The three thousand volunteer recruits who marched into Camp Abraham Lincoln in September of 1862, the future men of the 27th, 25th, and 23rd Maine Infantry Regiments, came from all walks of life, from farmers and fishermen, to peddlers and lawyers. Among them were many students, some recently graduated and those currently enrolled in secondary schooling. There were a dozen from the 27th Maine who listed themselves as students on their enlistment papers.
In the following article, printed in the Lewiston Journal on Oct 15th 1862, it was written that many former and current students of the Maine State Seminary [in Lewiston, Maine; later became Bates College] had gathered within the camp on the 11th, to form the "Maine State Seminary Camp Club". Here, they planned to occasionally gather and have discussions, "declamations and other exercises". They also agreed to have their proceedings published in the Lewiston Journal. I found this interesting, as the three regiments were already mustered in, and plans were being made for them to be shipped out shortly. Indeed, they were all marching to Washington, DC within a week of this being printed. As many soldiers were on furlough home finalizing their plans while they were to be away, perhaps the students decided to pass these last days in camp together, and joined in the educational activities they had put on hold while serving their country.
I did not find any other mention of the Club in later issues of the Lewiston Journal.
In the following article, printed in the Lewiston Journal on Oct 15th 1862, it was written that many former and current students of the Maine State Seminary [in Lewiston, Maine; later became Bates College] had gathered within the camp on the 11th, to form the "Maine State Seminary Camp Club". Here, they planned to occasionally gather and have discussions, "declamations and other exercises". They also agreed to have their proceedings published in the Lewiston Journal. I found this interesting, as the three regiments were already mustered in, and plans were being made for them to be shipped out shortly. Indeed, they were all marching to Washington, DC within a week of this being printed. As many soldiers were on furlough home finalizing their plans while they were to be away, perhaps the students decided to pass these last days in camp together, and joined in the educational activities they had put on hold while serving their country.
I did not find any other mention of the Club in later issues of the Lewiston Journal.
At the end of the article was written a P.S.: "There are at Camp Lincoln about thirty students who have at some time attended school at the Seminary". From their catalogues, and from using Civil War records, I found most of those 30 who were likely part of this "Camp Club". My interest being in those of the 27th Maine, I believe the five names below is a complete list.
From the 27th Maine:
James Allen Bedell of South Berwick, Cpl [attended classes in '57; later non-grad Class of 1866, Bowdoin College]. Died on 20 Dec 1862 while in service.
Josiah Chase Jr of York, pvt, Co E [Class of 1870]
Pliny Fisk Drew, pvt, Co A [non-grad of Bowdoin College, Class of '66]. Died 19 Jan 1863 while in service.
Frederick Hayes of Berwick, 2nd Lt; formerly a Sgt, 5th Maine
Joseph Frank Warren of Hollis, 2nd Lt/1st Lt, and Capt [Class of '62]
From the 23rd Maine:
Henry M. Bearce, 1st Lieut, Co D; later in 32nd ME [Class of 1859]
John Edward Cutter, Pvt, Co E [on '63 Seminary Advocate list with Winfield below; I found them in the Maine Wesleyan Sem. student list, but not the State Sem catalogues]
Winfield B Cutter, Cpl, Co E
Joseph Hewett Freeman of Poland, 2nd Lt, Co G
Arthur Given Jr of Wales, pvt [Class of 1867]
Amos Hadley of Lewiston, pvt, Co A
Frank Haven Hall of Mechanic Falls, Cpl, Co H
John M Jackson, pvt, Co A; later served in 32nd ME
Moses M Libby, pvt [listed as being w/ this reg't, I did not find a record of this]
George Mellen Park, 1st Lt, Co F (he resigned before muster) [Class of '62]
Virgil P Richards of Roxbury, pvt, Co H; later served in Navy
Joseph Rounds of Danville, Sgt, Co G; later Capt, Co A, 14th ME [non-grad, Class of 1868]
Albion Thorn of Canton, 1st Lt, Co C [Class of '58]
Oscar M Tucker of Peru, Sgt
E. Mellen Wight of Gorham, NH, 1st Lt, Co B; later 1st Lt, Invalid Corps
Henry E Wood, pvt, Co A
From the 25th Maine:
Hanson M. Hart, pvt, Co A
From the 27th Maine:
James Allen Bedell of South Berwick, Cpl [attended classes in '57; later non-grad Class of 1866, Bowdoin College]. Died on 20 Dec 1862 while in service.
Josiah Chase Jr of York, pvt, Co E [Class of 1870]
Pliny Fisk Drew, pvt, Co A [non-grad of Bowdoin College, Class of '66]. Died 19 Jan 1863 while in service.
Frederick Hayes of Berwick, 2nd Lt; formerly a Sgt, 5th Maine
Joseph Frank Warren of Hollis, 2nd Lt/1st Lt, and Capt [Class of '62]
From the 23rd Maine:
Henry M. Bearce, 1st Lieut, Co D; later in 32nd ME [Class of 1859]
John Edward Cutter, Pvt, Co E [on '63 Seminary Advocate list with Winfield below; I found them in the Maine Wesleyan Sem. student list, but not the State Sem catalogues]
Winfield B Cutter, Cpl, Co E
Joseph Hewett Freeman of Poland, 2nd Lt, Co G
Arthur Given Jr of Wales, pvt [Class of 1867]
Amos Hadley of Lewiston, pvt, Co A
Frank Haven Hall of Mechanic Falls, Cpl, Co H
John M Jackson, pvt, Co A; later served in 32nd ME
Moses M Libby, pvt [listed as being w/ this reg't, I did not find a record of this]
George Mellen Park, 1st Lt, Co F (he resigned before muster) [Class of '62]
Virgil P Richards of Roxbury, pvt, Co H; later served in Navy
Joseph Rounds of Danville, Sgt, Co G; later Capt, Co A, 14th ME [non-grad, Class of 1868]
Albion Thorn of Canton, 1st Lt, Co C [Class of '58]
Oscar M Tucker of Peru, Sgt
E. Mellen Wight of Gorham, NH, 1st Lt, Co B; later 1st Lt, Invalid Corps
Henry E Wood, pvt, Co A
From the 25th Maine:
Hanson M. Hart, pvt, Co A
Sources:
Lewiston Evening Journal, 15 October 1862
Catalogue of the Officers and Students of the Maine State Seminary, Lewiston, year ending Nov 13, 1862 (on Ancestry)
Catalogue of the Officers and Students of the Maine State Seminary, Lewiston, for y/e 11/25/1863 (on HathiTrust.org)
Maine State Archives Collection (on Family Search)
Lewiston Evening Journal, 15 October 1862
Catalogue of the Officers and Students of the Maine State Seminary, Lewiston, year ending Nov 13, 1862 (on Ancestry)
Catalogue of the Officers and Students of the Maine State Seminary, Lewiston, for y/e 11/25/1863 (on HathiTrust.org)
Maine State Archives Collection (on Family Search)
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