

More than a year ago I obtained an appropriation from the State to enable me to collect material to have all the incidents of army and regimental life brought to the Capitol and deposited there. I have commenced that labor and have a good amount of material from other regiments, and I know there is much more in this regiment, which had so many more battles than any other, for a regiment which had so much to do ought to have much material. There is a large amount brought out every time we come together. I have heard incidents to-day that should be preserved. If you could save these matters it would be well, but it would be well to have it in the history. What I want is each man's own words, his own impressions written by himself, just as he saw them at the time. I ask you to send your diaries to me and I will have them recorded; draw your pen through those parts which pertain to yourselves alone, if you please, but I want the things that pertain to the regiment. I call this to your attention, hoping that you will comply and will so act as commends itself to your judgment.