Background
Charles Addison Boutelle was born on February 9, 1839, in Damariscotta, Maine. He was the son of Charles and Lucy Ann (Curtis) Boutelle. When he was nine years old his parents moved to Brunswick.
congressman journalist military navy
Charles Addison Boutelle was born on February 9, 1839, in Damariscotta, Maine. He was the son of Charles and Lucy Ann (Curtis) Boutelle. When he was nine years old his parents moved to Brunswick.
Charles Boutelle received a common school and academic education in Brunswick.
Charles Boutelle's parents wished him to go through college but he had a strong craving for a seafaring life and preferred to accompany his father on his voyages. On returning from a voyage in 1862, Boutelle found the country in the midst of the Civil War and promptly enlisted in the navy and took part with credit in various operations. In 1863, he was acting master on board the U. S. S. Sassacus.
On May 5, he showed great coolness and courage in a desperate conflict of the Sassacus with the Confederate iron-clad Albemarle and for his gallant conduct was made an acting volunteer lieutenant, the highest position attainable by a volunteer.
In the winter of 1864-65, he took an active part in the operations at Mobile. In 1866, he was discharged from the service at his own request. Boutelle received high praise from his superiors.
After leaving the service Boutelle fitted out and commanded a steamer plying between New York City and Wilmington, North Carolina, and later he engaged with the shipping commission firm of Walsh & Carver in New York City.
From boyhood Boutelle had been interested in journalism, he had already contributed to political journals, and in 1870, he became managing editor of an old and influential paper, the Whig and Courier in Bangor, Maine. In 1874, he became principal owner.
In 1880, he was nominated on the Republican ticket for Congress, made a whirlwind campaign, and greatly cut down the majority of the Democratic sitting member at the previous election, but failed of success. He then took an active part in the national campaign in Ohio and New York. He was renominated for Congress in 1882, was elected, and was reelected for nine successive terms.
In 1899, Boutelle had an attack of congestion of the brain from which he never recovered. He was, however, reelected to Congress but resigned and died in 1901.
Charles Boutelle achieved some remarkable results during his military career. For example, he showed great coolness and courage in a desperate conflict of the Sassacus with the Confederate iron-clad Albemarle and for his gallant conduct was made an acting volunteer lieutenant, the highest position attainable by a volunteer. Also, he took an active part in the operations at Mobiler in 1864-65. Another achievement was in his contribution to political journals, and in his appointment as a managing editor of an old and influential paper, the Whig and Courier in Bangor, Maine in 1870. By 1874, he managed to succeed in becoming its principal owner. Boutelle was first an At-Large Delegate from 1883 to 1885, then represented Maine's 4th Congressional District from 1885 to 1901. His most individual work was his championship of a modern and stronger navy in the period between the Civil and the Spanish wars when the public took little interest in the question of sea power. As editor, Boutelle kept his paper free from yellow journalism; late in life it was sold, first to a friendly syndicate and then to a journalistic and political rival. His Maine colleagues in the House placed in the Central Church of Bangor a stained glass window as a memorial in his honor.
Boutelle was an intense Republican of the reconstruction school, an ardent protectionist, always ready to do battle for the legal rights of the negroes, for a high tariff, and for liberal pensions.
He vigorously opposed the conciliation policy of Hayes, the reinstatement of Fitz-John Porter, and the removal of the disabilities of Jefferson Davis. But as the years passed he softened and at the close of his career he was highly regarded by his political opponents.
Boutelle opposed the war with Spain, fearing that it would be used to drive the country to a silver basis.
As editor and politician as well as soldier, Boutelle was a hard though clean fighter and a foe to compromise. Also, he was a strong sound-money man.
Quotes from others about the person
One of his superiors said, "I regarded him as one of the best of the volunteer appointments, officer-like in his bearing, intelligent and exhibiting an interest in his professional improvement, gunnery and small arms, unusual in one not bred to the service. "
Another officer in reply to a request for a recommendation for a special appointment wrote: "He is brave to a fault; he is intelligent and possesses the adornments of a cultivated gentleman. "
Boutelle was married to Elizabeth Hodsdon, daughter of Adjutant-General Hodsdon of Augusta, who predeceased him.
31 May 1813 - 2 June 1870
19 August 1820 - 5 April 1891
1856 - 13 December 1921
1840 - 22 December 1927
19 March 1843 - 28 June 1892
17 July 1876 - 15 October 1947
27 March 1869 - 25 August 1957
