Holman Melcher | |
|---|---|
 Holman Melcher in August 1864 | |
| 34th Mayor of Portland, Maine | |
| In office January 1, 1889 – January 1, 1890 | |
| Preceded by | Charles J. Chapman |
| Succeeded by | George W. True |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Holman Staples Melcher (1841-06-30)June 30, 1841 Topsham, Maine, U.S. |
| Died | June 25, 1905(1905-06-25) (aged 64) Portland, Maine, U.S. |
| Resting place | Evergreen Cemetery,Portland, Maine |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Alice E. Hart(1874 – 1905; his death) |
| Children | Georgiana Hill |
| Residence(s) | Portland, Maine |
| Alma mater | Bates College |
| Profession | Soldier, politician, author |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States Union |
| Branch/service |  United States ArmyUnion Army |
| Years of service | 1862–1865 |
| Rank |  Captain BrevetMajor |
| Unit | 20th Maine Infantry Regiment |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
Holman Staples Melcher (/ˈmɛltʃər/; June 30, 1841 – June 25, 1905) was an American military officer, businessman, and politician active during theReconstruction Era. A faction of historians and soldierscontroversially contend that he led thedownhill bayonet charge ofLittle Round Top during theBattle of Gettysburg.[1][2][3] Aside from his feats during theAmerican Civil War, he served two one-year terms as the Mayor ofPortland,Maine, from 1889 to 1890.
He first began his formal military career in the20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment, which was mustered in and equipped in August 1862. The regiment was assigned to theV Corps of theArmy of the Potomac, and first engaged in combat at theBattle of Shepherdstown. During theBattle of Antietam, the 20th Maine was held in reserve on a hill near the Pry Farm.
During theBattle of the Wilderness, Melcher led a small company of seventeen men through a forest along the Orange Turnpike needed for alignment with the adjoining company. After being surrounded he ordered his men to lie on the ground and start shooting; they captured thirty Confederates and sustained only minor injuries.[4]
His involvement in theBattle of Spotsylvania Court House inVirginia resulted in his promotion and serious injury. While engaging in the war, he was promoted three different times; starting withfirst lieutenant in 1863,captain in 1864 andbrevet major at Spotsylvania. He was in three different companies during the war, later served on the division staff and was mustered out on July 16, 1865.
Melcher was born in the small town ofTopsham, Maine, on June 30, 1841. He was born to James and Nancy Melcher. His father, a farmer,[5] was a native ofBrunswick, Maine and his mother was the daughter of Captain Nehemiah Curtis ofHarpswell, Maine, who traces his lineage to colonizing New Englanders.[6] As a young boy Holman Melcher worked on his family farm with his brother, Nathaniel, and his sister, Mary. He initially began schooling in towns near Topsham, in a small school district. After graduating from secondary school he enrolled atBates College (then known as Maine State Seminary), at age fifteen. He was enrolled at the institution from 1858 to 1862, inLewiston, Maine.[1]
In the spring of 1861, there was an attack onFort Sumter, which took the nation into theCivil War. During this time Melcher was completing his studies at Bates, and holding a small teaching job in Harpswell.[1] He became engrossed with the patriotism involved with the war and upon concluding his studies he quit his teaching job, and enlisted formally on August 19, 1862 as a private in Company B,20th Regiment Maine Volunteer Infantry.[6] His brother became interested in following his footsteps but Holman advised him to avoid enlisting and pursue education atBowdoin College, promising to write each other weekly. A week after enlisting, he was mustered into the United States service at the rank ofcorporal.[1]
After completing his studies at the seminary, he enlisted as acorporal in theUnion Army. Melcher was assigned to the 20th Maine Infantry Regiment which was organized in and equipped at Camp Mason nearPortland, Maine, on August 29, 1862 and with it was immediately assigned to the V Corps; serving in that organization for the duration of the war.[1]
The 20th Maine first engaged in combat in theBattle of Shepherdstown Ford; the end of theMaryland Campaign.[citation needed] During theBattle of Fredericksburg, Melcher was promoted tosergeant-major for "meritorious conduct", by Col.Adelbert Ames. On April 20, 1863 he was promoted tofirst lieutenant of Company F.[7]
On April 2, 1863, ColonelJoshua Chamberlain, appointed him actingAdjutant of the regiment. He served in this position until army restructuring by the incoming GeneralUlysses S. Grant, in March.[4]
On July 2, 1863, Melcher took part in the bayonet charge atLittle Round Top that helped repulse theConfederate attack.[1][2][3] On the second day ofBattle of Gettysburg, military forces moved to Little Round Top, whereChamberlain began preparing strategic options, as Maj. Gen.Joseph Hooker was recently replaced byGeorge G. Meade. As fighting raged in the Wheatfield and Devil's Den, brigade commander Col.Strong Vincent had a precarious hold on Little Round Top, an important hill at the extreme left of the Union line. His brigade of four relatively small regiments was able to resist repeated assaults by Brig. Gen.Evander M. Law's brigade of Hood's division. The defense of Little Round Top with a bayonet charge by the20th Maine was one of the most fabled episodes in the Civil War.[2]
There has been some controversy tied to the charge on Little Round Top with historians challenging who exactly led the charge. A certain faction of historians agree that it wasJoshua Chamberlain who conceived of a charge while others argue that Melcher physically engaged first.[1][2][3] Chamberlain referred to the controversy as "The Melcher incident".[8] This was later confirmed byBrigadier GeneralEllis Spear,[6] as he stated that Melcher initiated the charge by ordering the remains of his company to move forward a few steps to cover and protect fallen comrades in front of them on top of the hill.[9]Spear concluded prior to the order of Chamberlain to fix bayonets, Melcher "led the impulsive charge, responding to the cries of wounded comrades between the lines."[3] The key source for this conclusion, however, is a quote from a book, written in 1882, by a private in the regiment who was not present at the battle. Private Theodore Gerrish of the 20th Maine Regiment commented on the dispute with the following:
With a cheer and a flash of his sword that sent an inspiration along the line, full ten paces to the front he sprang - ten paces - more than half the distance between the hostile lines... 'Come on! Come on! Come on boys!' [Melcher] shouts. The color sergeant and the brave color guard follow, and with one wild yell of anguish wrung from its tortured heart the regiment charged.[10]
An examination of some of these sources can be found in the July 2017 issue of America's Civil War magazine (http://www.historynet.com/broken-bond.htm).[11] The article includes this quote from Chamberlain:
I went for the Color then at the angle in our center and the Color bearer was beside me advancing when Lieut. Melcher came dashing in and right up to my side. I was then in front of the commanding officer of the advancing front line of rebels. He fired one shot of his pistol at me and I raised my saber to give him the point when he handed me his sword and pistol both at once and called out "we surrender."[12]
Chamberlain was very complimentary of Melcher's role in the charge, even crediting him with saving his life, though not specifically with leading the charge.
I think it was the sight of Melcher and his squad coming down like Tigers that both made him quit firing on me and surrender. Had not Melcher come on I think this officer would have shot me (4 barrels were loaded when I took his pistol) and very likely his men would have got such headway they might have swept us all back.[12]
It is important to note that Melcher's position was in the center of the regiment atop a large rock formation where the unit's monument now stands. By every account of the battle written by men of both sides, the 20th's charge began on the far left of the regimental line, a few dozen yards from Melcher's position. The famous "right wheel" of the regiment could not, by definition, have started at its center. Also, for Melcher to have initiated the charge of the left wing of the regiment, he would have had to lead his men over a 15-foot drop from the rock formation directly in front of them without breaking the regimental line, a physical impossibility.
During theBattle of the Wilderness, near the Confederate capital ofRichmond, Virginia, Lt. Melcher lead a small company of seventeen men through a forest needed for alignment with the adjoining company. Due to the heavy fog and subsequent lack of vision, they failed to notice Confederate soldiers move up to their left flank and were surrounded. He ordered his men to lay on the ground and start shooting, capturing thirty confederates while sustaining only minor injuries.[4]
Three days later he was shot in the right leg following a counter-attack, during theBattle of Laurel Hill, in Spotsylvania, Virginia. He was rushed to a makeshift hospital in theMary Washington house. Due to the level of injury sustained he was escorted toArmory Square hospital inWashington, and returned to Maine for recuperation. He returned to active duty in the fall of 1864.[13]
His involvement in theBattle of Spotsylvania Court House inVirginia resulted in him being promoted and serious injury. While engaging in battle he was promoted three different times; tofirst lieutenant in 1863, to Captain a year later, and near the conclusion of the battle he was brevetted Major. His commanding officers, impressed by him, promoted him to actingadjutant to ColonelJoshua Chamberlain.[1] Serving underUlysses S. Grant, andGeorge G. Meade, he and his company were tasked with the advancement of soldiers to Laurel Hill, a position that was blocking them from Spotsylvania Court House. Confederate soldiers returned heavy fire and the initial program was unsuccessful in dislodging the Confederates. Melcher ordered a clearing of the Brock Road for the infantry, but the troopers soon bogged down, and provided a weak defense against the confederates at that point.[1]
Our whole Division of over 10,000 strong is camped in a beautiful green field . . . The thousands of white tents dotting this green surface, and the many wagons, and ambulances, which go with the marching column makes a really grand sight. And the bands have been playing all evening, making music sweet and soul-stirring, which floats forth in the pleasant evening air . . . But I am moved when I think that before another evening, this beautiful scene will be stained in the blood of thousands who are to-night happy actors in it.[3]
– Holman Melcher
Eventually, Melcher wasbrevetted to the rank ofmajor by the end of the battle. He was badly wounded in theBattle of Spotsylvania Court House inVirginia, but survived.[1] He served in three different companies during the war and served as Inspector-General on the division staff under Griffin and Chamberlain. Melcher was mustered out on July 16, 1865.[1]
In his postwar years, Melcher put the wartime skills he obtained working as adjutant for Maine Generals O.O. Howard and J.L. Chamberlain to good use. He founded and operated the H.S. Melcher Company, a wholesale produce business on Fore Street along the waterfront in Portland, Maine. After many years he sold it for a handsome profit to what became the A&P grocery chain.His business success garnered him wide support and respect. His old commanding officer, Col. Chamberlain, wrote to the advertisement board of the city and published the following:
I want to propose a name for the Republican nomination for mayor-- a name that needs no recommendation; a man with a record of splendid courage and endurance in the late war, from the beginning to the end since the war an honorable, high-minded citizen and energetic businessman, enjoying the confidence and respect of his fellow citizens in both parties. From this man no pledges need or will be asked. All these years of his well-regarded life are pledges for his good conduct in any situation. And his name is Holman S. Melcher.[13]
Melcher was elected to Mayor of Portland on January 1, 1889, and a year later married Ellen M. McClellan who was the daughter of George McClellan, a prominent Portland lawyer. He was elected as aRepublican and advocated for progressive values and the establishment of a central-city government. His first wife, Ellen died fromconsumption, and he later remarried with Alice Hart.
He was elected again and served for a second term ending in 1895.[1] As Mayor, he remained committed to the progression of Veteran Affairs and founded the 20th Maine Regiment Association (1876 – 1905), where he served as president. He published an article titledAn Experience in the Battle of the Wilderness in the Maine MOLLUS'sWar Papers Vol. 1 (1898), based on his own experiences in that battle.[1]
Melcher suffered from poor health toward the end of his life due to the pain from his old war wounds. He eventually died after a long fight with Bright's Disease, and died on June 25, 1905, at age 64. He is buried inEvergreen Cemetery inPortland, Maine.[14]
His brother, Nathaniel died in 1902.[7]
Melcher and Alice Hart had one daughter, Georgiana Hill, who married Harry Tukey Johnson.[15] Hart outlived Melcher by 18 years.
Most of Melcher's papers are currently stored at theMaine Historical Society,Bates College, andBowdoin College. Melcher's writings, along with correspondence from other members of the 20th Maine were published inWith a Flash of His Sword: The Writings of. Maj. Holman S. Melcher, 20th Maine Infantry. Melcher's house in Portland survives at 84 Pine Street.[16]
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