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OF all her sister States Maine oc-cupies, geographically, the mostexposed position as regards dan-ger from attack by any other

power. A glance at the map shows theState in shape as not unlike the im-mense head of some gigantic bodythrust far out and unprotected, into aforeign land. On account of its loca-tion as the most northeasterly of theUnited States, embracing some 33,000square miles of territory, and beingnea r l y a s l a rge a s a l l o f the o the rNew England States combined, Maine,in a military sense, is the outpost of allthe States of the Union. On the northand east and northwest some six hun-dred miles of her border offer an easycrossing for the troops of England andEngland’s allies, while about two hun-dred and thirty miles (in a direct line)of her coast present a fair objective forthe operation of the navies of the world.With the most magnificent harbors onthis continent, in one of which (Port-land) the largest ships now built canride at the docks, with her navigablerivers, her fine roads, and having atPortland the terminal of that great ar-tery of communication with Canada,—the Grand Trunk Railroad,—affordingto England direct communication withher colony at all seasons of the year,and with the Canadian Pacific Railroadtraversing the State from east to west,giving equally good connection withCanada from either Saint Andrew’s orSaint John’s, strategically Maine be-comes of the greatest importance, andits possession would be eagerly foughtfor, hotly contested, and of inestimable

value, especially to England, in theevent of war.

Her exposed frontier made her soilthe scene of man bloody battles inthe early days, and her history is richwith the stories of Indian wars andbattles between the French and English.Wherever the fight has raged the sonsof Maine have always been found con-spicuous for their bravery, and whetherrequired for service at home or outsideher borders, they have freely respondedand offered themselves “as a sacrifice ifneed be to the glorious cause of liberty.”

At the time of the transfer to Maineof the statute law and government ofMassachusetts (1640-70), the first ac-count of a military organization in theState is noticed. At that period the mi-litia was a most important part of thegovernment, as upon its efficiency de-pended the safety of the people and theexistence of law and order. “All able-bodied freemen and others who havetaken the oath of residents” belongedto the train-bands. Those in a townformed a company, and if they num-bered sixty-four they were entitled to acaptain, subalterns and non-commis-sioned officers, otherwise they wereexercised by sergeants, or perhaps, bya subaltern. Until 1658 the captains,lieutenants and ensigns, were electedby the freemen at town meetings, andafterward re-elected by their respectivecompanies, and in both cases the choicewas presented to the County Court,which either confirmed it, or rejected itand ordered another elect ion. Thesoldiery of each county formed a regi-ment which was commanded by a

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sergeant-major chosen by the freemen ofthe same county in town meeting. Eachregiment was mustered once in threeyears. All of the militia in the colonywas commanded by a major-generalwho was, like the Governor, elected bythe freemen at large. Ensigns and allsuperior officers were, at a subsequentperiod, commissioned by the GeneralCourt.

The militia was required to “train”by companies six times in a year, and soscarce were firearms in those days thatonly two-thirds of the soldiers were re-quired to have muskets and bandoliers(a broad leather belt, formerly worn bysoldiers over the right shoulder andunder the left arm to support the musketand twelve cases of cartridges, but lateras a cartridge belt); the remainder mightserve with pikes provided they hadcorselets and head-pieces.

Up to 1656, Massachusetts had reliedupon arguments and persuasions to en-force obedience to her decrees in Maine,but finding affairs far from satisfactoryas regards discipline, she deemed itnecessary to assert her authority. Evenat that early date the militia was re-garded, as it is to-day, as being our safe-

The General Court of Massachusetts,guard in peace and our bulwark in war.

therefore, caused military companies tobe formed and established in Kittery,York, Wales and Cape Porpoise, organ-ized them into a regiment and appointedNicholas Shapleigh sergeant-major andcommandant. He was also required tohold schools of instruction for the com-pany officers with a view to their im-

held responsible that the soldiers wereprovement in military tactics, and was

well armed, equipped and disciplined.The Indians at this time were giving

much trouble to the settlers, and soit became more than ever necessaryto place the militia in efficient con-dition.

In 1668 the militia of Yorkshire wasformed into six train-bands, and unitedinto a regiment under the followingnamed officers: at Saco, Brevet MajorBryan Pendleton commanded the regi-ment and the troops at Black Point; atKittery, Captain Charles Frost, Lieu-tenant Roger Plaisted and Ensign JohnGattery; at York, Lieutenant Job Al-cock and Ensign Arthur Bragdon; atWells, Lieutenant John Littlefield andEnsign Francis Littlefield, Jr.; at Scar-

borough, Lieutenant Andrew Algier;and at Falmouth, Lieutenant GeorgeIngersoll.

At an organization of the militia in1674, at the time of forming the newcounty called Devonshire, the GeneralCourt formed five train-bands, one eachat Sagadahock, Pemaquid, Damariscove,Cape Newagon and Monhegan; thetwo latter were placed under commandof non-commissioned officers—the com-pany at Sagadahock was placed undercommand of Captain Patteshall, and theone at Pemaquid under charge of Cap-tain Gardener, who was also to havethe command of and be responsible forthe condition of all the militia forces inthat part of the country.

The official report of the strength ofthe militia in Yorkshire and Devonshirecounties at the time of the breaking outof what is known as King Philip’s Warin 1675, and the location of the troopswas as follows:

At Kittery, 100 men; York, 80 men;Wells and Cape Porpoise, 80 men; Sacoand Winter Harbor, 100 men; BlackPoint, 100 men; Casco Bay and Fal-mouth, 80 men; Sagadahock and West-wood, 80 men; and at Devonshire about300 men—a total of 920 men.

Passing on to the year 1744 we findthat the militia strength had been in-creased to 2,855 “able-bodied or fenci-ble men,” who were organized into tworegiments, one commanded by ColonelWilliam Pepperell, of Kittery, and theother by Colonel Samuel Waldo, of Fal-mouth. The necessity for such a forcewas that the war of this year betweenEngland and France had extended totheir respective colonies in this countryand caused another Indian war. Tofurnish a sufficient strength for the mil-itia some five hundred men had beendrafted and assigned to the two regi-ments. The service rendered by thedrafted men evidently not being at allsatisfactory, it was decided to dischargethem and form a scouting arty of ahundred men from Colonel Pepperell’sregiment for immediate and constantservice, the balance of the troops to beheld in readiness for service when calledupon. The scouts were formed intoeight guards, each under the commandof a sergeant and stationed at convenientdistances from each other between Ber-wick and St. George, from which pointsthey were to patrol to the next station.

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Two officers with the pay of captain had dations and encroachments by thecharge of this line of pickets. French.

Up to the time of the breaking out of During the winter session of the Mas-

1. Colonel Wm. S. Folger, Judge-Advocate-General. 2. Lieutenant Mark L. Hersey, 12 th U. S. Infantry.3. Major Albert G. Rollins, Military Secretary Governor's Staff. 4. Governor Henry B. Cleaves,

Commander-in-Chief. 5. Lieutenant-Colonel Charles H. Prescott, Aid-de-Camp Governor'sStaff. 6. Lieutenant-Colonel W. W. Whitmarsh, Aid-de-Camp, Governor's Staff.

7. Adjutant-General Selden Connor.

the War of the Revolution these troops sachusetts Legislature in 1775-76, thefound ample employment in protect- militia was reorganized and the Generaling the sett lers from Indian depre- Court formed Massachusetts proper into

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three divisions and Maine into one. Abrigadier-general was appointed to thecommand of the militia in each county,and those for the three counties inMaine were General John Frost, of Kit-tery, General Samuel Thompson, ofBrunswick, and General Charles Cush-ing, of Pownolborough. A brigade wasto consist of two regiments, and in eachregiment the field officers were to be acolonel, lieutenant-colonel and two ma-jors, called then first and second. Thecomplement of a militia company wassixty-eight enl isted men. All able-bodied men between sixteen and sixtyyears of age were enrolled, and with theexception of Quakers, ministers, coloredmen and Indians, were compelled to domi l i t a r y du ty . In c a s e a man wasdrafted for military service and refusedto serve; he was fined twelve pounds,and if the fine was not paid he wascommitted to prison.

The British sovereign was no longerrecognized as the ruler of the people inthis country, and at this time—1775-76—the first commissions “in the name ofthe government and People of Massa-chusetts Bay in New England” wereissued to militia officers.

Maine was prominently and gallantlyrepresented in the War of the Revolution,and the first company to report for dutywas organized in York. Its ranks showedsixty of those hardy, patriotic men whowith others of their kind were to hum-ble the pride of England and proclaimthe birth and the independence of a new

nation. Fully equipped with arms, am-munition, and as history relates, “withknapsacks full of provisions” (our fore-fathers of the Revolution were neveroverburdened with clothing it will beremembered), under command of John-son Moulton, this devoted little band,consecrated to the cause of liberty, setforth in April, 1775, on its march to therendezvous—Boston. Falmouth alsosent a company. The first full regi-ment from Maine was commanded byColonel James Scammon, of Biddeford,and Johnson Moulton, just referred to,was the lieutenant-colonel.

So many men having been enlistedand sent to the scene of active opera-tions in the vicinity of New York madeit the more necessary that increased vig-ilance should be exercised by the smallnumber of defenders left at home, andevery effort made to afford proper pro-tection. At Falmouth a small force ofmilitia was stationed and supplied withsix cannon and a suitable quantity ofmilitary stores. One-fourth of all themale inhabitants over sixteen years ofage, except those to the eastward ofCamden, were either enlisted or drafted,organized into companies and “providedwith a good gun and bayonet, or in lieuof a bayonet with a tomahawk, cutting-sword or hatchet.” They were requiredto hold themselves in readiness to marchat a moment’s notice, and if needed, toserve for three months in the Conti-nental Army under officers appointedby the General Court.

lt.-col. i. k. stetson. col. e. p. farrington genl. w. s. choate.