Mystery in Boston!!

Imagine, if you will, the lobby of the eminently respectable Tremont House in Proper Boston... December, 1864. It is the day after Christmas. The lobby is full of officers coming and going to and from the front. The atmosphere is full of cigar smoke, rumors, gossip, bets and speculation about what Mr. Lincoln is going to do next with his dithering generals. Into this scene comes a Very Proper Bostonian, James Oakes, who has been concerned for several days about a most disturbing situation. He has decided to unburden himself to the Adjutant General of Maine, John L. Hodsdon, in the hopes that the General may be able to relieve his mind:

49 Long Wharf,
Boston, Decem. 26, 1864

General:
On Thursday morning last, 22nd inst., an officer in plain U.S. uniform, with shoulder straps of Lieut. Col. of Infantry, arrived at Tremont House, Boston, and recorded his name, "Geo. R. Guilford, Lieut. Col, U.S.V." His left arm in a sling + bandaged. He being a tall, straight, and fine looking young man, not over 22 or 23 years old, and a wounded officer, who appeared to be suffering greatly from his wound, I addressed him. He informed me, he was in command of a Brigade at the fight on the Weldon R.R. Dec'r 9th where he was wounded by a shell, losing his left hand + part of left shoulder. He informed me that his father was Chaplain of a Maine regiment, and was killed by a Sharp Shooter. He also told me he had a brother killed in battle, belonging to a Maine regiment. That he, himself, was wounded in June 1862 in the "Seven Days" fight before Richmond, from which wound, he was an invalid for seven months. He did not state in what battle, or at what time, either his Father or brother fell. He informed his mother Mrs. Guilford resided at Bucksport Maine. That he wanted to get to her but his wound was so painful he could not ride in the R.R. cars. He stated that he was a classmate at Harvard of that lamented and gallant officer Major Abbott, son of Judge Abbott of this city. This tale excited my interest, no less than my sympathy. I invited him to my parlor in the Tremont House, introduced him to my wife, and my daughter. Mrs. T.E. Chickering, wife of Col. Chickering of Mass. 3d Cavalry. They told him they would be but too happy to do all that was in their power to minister to his comfort, while I went to ascertain if there was any Boat running to Bangor. This was Friday, last. On my return at 1 o'clock, on that day, my daughter informed me that she had given to "the soldier", some warm milk, placed a blanket on a couch, with pillows, + drew the couch before the fire, + "the soldier", fell asleep at once + had slept soundly for three hours. I had ascertained that no Boat ran to Bangor. But, the "Lady Lang", made her last trip for the season, that night, from Portland, to Winter Harbor. I at once decided best that Guilford should take the 1/2 past 2 P.M. cars from Boston, in season for the "Lady Lang", and had so arranged, with carriage and a supply of blankets, waiting at door of Tremont House, desiring him to sleep up to last moment. - I must here state, that in the morning, he had given to me His mother's address at Bucksport, and I had already telegraphed to her of my plans, and for her to meet her son on arrival of the "Lady Lang."

The time had come to wake the weary soldier, so as not lose the cars. I woke him. He seemed quite bewildered on first waking, and exceedingly weak. My daughter gave him a glass of wine and some nourishment, but he did not rally. I at once determined he was not in condition to go. Went for Doctor George Gay, not finding him at home, left a message for him to come to Tremont, immediately on his return. I then went to Telegraph Office, to dispatch message to his mother, that, as the weather was very cold, thought best her son should remain over. That she or some member of her family had best come up on Monday (today) and accompany him home. To prevent any unnecessary alarm seizing the mother, I telegraphed that her son was comfortable, and would be tenderly watched and cared for by my wife and daughter. On arriving at the Tremont House about 5 o'clock, my daughter informed me, that 10 minutes before, the soldier rose from the couch, saying he was going to his room, but would soon return. I at once went to his room, where I found the Porter building a fire, which he said had been ordered by the "wounded soldier." I then went to the office and enquired if Col. Guilford had passed through. The reply was, "yes, he has gone to the Water Closet." I had an engagement out, that detained me until about 9 o'clock, in the Evening. On my return found my wife and daughter greatly worried and excited, saying Col Guilford had not returned.

Directly a message came to me from the Telegraph office, that the operator at Bucksport says there is no such street as named, nor is there any such person as Mrs. Guilford in the Town. At 12 o'clock, same night, I sent another dispatch to the operator at Bucksport. answer same as before.

During the afternoon, Guilford told my daughter, that, on his arrival here, he went to Doctor Renton, Bedford St., and had his wound dressed. About 12 o'clock that night, sent messenger to Doctor Renton. The reply was, no such person had been there, nor did he know any such. Guilford told me he belonged to the 19th Maine Infantry. From that time to this he has not been seen or heard from! The opinion of Doctor Gay is that Guilford was laboring under temporary abberation of mind from the effects of Chloroform, Ether + opium. I have seen Judge Abbott, who informs me that no such person as Guilford was classmate with his son at Harvard. I have given the main facts of this case to our Police.

I am well known to Governor Andrew, + to Adjutant General Schouler of this state. General, feelings of Common Humanity must be my excuse for this prolix letter.

I have the Honor to be,
Your Obt. Servant,
James Oakes,
Tremont House,
or
49 Long Wharf.

Although General Hodsdon would not have had time to receive or reply to his first letter, Mr. Oakes decided to reinforce his concern with a follow-up communication on the following day:

- 49 Long Wharf
Boston, Dec'r. 27, 1864

General:

I wrote you at length yesterday in regard to Lieut. Col. Guilford, of 19th Reg. Maine Infantry. My anxiety to learn what has become of him induced me to go into particulars.

We fear he has "come to grief" in some way.

I remain Your
Obd't Servt.
James Oakes

We at the Archives do not possess Hodsdon's outgoing correspondence and Heaven only knows where his answering letter might be if it has survived. But we can infer from Mr. Oakes' third letter that the Adjutant General replied that he had no record of a Lieutenant Colonel named Guilford in the 19th or any other Maine regiment, not any record of a Chaplain named Guilford, nor evidence of any Guilfords from Bucksport or any community near it. For proof he sent Oakes copies of his most recent annual reports in which he dutifully tried to account for every soldier and officer accredited to any Maine unit.

Mr. Oakes continued to be very upset,but it did not seem to occur to him that perhaps he might have been "had" by someone who didn't want his real identity and purposes uncovered by the well-intentioned meddling of the Oakes family. His final letter to Hodsdon is a frustrated but elequent outpouring of the feelings of a patriotic citizen in this darkest winter of the War:

-49 Long Wharf
Boston, December 30", 1864

My dear Sir.

I have the pleasure to acknowledge receipt of your very kind letter of 27th inst., which came to me yesterday, in due course. The contents have received my attention. Today, I am again favored by your courtesy in the receipt by "Express", of your exceedingly acceptable report of 1863, with alphabetical Index. I also received this morning, through your kindness a list of returns of Desertions, Discharges, Deaths, etc. in the Maine Regiments, for August, September and October 1864.

Your friendly and graceful presentation of these works lend to them a two fold charm, for all of which, I beg to present my thanks. I shall look the volumes over with a deep interest. This partially reveals the Herculean labor of your official station.

Four years more of war will teach our Country all the arts of warfare. God grant it may not last so long.

When I contemplate the horrors of the present bloody fratricidal strife, that has already widowed and unchilded so many thousands after thousands, and converted into Sepulchers so many hearth-stones, and made desolate such myriads of hearts - my very soul grows sick! The barbarisms of any war are terrible, indeed, but the barbarisms of civil strife, like that which is causing the best blood of our land to run in rivers is monstrous! May God in His Mercy and His Strength, soon avert the moral desolation.

I have not yet heard from the young soldier. I have written to Col. Frank E. House, at New York, making inquiries.

I am going to write Lieut. Col. Fred T. Looke, A.A.G. 5th Corps, Army of Potomac, Washington, D.C. in regard to the matter.

If the soldier "still lives", I wish to know it, if dead, I wish to see the sod that covers him!

I remain, Very Respectfully
Your Obliged and -
-Obedient Servant,
James Oakes.

Well! When we found these letters some years ago, we took them as a challenge, seeing as how we pride ourselves on our detective abilities. But we got no further than Hodsdon did. We checked our soldiers' index, our graves registration cards, we combed the censuses, we checked the Federal Official Records of the War of the Rebellion, we checked published Adjutant General's records of such other states as we could access. Nothing. We found a nest of Guilfords living in the opposite end of the State from Bucksport, but none of them held any rank whatsoever or seemed to fit this case. Perhaps Dr. Gay was right - "Lieutenant Colonel Guilford" suffered from "temporary aberrations of mind, from the effects of chloroform, ether + opium." Our opinion is that the man, whoever he was, was Up To No Good!

We agree with Mr. Oakes' comment about the "herculean labors" of General Hodsdon's job, and we'll be bringing you more examples of the headaches that beset him in installments to come. In the meantime, if you can shed any light on this mystery, we'd be pleased to hear from you.!

Sources: Adjutant General's Civil War Correspondence, Maine State Archives