Memorial Day 2016

     This will be a brief post to share photos of the laying of the flags to honor our Veterans interred at the East Deering/ Grand Trunk Cemetery by Junior Girl Scout Troop 1094 from Presumpscot School in Portland.  The girls and their wonderful Leaders continue the legacy of Samantha Allshouse and Kayla Theriault each Memorial Day since the inception of the cemetery recovery project.

     Four served in the battles for America's independence in the Revolutionary War:  Ensign Crispus Graves, Privates John Sawyer Jr. Joseph Lunt and Simon Davis. 

     Privates William Sawyer, Joseph M. Sawyer, Joseph Merrill, Samuel Blake, Andrew Graves and John Sawyer Jr., six militia men served to protect the port of Portland during the War of 1812, so called the second War of Independence which ushered the movement toward statehood for Maine.  Francis Smith also served during the War of 1812 from the Kittery area of Maine.

     Lastly, Private James Moseley served for three years in the 2nd Rhode Island Regiment during the Civil War and moved to East Deering following his mother Ann and sister.

They are dead; but they live in each Patriot's breast,

And their names are engraven on Honor's bright crest 

From The Battle of Lovell's Pond by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 

Marching into the Cemetery

Wearing the appropriate red sashes and white gloves

The Grand Trunk Cemetery Veterans Memorial

Flags at the graves of Francis Smith and Simon Davis

All we have of freedom, 

all we use or know-

This our fathers

bought for us, long

and long ago. 

Rudyard Kipling