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Marcellus Lovejoy Stearns by John and Liz Mccann

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Marcellus Lovejoy Stearns by John and Liz Mccann Published quarterly by the Lovell Historical Society Yesterday’s News Volume 22, Number 4 Fall 2015 Marcellus Lovejoy Stearns By John and Liz McCann reputation as a strong, if not remarkable, scholar. He was better known as a good friend, described by a fellow student as “one of those frank, cordial, genial, open-hearted, whole-souled fellows whom everyone likes to meet – a man of integrity always ready for honest work”. In other words, the type of person anyone would like to have beside them in tough times. Those tough times quickly arrived in the form of the Civil War. Marcellus enlisted as a private in the 12th Maine Infantry in November 1861. He was one of five Stearns from Lovell to join Company E. All survived the war. (Marcellus’ cousin James was the subject of an earlier Lovell Historical Society article.) Named a sergeant almost immediately, Marcellus was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant in June 1862. The 12th Maine served initially in the Department of the Gulf, headquartered in New Orleans. Suffice to say that living in New Orleans was very different from living in Lovell. Details of 12th Regiment life can be found in the James Stearns article. Lieutenant Stearns distinguished himself in two ways during his time on the Gulf Coast. For reasons unclear, but doubtless consistent with some obscure military protocol, he found himself Captain of the USS Marcellus Stearns lived a life devoted to public Hortense, a schooner responsible for patrolling Lake service: a school teacher; Civil War soldier; lawyer; Ponchartrain. This is the only reference to be found Freedman’s Bureau administrator; Speaker of the of his ever having been on the water, much less in a Assembly, Lieutenant Governor, and Governor command position. He was also one of a thousand of Florida; U.S. Surveyor General of Florida; and officers and men who volunteered to be part of an U.S. Commissioner of Hot Springs, Arkansas. He attack on the Confederate fort at Port Hudson in July personified commitment and dedication to service. 1863. Along with Vicksburg, Port Hudson was one Although largely overlooked by history, he played a of the last Confederate positions on the Mississippi significant role in local, state, and national affairs for River. Both had withstood siege for many months. decades. Pulled from across the Department of the Gulf, these Born in Lovell on April 29th, 1839, Marcellus 1,000 individuals were formed into a special unit that Stearns worked on his father Caleb’s farm and trained specifically for an all-out assault on the fort. then became a school teacher in Lovell in order to The desperate maneuver of an assault on such a strong raise money for his college education. He entered position (called without irony “The Forlorn Hope”) Waterville College (now Colby) in 1859, earning a (continued on page 3) From the President This summer was extremely busy, very enjoyable, 2015 Events and successful. We hosted two events—the fifteenth Antique Show, live Auction & Appraisal Day and our Fall Harvest Sunday, October 18 fifth House Tour—and were fortunate enough to have Business Meeting Tuesday, October 20 the assistance of two summer interns. Business Meeting Tuesday, December 8 Lucy Kneissler and Eileen Cormier worked for eight Christmas Open House Sunday, December 13 weeks as interns and accomplished a great deal. They helped catalogue more of our collection, archived a large amount of our early papers, and helped modernize the storage of our oral histories. They also helped with Volunteer Needed both of our summer events, for which we were deeply appreciative. A volunteer is needed to call for helpers with The Antique Show, Auction, & Appraisal Day was a our six annual mailings. great success. The weather was perfect and the turn-out was excellent. Antique dealers were set up inside and outside and Frank Eastman was a great auctioneer for our contemporary items. Additionally, Bruce Buxton Fall Harvest had an overflow of people waiting to have their items appraised. Many thanks go to all the people, too Sunday, October 18th numerous to mention, who donated their time and gifts. 1-4pm The fortunate winners of the raffle were: Jim & Lisa Thorne ($100 gift certificate to Rosie’s); Dick & Kathy Performances by Sharon Novak Lyman ($100 gift certificate to the Old Saco Inn); and and Birds on a Wire Barry & Kathleen Woodbrey (signed copy of Our Refreshments Kezar). Petting Zoo Our fifth House Tour was another successful day. Bake Sale Five beautiful homes were on tour and the day was Pumpkin Painting great fun. We want to thank our home owners (the Cider Press Demonstration Carreiro Family; Fred Horton & Katherine Ryan; Harry & Meghan Nyberg; and Ken & Diane Roy), our docents, our food providers, and the Pleasant Point Inn for hosting the refreshment time at the end of the tour. Our Fall Harvest event will take place on Sunday, THE LOVELL HISTORICAL SOCIETY October 18th from 1 to 4pm. During this family event we will be pressing apples into cider and serving free OFFICERS 2015-2016 Catherine Stone, President Lou Olmsted, Director refreshments. There will be a large harvest bake sale, Marge Ward, Vice President Carol Taylor, Director a petting zoo, free pumpkin painting, and Birds on a Dee Barker, Treasurer Robin Taylor-Chiarello, Director Wire will be playing fiddle music. New this year is Susan Welchman, Secretary Vacancy, Director a visit by Sharon Novak who will be performing her Linda Matte, Director “Music for Kids” beginning at 1pm. Come and enjoy the festivities! LOCATION AND HOURS On Sunday, December 13th from 1 to 4pm we The Society, located at 551 Main Street in the 1839 will host our Christmas Open House. The Kimball- Kimball-Stanford House, is open on Tuesdays and Stanford House will be decorated and we will provide Wednesdays from 9am to 4pm, Saturdays from 9am to refreshments, a bake sale, a raffle, and good holiday 12pm and by appointment. All are welcome to visit our cheer for all members of our community. museum and research collections. Finally, please remember that we depend upon Business meetings are open to all members and are held your generosity to heat the Kimball-Stanford House, at 2pm every other month at specified dates. maintain our facilities, and continue to expand our Our phone number is (207) 925-3234 or (207) 925-2291. services. We greatly need your help! Our collection can be viewed at our web site—www. lovellhistoricalsociety.org—and our email address is Best wishes, Catherine Stone [email protected]. 2 was thankfully rendered unnecessary when Vicksburg men attended Maine colleges (Colby and Bates) and surrendered on July 4th, 1863 and Port Hudson both lost an arm in battle. Stearns’ niece, Mrs. Alice quickly capitulated. Stearns Dowell, told an interviewer in 1963 that as Marcellus didn’t escape battle and a desperate a little girl she heard her grandmother talk about the situation much longer. When the 12th Maine was two men. She recalled her grandmother saying that transferred to the Army of the Potomac in early 1864, having the same size hands, and only one arm apiece; Lieutenant Stearns found himself at the Battle of they occasionally bought just one pair of gloves and Winchester. When a number of superior officers were shared them. This touching story of old soldiers wounded, he took initiative and led the troops in a connecting on such a personal level is undermined series of charges. After the battle, a fellow officer by the fact that they both lost their right arm. Still, wrote to Stearns’ father to say: “I write to inform you General Howard would clearly have been aware of that your son was wounded in a charge on the enemy. Lieutenant Stearns’ military record and would have He received a musket shot in the right arm, just above valued having him take on an important role in this the elbow, which necessitated amputation of the arm new organization. near the shoulder. The charge was a most desperate The Bureau’s task was to help Southern blacks one…Lieutenant Stearns had his sword wrenched make the transition from slavery to freedom. from his hand by a musket ball while bravely urging Responsibilities included introducing a system of his men forward in the charge, and a moment after paid labor, overseeing schools for freed persons, its return by a sergeant, the above mentioned wounds settling disputes, enforcing contracts between the were received”. white landowners and the black labor force, and Upon his recovery, he was assigned to the 20th securing justice for blacks in state courts. As one can Regiment Veterans Reserve Corps. These soldiers imagine, performing such duties in the Deep South performed light duty in support of the war effort just after the Civil War could make for a lonely, even away from the front lines. In this reserve status, dangerous, existence. Marcellus found time to study law under Judge Stearns performed his duties in Quincy, Florida in Josiah Drummond in Portland. He was then asked a responsible and conscientious manner. He tried to by General Otis Howard, Chief of the newly formed find a middle ground in this tumultuous and difficult Bureau of Refugees, Freedman, and Abandoned time in our history. He built coalitions with the native Lands (commonly referred to as the Freedman’s white population while simultaneously fulfilling Bureau) to serve in the Bureau. He was initially his Freedman’s Bureau charter by helping blacks assigned to West Virginia and then as the director of establish schools, receive food and health care and, the Bureau’s office in Quincy, Florida. after 1868, secure their right to vote.
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