The Loyal Legion

The quarterly meeting of the Loyal Legion, Maine Commandery, will be held Dec. 6, at 6 o'clock, at the Columbia Hotel, Portland. The paper of the evening is to be read by Capt. J. O. Johnson of Liberty, A Forgotten Camden Hero, being his subject. The reference is to William Conway, of Camden, who when the Civil War was about to open, was on duty as quartermaster in the navy yard at Pensacola, Fla., when the Confederates seized the Navy yard, Jan. 13, 1861. He was ordered by Lieut. Renshaw to haul down the American flag. This Conway promptly and indignantly refused to do, and was put in irons for refusal. Some citizens of California, hearing of this incident, procured a gold medal, and later was presented to Conway, then serving on the Gulf Blockading Squadron. It is expected that Capt. Johnson will exhibit this medal at the meeting. Conway died in the hospital of the Brooklyn navy yard in 1865.

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