At its monthly meeting on Thursday, Sep. 18, the Paris Cape Historical Society will present a talk by Larry Glatz on the War of 1812 veteran Joseph Penley of Paris.

Glatz has worked with Executive Director Will Chapman and Executive Director Randy Bennett of the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society to publish a new edition of Penley’s tale of his capture and lengthy imprisonment in Canada during the war.

First published in 1853 under the title “A Short and Thrilling Narrative of a Few of the Scenes and Incidents That Occurred in the Sanguinary and Cruel War of 1812–14,” Penley’s memoir is notable as one of a very few first person narratives to have emerged from that conflict, and one of an even tinier number to have been recorded by an enlisted man.

To this new edition Glatz has added an introduction, notes, appendices, and indexes, which provide helpful context and make the story useful and entertaining to lay readers and scholars alike.

Glatz is a noted authority on the early history and culture of western Maine. He was an organizer of both the local C. A. Stephens sesquicentennial celebration in 1994 and the Oxford County bicentennial events of 2005. He is the author or editor of a number of books and articles on the history of the area and has spoken on related subjects before many groups over the years.

The subject of the upcoming talk – Joseph Penley – will be of particular interest to many. The details of Penley’s personal army life are compelling, but more importantly, his lifetime and wartime experiences exemplify the larger social and political issues which affected the nation generally at the time and which led directly to Maine’s separation from Massachusetts in 1820.

The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the society’s museum at 77 High Street, South Paris. The event is free and open to the public, and light refreshments will be served.