Table of Contents

Start

Page 1 of 9

Young Her oes

of t he

Ci vi l War .

Thomas Hughes' s Tr i but e t o t he Young Her oes i n t he

Amer i can Ci vi l War , publ i shed under t he t i t l e

OF " Peace on Ear t h" i n " Macmi l l an' s

Magazi ne, " London, Januar y, 1866.

The l ast t i me t hat t he season of " peace on ear t h and good wi l l t o

men" came r ound, t he gr eat st r uggl e bet ween t he f r ee and sl ave

power s i n Amer i ca had not yet come t o deat h- gr i ps. Her e, at

l east , many peopl e st i l l bel i eved t hat t he Sout her n St at es coul d not

be subdued, and wer e sur e, sooner or l at er , t o est abl i sh t hei r

i ndependence, and a new pol i cy whi ch woul d act f or t he r est of

t i me as a heal t hy cor r ect i ve t o t he danger ousl y popul ar i nst i t ut i ons

and i deas of New Engl and. The year has passed, and t he gr eat

r evol ut i onar y epi c of our t i me has cl osed. Per haps some of us

may st i l l st op shor t of Mr . Sewar d' s t r i umphant summi ng up.

" Deat h, " he says, i n hi s year l y addr ess t o hi s f el l ow- ci t i zens at

Aubur n, " deat h has r emoved hi s vi ct i ms; l i ber t y has cr owned

her her oes; humani t y has cr owned her mar t 3Ts; t he si ck and

t he st r i cken ar e cur ed; t he sur vi vi ng combat ant s ar e f r at er ni zi ng;

and t he count r y

t he obj ect of our j ust pr i de and l awf ul af f ect i on

once mor e st ands col l ect ed and composed, f i r mer , st r onger , and

mor e maj est i c t han ever bef or e, wi t hout one cause of danger ous

di scont ent at home, and wi t hout an enemy i n t he wor l d. " We

may t hi nk hi m somewhat t oo hopef ul i n t he br eadt h of hi s asser -

t i ons, and may have our f ear s t hat i t may t ake a gener at i on yet t o

wel d agai n i nt o one br ot her hood al l t he St at es of t he Uni on. But ,

when he pr edi ct s so f ear l essl y t hat " under next Oct ober ' s sun he

shal l be abl e, wi t h hi s f el l ow- t ownsmen i n Aubur n, t o r ej oi ce i n

t he r est or at i on of peace, har mony, and uni on t hr oughout t he

l and, " we cannot but own t hat ear l i er pr opheci es of hi s, whi ch

89

seemed at l east as r ash, have been f ul f i l l ed al most t o t he l et t er .

I n any case, we do al l wi l l i ngl y now admi t , and honor , t he mar -

vel l ous ener gy and const ancy " wi t h whi ch t he gr eat game has been

pl ayed out by t he Amer i can peopl e. As one of t he many Engl i sh-

men whose f ai t h i n t hat peopl e never f al t er ed dur i ng t he cont est , I

do most hear t i l y r ej oi ce t o see t hat al l cl asses of my count r ymen

ar e at l ast not onl y r eady t o appr eci at e, but hear t y i n t hei r appr e-

ci at i on of , what has been done f or f r eedom i n Amer i ca i n t hi s

r evol ut i onar y war . I am sur e t hat we now onl y want f ur t her

knowl edge of f act s t o honor our ki t h and ki n acr oss t he At l ant i c

as t hey deser ve t o be honor ed f or t he gl or i ous sacr i f i ces whi ch

t hey made of al l t hat w^as most pr eci ous and dear est t o t hem i n a

st r uggl e upon whi ch not onl y t hei r own l i f e as a nat i on, but t he

f ut ur e of at l east one- t hi r d of t he wor l d, was at st ake.

I n t hi s bel i ef , I t hi nk t hat Chr i st mas i s t he r i ght t i me f or br i ng-

i ng out i nt o somewhat cl ear er l i ght a si de of t he dr ama whi ch has

not been as yet f ai r l y pr esent ed t o us her e : I mean, f i r st , t he st r ai n

on t he r esour ces of t he Nor t her n St at es whi l e t he war l ast ed; and,

secondl y, t he her oi sm of t he men of gent l e bi r t h and nur t ur e, who,

Page 2 of 9

so f ar f r om shr i nki ng f r om t he wor k, and f i ght i ng by subst i t ut e

( as was asser t ed by some of our l eadi ng j our nal s) , t ook at l east

t hei r f ai r shar e of al l t he danger s and mi ser i es and t oi l s of t hose

dar k year s.

Fi r st , t hen, as t o t he peopl e' s wor k; and, hi ghl y as we may

val ue t he men who have come t o t he f r ont , and whose names as

sol di er s and st at esmen ar e now known over t he whol e wor l d, we

must acknowl edge t hat t he t r ue her o of t he war i s, af t er al l , t he

Amer i can peopl e. I n pr o' of of t hi s I wi l l t ake one or t wo of t he

Nor t her n St at es, and l ook f or a moment at what t he cal l was

whi ch was made on t hem, and how t hey answer ed t o i t . Let us

l ook, as a f i r st i nst ance, at t he smal l est i n ar ea of al l t he St at es

and t he smal l est i n popul at i on of al l t he f r ee St at es. Li t t l e Rhode

I sl and, at t he census of i 860, j ust bef or e t he br eaki ng out of t he

war , cont ai ned a popul at i on of 174, 620. As usual i n t he East er n

St at es, t he f emal es consi der abl y exceeded t he mal es, and of t he

l at t er t her e wer e 82, 304 al t oget her . Up t o December i , 1862,

t hat i s t o say, i n l ess t han t wo year s f r om t he f i r st cal l of t he Pr esi -

dent f or t r oops,

Rhode I sl and f ur ni shed 14, 626 men t o t he ar my

and 1, 400 t o t he navy, or al most one i n f i ve of her t ot al mal e popu-

l at i on, and, of cour se, f ar mor e t han t hat pr opor t i on of her men

of f i ght i ng age, bet ween 18 and 45. I n t he f i r st ent husi asm, when

t he cal l f or 500, 000 men came i n t he summer of 1861, t he quot a of

90

Rhode I sl and was 4, 057, and she f ur ni shed 5, 124. I do not gi ve

t he l at er r et ur ns, because t her e appear s t o have been a l ar ge num-

ber of subst i t ut es amongst her r ecr ui t s af t er 1862, and I have no

means of knowi ng whet her t hese wer e or wer e not nat i ves of t he

St at e. Ther e i s no need t o over st at e t he case, and I shoul d on

ever y account shr i nk f r om doi ng so. Rhode I sl and, t hough t he

smal l est , i s t ent h i n r ank of al l t he St at es as a pr oducer , and her

peopl e ar e consequent l y r i ch and pr osper ous. I f , i n t he l at er

year s of t he war , t hey f ound subst i t ut es i n l ar ge number s, i t must

be, at t he same t i me, r emember ed t hat t hey cont r i but ed mor e

l ar gel y t han any ot her St at e, i n pr opor t i on t o number s, t o t hat

nobl est of al l char i t i es,

t he Sani t ar y Commi ssi on.

But Engl i shmen wi l l ver y l i kel y say, " Gi ve us an i nst ance of

any but a New Engl and St at e: t hey ar e except i onal . " Let us

t ake I ndi ana, t hen, one of t he mi ght y young West er n si st er s, a

communi t y scar ce hal f a cent ur y ol d. A st r onger cont r ast t o

Rhode I sl and coul d scar cel y have been f ound. I ndi ana i n i 860

possessed 8, 161, 717 acr es of i mpr oved f ar mi ng l and, Rhode I sl and

but 329, 884. I ndi ana was f i f t h of al l t he St at es i n agr i cul t ur al

pr oduct i on, and t hi r t eent h i n manuf act ur i ng, Rhode I sl and

st andi ng t ent h, or t hr ee hi gher t han her gi gant i c younger si st er .

Yet we f i nd t he same r eadi ness of r esponse t o t he Pr esi dent ' s cal l

t o ar ms amongst t he West er n f ar mer s as amongst New Engl and

mechani cs and mer chant s. The popul at i on of I ndi ana i s r et ur ned

i n t he census of i 860 at 1, 350, 428, and her mal es at 693, 469. On

t he 31st of December , 1862, she had f ur ni shed 102, 698 sol di er s,

besi des a mi l i t i a home - guar d when her f r ont i er s wer e t hr eat ened.

When Mor gan made hi s r ai d i nt o t he St at e, 60, 000 t ender ed t hei r

ser vi ces wi t hi n t went y- f our hour s, and near l y 20, 000 wer e on hi s

t r ack wi t hi n t hr ee days. I do not happen i n t hi s case t o have t he

l at er r et ur ns, and so must t ur n back t o New Engl and, t o t he ol d

Pur i t an Bay St at e, t o gi ve one per f ect exampl e of what t he Amer i -

can peopl e di d i n t he gr eat st r uggl e.

Massachuset t s, at t he out br eak of t he war , hel d a popul at i on of

1, 230, 000, or t her eabout s, out of whi ch t her e wer e 257, 833 mal es

bet ween t he ages of f i f t een and f or t y. The f i r st bl ood shed i n t he

war agai nst t he sl ave power , as i n t he Revol ut i onar y War agai nst

Engl and, was Massachuset t s bl ood. The Si xt h Massachuset t s

was f i r ed on i n t he st r eet s of Bal t i mor e on Apr i l 19, 1861, and had

t o f i ght i t s way t hr ough t he t own, l osi ng f our ki l l ed and t hi r t y

wounded i n t he oper at i on. Wel l , t he number of men demanded

of Massachuset t s dur i ng t he war was 117, 624. The number

91

Page 3 of 9

f ur ni shed by her ( r educi ng al l t o t he t hr ee year s' st andar d) was

125, 437, bei ng a sur pl us over al l cal l s of 7, 813. Besi des t hese,

6, 670 wer e must er ed i n answer t o a cal l f or t hr ee mont hs' men i n

1864, whi ch wer e never cr edi t ed t o her by t he gover nment . Look

at t he meani ng now of t hi s ot her f act , t hat she has act ual l y sent

mor e men t o t he war t han ar e now t o be f ound i n t he St at e l i abl e

t o do mi ht ar y dut y. How does t hi s t el l as t o wear and t ear of t he

human mat er i al i n t hose Sout her n campai gns ? The l ast assessor s'

r et ur n gave t hese at 133, 767; whi l e t he t ot al number who ser ved

( i ncl udi ng t hr ee and ni ne mont hs' men, and not adher i ng t o t he

t hr ee year s' st andar d) was 153, 486. Out of t hese, how many does

t he r eader ( who has pr obabl y hear d mor e or l ess of " st oppi ng t he

war by pr ohi bi t i ng emi gr at i on f r om I r el and, " and of " New Eng-

l and hi r i ng f or ei gn mer cenar i es t o do t he f i ght i ng" ) t hi nk wer e

f or ei gn r ecr ui t s? Just 907. Thi s does not i ncl ude men bor n

out of t he St at e, but r esi dent or nat ur al i zed t her e bef or e t he war

br oke out . These l at t er , however , I suppose coul d not come

wi t hi n t he def i ni t i on of f or ei gn mer cenar i es; and, of f or ei gner s

ar r i vi ng i n Amer i ca dur i ng t he war , Massachuset t s enhst ed, as I

have sai d, 907 out of 150, 000. Whi l e on t hi s poi nt , I may add

t hat t he most r el i abl e st at i st i cs as t o t he whol e f or ces of t he Nor t h

show t hat of nat i ve- bor n Amer i cans t her e wer e near l y ei ght y per

cent . , of nat ur al i zed Amer i cans f i f t een, and of f or ei gner s f i ve per

cent , onl y, i n t he r anks.

I can honest l y say t hat I have chosen t hese St at es at hazar d, and

t hat a scr ut i ny of t he r emai ni ng f r ee St at es woul d gi ve a ver y

si mi l ar r esul t . And now l et us consi der what t hat r esul t i s.

Rhode I sl and, I ndi ana, and Massachuset t s may, per haps, equal i n

popul at i on t hi s met r opol i s wi t h i t s i mmedi at e subur bs; whi l e one

of t hem al one act ual l y sent t o act i ve ser vi ce, i n t he f our year s of

t he war , an ar my equal i n number s t o t he t ot al vol unt eer f or ce now

under ar ms i n Gr eat Br i t ai n. Rhode I sl and i s not so popul ous as

Shef f i el d; and i n ei ght een mont hs she ar med and sent Sout h

15, 000 of her ci t i zens. I know t hat Engl and, i n l i ke need, woul d

be equal t o a l i ke ef f or t . Let us honor , t hen, as t hey deser ve t he

peopl e of our own Hneage, t o whom t he cal l has come, and who

have met i t .

I need scar cel y pause t o not e how t he Nor t her n peopl e have

pai d i n pur se as wel l as i n per son. Let one i nst ance suf f i ce. I n

1864 t he assessment of Massachuset t s f or t axes t o suppor t t he

gener al gover nment amount ed t o f our t een mi l Hons, ever y f r act i on

of whi ch was col l ect ed wi t hout i mpedi ment or del ay. Add t o

92

5

t hi s t he St at e t axat i on and t he amount s cont r i but ed t o t he Sani -

t ar y Commi ssi on and ot her or gani zat i ons f or di st r i but i ng vol un-

t ar y cont r i but i ons i n suppor t of t he war , and we shoul d r each a

f i gur e al most exceedi ng bel i ef . I have no means of st at i ng i t

accur at el y, but am qui t e saf e i n put t i ng i t as hi gh as t went y - f i ve

mi l l i on dol l ar s, act ual l y r ai sed and pai d, by a St at e wi t h a popul a-

t i on l ess t han hal f of t hat of our met r opol i s, i n one t wel vemont h.

And now f or my second poi nt ,

t he exampl e set by t he men of

bi r t h, weal t h, and hi gh posi t i on. Her e, t oo, I f eel sur e t hat a f ew

si mpl e f act s, t aken at hazar d f r om t he mass whi ch I have under

my hand, wi l l be mor e t han enough t o sat i sf y ever y j ust and

gener ous man amongst my count r ymen; and I am pr oud t o be-

l i eve t hat , what ever our pr ej udi ces may be, t her e ar e f ew i ndeed

amongst us t o whom such an appeal wi l l be made i n vai n.

I have sai d above t hat t he mass of mat er i al s i s l ar ge: I mi ght

have sai d unmanageabl e. I t i s, i ndeed, i mpossi bl e t o t ake mor e

t han an exampl e her e and t her e, and t o br i ng t hese out as cl ear l y

as one can i n t he l i mi t s of an ar t i cl e. Let me t ake as mi ne a

f ami l y or t wo, wi t h some one or mor e of whose member s I have

t he honor of f r i endshi p or acquai nt ance. And, f i r st , t hat of J.

Russel l Lowel l , t he man t o whose wor ks I owe mor e, per sonal l y,

t han t o t hose of any ot her Amer i can. I t woul d be har d t o f i nd a

nobl er r ecor d. The young men of t hi s st ock seem t o have been

al l of hi gh mar k, di st i ngui shed speci al l y f or i nt el l ect ual power and

at t ai nment s. Sur el y, t he si ckl e of war has never been put mor e

Page 4 of 9

unspar i ngl y i nt o any f i el d. Fi r st i n or der comes Wi l l i e Put nam,

age t went y- one, t he sol e sur vi vi ng son of Lowel l ' s si st er , a boy of

t he hi ghest cul t ur e and pr omi se, mor t al l y wounded at Bal l ' s Bl uf f

i n Oct ober , 1861, i n t he f i r st mont hs of t he war , whi l e i n t he act of

goi ng t o t he hel p of a wounded compani on. At t he same bi t t er

f i ght hi s cousi n, James Jackson Lowel l , aged t went y- f our , was

badl y hur t , but , af t er a shor t absence t o r ecr ui t , j oi ned hi s r egi -

ment agai n, and f el l on June 30, 1862. " Tel l my f at her I was

dr essi ng t he l i ne of my company when I was hi t , " was hi s l ast

message home. He had been f i r st i n hi s year at Har var d, and was

t aki ng pr i vat e pupi l s i n t he l aw school when t he war br oke out .

War r en Russel l f el l at BuU' s Run i n August , 1862. Many of

us her e may r emember t he account , whi ch was r epr i nt ed i n t he

' ' Ti mes" and ot her paper s, of t he pr esent at i on of col or s t o t he

Second Massachuset t s I nf ant r y by Mr . Mot l ey, at Bost on, i n t he

summer of 1861. I t at t r act ed speci al not i ce f r om t he f act t hat

t he aut hor of t he " Hi st or y of t he Dut ch Republ i c" had been

93

so l at el y l i vi ng amongst us, and was so wel l known and l i ked her e.

The gr oup of oj B&cer s who r ecei ved t hese col or s wer e t he ver y

j eunessedor eeoi Massachuset t s,

Qui ncy, D wi ght , Abbot , Robeson,

Russel l , Shaw, Gor don, Savage, Per ki ns. Such a r ol l wi l l speak

vol umes t o al l who have any acquai nt ance wi t h New Engl and

hi st or y. Those col or s have come home r i ddl ed, t at t er ed,

bl ackened; but f i ve- si xt hs of t he young of f i cer s have gi ven t hei r

l i ves f or t hem, and of t he one t housand r ank and f i l e who t hen

sur r ounded t hem, scar cel y one hundr ed and f i f t y sur vi ve. Thi s

by t he way. I r ef er t o t he must er because Rober t Shaw was

amongst t hose of f i cer s,

a name al r eady honor ed i n t hose pages,

and anot her nephew of Lowel l ' s. Shaw' s si st er mar r i ed Char l es

Lowel l , of whom mor e pr esent l y. We al l know how Rober t

Shaw, af t er t wo year s' gal l ant ser vi ce, accept ed t he command of

t he f i r st bl ack r egi ment r ai sed i n Massachuset t s ( t he Fi f t y - Four t h) ;

how he l ed t hem i n t he oper at i ons bef or e Char l est on, and was

bur i ed wi t h hi s " ni gger s" i n t he pi t under For t Wagner ,

t he

gr andest sepul t ur e ear ned by any sol di er of t hi s cent ur y. By hi s

si de f ought and di ed Cabot Russel l , t he t hi r d of Lowel l ' s nephews,

t hen a capt ai n of a bl ack company. St ephen Geor ge Per ki ns,

anot her nephew, was ki l l ed at Cedar Cr eek; and Fr anci s But t on

Russel l at one of t he i nnumer abl e Vi r gi ni a bat t l es.

I pass t o t he l ast on t he l i st , and t he most r emar kabl e. Char l es

Russel l Lowel l , t he onl y br ot her of t he James who di ed " dr essi ng

hi s l i ne, " was al so t he f i r st schol ar of hi s year ( 1854) at Har var d.

He had vi si t ed Eur ope f or heal t h, and made l ong r i di ng t our s i n

Spai n and Al ger i a, wher e he became a consummat e hor seman.

On t he day af t er t he Si xt h Massachuset t s wer e f i r ed on i n Bal t i -

mor e st r eet s, Char l es Lowel l hear d of i t , and st ar t ed by t he next

t r ai n t o Washi ngt on, passi ng t hr ough Bal t i mor e. AH communi ca-

t i on bet ween t he t wo ci t i es was suspended, but he ar r i ved on f oot

at Washi ngt on i n f or t y- ei ght hour s. I n t hose f i r st days of con-

f usi on he became agent f or Massachuset t s at Washi ngt on, and

br ought or der out of chaos, f or hi s own St at e, bef or e j oi ni ng t he

ar my. Hi s power s

of command and or gani zat i on gai ned hi m

r api d pr omot i on. He ser ved wi t h di st i nct i on i n t he Peni nsul a

campai gns of McCl el l an, and, af t er Ant i et am, was sel ect ed t o

car r y t he capt ur ed st andar ds t o Washi ngt on. He r ai sed a second

caval r y r egi ment at home i n t he wi nt er of 1862. He was pl aced

i n command of t he caval r y f or ce whi ch pr ot ect ed Washi ngt on

dur i ng t he dar k days of 1863. I n Sher i dan' s br i l l i ant campai gn

of 1864 he commanded t he caval r y br i gade, of f our r egul ar r egi -

94

ment s, and t he Second Massachuset t s vol unt eer caval r y. He had

t hi r t een hor ses shot under hi m bef or e t he bat t l e of Cedar Cr eek

on Oct ober 19; was badl y wounded ear l y i n t hat day, and l i f t ed

on t o hi s f our t eent h hor se t o l ead t he f i nal char ge, so f ai nt t hat he

had t o gi ve hi s or der s i n a whi sper . Ur ged by t hose r ound hi m t o

l eave t he f i el d, he pr essed on t o t he cr i t i cal poi nt of at t ack; and

hi msel f l ed t he l ast char ge, whi ch ended one of t he most obst i nat e

Page 5 of 9

bat t l es of t he war . I t i s t he deat h of t hi s nephew whi ch wr ung

f r om hi s uncl e t he Hues whi ch occur i n one of t he l ast " Bi gl ow

Paper s " publ i shed i n one of l ast wi nt er ' s number s of t he At l ant i c

Magazi ne:

" Wut ' s wor ds t o t hem whose f ai t h and t r ut h

On War ' s r ed t echst one r ang t r ue met al ,

Who vent ur ed l i f e, an' l ove, an' yout h,

For t he gr et pr i ze o' det h i n bat t l e ?

To hi m who, deadl y hur t , agen

Fl ashed on af or e t he char ge' s t hunder ,

. Ti ppi n' wi t h f i r e t he bol t of men

That r i ved t he r ebel l i ne asunder ?

" ' Ta' n' t r i ght t o hev t he young go f ust ,

Al l t hr obbi n' f ul l o' gi f t s and gr aces.

Leavi ng l i f e' s pauper s dr y as dust

To t r y and make b' l i eve f i l l t hei r pl aces;

Not hi n' but t el l s us wut we mi ss:

Ther ' s gaps our l i ves can' t never bay i n,

An' t het wor l d seems so f ur f r om t hi s,

Lef f or us l oaf er s t o gr ow gr ay i n. "

He di ed next day of hi s wounds, l eavi ng a wi dow of t went y, hi m-

sel f not t hi r t y. The gazet t e, i n whi ch hi s commi ssi on as gener al

was publ i shed, di d not r each t he ar my t i l l af t er hi s deat h.

Sher i dan, wi t h t he gener osi t y whi ch most of t he gr eat Nor t her n

capt ai ns have shown, decl ar ed t hat t he count r y coul d bet t er have

spar ed hi msel f , and t hat t her e was no one qual i t y of a sol di er

whi ch he coul d have wi shed added t o Char l es Lowel l .

My f i r st exampl e, t hen, gi ves us one f ami l y, i n whi ch t her e was

no sol di er i n i 860, l osi ng ei ght young men under t hi r t y i n l i t t l e

mor e t han t hr ee year s' f i ght i ng.

I have ment i oned t he name of Mot l ey above. Let us see how i t

f ar ed wi t h hi s ci r cl e. He has assur ed me mor e t han once t hat of

hi s own i mmedi at e f ami l y t her e wer e f ewer t han t he aver age i n

t he r anks; but he had at l east f i ve near r el at i ves^ser vi ng,

t hr ee

Lot hr ops, one of whom was ki l l ed Jn Loui si ana ; ^^ Maj or Mot l ey,

badl y wounded i n Vi r gi ni a ear l y i n 1864; and Maj or St ackpol e,

95

8

anot her hi ghl y di st i ngui shed gr aduat e of Har var d, who ser ved

t hr ough t he whol e war , and has now r esumed hi s pr act i ce as a

bar r i st er . Mi ss Mot l ey mar r i ed Capt ai n I ves, a gent l eman of

f or t une i n Rhode I sl and, who was t r avel l i ng i n Eur ope when t he

war br oke out . He vol unt eer ed i nt o t he navy, commanded t he

Pot omac f l ot i l l a, and accompani ed Bur nsi de' s expedi t i on t o Nor t h

Car ol i na, wher e he cont r act ed t he i l l ness of whi ch he has si nce

di ed. Hi s cousi n, Rober t I ves, al so a man of l ar ge f or t une,

vol unt eer ed i nt o t he ar my, and was ki l l ed at Ant i et am. I bel i eve

t hey wer e t he t wo l ast men who bor e t he name of I ves i n t hei r

St at e.

The name of Wadswor t h i s bet t er known her e t han most Amer i -

can names i n consequence of i t s Engl i sh connect i on. The head

of t he f ami l y was a count r y gent l eman l i vi ng on hi s est at es i n

Geneseo, i n New Yor k St at e, up t o i 860, wi t h a f ami l y of t hr ee

sons and t hr ee daught er s. At t he news of t he at t ack on t he Uni on

t r oops i n Bal t i mor e he i nst ant l y char t er ed a st eamer , l oaded her

wi t h pr ovi si ons, and sent her up t he Pot omac,

a most t i mel y ai d

t o t he capi t al . He act ed as ai de- de- camp t o McDowel l , and was

hi s r i ght hand man i n t he Bul l Run Campai gn, " hi s youngest as

wel l as hi s ol dest ai de" ; was made a gener al soon af t er war ds; and

af t er sever al campai gns was pl aced i n command of Washi ngt on.

Hi s r eput at i on as an of hcer had now become such t hat at t he

Page 6 of 9

begi nni ng of t he l ast campai gn ever y cor ps commander of t he

Ar my of t he Pot omac appl i ed t o t he War Depar t ment t o have

hi m wi t h t hem as br i gadi er . He was ki l l ed i n t he Wi l der ness i n

t he l ast advance on Ri chmond. Hi s t hr ee sons have al l ser ved,

t he youngest havi ng enl i st ed at si xt een. Thus ever y man i n t he

f ami l y ser ved; and t he onl y mar r i ed daught er i s t he wi dow of

Col onel Mont gomer y Ri t chi e, one of t wo br ot her s, bot h of whom

ser ved wi t h di st i nct i on, one t o t he sacr i f i ce of hi s l i f e by t he same

subt l e di sease t hat st r uck down Capt ai n I ves.

I coul d go t o any l engt h, f or my acquai nt ance wi t h Amer i cans

i s l ar ge, and I scar cel y know a man who has not l ost some r el at i ve

i n t he war . But apar t f r om one' s own acquai nt ance t her e i s

scar cel y one of t he f amous col oni al and Revol ut i onar y names whi ch

has not been r epr esent ed. The Jays, Adamses, Schuyl er s, Li vi ng-

st ons, Van Renssel aer s, have not f ai l ed t hei r count r y i n her second

gr eat need, and have f ought wel l and wor ked har d, t hough t he

pr esent hol der s of t hese honor ed names, most l y qui et young men,

have not had t i me t o r each t hei r ancest or s' pl aces. The bear er s

of gr eat names, I t ake i t , do not get such a st ar t i n t he St at es as

96

wi t h us at home. A descendant ( gr andson, I bel i eve) of Al ex -

ander Hami l t on, however , became a gener al , whi l e sever al of hi s

cousi ns r emai ned i n l ower r anks. Col onel Fl et cher Webst er ,

onl y sur vi vi ng son of Dani el Webst er , was ki l l ed i n Vi r gi ni a.

Per haps t he man who exci t ed most t he hopes and mar t i al

ent husi asm of Am. er i cans i n t he f i r st mont h of t he war was Maj or

Theodor e Wi nt hr op, a descendant of t he f amous Gover nor John

Wi nt hr op, schol ar , t r avel l er , poet , at hl et e, who was ki l l ed at t he

di sast r ous bat t l e of Gr eat Bet hel , June l o, 1861. A son of

Gener al Por t er , who was di st i ngui shed i n t he l ast war wi t h us, f el l

as a col onel i n t he spr i ng campai gn of 1864. Even t he f ami l i es

f amous, as yet , f or weal t h onl y have not shr unk f r om t he f i ght i ng,

one Ast or , at l east , and Cut t i ngs, Scher mer hor ns, Lydi gs, and

ot her s, havi ng hel d t hei r own i n t he vol unt eer r anks.

Or

l et us come t o names mor e f ami har t han any ot her t r ans -

at l ant i c ones t o us

t he Bost on gr oup. Longf el l ow' s young son

( Char l i e, as I hear al l men cal l hi m) has managed t o f i ght a cam-

pai gn, and get badl y hi t i n Loui si ana, at an age when our boys

ar e t hi nki ng of t hei r Fr eshman' s t er m at Oxf or d. Ol i ver Wendel l

Hol mes ( j uni or ) , poet , ar t i st , Gr eek schol ar , vi r t uoso, has been

t wi ce

I was goi ng t o say ki l l ed

wel l , shot t hr ough t he body and

neck and agai n i n t he heel ; and, havi ng f ought t hr ough al l t o

t he end of t he war , i s agai n busy wi t h br ush and pen. Ol mst ead

has f ought wi t h mi ght i er weapons t han r i f l ed cannon, at t he head

of t he Sani t ar y Commi ssi on. Of f our br ot her s Dwi ght , t wo wer e

ki l l ed and a t hi r d f ought hi s way t o Gener al . Whi t t i er s, Appl e-

t ons, Lor i ngs, Cr owni nshi el ds, Dehons

but I wi l l t ax my r eader s'

pat i ence no l onger wi t h r ol l s of names whi ch per haps, t o most of

t hem, wi l l be names and not hi ng mor e. Let t hi s l ast summi ng

up of t he wor k of men of bi r t h and posi t i on i n one St at e suf i i ce

( I choose Massachuset t s agai n, because, t hanks t o Gover nor

Andr ew, we have mor e accur at e r et ur ns as t o her over her e t han

as t o any ot her St at e) : Si nce t he decl ar at i on of war , 434 of f i cer s

f r om Massachuset t s have been ki l l ed,

9 Gener al s, 16 Col onel s,

17 Li eut enant - col onel s, 20 Maj or s, 15 Sur geons, 2 Chapl ai ns,

no Capt ai ns, and 245 Li eut enant s. Of t he 35 Gener al of f i cer s

f r om t hat St at e, 10 onl y have escaped wounds.

Of al l t he Kvi ng gr aduat es of Har var d ( t he uni ver si t y of hi ghest

r eput e i n Amer i ca) , one - f i f t h, or , t o be as accur at e as possi bl e,

ni net een and some f r act i on per cent . , have ser ved wi t h t he ar my.

At Yal e Col l ege t he per cent age has been even hi gher . Con-

cei ve a st r uggl e whi ch shoul d br i ng one i n ever y f i ve of men who

97

have t aken degr ees at Oxf or d and Cambr i dge under f i r e, and

whi ch shoul d cal l on us, besi des our r egul ar ar my, t o keep on f oot

and r ecr ui t f or t hr ee year s a vol unt eer ar my f i ve t i mes as l ar ge as

Page 7 of 9

our pr esent one.

Such pl ai n f act s and r et ur ns as t hese wi l l , I am sur e, convi nce

t he l ast skept i c

i f t her e be one l ef t amongst us at t hi s Yul e t i de,

1865

t hi i t New Engl and has not spar ed of her best bl ood i n t he

gr eat day of t he Lor d, under t he bur den and heat of whi ch t he

whol e Nor t h has r eel ed and st agger ed i ndeed, but wi t hout ever

bat i ng hear t or hope, and al ways gai ni ng f r esh power , t hr ough

t hr ee year s of war , whi ch have seemed

nay, whi ch have been

a

l i f et i me. I n such cr i ses t i me i s not measur ed by year s or days.

The Amer i ca whi ch l ooked on par al yzed and doubt f ul when

John Br own pr ophesi ed al l t hese t hi ngs on hi s way t o t he scaf f ol d,

ki ssi ng a negr o chi l d as he passed al ong, whi l e St onewal l Jackson

and hi s pupi l s guar ded t he gi bbet ,

t he Amer i ca of St at e

sover ei gnt y and Dr ed Scot t l aw, i n whi ch t he gospel news meant

avowedl y " good wi l l t o whi t e men, " and abol i t i oni sm was l oat hed

as a vul gar and mi schi evous f anat i ci sm,

i s as f ar behi nd us t o- day,

f or al l pr act i cal pur poses, as t he Engl and of t he St uar t s or t he

Fr ance of t he Regency. What t hi s means, f or t he Ol d Wor l d as

wel l as f or t he New, I wi l l not pause t o consi der . My est i mat e

mi ght r ai se smi l es or pr ovoke cr i t i ci sm amongst us, bot h of whi ch

( good as t hey ar e i n t hei r r i ght t i me and pl ace) I am anxi ous her e

t o avoi d.

I pr ef er , at par t i ng, t o endeavor t o put my r eader s i n sympat hy

wi t h t he spi r i t , t he hear t , and consci ence of t he Nor t h, i n t he

pr esence of t hei r ast oundi ng success. I cannot do t hi s bet t er

t han by a gl ance at t he commemor at i on of t he l i vi ng and dead

sol di er s of t he Har var d Uni ver si t y. Commemor at i on Day at

Har var d, i n Jul y, 1865, must i ndeed have st amped i t sel f i ndel i bl y

on t he memor i es of al l t hose sons of t he f i r st of Amer i can uni ver -

si t i es who wer e pr esent at t he gat her i ng. To me, I own, even t he

meagr e r epor t s one got over her e i n t he Amer i can paper s wer e

unspeakabl y t ouchi ng. The i r r epr essi bl e j oy of a peopl e

del i ver ed, af t er year s of st er n wor k and pat i ent wai t i ng, f r om an

awf ul bur den, al most t oo heavy f or mor t al shoul der s t o bear ,

t emper ed, as i t was, by t he t ender est sympat hy f or t he f ami l i es

of t he f al l en, and a sol emn t ur ni ng t o gi ve gl or y and t hanks, wi t h

f ul l hear t , t o t hat God who gi vet h vi ct or y, and heal et h wounded

spi r i t s, and st andet h above Hi s peopl e as t he shadow of a gr eat

r ock i n a wear y l and,

t he mi ngl ed cr y of t r i umph and agony,

98

1 1

and t r ust and l ove, whi ch went up f r om t he ver y hear t of t hat

meet i ng,

must ever , t o my mi nd, r ank amongst t he most nobl e,

t he most subl i me pi eces of hi st or y of t he cent ur y i n whi ch we ar e

l i vi ng. Let t he r eader consi der t he f ol l owi ng as compar ed wi t h

t he or di nar y commemor at i on poet r y. The f u- st i s t he hymn

wr i t t en f or t he commemor at i on ser vi ce, by Rober t Lowel l :

" Thy wor k, O God, goes on i n ear t h.

Wi t h shout s of war , and har vest songs;

A r eady wi l l i s al l our wor t h;

To Thee our Maker al l bel ongs.

" Thanks f or our gr eat and dear , who knew

To l avi sh l i f e gr eat needs t o ear n;

Our dead, our l i vi ng, br ave and t r ue,

To each who ser ved Thee i n hi s t ur n.

" Show us t r ue l i f e as i n Thy Son;

Br eat he t hr ough our f l esh t he Hol y Ghost ;

Then ear t h' s st r onghol ds ar e st or med and won;

Then man di es f ai t hf ul at hi s post .

" They cr owd behi nd us t o t hi s shade.

The yout h who own t he comi ng year s ;

Be never God, or l and, bet r ayed,

By any son our Har var d r ear s! "

My second quot at i on shal l be a st anza f r om t he " Commemor at i on

Ode, " by t he best known member of t he f ami l y, James Russel l

Lowel l , aut hor of t he " Bi gl ow Paper s" :

Page 8 of 9

' " ' Bow down, dear Land, f or t hou hast f ound r el ease!

Thy God, i n t hese di st emper ed days,

Hat h t aught t hee t he sur e wi sdom of Hi s ways,

And t hr ough t hi ne enemi es hat h wr ought t hy peace 1

Bow down i n pr ayer and pr ai se !

O Beaut i f ul ! my Count r y ! our s once mor e !

Smoot hi ng t hy gol d of war - di shevel l ed hai r

O' er such sweet br ows as never ot her wor e,

And l et t i ng t hy set l i ps.

Fr eed f r om wr at h' s pal e ecl i pse.

The r osy edges of t hei r smi l e l ay bar e,

What wor ds di vi ne of l over or of poet

Coul d t el l our l ove and make t hee know i t ,

Among t he Nat i ons br i ght beyond compar e ?

What wer e our l i ves wi t hout t hee ?

What al l our l i ves t o save t hee ?

We r eck not what we gave t hee;

We wi l l not dar e t o doubt t hee;

But ask what ever el se, and we wi l l dar e! "

99

12

Was ever t r uer or br aver r i ng st r uck out of t he met al of whi ch

Engl i sh- speaki ng men ar e made? I f so, I f or one have yet t o

l ear n when and wher e. And now, at t hi s Chr i st mas t i me, when

t hei r t r emendous st or m- cl oud has br oken up, and not hi ng but a

l i ght st r eak or t wo of vapor i s t o be seen i n t hei r heavens, l et us

sei ze t hi s pr eci ous moment , never t o r ecur agai n i n t hei r or our

hi st or y, and by gr acef ul and l oyal wor d and deed show t hem

t hat we honor , as i t deser ves, t he wor k t hey have done f or t he

wor l d si nce t he el ect i on of i 860, and can sympat hi ze wi t h t hei r

hi gh hopes f or t he f ut ur e of t hei r cont i nent wi t h no j eal ousy or

di st r ust , as br et hr en of t he same st ock and chi l dr en of t he same

Fat her .

Thi s nobl e t r i but e by Thomas Hughes t o t he young her oes of t he Amer i can Ci vi l War

was f el t at t he t i me t o be so not ewor t hy t hat i t was r epr i nt ed i n t he r epor t of t he Adj ut ant -

Gener al of Massachuset t s, Januar y i , 1866,

whi ch r epor t al t oget her cont ai ns a mass of val u-

abl e mat er i al r el at i ng t o t he par t of Massachuset t s i n t he Ci vi l War , i ncl udi ng an accoi mt of

t he i mpr essi ve mi l i t ar y cer emony upon t he r et ur n of t he col or s of t he di f f er ent r egi ment s t o t he

St at e on For ef at her s' Day, 1865, wi t h t he addr ess by Gover nor Andr ew and poem by Gen-

er al Sar gent . Adj ut ant - Gener al Schoul er , i n r epr i nt i ng Mr . Hughes' s memor abl e ar t i cl e, sai d:

" I t woul d be f ol l y t o di scr i mi nat e bet ween t he var i ous cl asses of ci t i zens whi ch have con-

t r i but ed of t hei r member s and st i bst ance t o sust ai n t he Uni on cause, wi t h men and money,

dur i ng t he Rebel l i on, when al l have done so nobl y. No cl ass hel d back. When t he Pr esi -

dent i ssued hi s cal l s f or men, t he men came. When t he Sani t ar y and Chr i st i an Commi ssi ons

r equi r ed cont r i but i ons, t o suppl y t he suf f er er s i n t he hospi t al s wi t h cl ot hi ng and ot her neces -

si t i es, and t o f ur ni sh good books and r el i gi ous consol at i ons t o our sol di er s i n t he f i el d and

el sewher e, t he r equi r ement s wer e suppUed wi t h unst i nt ed benevol ence. Ther e i s har dl y a

f ami l y i n t he Commonweal t h t hat has not f ur ni shed a husband, a son, or br ot her t o t he r anks,

or t hat has f ai l ed t o cont r i but e l i ber al l y of i t s subst ance t o t hei r suppor t and comf or t when i n

t he f i el d. "

Thomas Hughes, known t o boys t he wor l d over as t he aut hor of " Tom Br own' s School

Days at Rugby, " was bor n at Uf i &ngt on i n Engl and, near Want age, t he bi r t hpl ace of Al f r ed

t he Gr eat , i n 1822, and di ed i n 1896. Hi s l i f e was l ar gel y passed i n London, i n t he pr of es -

si on of t he l aw; and he was al ways act i ve i n soci al and poh' t i cal r ef or m, bei ng f or a t i me

member of Par hament . He was associ at ed wi t h Maur i ce and Ki ngsl ey i n t he Chr i st i an

Soci al i st movement , and was t he f ovmder of t he Wor ki ngr aen' s Col l ege i n London. He was

t he aut hor of var i ous val uabl e wor ks, i ncl udi ng " Tom Br own at Oxf or d" and a Li f e of

Al f r ed t he Gr eat . A compl et e l i st of hi s wr i t i ngs may be f ound i n t he car ef ul ar t i cl e upon

hi m i n t he Di ct i onar y of Nat i onal Bi ogr aphy. Ther e i s a f i ne st at ue of hi m i n t he school -

Page 9 of 9

gr ounds at Rugby. He had a gr eat admi r at i on f or t he poet r y of Lowel l , and i n 1859, ^ col -

l abor at i on wi t h J. M. Ludl ow, wr ot e an i nt r oduct i on f or an EngUsh edi t i on of t he " Bi gl ow

Paper s. " He was one of t he most st eadf ast and out spoken Engl i sh f r i ends of t he Uni on

cause dur i ng our Ci vi l War . I n 1870 he f i r st vi si t ed t he Uni t ed St at es, and gave t wo addr esses,

one i n Bost on on " John t o Jonat han, " and one i n New Yor k on t he Labor Quest i on. He

was af t er war ds i nt er est ed i n est abl i shi ng an Engl i sh col ony at Rugby, Tenn.

PUBLI SHED BY

THE DI RECTORS OF THE OLD SOUTH WORK,

Ol d Sout h Meet i ng- house. Bost on, Mass.