Maine Memory Network

Music in Maine - B-flat fife, ca. 1860

"… This fife was used by John Robbins when he was a drummer in the Civil War. It is made of brown spun wood with brass rings attached at the ends."

Music in Maine - Drum, Portland, ca. 1854

"… drums by about two inches to accommodate the drummers, who were often younger boys. This drum measures about seventeen inches in diameter and is…"

Music in Maine - Civil War drum, ca. 1861

"On the battlefield, drummers provided a visual location for the unit, helping to keep soldiers close together."

Music in Maine - Kimball Drum, ca. 1860

"1861-July 1864." Frank Kimball was a drummer in Co. F of the 5th Maine Infantry Regiment. The writing probably was added by Maine Historical Society…"

Music in Maine - Military Marching Bands

"1803 The Portland Light Infantry Muster with a drummer and a horn player in uniform on the muster field."

This Rebellion: Maine and the Civil War

For Mainers like many other people in both the North and the South, the Civil War, which lasted from 1861-1865, had a profound effect on their lives. Letters, artifacts, relics, and other items saved by participants at home and on the battlefield help illuminate the nature of the Civil War experience for Mainers.

Rumford's Notable Citizens in the Civil War

A number of Rumford area residents played important roles during the Civil War -- and in the community afterwards. Among these are William King Kimball, who commanded the 12th Maine for much of the war.

Umbazooksus & Beyond

Visitors to the Maine woods in the early twentieth century often recorded their adventures in private diaries or journals and in photographs. Their remembrances of canoeing, camping, hunting and fishing helped equate Maine with wilderness.