While Biddeford’s settlement dates back to the 1600s, with English landing there before the Plymouth Colony was founded, in 1830, the start of the textile boom, the population was a modest 1,995. By 1860, the population had multiplied more than four times to 9,349. Laconia Mills was erected in 1844 and Pepperell Manufacturing Company went up in 1850 attracting both rural migrants to the city as well as immigrants from French Canada and Ireland. The city also had a granite quarry and an ice harvesting industry that made it prosperous. When the Civil War began, shipments of raw cotton were greatly reduced, creating economic hardship for textile workforce. Although Biddeford played a role in making uniforms for the Union army, the lack of cotton restricted its traditional civilian cloth manufacture.
Local men rallied to the Union cause when Fort Sumter was attacked in April of 1861. By May, the first company of volunteers had already left Biddeford, eventually joining the Fifth Maine Infantry Regiment . Over the next four years, 924 men enlisted, an estimated half of the city’s able-bodied men of military age. Local sources indicate that they served in a wide variety of Maine regiments and other units of the army, infantry, cavalry, and artillery. When the war ended, the pain it caused did not cease. On January 6th, 1866 the local newspaper, the Union and Journal published an article saying, “It is true that there is a skeleton in every house, it may also be true that there is one in every heart; and God help and tenderly pity them who cannot lock the unwelcome visitor in some remote recess, but at whose musings the sorrowing shadow will unbidden come.”
Two decades later, Biddeford dedicated its monument to Union veterans in 1887 in City Square. My photos were taken soon after a rain storm.
According to the Biddeford Historical Association, the statue was made by the Monumental Bronze Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut. A nearly identical statue was unveiled in Salem, Massachusetts a year before the Biddeford unveiling.
The statue depicts a Union color bearer, or flag bearer. The men who carried the flag were selected for their bravery.
The statue is cast in “White Bronze,” really Zinc. This metal only began to be used for monuments in the United States at the time of the Civil War. I have seen several Zinc monuments from that era that have needed significant restoration work to maintain their appearance. Contrary to advertising in the late 19th Century, Zinc was definitely not a more durable material for monuments.
The statue rests on a base of local granite. On one face, it commemorates the Colonial Era settlement of Biddeford in 1616.
The base marks certain important events of the Civil War, including one that no Biddeford man was present at, the 1861 attack on Fort Sumter by the Confederacy.
That face also commemorates Maine’s statehood in 1820. Maine was part of the United States from the day the country was founded, but it was a region of Massachusetts.
Another face focuses on the Biddeford men who answered their country’s call. This face also commemorates the Battle of Gettysburg.
Here is a close-up of the plaque. City Hall is to the left.
Another face commemorates the dead of the city.
The monument was erected by the Soldiers and Sailors Monument Association.
The final face of the base commemorates the war’s end, at least symbolically, at Appomattox. It also commemorates the first English landing by Richard Vines at Biddeford in 1616.
The monument is in a central location in the city’s governmental center. It is well-maintained with plantings at the site.
The monument itself includes markers symbolizing the service branches. This one honors the artillery.
The granite base itself is beautifully carved.
Here the commemorative plate honors the cavalry.
Here is a close-up view.
The flag-bearer has a stylized rendition of the year the monument was erected, “1887” in an artistic numbering.
The statue faces City Hall.
The monument was the subject of a postcard a century ago.
Civil War veterans were already part of history when they were given a place of honor (and a ride) in Biddeford’s Tercentenary Parade, September 16, 1916.
There is another Civil War monument at the city’s main cemetery. Woodlawn Cemetery has a memorial erected by the main Union veteran’s organization, the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR).
It is well maintained and has a loving dedication to lost comrades. The front face shows the badge of the Grand Army of the Republic at the top center.
The reverse side of the monument simply has the initials G.A.R.
There were dozens of veterans buried near the monument, although there are no exclusively veteran sections of the cemetery. Here is the tombstone of James B. Smith who lived into the 20th Century. He served in the 27th Maine Infantry.
At the front of the cemetery are two headstones. On the right is Edward Goodrich of the 30th Massachusetts Infantry. He was from Biddeford and he survived the war, but not for long. He died in 1868. On the left is John Goodrich of the 13th New Hampshire Infantry. He too was from Biddeford, and he also was enlisted in an out-of-state regiment. He also died soon after the war in 1873.
Alvah Henderson, on the left, served in the 27th Maine. His grave is next to a man from the 17th Maine Infantry.
Next is a decorated grave of a veteran of the 14th Maine Infantry named Pendleton.
Henry Potts served in the 8th Maine Infantry.
The last of the dozens of Civil War graves that I photographed was that of William Cummings of the 1st Maine Cavalry. He served as Quarter Master of Company I, which was organized in York County. Cummings did not survive the war.
A local photographer photographed First Sergeant William Cummings of Co. I, 1st Maine Cavalry Regiment in uniform. He was photographed by E.H. McKenney, no. 1 Washington Block, Biddeford, Me. Cummings died of disease on May 10, 1863 at around 42 years of age. I found this photo at the Library of Congress.
Soon after the First Maine Cavalry was formed, the company Cummings was in elected its officers and Cummings reported the results to the governor of Maine.
You can read the history of the First Maine Cavalry Regiment.
Thanks to Jon and Marcia for hosting us during our Maine vacation. Thanks to Michele who is excellent at finding Civil War graves.
