​During his time with the 27th Maine, Private Charles W. Gooch, of Company I, wrote over fifty letters to his wife Julia, back home in Kennebunk, Maine. The following is a letter he wrote to her on the 15th of March, 1863. I've transcribed it as written, with lack of punctuation and spelling errors included.
Note:clicking on images will enlarge them for better viewing/reading

NOTES:
(pg 1) Charles Gooch was a religious man, and this letter seems to show his disapproval for all the maneuvers taking place on a Sunday
(pg 2) "people of niniver" - likely a reference to Ninevah, from the Biblical Book of Jonah, whose residents had to fast and repent for their sins to avoid their city from being destroyed by God
        - the "worthey" (ie worthy, slang for someone important) John M. Goodwin from Maine was probably the Biddeford lawyer.
   - "agent for northern lights" - other than the steamship "Northern Light", and a company of Wisconsin soldiers, I did not find sources for what he meant by this phrase
(pg 4) "G Wakefield" is George W. of Kennebunk. While he was serving in the 27th ME, letters sent from home told of "suspissious storys" between his wife and a "Mr A.C.". They separated soon after his return in '63, and he filed for divorce in 1864 (while on furlough from the 2nd Maine Cav), approved in Jan of '65. ALSO in court at this time was Olive B Clark, who was divorcing Abner Clark (aka Mr A.C.) [SJC Vol 22 pg 108], who had deserted her the same day George's wife Emma left home. Many years later, this same Olive (Littlefield) Clark would marry, as his 2nd wife, Charles W Gooch, writer of this above letter (his wife Julia died in 1882).

In the June 4th, 1926 issue of the Biddeford Weekly Journal, a small article was written after Memorial Day, listing those Civil War soldiers from Biddeford and Saco currently living, that were members of the GAR posts from those cities. As there were several men from the 27th Maine included, I am sharing the article here.

Nathan W. Kendall, born Mar 30, 1845. Enlisted in Co. E, 12th Maine Reg Volunteers, Infantry, Oct 1861. First discharged Dec, 1863. Re-enlisted. Finally discharged Apr, 1866.
Peter Brackett, born Mar 4, 1838. Enlisted in Co. B, Apr 1861, in 5th Maine Volunteer Infantry. First discharged Feb, 1864. Re-enlisted. Finally discharged June, 1865.
Fred G. Scott, born Apr 12, 1850. Enlisted in Co. K, 32nd Maine Infantry, in Mar, 1864. Discharged Dec, 1865.
Charles H. Townsend, born Dec 9, 1846. Enlisted in Co. E, 12th Maine Reg Volunteer Infantry, in 1864. Discharged Apr, 1866.
Nahum Pillsbury, born Oct 1, 1843. Enlisted in Co. I, 17th Maine Reg, Volunteer Infantry. Discharged Oct, 1863.
Frank C. Staples, born May 2, 1849. Enlisted in Co. K, 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry in Sept., 1864. Discharged July, 1865.
George Tarbox, born May 9, 1844. Enlisted in 27th Maine Infantry in Sept., 1862. Re-enlisted in Co. H, 1st D.C. Cavalry. Discharged Aug., 1865.
James Wood, Dover, N.H., born Sept. 30, 1834. Enlisted Nov., 1861, in Co. B, 12th Maine Volunteer Infantry. Discharged Aug., 1866.
Levi G. Foss, born Aug. 2, 1847. Enlisted in Co. G, 31st Maine Volunteer Infantry, in Feb. 1864. Discharged July, 1865.
Daniel Knight, born Jan. 24, 1845. Enlisted in Co. I, 3rd Maine Infantry, in July, 1863. Discharged in November, 1865.
Alphonzo E. Libby, born Nov. 1, 1846. Enlisted in Company F, 25th Infantry Volunteer, Sept. 10, 1862. Discharged July 11, 1863.
Peter J. Farley, born Dec. 23, 1846. Enlisted Mar. 29, 1864, in Co. B, 1st New Hampshire Cavalry. Discharged July 15, 1865.
Joseph Wildes, born Feb. 14, 1844. Enlisted in 6th Maine Battery, Light Artillery, in Mar., 1862. Discharged Apr. 11, 1864.
Walter A. Gowen, born Apr. 17, 1846. Enlisted Co. F, 25th(sic - should be the 27th) Maine Volunteer Infantry, Sept., 1862. Discharged in July, 1863.
Simon S. Andrews, born Nov. 13, 1840. Enlisted Nov. 15, 1861, in Co. K, 13th Reg. Maine Volunteer Infantry. Discharged Aug., 1865.
Orlando Dow, born 1841. Enlisted in Brigade band of the First Division as musician in Oct., 1864. Discharged 1865.
Irving W. Mason, born Apr. 26, 1843. Enlisted in May,1861, in Co. B, 3rd Regiment, Vermont Volunteer Infantry. Re-enlisted in 1864 in Co. C, Massachusetts Infantry. Discharged in 1865.
Steve McDonald, born May 24, 1843. Enlisted Sept., 1861, in the 22nd Mass. Regiment, Co. I. Discharged the latter part of November, the same year.
King Hill, born Dec. 10, 1844. Enlisted Apr. 9, 1864, in Co. H, 32nd Maine Regiment. Discharged  July 15, 1865.
Ernest E. M. Vinton. Enlisted Jan. 18, 1865, in Co. H, 29th Regiment, Maine Volunteer Infantry. Discharged Jan. 17, 1866.
George A. Willett. Enlisted in U. S. Navy, Aug. 16, 1864. Discharged June 5, 1865.
John B. Stowe. Enlisted July 27, 1862, in the 9th Massachusetts Battery. Discharged July 10, 1865.
Richard L. K. Grant. Enlisted in 5th Battery, 1st Maine Regiment.
Uranius Stacy. Enlisted in Co. A, 27th Maine Regiment of Infantry. Re-enlisted in 39th Regiment.
Hiram Dolby. Enlisted Mar. 24, 1862, in Co. B, Engineer Battery. Discharged Mar. 24, 1865.
Moses E. Lowell. Enlisted Sept. 10, 1862 in 27th Maine Regiment of Infantry. Discharged July 17, 1863. Re-enlisted Sept. 13, 1864, in the 5th Battery of Maine Volunteers. Discharged July 6, 1865.
​Nicholas Emery Jeffries, born June 21, 1843. Enlisted Sept. 20, 1861, in Co. A, 10th Maine Regiment. Honorably discharged Oct. 22, 1863.
​
​Note: In 1926, the U.S. Grant Post #143, and the Sheridan Post #28, both located in Biddeford, were still active. The Fred Gurney Post of Saco (#36), in operation in 1919, seemed to be defunct by 1926.
​Link to 1926 article (on Google newspapers)

On June 3rd, 1927, the list of living GAR members were published again in the Biddeford Weekly Journal (linked here). This time, it was a full page article, AND included photos of the veterans. There were three additional men added to the end of the list:
Nathan Lane, Jr., born Nov 10, 1836. Enlisted in Company K, Ninth Maine Regular Volunteers, on Sept. 10, 1861. First discharged Dec. 12, 1863. Reenlisted in same company, December 12, 1863. Finally discharged Sept. 19, 1865.
Frank J. Leavitt, born March 22, 1843. Enlisted June 2, 1862, in Company F., 16th Maine Regiment. Discharged June, 1865.
Lewis Percy, born December, 1843. Enlisted February, 1864, in Company I, Second Maine Cavalry. Discharged December, 1865.

A necrology followed, listing four of the GAR members who had died since the '26 list was written. 
Peter Brackett, died April 4, 1927.
Simon S Andrews, died January 21, 1927.
George A Willett, died July 14, 1926.
James Wood, died in 1926.

On June 1st, 1928, the GAR list and soldiers' photos were again published in the Biddeford Weekly Journal (linked here). A necrology followed for those who died during the year: Fred G. Scott, Charles H. Townsend, Steve McDonald, and Peter Marcille (new to list, he had served in the 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery).

On May 31, 1929, the list and photos were accompanied with a list of Kennebunk and Kennebunkport veterans, with their photos (link here). Peter J Farley and George Tarbox had both died during the prior year. A new member of the local GAR, George E Herring of the 5th NH Infantry, had also died (on July 30, 1928).

Unfortunately, the available issues of the Biddeford Weekly Journal ended there on Google Newspapers. Walter A Gowen of the 27th Maine, dying in 1941, may have been the last member of the GAR for Biddeford and Saco.

While nearly 900 of the volunteers raised to fill the regiment that became the 27th Maine were residents of York County, only 676 (data from the descriptive rolls) were actually born there. 26 were foreign born, over half of those had come from neighboring Canada. Eight of the men in the unit were from Ireland and, with today being Saint Patrick's Day, I thought I'd write a bit about them.

PHILIP BANFIELD was from Cork, Ireland, immigrating here in 1852 or 1856. His residence was listed as Sanford, Maine when he enlisted in 1862. Following his service with the 27th ME, he re-enlisted with the 1st Massachusetts Cavalry and, after the war, also served in the 1st US Cavalry and the 4th US Infantry, leaving in 1871. He may have lived in New York for a short time, but was admitted into the National Soldiers Home system in 1881, transferring between their several branches. He was last at Togus, Maine by 1911, but died while in Boston, MA on 31 Oct 1912. Perhaps he was absent from the Soldiers Home at this time, as he wasn't buried back there, but instead at Tewksbury, MA. I have yet to find his grave location. All records (except for the death rec) show him as single.

JAMES BURNES (BURNS, BYRNES) was born in Ireland, circa 1844-1847. He was living in Biddeford, Maine when he enlisted but, the city having more volunteers than required of their quota, joined on behalf of Kennebunkport. The Veteran Schedule puts him at Boston, MA in 1890, and he filed for a pension from Mass the following year (it was never certified). Considering his address of "36 Northfield St" in 1890, the Boston street directories show a "James F Byrnes" at this location, a plasterer in 1880, and listed from 1882 to 1894 as a mason. A man of that name died in Boston at that same address, on 13 Nov 1893, aged 46 yrs, a plasterer. I believe this is the correct man. His burial place was not listed.

MICHAEL CARY (CAREY), born in County Galway in 1843, arrived in Boston, MA in 1855, and was living in Biddeford by the 1860 census. Following his time with the 27th Maine, he reenlisted with the 20th Maine, serving from 30 Aug 1864 to 15 June 1865. He was an inmate of the Togus Soldiers Home from 1879 to 1892, when he was discharged at his own request. He may be the Michael Carrey boarding in Augusta in 1900, and could be the Michael J Carey who died in Sidney on 23 July 1901, aged 54, as it says (in error) that he was born in Biddeford, the son of John. The WPA Maine Veterans Cemetery Records says he was the one who died in 1920 and was buried in Portland, but I believe that to be in error.  

PATRICK CRANN (CRAM, CRAMM) was from County Roscommon, Ireland, born in 1829. He arrived in New York City on 15 June 1846, moved soon after to Biddeford, Maine, and became naturalized in 1858. His wife was Catherine Connelly, who he married ca 1858. After his service, he moved with his wife and several children to Fall River, MA, where he worked in a cotton mill. He may have separated from his wife, or went elsewhere for work, as he is not seen with his family in Fall River after the 1870 census (wife Catherine was listed in street directories there until her death in Apr 1889). Patrick filed for a pension in Sept of 1889, from New York state, and is seen in Waterford, NY in the 1892 NY State census and the 1900 census. He died 11 Nov 1906 and is buried in the Waterford Rural Cemetery, with a veteran stone (Find a Grave).

JAMES KERWIN (KIRWAN) was born ca Sept 1845, immigrating here in 1862 (according to the 1900 census). He seemed to only live in Biddeford, ME a short time, as he moved to Lawrence, MA following his return from his 27th Maine service. He reenlisted with the 2nd Mass Heavy Artillery in Nov '63, but deserted a month later while in Providence. He may have just remained in state, as he was living in Lincoln, RI by 1880. He later lived in Central Falls and Pawtucket, the latter place where he died on 15 Sept 1911. He was buried in Mt St Mary Cemetery in Pawtucket. His wife was Bridget Maloney, who he married ca 1867 (33 yrs in 1900). They had nine children.   

JOHN MEALY (MALEY, MALIA), though the 27th Maine Descriptive Rolls list him as being born "at sea", was probably born in Ireland, as all other records state. The 1900 census lists his immigration as 1853, and he was in Portland, Maine by 1860. He enlisted from there for the quota of Eliot, Maine and, after returning from his nine-month service, would reenlist with the 32nd Maine Infantry in Feb 1864. He was wounded that summer at Petersburg, VA, but was not discharged until March of 1865. 
Census records seem to show that he had a first wife Hannah and several children (the 1910 census does say he was married twice) while in Portland, but he was in Lewiston by 1880 with a wife Bridget (Pendergrast), whom he married ca 1870 and had four children with. They returned to Portland by 1890, and he was living there when he died on 7 Sept 1910. He is buried in Calvary Cemetery, South Portland.

THOMAS STEADFAST was born in Bandon, County Cork, Ireland ca 1836, and arrived at New York in April 1843. He was living in Biddeford, ME when he became a citizen of the US in 1858. He moved to Portland by 1862, and was working there as a barber when he enlisted on 14 Oct as a substitute for a Limington, Maine "volunteer". After the war, he moved with his wife Eliza Ann (who was previously married and had a daughter Harriet) and son Thomas to Boston, MA. He died there from heart disease on 25 July 1882, aged 45 yrs. His death was also recorded in Portland, where it said he was buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Deering. Records of that cemetery do not list him (or any other Steadfast).