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"MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR," 


MEMORIALS 


OF 


Col.    J.   HOWAED   KITCHmG, 

BIXTH  NEW  YORK   ARTILLERY,    ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC. 


BY    THE    AUTHOR  OF   "THE    CONQUEST    OF    FLORIDA,"    "FOUNTAIN 
OF  LIVING  WATERS,"   AND    "  TINY   FOOTFALL." 


NEW  YORK: 

PUBLISHED   BY   HURD   AND   HOUGHTON. 

Camtiritfflc :  Eiberslitrc  prtiS^. 

1873. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1872,  by 

John  B.  Kitchixg,  • 
in  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  TVashmgton. 


RIVERSIDE,    CAMBRIDGE: 

STEREOTYPED    AND    PRINTED    BT 

H.   0.   HOUGHTON    AND   COMPANY. 


%  pilgrim  of  tl)e  faitlj  is  limneb  Ijjere 
toitl)  bintcb  mail  mib  russet  mecbs  s'clabb, 
ge  turnetl)  from  loose  mirtl)  Ijis  listless  ear, 
^nb  leanetl)  on  tlje  crosse  toitl)  aspect  sab. 
Buggeb  l)i3  pati),  anb  narrom  anh  beset 
ttJitl)  peril,  sorrom,  axxb  temptation  strong. 
!3ut  neither  gentle  lure,  nor  bireful  threat 
(^an  mn  l)im  to  tlje  uaine  anh  toanton  throng, 
(£>v  force  l)is  feet  from  tljat  straight  patl)  asibe, 
iToUotDing  tlje  footsteps  of  tl)e  crucifieb." 

Sj>enser. 


PREFACE. 


Teces  memorial  is  written,  not  to  emblazon  the 
name  of  Howard  Kitching  on  the  scroll  of  history, 
or  to  point  him  out  as  a  young  man  who  climbed 
heights  far  above  his  fellows  ;  for  his  modesty  was 
equal  to  his  worth,  and  he  would  have  deprecated 
all  praise  and  shrunk  from  anything  like  eulogy ; 
but  the  rather,  while  gratifying  the  expressed 
desire  of  his  many  friends,  who  would  not  wiU- 
ingiy  let  his  memory  die,  to  give  a  faint  outline  of 
the  life  of  one  who  amid  the  manifold  temptations 
of  a  soldier's  life,  was  a  true  and  faithful  soldier 
of  the  cross. 

He  is  but  a  type  of  thousands  of  young  men, 
Christian  young  men,  as  brave  and  as  true  as  he, 
who  fought  and  bled  and  died  for  their  country. 

While  we  have  learned  from  a  terrible  experi- 
ence, that  war  is  a  great  evil,  and  pray  in  the 
language  of  the  Liturgy  of  the  English  Church, 
"  Give  peace  in  our  time,  0  Lord,"  we  would  not 


vi  PREFACE. 

forget  that  fragrant  blossoms  may  spring  up  on 
the  battle-field,  and  the  name  of  Jesus  be  glorified 
thereby. 

It  is  not  the  exotic  nursed  in  glass  and  artificial 
heat  which  is  the  type  of  strength ;  but  the  plant 
struggling  for  existence  on  bleak  cUffs,  or  the  pine 
battling  with  Alpine  gusts,  or  shivering  amid  Al- 
pine snows.  And  while  we  know,  that  sadly  too 
many  young  men,  tenderly  nurtured,  and  who  had 
given  hopes  of  shining  brightly  in  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  at  home,  tarnished  their  armor  and  were  lost 
amid  the  fiery  conflicts  of  army  life,  yet  there  were 
others,  and  they  not  a  few,  who  were  made  stronger 
by  battling  with  the  blasts  of  temptation,  and 
purified  by  the  scenes  of  suffering  and  sorrow  they 
were  compelled  to  witness. 

There  are  fathers  and  mothers,  brothers  and 
sisters,  throughout  our  land,  whose  hearts  will  beat 
the  quicker  when  they  are  reminded  of  their  young 
soldier  who  never  returned  from  the  war,  and  who 
will,  we  think,  find  a  sad  pleasure  in  reading  the 
record  of  a  brief  life,  so  hke  that  of  the  one  whose 
loss  they  mourn. 

There  are  many  young  men  who  have  experi- 
enced the  fever  and  flush  of  the  fight,  many  who 
have  only  heard  the  story,  who,  we  think,  may  find 
interest  in  a  sketch  of  the  life  of  a  young  man  who 


PREFACE.  YU 

in  a  terrible  crisis  of  his  country's  history,  faith.- 
fully  served  his  country  and  his  God. 

In  dwelling,  as  we  do  with  pride,  on  the  bravery 
and  Christian  courage  of  our  soldiers,  we  have  not 
forgotten  that  the  ranks  of  the  Southern  army 
were  filled  with  spirits  of  equal  bravery,  —  noble 
Christian  men  who  were  fighting  for  what  they 
thought  the  right,  though  we  believed  them  dread- 
fully in  the  wrong.  Their  memory  is  cherished 
by  many  a  fireside  in  that  stricken  part  of  our 
land,  and  for  many  of  them  their  record  is  on 
high. 

There  is  so  much  that  is  heart-rending  about 
this  terrible  war,  it  has  broken  so  many  friend- 
ships, severed  so  many  tender  ties,  that  some 
would  bury  the  thought  of  it  in  obHvion.  But 
that  is  not  the  Christian's  way  of  deahng  with  a 
great  sorrow.  He  seeks  to  understand  the  lesson 
the  Lord  would  teach  thereby.  Oft  and  again,  it  is 
now  as  it  was  with  Elijah.  The  Lord  is  not  in  the 
wind,  nor  in  the  earthquake,  nor  in  the  fire  ;  but  it 
is  in  the  "  still  small  voice,"  that  comes  after  all 
these,  that  He  speaks  to  his  servant.  So  now, 
that  the  noise  and  confusion  of  horrid  warfare 
have  ceased,  from  those  battle-fields  where  those 
who  once  fought  as  enemies  he  quietly  side  by 
side,  there  comes  a  still  small  voice,  that  speaks  of 


Viii  PREFACE. 

Christian  forgiveness  and  Christian  love.  The 
grave  covers  all  enmities,  and  we  trust  and  be- 
lieve, the  subduing  hand  of  time  will  soften  the 
bitter  asperities  of  the  hour,  and  that  our  country, 
purified  by  passing  through  the  furnace,  may  be 
more  united  than  ever  —  a  grand  and  glorious 
Christian  RepubHc. 


CONINE  NTS. 


PAGE 
CITAl'TER 

I.   Ivw.LY  Days ' 

!I.  TiiK  Pf.epakatiox ^' 

111.  'I'm:  CoM-MCT •     -^'' 

1\'.  Ci.oTDs  AM)  Sunshine 

V.  Ki:fi;ksiiin<;   Showkrs 

Vr,    TtIE  Wir,l)KRXKSS 

\^II      TjIK    TjiENdlKS 

VIIT.     DkFKNSKS    QV    WASIIIN(iTO\ ^'' 

IX.    Till:   Last   Batti.k 

X.  The  Discii'i.iNK  OK  Sri!KUiN<; 

XT.  The  Vk  touy  Won 

Appendix 


79 
10;') 
121 
147 


197 
2().'i 
229 
235 


EARLY  DAYS. 


"  A  noble  boy, 
A  brave,  free-hearted,  careless  one. 
Full  of  unchecked,  unbidden  joy ; 
Of  dread  of  books,  and  love  of  fun ; 
And  with  a  clear  and  ready  smile, 
Unshadowed  by  a  thought  of  guile." 


^'MOEE  tha:^^  OO^^QUEEOR" 


CHAPTER  I. 
EABLY  DAYS. 

"Then  Jesus  beholding  him,  loved  him,  and  said  unto  him,  One 
thing  thou  lackest."  —  Mark  x.  21. 

The  winter  mnd  is  sighing,  and  the  leaves  are 
rustUng  their  sad  requiem  over  the  grave  of  many 
a  young  hero,  who  fell  nobly  fighting  in  the  great 
war  which  has  just  resulted  in  the  regeneration, 
the  salvation  of  our  country.  In  every  city,  in 
every  town  and  hamlet  in  the  land,  on  the  square 
and  in  the  narrow  lane,  in  hall  and  cottage,  on  the 
mountain-side  and  in  the  valley,  everywhere  their 
memories  are  cherished ;  their  names  are  household 
words,  embalmed  in  many  a  loving  heart. 

The  shadow  has  fallen  upon  a  thousand,  thou- 
sand homes,  of  which  they  were  the  Hght  and  the 
joy  ;  and  their  youthful  patriotism,  their  deeds  of 
daring,  will  never  be  known  beyond  these  quiet 
firesides. 

And  yet,  though  unknown  to  fame,  their  lives 
have  not  been  wasted  —  they  have  not  lived  in 
vain.  O,  no !  They  have  in  dying,  awakened  in 
these  mvriad  homes  an  heroic  spirit,  a  breathing, 


4  ''MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

living  thing,  which  will  exalt  and  ennoble  our 
country,  for  ages  to  come.  Their  stout  young 
hearts  have  ceased  to  beat,  but  their  example 
walks  the  earth  with  tireless  feet ;  and  the  blessed 
Christian  death  of  some,  may,  by  the  grace  of 
God,  lead  many  a  young  man  to  enlist,  as  they 
did,  under  the  banner  of  the  Crucified.  | 

Among  the  many  noble,  warm-hearted  young 
men  who  flew  to  the  rescue,  and  offered  them- 
selves as  volunteers  for  the  defense  of  the  country, 
sealing  their  offering  with  their  life's  blood,  there 
are  few  whose  names  are  enshrined  with  so  much 
love,  so  many  tears,  and  yet  such  fervent,  grate- 
ful thanks  to  the  wise  Disposer  of  all  events,  as  is 
the  subject  of  these  brief  memorials. 

The  veil  would  never  have  been  lifted  from  this 
young  life,  but  in  the  hope  that,  by  God's  bless- 
ing, the  noble  character  here  portrayed  might  be 
the  means  of  awaking  in  many  manly  hearts  a 
desire  to  emulate  his  brief  example. 

"  Stars  are  of  mighty  use ;  the  night 

Is  dark,  and  long  ; 

The  road  foul,  and  where  one  goes  right, 

Six  may  go  wrong. 

One  twinkling  ray 

Shot  o'er  some  cloud, 

May  cleare  much  way 
And  guide  a  crowd." 

John  Howard  Kitching  was  born  in  the  city 
of  New  York,  July  16,  1838. 

In  his  early  youth  he  manifested  that  earnest- 


EARLY  DAYS.  5 

ness  of  purpose,  and  determination  of  will,  which 
characterized  him  in  later  life,  and  it  required  a 
firm,  but  gentle  hand  to  guide  him.  Like  all 
ardent  temperaments  he  had  many  a  struggle  with 
himself,  and  conflict  with  others,  on  his  way  up  to 
manhood. 

In  the  summer  of  1855,  as  his  father  was 
obliged  to  go  to  Europe,  and  Howard's  health 
was  not  strong,  and  his  studies  were  being  pursued 
in  a  very  miscellaneous  and  desultory  manner,  it 
was  decided  that  he  should  be  placed  at  school  in 
Switzerland. 

The  eager  boy  looked  forward,  with  glowing 
anticipations,  to  his  visit  to  the  old  world;  not 
less  attractive  to  him  because  the  stormy  sea  was 
to  be  crossed.  But  his  day-dreams  were  soon  dis- 
pelled, when,  five  days  out  from  land,  he  was  seized 
with  a  severe  illness. 

The  following  letter,  written  on  shipboard,  is 
characteristic  of  him  at  this  time,  and  is  the  first 
intimation  we  have  of  a  struggle  with  a  willful, 
wayward  nature,  a  faint  yearning  after  the  things 
of  a  higher  and  better  life. 

Steamship  Ericsson,  June  29,  1855. 

My  dearest  Mamma  :  —  Here  we  are  at  last  within 
sixty  miles  of  Scilly  Isles,  and  hoping  to  arrive  at  Havre 
about  four  o'clock  on  Sunday.  O,  how  glad  I  shall  be 
to  put  foot  on  land  once  more,  and  O,  how  gladder  I 
should  be  if  it  was  Bay  Ridge  we  were  approaching  in- 
stead of  Havre,  for  I  want  to  see  you  all  so  much.  The 
ship  has  made  rather  a  long  passage,  on  account  of  a  de- 
fect in  her  wheels,  which  could  not  be  remedied  very 


6  "MORE  THAN  CONQUEROR.' 

well  at  sea I  have  not  been  at  all  sea-sick,  but  I 

caught  a  bad  cold,  and  was  laid  up  for  a  week  with  in- 
flammation of  the  bowels,  and  rheumatism  in  my  limbs. 
But  by  the  excellent  care  of  Dr.  Dunham  and  the  kind 
old  stewardess,  I  was  up  on  the  sixth  day.  I  would  have 
given  anything  to  have  been  in  one  of  our  nice  beds,  and 
have  had  you  to  take  care  of  me  ;  for,  although  they 
were  all  very  kind,  and  did  all  they  could  for  me,  yet  I 
could  not  be  very  comfortable,  as  you  may  imagine. 

I  read  your  Bible  all  the  time,  and  I  am  so  glad  that 
you  gave  it  to  me,  for  I  love  to  read  it  for  your  sake, 
hoping  that  I  may  learn  to  read  it  for  its  own  sake. 

I  cannot  bear  the  idea  of  remaining  at  Geneva,  for  I 
feel  so  wretched  (just  as  I  did  before  I  left  home),  that 
I  am  very  much  afraid  of  being  taken  sick,  and  perhaps 
dying  there,  far  away  from  all  of  you.  And  then  after 
papa  returns,  it  will  be  so  lonely,  and  perhaps  when  I 
return,  I  might  find  some  of  you  in  your  graves.  If  I 
should  return  safe  and  well,  and  find  you  all  the  same,  I 
woidd  feel  as  if  I  had  done  right  in  going ;  but  otherwise, 
how  small  would  be  the  gain,  compared  with  the  feeling 
that  I  had  made  our  stay  together  in  this  world  one  year 
shorter  by  my  own  free  will ! 

The  truth  is  that  I  find  it  is  a  great  deal  farther  than 
I  had  imagined.  But  still,  if  papa  thinks  it  best  that  I 
should  stay,  I  will  do  so  as  cheerfully  as  I  can ;  for  here 
I  am,  seventeen  years  old,  and  yet  I  have  never  given 
you  and  papa  anything  but  trouble ;  but  by  God's  bless- 
ing, I  will  try  if  I  cannot  be  a  comfort  instead  of  a 
trouble,  hereafter.  For  this  reason  I  dislike  i^articularly 
to  remain,  for  I  may  not  have  much  time  to  atone  for 
the  many  hours  of  anxiety  and  trouble  that  I  have  given 
you  both.  0,  mamma,  I  wish  that  I  was  at  home  to 
talk  to  you,  for  I  could  tell  you  so  much  better  how  I 
feel 

I  send  Fan  the  first  canto  of  a  poem  that  I  am  com- 
posing.    It  is  rather  of  the  John  Gilpin  style,  but  for  a 


I 


EARLY  DAYS.  7 

first  effort,  it  is  rather  "  some:*     I  wrote  it  lying  in  my 
bunk  when  it  got  too  dark  to  read 

The  poem  which  "is  rather  some,"  was  a  parody 
on  "  Childe  Harold,"  called  "  Childe  Howard,"  and 
gave  infinite  amnsement  to  his  sister  Fanny. 

This  sister,  the  chosen  companion  of  his  laugh- 
ing hours,  was  full  of  fun  and  frolic.  With  a  slight, 
graceful  form,  and  a  step  light  and  quick  as  a  deer, 
she  was  ready  to  follow  wherever  he  led.  Singu- 
larly like  him  in  her  frank,  impulsive  nature ;  gifted, 
as  he  was,  with  great  musical  talents  ;  a  sunbeam 
wherever  she  went  —  like  him,  she  found  an  early 
grave ;  like  him,  she  sleeps  in  Jesus. 

By  the  time  that  the  shores  of  France  began  to 
loom  in  sight,  Howard  had  recovered  from  his  at- 
tack of  sickness,  but  the  Lord  had  prepared  for 
him  a  pathway  of  disappointment  to  tread,  more 
trying  than^  the  one  just  passed  over.  As  they 
were  entering  the  port  of  Havre,  in  the  excite- 
ment of  the  scene  that  opened  before  him,  he 
sprang  upon  a  coil  of  rope  and  sprained  his  ankle. 
The  accident  was  thought  slight  at  the  moment, 
but  by  the  time  the  party  reached  Pans,  he  was 
oblig:ed  to  be  carried  to  his  room,  where  he  was 
closely  confined  for  three  weary  weeks.  That  his 
impatient  spirit  should  chafe  and  fret,  to  be  held  a 
prisoner  in  his  room,  while  his  companions  were 
seeing  the  wonderful  sights  of  Paris,  is  not  strange. 
We  give  two  letters,  to  his  mother  and  sister,  writ- 
ten immediately  on  his  emancipation  from  this 
bondage. 


8  ''MORE  THAN  CONQUEROR." 

WRITTEN  ON    HIS    BIRTHDAY. 

Paris,  July  16,  1855. 

Dear  Louise  :  —  Here  I  am,  seventeen  years  old, 
crawling  around  on  crutches  as  if  I  were  eighty,  and  the 
worst  of  it  is,  without  any  jDrospect  of  dispensing  with 
them  for  a  while,  at  any  rate.  Yesterday  morning  I 
thought  that  I  was  better,  but  to-day  I  am  just  as  lame 

as  ever Last    evening,  papa,  Will,  and  I  went 

to  church  in  a  small  Wesleyan  Chapel  in  the  Rue 
Royale,  where  we  heard  an  excellent  sermon.  The 
Sundays  here  are  more  like  our  Fourth  of  July  than , 
anything  else ;  everybody  is  out,  rich  and  poor ;  most 
of  the  shops,  and  all  the  cafes  are  o\)Qn,  also  the  Ex- 
hibition, theatres,  circuses,  and  all  the    public  buildings. 

The  gentleman  that  we  heard  preach  is  a  Yorkshire- 
man,  just  come  over;  but  he  preached  a  very  good  ser- 
mon from  First  Corinthians  seventh  chapter,  twenty- 
ninth,  thirtieth,  and  thirt3^-first  verses.  But  during  the 
whole  service  we  could  hear  the  carriages  passing,  people 
singing,  and  men  and  women  peddling  fruit;  rather  a 
noisy  Sunday  evening,  wasn't  it  ?  .  .  ,  . 

Paris,  July  25,  1855. 

Mr  DEAREST  Mamma  :  —  Three  cheers  !  Hurrah  ! 
I'm  on  my  legs  again,  although  a  little  stiff  yet,  I  assure 
you.  As  soon  as  the  Doctor  went  away  (which  was  on 
Saturday  morning),  I  began  to  walk  a  little,  and  my 
foot  kept  gaining  strength,  so  that  on  Sunday  I  walked 
to  church  and  back,  without  crutches On  Mon- 
day I  climbed  to  the  top  of  the  column  in  the  Place 
Vendome,  one  hundred  and  thirty-five  feet  in  height. 
I  guess  the  Doctor  would  stare  if  he  knew  it.  On 
Saturday  I  was  limping  about  on  a  pair  of  crutches, 
and  Monday  running  up  one  hundred  and  seventy-six 
steps  to  get  a  view  of  Paris.  Ask  ]Mr.  Irving  if  it  is 
easy  work  for  even  a  well  man  to  accomplish  ?     I  dare 


EARLY  DAYS.  9 

say  he  has  beeu  to  the  top,  or  at  least  he  knows  how 
high  it  is. 

Alleume  and  I  went  to  St.  Germain  to  see  the  won- 
derful terrace,  one  mile  and  a  half  in  length,  and  we 
had  a  ride  on  an  atmospheric  railway.  There  is  a  very 
steep  grade  on  the  road,  which  a  locomotive  cannot  sur- 
mount, so  they  have  a  large  iron  tube  running  between 
the  rails,  in  which  a  piston  passes  which  is  connected  to 
the  foremost  car.  Then  they  pump  out  the  air  from  in 
front  of  said  piston,  and  away  the  train  goes  up  hill 
at  the  rate  of  thirty  miles  an  hour.  That's  going  be- 
fore the  wind  with  a  vengeance,  isn't  it  ?  When  we 
arrived  at  St.  Germain  we  were  fully  paid  for  going, 
for  from  the  terrace,  one  has  the  most  beautiful  view  in 
Europe 

The  result  of  the  inquiries  about  the  schools  in 
Switzerland  was  not  altogether  satisfactory,  and 
when  the  time  came  for  Mr.  Kitching  to  start  for 
home,  he  could  not  make  up  his  mind  to  leave 
Howard  beliind,  and  after. a  pleasant  passage,  they 
were  welcomed  back  to  "  Dellwood." 

He  now  resumed  his  studies  with  his  German 
tutor,  but  they  were  pursued  in  a  very  irregular 
and  desultory  way,  his  passion  for  riding,  boating, 
painting,  and  music,  making  formidable  inroads 
upon  his  time. 

He  sang  well,  with  that  deep,  clear  voice  that 
rang  so  musically  on  the  battle-field,  but  his  great 
delight  was  the  cornet,  which  he  played  remark- 
ably well.  He  joined  a  quartette  band,  and  on 
many  a  moonlight  night  they  waked  the  echoes 
in  the  grove  at  Dellwood  with  their  dehcious  mel- 
ody.    How  well  his  companions  of  those  pleasant 


10  ''MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

days  must  remember  his  enthusiasm,  and  the  warm 
glow  his  presence  diffused  over  that  genial  com- 
pany! 

But  while  thus  beguiling  his  time  amid  these 
earthly  enjoyments,  those  who  prayerfully  watched 
his  career  saw  that  he  was  getting  farther  and  far- 
ther away  from  the  source  of  all  true  joy.  Those 
things  which  never  satisfied  any  one,  did  not  satisfy 
him.  He  grew  more  wayward,  more  self-willed  ; 
gave  way  to  wild  bursts  of  passion,  and  then  had 
seasons  of  bitter  repentance.  He  knew  the  better 
way,  but  chose  the  worse,  the  beaten  pathway  of 
self-indulgence.  But  there  is  often  the  secret  sigh, 
the  whispered  prayer,  the  longmg  for  freedom,  the 
struggle  with  sinful  habits,  the  search  after  truth, 
the  untold  hope  of  better  things,  in  many  hearts 
which  we,  in  our  ignorance,  suppose  to  be  hard  and 
dead.  The  Lord  Jesus  may  be  doing  His  own  work, 
in  the  awakened,  inquiring,  iDurdened  soul,  and 
what  is  buried  seed  to-day,  may  become  a  glorious 
harvest  in  His  own  good  time.  So  with  young 
Howard ;  during  this  period  of  his  life,  there  were 
bright  gleams  of  better  things,  deeds  done  and 
words  spoken,  that  sustained  the  anxious  hearts  of 
those  who  watched  and  prayed. 

In  the  summer  of  1856,  through  the  carelessness 
of  our  quarantine  officers,  the  yellow  fever  was 
introduced  to  the  shores  of  Fort  Hamilton  and  Bay 
Ridge.  Young  Kitching's  family,  with  others, 
were  compelled  to  leave  their  home,  but  he,  with 
his  natural  fearlessness,  insisted  on  remaining  with 


EARLY  DAYS.  11 

an  aunt  and  the  domestics,  to  look  after  tilings 
there. 

It  was  a  solemn  and  fearful  season.  The  sun 
poured  down  with  its  burning,  garish  shine,  day 
after  day  ;  not  a  cloud  was  in  the  sky  ;  there  was 
a  hush  in  the  air  ;  the  fi,elds  were  deserted  ;  and  the 
stillness  was  seldom  broken,  but  as  the  dead  were 
carried  out. 

Sobered  by  the  "  pestilence  that  walketh  in 
darkness,  and  the  destruction  that  wasteth  at  noon- 
day," with  time  for  serious  thoughts,  the  Lord 
visited  him  then  and  there,  and  the  Holy  Spirit 
touched  his  heart.  A  letter  to  his  eldest  sister  at 
this  time,  to  whom  every  thought  of  his  heart  was 
always  unveiled,  shows  the  melancholy  state  of  his 
mind,  as  he  asks,  "  If  I  am  called  away,  Avhat  shall 
I  do  to  be^  saved  ?  " 

I  had  been  the  rector  of  the  parish  for  more 
than  a  year.  I  had  watched  Howard's  vacillating 
course,  saw  his  danger,  and,  admiring  his  noble 
gifts,  greatly  desired  that  they  might  be  con- 
secrated to  the  service  of  the  Lord.  There  was  a 
voice,  as  we  have  said,  in  the  breath  of  the  pesti- 
lence ;  a  voice,  piercing  like  a  sharp,  two-edged 
sword,  and  the  stubborn  soul  quailed  under  the 
power  of  God's  word ;  but  in  the  absence  of  plain- 
spoken  confession,  and  prayer  for  divine  suc- 
cor, and  some  decisive  movement  in  the  right  direc- 
tion, the  strange  sound  seemed  to  die  away,  and  he 
returned,  like  a  willing  prisoner,  to  the  charmed 
circle  where  softer  melodies  were  heard. 


12  "MORE  THAN  CONQUEROR." 

But  his  conscience  was  no  longer  to  be  lulled  to 
sleep  by  any  music  of  earth.  He  had  heard  the 
Shepherd's  voice.  He  fought  against  the  call  with 
all  the  might  of  his  strong  nature.  Long  into  the 
night,  after  the  midnight  hour,  we  sat  up  and 
talked.  His  feet  were  planted  on  that  dreary  legal 
ground,  that  he  was  not  good  enough  to  come  to 
Christ ;  and  as  his  impatient  temper  constantly  led 
him  into  inconsistencies,  every  day  seemed  to  re- 
move him  farther  from  the  Lord. 

But  still  the  Shepherd  called,  and  Howard  lis- 
tened. In  a  little  book,  a  present  from  his  mother, 
called  "  Spiritual  Songs,"  which  he  carried  with 
him  throughout  the  war,  we  find  marked  with  his 
peculiar  mark  those  beautiful,  familiar  lines  of 
Bonar,  which  exactly  describe  his  experience  at  this 
time.  He  doubtless  had  this  period  in  view  when 
he  marked  the  passage  :  — 

"  I  was  a  wandering  sheep, 
I  did  not  love  the  fold ; 
I  did  not  love  my  Shepherd's  voice, 
I  would  not  be  controlled. 

"  I  was  a  wayward  child, 

I  did  not  love  my  home ; 
I  did  not  love  my  Father's  voice, 
I  loved  afar  to  roam. 

"  The  Shepherd  sought  His  sheep, 
The  Father  sought  His  child ; 
They  followed  me  o'er  vale  and  hill, 
O'er  desert,  waste,  and  wild. 


EARLY  DAYS.  13 

"  They  found  me  nigh  to  death, 
Famished,  and  faint,  and  lone  ; 
They  bound  me  with  the  bands  of  love, 
They  saved  the  wandering  one ! 

"  They  washed  my  filth  away, 

They  made  me  clean  and  fair ; 
They  brought  me  to  my  home  in  peace. 
The  long-sought  wanderer  !  " 

Yes,  the  "  long-sought  wanderer,"  after  many  a 
conflict,  many  a  doubt,  found  rest  in  the  precious 
assurance,  "  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  his  Son 
cleanseth  from  all  sin."  His  heart  was  calmed  by 
the  conviction  that  God  had  found  a  ransom,  and 
that  He  reveals  that  ransom  to  us  sinners,  in  order 
that  we  might  rest  therein,  on  the  authority  of  His 
word,  and  by  the  grace  of  His  Spirit.  He  was  sat- 
isfied, at  -last,  of  the  truth,  that  righteousness  is 
not  founded  upon  our  feelings  or  experience,  but 
upon  the  shed  blood  of  the  Lamb  of  God ;  and 
hence,  that  our  peace  is  not  dependent  upon  our 
feehngs  or  experience,  but  upon  the  same  precious 
blood,  which  is  of  changeless  efficacy,  and  change- 
less value  in  the  judgment  of  God. 

Blessed  victory  of  faith  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb ! 
We  do  not  mean  to  say  that  there  was  never  a  re- 
treat or  discomfiture  in  his  spiritual  warfare  after 
this.  He  had  many  a  reverse,  but  the  blessed 
truth,  that  "  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleanseth 
from  all  sin,"  was  the  rallying  cry  that  brought 
him  back  to  victory. 

On  the  7th  of  June,  1857,  Howard  Kitching  en- 


14  "MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR.'* 

listed  openly  under  the  banner  of  Jesus.  It  was 
on  one  of  those  bright,  pure  days  of  June,  when 
the  breeze  makes  such  laughing  music  among  the 
trees,  and  the  sunshine  quivers  beneath  with  such 
moving  glory,  and  earth  is  like  the  vestibule  of 
heaven,  that  he  knelt  at  the  chancel  of  that  pic- 
turesque little  church,  and  with  all  his  family,  but 
the  two  younger  children,  partook  of  his  first  com- 
munion. It  was  a  time  never  to  be  forgotten  by 
those  who  had  prayed  that  this  hour  might  come, 
an  hour  that  has  been  written  down  by  the  record- 
ing angel  in  the  Book  of  Remembrance.  We  never 
doubted  for  a  moment,  amid  the  lights  and  shad- 
ows of  his  changeful  after  life,  that  this  was  a  sin- 
cere and  earnest  consecration  of  heart  and  life  to 
the  blessed  service  of  his  Lord  and  Master. 

The  time  had  now  come  for  him  to  choose  his 
profession  or  business,  and  having  spent  many  sum- 
mers with  his  family  at  West  Point,  and  witnessed 
with  great  delight  and  peculiar  interest  the  train- 
ing of  our  cadets  there,  his  early  love  of  military 
life  returned,  and  gave  coloring  to  his  thoughts  as 
the  various  pursuits  of  life  were  presented.  But 
his  deep  love  for  his  mother,  and  her  decided  op- 
position to  a  military  or  naval  education  for  him, 
settled  that  question,  and  he  engaged  m  business 
with  his  father. 

In  the  summer  of  1860,  he  was  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Miss  Harriet  Ripley,  daughter  of  Frank 
Ripley,  Esq.  The  ceremony  took  place  in  Christ 
Church,  Brooklyn,  where  he  had  attended  Sun- 
day-school as  a  boy. 


EARLY  DAYS.  15 

In  the  autumn  alarming  symptoms  of  pulmonary- 
difficulty  began  to  develop  themselves,  and  his 
father  sent  him  to  travel  through  the  South,  hop- 
ing that  he  might  be  benefited  by  change  of  air. 
He  found  the  country  all  in  a  ferment,  and  very 
little  chance  of  giving  to  his  trip  anything  of  a 
business  character.  From  Florence,  S.  C,  he 
writes :  — 

"There  is  no  business  doing.  The  hotels  and  rail- 
road cars  are  all  empty,  as  far  as  Northerners  are  con- 
cerned, and  in  fact  the  whole  country  seems  to  be  in  the 
greatest  state  of  excitement. 

"  I  hear  that  the  laws  are  even  more  stringent  in  Geor- 
gia and  Alabama,  than  in  this  State  ;  Northerners  being 
invited  to  leave,  or,  as  Amos  would  say,  '  make  them- 
selves seldom,'  without  regard  to  name,  rank,  occupation, 
or  anything  else.  I  have  no  doubt  that  these  accounts 
are  all  more-~or  less  exaggerated,  but  still  people  from 
the  North  are  all  going  home  (I  mean  business  men),  as 
they  cannot  do  anything.  T  do  not  see  how  all  this  can 
affect  our  affairs,  for  I  carry  no  samples,  but  am  simply 
travelling  for  my  health ;  but  as  I  have  been  warned  not 
to  carry  any  pamphlets  or  cards  in  my  trunk,  you  need 
not  be  surprised  at  my  being  put  in  '  qiiod '  for  six 
months.  I  am  in  for  it  now,  so  if  you  think  it  advisa- 
ble, I  will  start  next  Monday  for  Montgomery,  stopping 

at  Atlanta,  on  the  way I  hardly  know  why  I  am 

so  contented  to-night,  for  I  am  as  homesick  as  the  mis- 
chief; but  I  think  that  it  must  be  because  I  try  always 
to  begin  the  day  right.  I  felt  pretty  badly  this  morn- 
ing, when  I  found  how  things  were,  but  I  asked  Jesus  to 
help  me,  and  it  seems  as  though  the  parts  of  the  engine 
almost  went  together  of  their  own  accord.  Everything 
seems  to  go  right ;  well,  I  must  except  the  prog,  but  we 
are  past  the  days  of  miracles,  and  this  place  is  decidedly 
'  harder '  than  the  wilderness  of  the  Red  Sea  ever  was." 


16  "MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

From  this  place  Howard  went  to  New  Orleans, 
and  his  health  not  improving,  he  hastened  home, 
traveUing  day  and  night. 

This  winter,  while  the  clouds  were  gathering 
blackness  at  the  South,  and  the  distant  rumbling  of 
the  thunder  gave  token  of  the  coming  tempest  that 
was  to  sweep  over  the  land  for  four  long  years,  he 
remained  quietly  at  his  home  on  the  banks  of  the 
Hudson.  As  his  health  was  still  too  deUcate  to 
allow  him  to  attend  closely  to  business,  when  not 
busy  with  his  pencil,  he  was  scouring  the  country 
on  horseback,  leading  that  active  out-door  life, 
which  was  fitting  him  for  the  hard  soldier  life, 
which,  hidden  from  view,  was  lying  just  before 
him. 

How  impenetrable  the  thick  curtain  which  hangs 
between  us  and  the  morrow !  How  unconsciously 
we  pass  the  turning  pomts  in  our  hves  which  shape 
our  future  destiny  !  How  the  Lord  leads  his  chil- 
dren by  a  way  they  know  not ! 


THE  PREPARATION. 


"  And  I  will  bring  the  blind  by  a  way  that  they  know 
not ;  I  will  lead  them  in  paths  that  they  have  not  known  : 
I  will  make  darkness  light  before  them,  and  crooked 
thino-s  straight.  These  things  will  I  do  unto  them,  and 
not  forsake  them." — Isaiah  xlii.  16. 


CHAPTER  ir. 
THE  PKEPABATION. 

"  Throughout  the  land  there  goes  a  cry: 
A  sudden  splendor  fills  the  sky ; 
From  every  hill  the  banners  burst, 
Like  buds  by  April  breezes  nurst; 
In  every  hamlet,  home,  and  mart, 
The  fire-beat  of  a  single  heart 
Keeps  time  to  strains  whose  pulses  mix 
Our  blood  with  that  of  seventy-six!  " 

Bayard  Taylor. 

The  canBon  which  opened  upon  Fort  Sumter 
awoke  strange  echoes,  and  touched  forgotten  chords 
in  the  American  heart.  American  loyalty,  which 
had  slumbered  so  long  that  many  thought  it  dead, 
leaped  into  instant  life,  and  stood  radiant  and 
ready  for  the  fierce  encounter.  No  creative  art 
has  ever  woven  into  song  a  story  more  tender  in 
its  pathos,  or  more  stirring  to  the  martial  blood  than 
the  scenes  that  then  transpired.  From  one  end  of 
the  land  to  the  other,  in  the  crowded  streets  of 
cities,  and  in  the  solitude  of  the  country,  wherever 
our  bright  flag  was  flung  to  the  breeze,  there  were 
shouts  of  devotion  and  pledges  of  aid,  which  gave 
glorious  guarantee  for  the  perpetuity  of  Ameri- 
can freedom.  Wives  dashed  aside  their  grief,  and 
gave  up  their  husbands  ;  mothers,  with  smothered 


20  ''MORE  THAN  CONQUEROR." 

sobs,  gave  up  their  sons  ;  sisters  gave  their  brothers 
to  the  great  cause.  JVIillions  of  freemen  ralKed  to 
the  rescue. 

War  is  a  dreadful  evil.     Its  horrors,  we  have 
seen,   cannot   be  exaggerated.     But   war   has   its 
gains  as  well  as  its  losses.     If  it  calls  out  in  baser 
natures  some  of  the  worst  and  most  deviUsh  passions 
of  the  human  heart,  it  kindles  in  others  elevating 
and  ennobling  sentiments  of  duty  and  self-sacrifice, 
which  otherwise  they  would  not  at  all,  or  would 
have  very  feebly  known  ;  lessons  are  learned  in 
this   stern  school  which  would   never  have  been 
learned  in  any  other,  but  which  no  nation  can  af- 
ford to  forego.     For  indeed,  what  would  a  nation 
be,  over  which  for  century  after  century  the  great 
anguish  and  agony  of  war,  with  all  its  elevating 
emotions  and  purifying  sorrows,  had  never  passed  ? 
How  mean,  how  sordid,  how  selfish,  would  the 
whole  spirit  and  temper  of  such  a  nation  become, 
its  heart  unmanned,  its  moral  nerves  and  sinews 
unstrung  !     O,  no,  the  nations  cannot  do  without 
the  severe  discipline  of  this   terrible  thing.     For 
nations,    as  little   as  individuals,  can   do  without 
tribulation  ;  and  what  is  war  but  tribulation,  on  an 
enormous  scale,  and  visiting,  not  as  at  other  times, 
this  household,  and  then  this,  but  visiting  hundreds 
and  thousands  of  households,  and  bringing  to  them 
distress  and  anguish  at  the  same  instant.     Fearful 
remedy  as  it  must  needs  be   esteemed,  war  is  a 
remedy   against   worse    evils, —  sloth,    selfishness, 
love  of  ease,  contempt  of  honor,  worship  of  mate- 


THE  PREPARATION.  21 

rial  things  ;  all  wliich,  but  for  it,  would  invade 
and  occupy  the  heart  of  a  people,  and  at  length 
eat  out  that  heart  altogether. 

And  as  the  reactive  influence  which  war  exer- 
cises on  a  nation  generally,  that  undertakes  it  in  a 
righteous  cause,  is  exalting,  ennobling,  purifying, 
so  still  more  marked  is  its  influence  often  upon 
those  who  are  directly  engaged  in  it.  Some,  of 
course,  are  hardened  and  brutalized  by  their  famil- 
iarity with  suffering,  by  the  necessity  which  they 
often  lie  under  of  themselves  inflicting  it ;  but 
many  also  there  are,  like  "  The  Happy  Warrior  " 
of  the  poet, 

"Who  doomed  to  go  in  company  with  pain 
And  fear  and  bloodshed,  miserable  train, 
Turn-4lieir  necessity  to  glorious  gain ; " 

and  who  are  only  made  more  tender  and  more  gen- 
tle thereby. 

Howard  Kitching  was  of  this  number,  who,  as 
he  ripened  for  glory,  through  the  discipline  of 
suffering,  grew  more  tender  and  more  gentle  by 
his  ministry  of  love,  for  four  years,  among  the 
wounded  and  the  dying. 

When  the  clarion  notes  of  preparation  rang 
through  the  land  after  the  fall  of  Sumter,  his  heart 
was  stirred  within  him,  and  he  resolved  to  devote 
himself  to  the  service  of  his  country.  But  the 
struggle  before  he  took  the  step  was  long  and  se- 
vere. His  lungs  were  weak,  and  though  light  of 
foot,  and  as  bold  a  rider  as  ever,  he  was  not  strong , 


22  '^MORE  THAN  CONQUERORS 

the  home  ties  were  never  stronger,  —  the  love  of 
wife  and  child  was  woven  now  into  their  bright 
texture.  How  Avell  has  one  of  our  sweetest  poets 
pictured  the  struggle. 

"  0 !  do  not  cling  to  me  and  cry, 
For  it  will  break  my  heart ; 
I'm  sure  you'd  rather  have  me  die 
Than  not  to  bear  my  part. 

"  You  think  that  some  should  stay  at  home 
To  care  for  those  away  ; 
But  still  I'm  helpless  to  decide 
If  I  should  go  or  stay. 

"  I  feel  —  I  know  —  I  am  not  mean  ; 
And  though  I  seem  to  boast, 
I'm  sure  that  I  would  give  my  life 
To  those  who  need  it  most. 

"Perhaps  the  Spirit  will  reveal 
That  which  is  fair  and  right ; 
So,  Marty,  let  us  humbly  kneel 
And  pray  to  Heaven  for  hght." 

And  so  they  knelt  and  prayed,  and  the  light 
came  down  upon  the  path  which  led  from  home  to 
the  battle-field. 

He  went  down  to  New  York,  and  immediately 
enrolled  himself  with  the  Lincoln  cavalry.  After 
drilling  with  them  for  several  weeks,  they  were  or- 
dered to  the  seat  of  war,  but  family  circumstances 
prevented  his  leaving  with  them.  Shortly  after- 
wards he  received  a  captain's  commission  in  the 
2d  New  York  Light  Artillery. 


THE  PREPARATION.  23 

At  this  time  commenced  his  intimacy  with  Alex- 
ander Doull,  the  major  of  the  regiment,  a  yomig 
Englishman,  who  had  served  with  great  distinction 
in  the  Crimea.  He  was  a  true  soldier,  a  young 
man  of  real  genius,  and  his  friendship  was  of  great 
value  to  the  new  recruit. 

In  September  the  regiment  was  sent  down  to 
Elm  Park,  Staten  Island,  where  they  were  en- 
camped, and  employed  in  drilling  and  recruiting. 
One  of  our  autumn  storms  set  in  one  night,  and 
the  tents  were  nearly  all  swept  away.  The  next 
morning  Howard  Kitching  and  Major  Doull  came 
clattering  up  to  the  door  of  the  rectory,  their 
clothes  dripping,  their  horses  smoking  and  panting, 
and  they  sprang  to  the  ground  with  such  a  merry 
shout,  it  seemed  more  like  the  return  of  a  pleasure 
party,  than  two  young  men,  who  had  been  deli- 
cately reared,  coming  from  a  night's  exposure  to 
wet  and  cold,  and  half  famished. 

And  this  Avas  one  of  the  common  pictures  to  be 
met  with  every  day,  during  the  first  years  of  the 
war.  Mere  boys,  who  had  scarcely  left  their  moth- 
er's side,  enduring  hardships  like  veteran  soldiers. 
It  was  a  S23lendid  exhibition  of  the  pluck  and  man- 
liness of  our  American  youth. 

As  orders  were  received  from  Washington  that 
the  regiment  should  get  ready  to  start,  Howard  re- 
paired to  Peekskill,  to  have  his  little  boy  baptized. 
That  baptism  will  never  be  forgotten.  It  was 
sweet  and  solemn  and  sad,  a  consecrated  hour,  a 
blessed  parting  scene.     He  brought  his  boy  with- 


24  '<MORE  THAN  CONQUERORS 

in  the  shelter  of  the  covenant,  and  left  him  encom- 
passed by  the  sure  shelter  of  the  promises,  and  be- 
neath the  canopy  of  prayer. 

We  then  read  our  favorite  Psalm,  the  ninety- 
first,  that  sweetest  song  of  David,  that  Howard 
loved  so  well,  and  so  frequently  alludes  to  in  his 
letters,  and  then  we  knelt  in  a  parting  prayer. 

The  encampment  of  the  2d  Artiller}^  was  the 
first  foreshadowing  the  people  of  that  part  of  the 
Island  had  had  of  the  war.  In  a  gently  sloping 
field  by  the  roadside,  the  white  camp  flashed  in  the 
sunlight ;  the  streets  between  the  tents  were  carpeted 
with  grass,  and  the  measured  tread  of  the  sentinels, 
and  the  shrill  fife,  echoed  through  the  day  and  night. 

This  was  the  holiday  side  of  the  war  which 
might  be  seen  in  every  part  of  the  land. 

On  the  7th  of  November,  the  tents  were  struck. 
It  was  a  wild,  gusty  day,  and  very  cold.  The 
transition  from  the  picturesque  scene  of  the  day 
before,  when  the  sun  was  shining  brightly  on 
the  well  ordered  camp,  to  the  gloomy  day  and  the 
confusion  when  the  tents  went  down,  was  very  strik- 
ing. The  men  had  been  paid  off,  and  were  many 
of  them  intoxicated. 

As  we  drove  up  to  witness  the  departure  of  the 
troops,  we  saw  young  Howard  mounted  on  that 
spirited  gray  horse  which  carried  him  through  the 
whole  war,  spurring  and  dashing  among  the  debris 
of  camp  life,  and  heard  his  voice  ringing  out  loud 
and  clear,  giving  his  orders,  as  he  attempted  to 
make  his  men  fall  into  line.      The    slight  form 


THE  PREPARATION.  25 

seemed  to  expand,  and  the  boyish  face  to  grow 
older,  under  the  sense  of  responsibihty,  and  as  we 
marked  his  self-possession  and  commanding  air,  as 
he  controlled  those  half -intoxicated  men,  we  had 
no  misgivings  as  to  his  fitness  for  the  work  that 
the  Lord  had  given  him  to  do  for  his  comitry. 

Just  before  the  order  to  march  was  given,  he 
was  surrounded  by  the  wives  and  sisters  of  the 
men  of  his  company,  and  though  harassed  by  the 
dijB&culties  of  his  novel  position,  he  had  a  word  of 
cheer  for  each.  We  remember  one  old  gray-headed 
man,  pressing  his  way  through  the  crowd,  and  with 
tears  in  his  eyes  begging  Howard  to  be  kind  to  his 
boy.  The  harassed  and  excited  look  passed  away 
from  his  face  at  once,  as  he  put  his  hand  on  the  old 
man's  shoulder,  and  promised  him  that  he  would 
look  after  his  son. 

And  we  may  be  sure  that  he  did  watch  over  that 
boy,  for  we  have  abundant  evidence  of  his  thought- 
ful consideration  for  his  men, — boldly  censuring 
them  when  they  neglected  their  duties,  counseling 
them  in  trouble,  and  writing  letters  for  those  who 
could  not  write,  to  their  wives  and  friends. 

The  regiment,  on  reaching  Washington,  was 
sent  to  garrison  Forts  Ward  and  Ellsworth.  The 
following  letters  from  the  latter  place  give  a  pic- 
ture of  his  life  there.  It  is  the  hoKday  soldier's 
life,  when  the  '^  pomp  and  circumstance  of  war" 
are  felt,  and  creature  comforts  asked  for.  But  as 
the  stern  conflict  goes  on  and  the  terrible  reality 
thickens  around  him,  we  see  the  noble  qualities  of 


26  ''MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

the  true  soldier  shine  forth,  and  through  the  same 
disciphne  of  hardship  and  danger  the  better  and 
stronger  characteristics  of  the  Christian  developed. 

Fort  Ellsworth,  November  18,  1861. 

Dear  Papa  :  —  I  have  been  trying  for  some  days  to 
write  a  line  to  you,  but  have  had  no  time,  having  been 
moved  about  from  place  to  place  —  always  on  the  march, 
and  never  at  rest. 

Now  we  are  in  Fort  Ellsworth,  things  have  a  much 
more  comfortable  look,  and  we  are  hoping  that  we  may 
be  allowed  to  remain  for  a  month  at  least,  as  we  have  fn 
the  fort  a  battery  of  six-pounders,  enabling  us  to  drill 
every  day. 

Fort  Ellsworth,  you  remember,  was  built  by  the 
Ellsworth  Fire  Zouaves  when  they  first  entered  Vir- 
ginia. It  is  a  very  fine  piece  of  work  on  a  splendid 
commanding  position,  overlooking  Washington,  Alex- 
andria, and  all  the  surrounding  country,  for  fifteen  or 
twenty  miles. 

When  we  came  in  here  on  Friday  evening,  it  was  oc- 
cupied by  four  hundred  "  man-of-war's-men  ;  "  in  fact,  a 
complete  frigate's  crew,  —  and  they  have  been  spending 
the  past  two  months  in  putting  the  fort  in  complete  or- 
der, just  as  sailors  do,  sodding,  and  whitewashing  every- 
thing, and  planting  evergreens,  until  the  inside  of  the 
works  is  the  very  picture  of  neatness ;  and  if  we  were 
in  barracks  instead  of  these  miserable  tents,  so  that  we 
could  keep  warm,  we  should  be  very  comfortable  and 
happy. 

Our  tents  are  very  cold  in  this  winter  weather,  and  as 
our  brilliant  quarter-master  managed  to  lose  all  my  blan- 
kets, as  also  Major  DoulFs,  we  have  suffered  a  good  deal 
from  cold.  I  took  a  severe  cold,  sleeping  on  the  ground 
one  rainy  night,  but  am  now  getting  very  much  better, 
and  as  we  shall  soon  have  plenty  of  blankets,  I  hope  I 


THE  PREPARATION.  27 

shall  not  take  cold  again.  In  fact,  as  I  was  weighed  oni 
Saturday,  and  weighed  one  hundred  and  forty-eight  pounds,. 
I  think  I  am  not  much  the  worse  for  wear  as  yet. 

Yesterday  I  was  ordered  out  on  picket  duty,  and  five 
of  us  went  out  on  the  road  leading  to  Fairfax  Court 
House,  considerably  beyond  our  last  picket,  and  I  have- 
now  a  better  idea  of  the  state  of  things  on  our  frontier 
lines  than  I  ever  had  before. 

The  roads  are  all  barricaded,  with  squads  of  men 
posted  behind  the  barricades ;  single  and  double  pickets 
on  every  hill,  and  at  every  bridge  and  house  ;  all  the 
woods  on  our  side  the  lines  cut  down  so  as  to  form  an, 
entanglement,  and  trees  felled  across  the  roads. 

In  our  circuit  we  approached  as  near  as  was  altogether 
safe,  to  the  great  pine  woods  you  read  so  much  of  in  the 
papers,  where  our  pickets  are  shot  daily,  and  where,  by 
the  way.  Captain  Todd,  one  of  my  old  friends  of  the  Lin- 
coln Cavalry,  was  shot  last  Thursday,  with  thirty  or 
forty  of  his  men. 

You  must  try  to  come  on  here  for  two  or  three  days,, 
before  the  army  makes  a  march,  for  I  know  that  youi 
would  be  very  much  interested  in  matters  and  things,, 
and  it  would  give  you  a  realizing  sense  of  the  war,  which 
you  have  never  had. 

My  gray  horse  is  a  most  magnificent  animal.  He  is 
just  as  well  broken  as  Mac,  is  as  bold  as  a  lion,  will 
jump  anything  and  go  anywhere,  and  in  fact,  is  the  ad- 
miration of  all  Secessiondom.  I  was  offered  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  dollars  for  him  by  my  old  friend  Hidden,, 
of  the  Lincoln  Cavalry 

Fort  Ellsworth,  November  18,  1861. 
....  Everything  is  so  changed  since  I  passed  through; 
this  part  of  the  country  last  spring.  All  along  the  line 
of  the  railroad  from  Baltimore  to  Washington,  pickets 
are  posted,  every  bridge  is  guarded,  every  depot  sur- 
rounded by  sentries,  and  in  fact  it  is  very  difiicult   to 


.28  ''MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

'realize  that  one  is  passing  through  our  free,  happy  coun- 
itry.  Indeed,  if  you  could  stand  with  me  on  the  ramparts 
of  our  fort,  and  look  around  over  the  surrounding  coun- 
try, every  hill  crowned  with  a  breastwork  or  fortification?, 
and  every  valley  holding  a  camp,  or  camps,  with  martial 
music  sounding  on  every  side,  you  would  find  it  hard  to 

believe  that  we  were  not  in  some  fairy  land 

Give  my  best  love  to  dearest  mamma,  and  all  the 
•dear  ones.  Tell  mamma  that  anything  in  the  shape  of 
•cookies,  gingersnaps,  pickles,  or  anything  good,  will  be 
very  acceptable,  as  we  are  just  now  in  a  position  to  en- 
joy such  things,  being  able  to  procure  only  simple  pork 
and  potatoes  for  our  officers'  mess.     Kiss  J.  H.  K.,  Jr.  ! 

Fort  Ellsworth,  Wednesday  Evening,  November  20. 

....  Your  letter  reached  me  this  evening,  just  as  I 
returned  from  a  long,  long  day  in  the  saddle,  having  been 
over  at  Bailey's  cross-roads,  at  the  grand  review  by  Mc- 

Clellan  of  all  the  troops  in   this  neighborhood 

I  wish  you  could  just  look  in  upon  us  for  one  day ;  you 
would  then  Imve  such  a  realizing  sense  of  the  change  in 
my  daily  life  since  last  year  at  this  time.  Up  at  six 
'O'clock  in  the  morning,  making  out  my  morning  report 
of  the  condition  of  things  in  the  fort,  to  hand  in  to  the 
'headquarters  of  Brigadier -general  Franklin  before  nine 
■o'clock ;  then  drilling  and  working  at  the  gims  till  dinner- 
time, beside  superintending  the  police  force  necessary  to 
dear  up  the  grounds  in  and  about  the  fort ;  then  in  the 
■afternoon  we  have  company  drill  and  dress  parade,  which 
■occupies  the  time  till  dark.  Being  second  in  command  in 
Ihe  fort,  gives  me  of  course  a  great  deal  more  to  attend 
to  than  if  I  only  had  my  own  company  to  look  after.  I 
•do  not  complain  of  my  busy  life,  as  I  find  it  well  suited 
to  my  temperament,  but  only  tell  you  that  ^you  may 
have  some  idea  of  the  manner  in  which  I  spend  my  time. 

Now  I  suppose  you  will  like  to  hear  about  the  splen- 
did review,  and  first  I  will  tell  you  how  I  got  there.     I 


THE  PREPARATION.  29 

had  another  invitation  to  ride  on  General  Franklin's  staff 
to-day,  which  was  a  great  honor,  and  just  as  I  had  fixed 
myself  and  the  gray  up  in  great  style,  I  discovered  that 
the  horse  was  dead  lame,  having  sprained  his  leg  in  some 
way,  during  the  night.  You  can  easily  imagine  how 
annoyed  I  was,  for  I  am  exceedingly  proud  of  the  gray, 
and  wanted  very  much  to  show  him  at  the  review. 
Major  Doull  having  bought  Mac  and  intending  to  go,  I 
did  not  know  what  to  do  for  a  horse,  particularly  as  I 
knew  that  everything  in  the  shape  of  horse-flesh  would 
be  in  demand,  as  is  always  the  case  on  review  days. 
But  as  I  had  determined  to  go,  and  had  told  some  of  the 
officers  a  few  days  before  that  I  would  never  be  stuck  for  a 
horse,  I  started  for  the  nearest  cavalry  encampment  as 
well  as  Gray  could  carry  me,  which  was  very  slow,  for 
he  is  very  lame. 

Well,  I  rode  into  the  camp,  and  jumping  from  my 
horse  as  if  in  the  greatest  hurry,  with  my  sword  and 
spurs  clanking,  and  making  as  much  fuss  as  I  could,  I 
ordered  some  of  the  men  standing  around,  to  bring  me 
their  best  horse,  as  my  horse  had  hurt  himself,  and  you 
would  have  hurt  yourself  laughing  if  you  could  have 
seen  them  hurry  to  change  my  saddle.  Well,  I  mounted ; 
and  0,  what  a  rip  to  ride  on  a  field,  rear,  plunge,  kick, 
do  anything  rather  than  go  along  the  road  as  I  wished 
him  to ;  but  still  he  was  better  than  none,  for  /  got 
there,  and  saw  the  most  magnificent  sight  which  I  ever 
witnessed ;  seventy  thousand  men,  infantry,  cavalry,  and 
artillery,  spread  over  an  immense  plain,  their  bright 
bayonets  glistening  in  the  sun,  the  bands  playing  splen- 
didly, cannon  roaring  from  one  side  of  the  plain  to  the 
other,  and  in  fact,  words  will  not  describe  the  splendid 
appearance  which  so  large  an  army  makes  when  drawn 
up  in  line  of  battle. 

McClellan,  McDowell,  Franklin,  Blenker,  Smith,  and 
all  the  other  military  big  bugs  were  there.  McClellan 
is  a  splendid  little  fellow,  very  light  built,  a  good  horse- 
man, and  rides  a  fine  blood  horse. 


30  ''MORE  THAN  CONQUEROR." 

From  the  fact  of  an  order  having  been  issued  that  the 
troops  should  appear  on  the  field  with  knapsacks  packed, 
and  with  four  days'  rations,  and  above  all  that  they  had 
been  supplied  with  twenty-five  rounds  of  ball  cartridge, 
and  the  ambulances  accompanied  by  the  various  surgeons 
belonging  to  the  respective  regiments  were  on  the  ground, 
the  feeling  was  very  strong  with  almost  every  one  that 
McClellan  meditated  an  advance,  and  that  the  review 
was  only  one  way  of  assembling  the  troops  without  its 
becoming  public  that  he  intended  to  move  forward.  To 
say  the  least  it  was  something  of  an  experiment,  assem- 
bling the  whole  strength  of  the  army  on  one  field  when 
the  enemy  are  posted  in  great  numbers  within  ten  miles. 

Doull  and  I  had  resolved  that  in  case  there  was  a 
fight  we  would  see  the  fun,  and  although  I  was  so  badly 
mounted,  I  must  confess  that  I  was  sorry  when  the  day 
passed  away  without  any  aj^pearance  of  the  enemy.  .  .  . 

Fort  Ellsworth,  Sunday  Evening,  November  24. 

....  I  am  pretty  tired,  having  been  out  to  general 
inspection  all  the  morning,  and  working  at  headquarters 
of  General  Franklin  all  the  afternoon  under  orders  from 
Colonel  Burtnett. 

....  You  will  think  that  my  Sundays  are  unsuita- 
bly spent,  and  indeed  I  find  it  very  hard  to  remember 
even  that  it  is  Sunday,  —  no  church  to  go  to,  nothing  to 
mark  the  day  from  any  other,  except  extra  parade  in  the 
morning.  If  anything,  I  am  more  busy  than  on  any 
other  day,  as  the  men  seem  to  feel  that  they  are  at  lib- 
erty to  bother  me  all  day  long  for  "  passes  "  to  go  out  of 
camp ;  and  if  any  friends  from  the  various  camps  desire 
to  visit  me,  they  invariably  choose  Sunday.  I  try  very 
hard,  however,  to  keep  the  day  as  I  should,  knowing 
that  a  man  can  be  just  as  much  a  Christian  when  on  duty 
at  the  head  of  his  troops  as  in  his  quiet  home 

On  Thanksgiving  Day,  the  28th  of  November, 
Howard  received  orders  to  move  with  two  com- 


THE   PREPARATION.  81 

[>iinies  to  "  Fort  Worth,"  in  Virginia,  and  the  let- 
ters that  follow  relate  to  his  life  while  there. 

FoKT  Worth,  Va.,   December  3,  1861. 

My  dearest  L :  I  received  your  lovely  letter, 

and  would  have  answered  it  immediately,  but  that  I  was 
taken  sick  the  day  after  I  got  it,  and  have  been  sick  ever 
since. 

We  received  orders  late  Wednesday  night  to  move 
our  two  companies  which  had  been  guarding  Fort  Ells- 
worth to  Fort  Worth,  the  next  morning,  Thanksgiving 
Day.  So  we  were  obliged  to  give  up  our  comfortable 
quarters,  and  take  up  our  line  of  march  for  an  unfinished 
earthwork,  on  the  outskirts  of  our  line  of  fortifications ; 
where  instead  of  spending  our  time  drilling  on  the 
guns,  and  teaching  our  men  something  useful,  we  are 
forced  to  take  up  our  axes  and  shovels,  and  go  to  work 
upon  the  Fort. 

In  Ellsworth  we  had  very  nice  quarters  within  the 
works,  and  everything  convenient,  and  were  able  to  crib 
a  little  time  every  day  to  ourselves.  Here  we  are  en- 
camped on  a  side  hill,  outside  the  work,  the  mud  about 
eight  inches  deep,  very  little  to  eat,  and  plenty  of  work. 
If  you  could  just  look  in  upon  us  now,  and  see  how  I 
live,  you  would  scarcely  believe  your  eyes. 

Major  DouU  has  not,  as  yet,  received  his  tents,  and 
he  and  I  have  to  occupy  the  same  tent,  which  of  course 
is  pitched  right  in  the  mud,  such  things  as  boards  for 
flooring  being  quite  unheard  of,  and  it  is  so  full  of  trunks, 
cooking  utensils,  our  beds,  etc.,  besides  our  saddles,  which 
we  have  to  keep  there,  having  no  stable,  that  it  is  almost 
impossible  to  move  around. 

We  almost  froze  the  first  night,  and  as  I  was  sick  in 
bed,  and  felt  the  cold  very  much,  we  foraged  around  and 
found  a  little  cast-iron  stove,  which  we  rigged  up  in  the 
tent,  and  except  that  we  were  smoked  out  like  two  wood- 
chucks  nine  or  ten  times  in  twenty-four  hours,  we  were 
more  comfortable. 


32  "MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR:' 

Then  our  "  Bill  of  Fare,"  0  my !  I  told  the  boys  this 
morning  when  we  succeeded  in  getting  our  morning  meal 
(a  piece  of  government  beef  and  a  tin  cup  of  coffee)  at 
one  o'clock,  after  running  around  in  the  cold  and  snow 
for  three  or  four  hours,  that  I  thought  I  would  give 
about  one  month's  pay  to  have  one  good  meal  at  home. 
You  must  not  think  that  we  complain,  however 

FoKT  Worth,   Wednesday  Evening,  December  11. 

....  Since  writing  my  last  letter,  Beauregard  has 
advanced  to  Fairfax  Court  House  with  (they  say)  seven- 
ty-six thousand  men.  Fairfax  is  between  eight  and  nine 
miles  from  here,  and  as  the  enemy's  outposts  are  thrown 
out  about  three  and  a  half  miles  ahead  of  his  main  body, 
we  begin  to  feel  as  though  our  fort  was  a  pretty  impor- 
tant position,  being  the  centre  upon  which  our  forces 
must  rest  in  case  they  are  attacked.  We  have  fortu- 
nately gotten  everything  in  perfect  order ;  our  men  and 
ourselves  can  work  the  guns  (big  and  little)  beautifully, 
and  having  plenty  of  ammunition  and  a  good  well  just 
finished,  we  think  we  could  stand  a  pretty  good  siege. 

Last  night  at  eleven  o'clock,  those  of  us  who  were  up, 
were  very  much  excited  by  discovering  that  the  brigade 
under  General  How^ard,  numbering  some  five  thousand 
men,  were  leaving  their  camps  and  taking  up  their  line 
of  march  towards  Fairfax.  So  suddenly  and  so  quietly 
was  it  done,  that  unless  we  had  been  watching  for  some 
movement,  we  would  never  have  suspected  but  that  the 
thousands  in  the  valley  below  us  were  wrapped  in  sleep. 

For  the  first  time  I  saw  an  army,  roused  suddenly  from 
sleep  without  any  previous  order,  march  out  in  perfect 
silence  to  meet  the  enemy.  It  was  as  beautiful  a  sight 
as  my  eyes  ever  beheld.  Our  position  is  on  a  very  high 
and  steep  hill,  having  something  the  same  effect  as  the 
view  from  Catskill,  and  as  the  different  regiments  left 
their  camps  and  filed  out  into  the  plain  below,  their  bay- 
onets glistening  in  the  unusually  brilliant  light  of  the 


TFIE   PREPARATION.  33 

moon,  and  the  murmur  of  their  whispered  orders  came 
up  to  lis  like  the  hum  of  a  bee,  I  became  tremendously 
excited,  and  realized  for  the  first  time  the  feeling  which 
prompts  men  to  such  feats  of  daring  on  the  battle-field. 

To  give  you  some  idea  of  the  celerity  with  which  a 
camp  can  be  put  in  motion,  from  the  moment  when  the 
first  order  to  march  was  received,  to  the  time  when  the 
order  to  move  was  given,  just  sixteen  minutes  had  elapsed ; 
four  regiments  of  infantry  and  two  batteries  of  light  ar- 
tillery having  been  got  in  readiness  during  that  time. 
DouU  was  in  command  of  the  fort,  and  consequently 
could  not  leave,  so  I  silently  saddled  "  Gray  Billy,"  and 
started  for  "  better  or  for  worse,"  just  to  see  how  things 
were  managed.  I  joined  one  of  the  light  artillery  batter- 
ies, and  accompanied  them  along  the  road  till  we  were 
ordered  to  halt,  and  the  captain  formed  his  battery  across 
the  road  to  act  as  a  reserve,  in  case  the  other  force  which 
pushed  on  ahead,  were  driven  back. 

I  remained  till  about  four  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
learning  all~I  could,  and  posting  myself  regarding  bat- 
tery manoeuvers,  and  then,  as  no  enemy  appeared,  and  I 
was  obliged  to  relieve  my  guard  at  the  fort  at  four  o'clock, 
I  returned.  You  can  imagine  that  it  is  very  galling  to 
me  to  be  thus  tied  down  in  a  fort,  instead  of  having  my 
light  guns  and  being  in  the  field,  but  I  do  not  see  how 
it  can  be  helped  for  a  while,  as  Uncle  Sam  has  not  guns 
enough  to  equip  the  batteries  now  in  the  field.  I  have 
the  promise,  however,  of  Brigadier-general  Barry  (the 
chief  of  artillery)  that  my  battery  shall  be  the  Jirst 
equipped 

Since  recovering  from  my  bilious  attack,  I  have  been 
very  much  better,  and  am  in  fact,  becoming  as  tough  and 
hardy  as  an  Indian.  Major  Doull  and  I  sleep  without 
a  fire,  and  I  do  not  know  what  I  should  do  now,  if  put 
suddenly  into  a  house,  with  warm  fires  and  soft  beds. 

Tell  J that  I  have  attempted  many  times  to  write  to 

him,  and  to  thank  him  for  the  magnificent  glass  which 
3 


34  ''MORE  THAN  CONQUEROR." 

he  sent  me.     The  glass  is  extra  fine,  and  is  most  useful 

to  me 

Fort  Worth,  Sunday,  December  21,  1861. 

....  My  darling  H :  As  I  now  write,  another 

poor  fellow  from  the  Eighty-eighth  Pennsylvania  is  be- 
ing brought  to  his  last  resting-place,  on  the  httle  knoll 
behind  my  tent. 

You  will  remember  that  I  wrote  you  about  the  little 
grave-yard  where  they  laid  the  poor  fellow  who  was  shot 
some  two  weeks  ago,  and  where  several  of  our  pickets 
are  lying,  who  have  been  shot  at  various  times.  We 
turned  out  our  companies  last  week,  and  put  a  little  rustic 
fence  around  it,  and  the  place  looks  really  pretty,  only 
so  lonely,  and  reminds  one  so  strongly  of  the  realities  of 
war,  lying,  as  it  does,  directly  under  the  guns  of  our  fort ; 
their  black  muzzles  seeming  to  point  directly  upon  the 
new-made  graves.  AVhen  I  began  to  write,  the  band 
was  playing  (with  muffled  drums)  Pleyel's  Hymn,  the 
comrades  of  the  deceased  singing  a  hymn  (I  caimot 
quite  catch  the  words),  and  now  they  have  just  fired  three 
volleys  over  him,  and  "  left  him  alone  in  his  glory." 

I  took  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  of  the  men  down 
to  the  camp  of  the  Fourth  Rhode  Island  regiment  this 
morning,  to  attend  service,  as  we  have  no  chaplain  ;  and 
although  it  was  very  cold  standing  in  the  cold  wind,  still 
I  enjoyed  the  service  very  much.  The  chaplain  is  an 
Episcopalian,  and  it  was  so  natural  to  hear  our  beautiful 
service  again,  for  I  have  not  been  able  to  attend  church 
before  since  I  left  home. 

We  closed  with  "  Old  Hundred,"  men  and  officers  join- 
ing in ;  and  I  sang  so  loud  that  I  am  sure  Jeff.  Davis 
heard  me  at  Centreville,  fifteen  miles  off;  and  thought 
that  Henry  Ward  Beecher  was  upon  him  with  all  his 
hordes 

We  find  him,  in  the  following  extracts,  looking 
back,  with  a  yearning  heart,  to  the  home  joys  of 


^HE  PREPARATION.  35 

Christmas  tide  —  the  time  of  pleasant  gatherings, 
and  sweet  and  hallowed  memories.  Saddened 
though  he  is,  with  what  bright  words  of  fun  he 
writes,  so  like  himself. 

Fort  "Wokth,  December  26,  1861. 

....  My  first  Christmas  away  from  home  was  a  sad 
one,  I  assure  you ;  for  we  have  been  accustomed  for  so 
many  years  to  have  a  family  gathering  at  home,  and 
have  always  looked  forward  to  it  with  such  pleasant 
anticipations  that  it  seemed  as  much  like  St.  Patrick's 
Day  (which  every  one  knows  is  the  most  dismal  of  all 
days),  as  like  Christmas. 

I  had  arranged  to  give  a  dinner  to  my  company,  of 
roast  beef  and  plum-pudding,  and  considering  all  things 
it  went  off  very  well ;  the  only  trouble  being  that  old 
"  Gore,"  my  company  cook,  put  all  the  whiskey  I  gave 
him  for  sauce  down  his  throat,  and  the  men  complained 
that  the  sauce  was  too  "  flat."  We  (that  is  Company  B's 
officers),  had  a  very  nice  dinner  of  tm'key  in  my  tent. 

Thursday  Evening. 

....  I  have  just  now  received  and  opened  the  mag- 
nificent box  of  things  which  all  the  dear  ones  have  sent 

me,  and  O  my  precious  H -^  I  cannot  say  enough 

about  them.  The  dear  little  diary,  just  what  I  had  been 
thinking  I  must  have,  and  the  lovely  cap  which  I  have 
on  my  head  this  minute,  and  which  fits  like  a  ^^ plasther  !  " 
and  all  the  good  things  too,  enough  to  make  the  whole 
battalion  sick  for  a  month !  .  .  .  . 

One  o'clock^  Midnight. 

Darling  Mamma  :  —  ....  Your  beautiful  picture 
took  me  all  by  surprise,  for  I  had  begun  to  think  it 
impossible  to  get  a  good  likeness  of  you,  and  then  to 
have  you  suddenly  appear  to  me  from  the  depths  of  a 
soap-box,  the  effect  was  magical !  .  .  .  .  G 's  dear 


36  "MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR.'' 

little  picture,  too,  is  so  pretty  and  cunning,  all  the  boys 
are  begging  for  it.    Such  good  pictures  seem  to  bring  you 

all  around  me ;  and  with  yours,  H 's,  little  Howy's 

and  G 's  before  me,  I  can  almost  imagine  myself  at 

home 

January  7,  1862. 

....  I  commenced  writing  to  you  Sunday  night, 
telling  you  what  a  nice  time  I  had  had  reading  to  my 
men  all  the  evening,  but  I  was  so  tired  and  sleepy  that  I 
was  unable  to  finish,  and  gave  it  up ;  having  only  suc- 
ceeded in  spoiling  a  sheet  of  government  paper. 

My  men,  as  you  know,  are  nearly  all  Roman  Catholics, 
but  when  I  give  it  out  that  I  am  going  to  read  to  them, 
the  whole  company,  and  many  from  other  companies, 
collect  in  one  of  the  largest  tents  ;  and  last  Sunday  even- 
ing they  were  sitting  as  thick  as  they  could  squat  around 
me,  while  I  read  "  The  Railroad  Man  "  to  them.  I  wish 
that  more  of  them  were  Protestants,  for  then  I  could 
talk  to  them  in  a  much  more  satisfiictory  way ;  whereas 
now,  I  can  only  read  to  them  such  books  as  will  interest 
them,  without  frightening  them  into  the  idea  that  I  am 
trying  to  proselyte  them.  The  consequence  of  this 
would  be  that  they  would  confess  to  their  priest,  who 
comes  once  a  month  and  confesses  them  in  B's  tent,  and 
he  would  prejudice  their  minds  so  much  that  all  good 
effect  of  my  reading  would  be  lost;  so  all  I  can  do  is 
to  read  to  them  and  leave  the  matter  in  God's  hands. 

One  of  my  men,  a  splendid  fellow,  named  Beck,  was 
through  the  Crimean  War,  and  knew  Hedley  Vicars. 
He  was  quite  near  at  the  time  Vicars  was  killed.  He 
speaks  in  the  highest  terms  of  him ;  says  that  he  was 
always  reading  to  the  men,  giving  them  books,  talking  to 
them,  and  that  his  men  of  the  97th  loved  him  dearly. 

This  man  Beck  is  one  of  the  men  who  left  his  own 
company  on  the  day  we  left  Elm  Park,  and  asked  per- 
mission of  Colonel   P to  join  my  comj3any,  and  a 

better  soldier  I  never  saw. 


THE  PREPARATION.  37 

Tell  pcapa  and  mamma  that  if  they  have  any  books 
which  they  think  would  interest  the  men,  to  send  them 
along,  as  I  have  entirely  exhausted  my  stock.  If  papa 
could  send  me  two  or  three  of  Jacob  Abbot's  histories  — 
Alexander  the  Great,  or  any  of  them  which  he  might 
select,  I  would  read  to  them  every  night. 

Tell  mamma  that  the  bed,  sheets,  and  spreads  which 
she  gave  me  are  being  used  for  the  first  time  to-night. 
One  of  our  captains  has  been  taken  suddenly  ill  with 
what  I  fear  will  prove  typhoid  fever,  and  as  he  cannot  be 
moved  to  the  hospital,  Doull  and  I  are  taking  care  of 
him.  I  made  his  bed  very  comfortable  with  my  linen, 
and  put  hot  bottles  to  his  feet,  and  Doull  is  sitting  up 
with  him  the  first  part  of  the  night ;  I  to  take  the  last 
part,  which,  by  the  way,  I  shall  not  be  in  a  fit  condition 
to  do  unless  I  get  to  bed 

Find  out,  darling,  who  sent  each  of  the  things  con- 
tained in  the  Christmas  box,  so  that  I  may  thank  them. 

Kiss  the  little  chap  for  me.    Does  he  smoke  a  pipe  yet  ? 

We  have  found  in  his  camp  clicst  the  following 
letter  from  a  dear  Christian  friend,  Avritten  at  this 
time,  which  we  insert,  because  it  refers  to  a  letter 
in  which  he  relates  some  of  his  efforts  as  a  soldier 
of  the  cross. 

My  DEA.R  Howard  :  —  I  had  the  pleasure  a  few  even- 
ings since  of  hearing  parts  of  your  last  letter  to  H 

read,  and  was  deeply  interested  in  all  the  details  of  your 
camp  life.  You  will  hardly  credit  it,  that  the  moi^t 
trifling  circumstances  of  your  daily  doings  are  eagerly 

sought  and  dwelt  on  by  us.      W and  I  think  of  you 

every  day,  and  pray  for  you  through  many  an  hour. 

I  felt  a  glow  of  pride  on  hearing  of  Dr.  Lee's  inter- 
view with  you,  and  though  a  man  is  never  a  prophet  in 
his  own  country,  it  was  not  difficult  for  me  to  think  that 
the  Doctor  spoke  advisedly  when  he  wrote    "Captain 


38  ''MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

Kitching  is  one  of  the  very  best  officers  in  the  whole 
army." 

l'  never  doubted  that  you  had  it  in  you,  and  only 
wanted  grace  and  opportunity  to  bring  it  out. 

But  what  made  my  heart  throb  with  very  gladness, 
was  the  simple  statement  you  gave  of  your  reading  with 
the  poor  soldiers,  for  I  know  that  in  thus  working  for 
the  Master,  you  will  find  a  cheer  and  a  joy  in  the  work 
itself ;  and  if  you  live  through  this  conflict,  when  this 
war  shall  have  become  an  event  of  history,  and  in  after 
years  you  call  to  remembrance  its  strange  hurried  scenes, 
you  may  be  sure  that  the  hours  thus  spent  will  be  the 
greenest,  and  freshest,  and  most  fragrant  spots  in  mem- 
ory. And  in  that  blessed  land  where  "  they  learn  war 
no  more,"  you  may  meet  those  who  found  their  way  to 
Jesus'  feet,  by  listening  to  your  voice  on  the  banks  of  the 
Potomac. 

I  am  glad  that  you  met  with  that  old  soldier  who 
knew  Hedley  Vicars,  and  bore  testimony  to  his  unwearied 
efforts  to  bring  the  poor  soldiers  into  the  way  of  life. 
You  may  depend  upon  it,  Miss  Marsh's  account  of  him 

was  true  to  the  letter,  and  that  Major 's  deprecatory 

reflections  upon  him,  if  they  were  not  the  suggestions  of 
his  own  heart,  were  derived  from  those  who,  like  himself, 
could  see  no  beauty  in  that  beautiful  character  —  a  young 
man  fearless  and  loyal  to  his  Saviour,  while  he  was  loyal 
to  his  Queen. 

It  is  a  glorious  mission,  and  the  Lord  has  sent  you  to 
do  just  the  work  you  are  doing.  I  know  what  Christian 
courage  it  requires  always,  in  such  company,  to  show 
your  colors ;  but  Christ's  grace  is  sufficient,  and  if  you 
are  unfaltering,  even  those  who  cannot  understand  you 
will  admire,  and  at  last  may  imitate. 

The  angels  do  not  look  down  upon  a  thing  on  earth 
more  noble,  than  a  young,  and  loyal,  consistent  Christian 
soldier 


THE  PREPARATION.  39 

Fort  Blenker,  January  19,  1862. 

....  On  Friday  morning,  while  we  were  all  hard  at: 
work  in  Fort  Worth,  Major  Doull  received  orders  to  march, 
immediately  to  this  post  with  two  companies.  In  less 
than  two  hours'  time,  we  had  torn  down  our  nice  winter 
quarters,  which  we  had  built  with  so  much  trouble ;  left 
our  nice  log  cook-houses  and  stables,  and  were  on  the 
march ;  I,  in  command  of  the  troops,  Doull  having  gone 
ahead  to  arrange  for  our  relieving  the  troops  at  Blen- 
ker. 

Such  a  march  as  we  had  of  it !  Our  way  led  throughi 
rough,  unbroken  woods,  where  the  thick,  black  mud  is- 
actually  in  some  places  two  and  a  half  feet  deep.  My 
men,  laden  as  they  were  with  knapsacks,  haversacks,, 
and  muskets,  besides  various  articles  which  they  had 
made  at  Fort  Worth,  and  were  loth  to  part  with,  could, 
scarcely  get  along ;  sinking  at  every  step  knee  deep  in 
the  mire,  but  still  laughing  and  joking  each  other,  and 
now  and  then  roaring  out  a  song  which  Lieutenant  How- 
ard or  I  would  start.  I  was  mounted  on  Billy,  with  a 
pack  before  and  behind,  so  high  that  I  looked  like  a  Jew 
peddler ;  and  after  once  getting  into  the  saddle,  could 
not  get  out  again  till  I  was  "  boosted "  out  by  a  file  of 
men. 

I  never  saw  such  a  magnificent  lot  of  fellows  as  mine.. 
I  thought  that  they  would  be  very  much  dispirited  at 
being  obliged  to  leave  their  comfortable  quarters  during 
this  miserable  weather,  and  go  forth,  they  knew  not 
whither.  But  on  the  contrary,  they  received  my  orders 
to  strike  their  tents,  with  cheers ;  and  during  the  march,, 
and  on  Friday  night,  although  they  were  obliged  to  sleep, 
in  an  old  barn,  without  any  sides  (only  a  roof),  men. 
and  horses  all  in  together,  I  did  not  see  one  cloudy  face-;, 
all  w^ere  cheerful  and  happy,  seemingly  content  to  go^ 
wherever  I  ordered,  and  they  were  needed 

Thursday  night,  I  was  enjoying  the  beautiful  moon 
quite  as  much  as  you  could  have  done,  though  by  no 


40  ''MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

means  sleigh-riding,  for  it  was  quite  warm.  I  had  got 
an  old  cornet  from  one  of  the  boys,  and  was  playing 
"  Star  Spangled  Banner,"  and  other  patriotic  songs  for 
the  officers  to  sing,  and  we  were  all  out  in  the  moon- 
light in  front  of  our  tents,  making  everything  ring  till 
twelve  o'clock 

Fort  Ble:nker,  Februartj  2,  1862. 
....  I  am  working  very  hard  at  my  books,  as  I  find 
that  military  men  expect  me  to  make  up  with  brains  for 
absence  of  whiskers.  I  was  called  into  court  on  Satur- 
day, as  a  witness,  and  I  heard  afterward  that  the  univer- 
sal opinion  of  the  members  of  the  court  was,  that  I  am 
an  extraordinarily  young  looking  man  for  a  captain,  but 
that  I  appeared  much  older  after  I  began  to  speak.  I 
am  afraid  my  youthful  appearance  will  always  work 
against  me  in  my  military  career,  but  as  I  cannot  very 
well  helji  it,  I  won't  worry  over  it 

Fort  Blenker,  February  18,  1862. 

Dear  Theodore  :  —  I  should  have  replied  to  your 
kind  letters  long  since,  but  that  my  mind  has  been  so 
completely  upset  by  our  trouble  here,  beside  being  so 
occupied  with  our  examination,  that  even  when  I  could 
find  an  hour,  it  has  seemed  impossible  for  me  to  write  a 
iletter  that  I  would  ask  anybody  to  read.  We  have  now 
.passed  the  examination,  and  are  waiting  anxiously  for 
>the  result  of  the  report  which  was  sent  in  to  General 
McClellan  by  the  Board. 

Major  Doull  and  myself  have  been  assured,  that  there 
is  a  bright  day  dawning  for  our  regiment,  after  the 
gloomy  experience  which  it  has  had  ever  since  w^e  en- 
tered Virginia. 

Just  as  soon  as  we  obtain  the  report  of  the  Board 
upon  our  examinations,  I  will  send  it  to  you,  as  I  know 
that  anything  which  concerns  my  welfare  so  nearly  as 
the  opinion  of  a  board  of  regular  army  officers,  as  to 


\ 


THE  PREPARATION.  41 

my  capabilities  to  fill  my  i^osition  will  interest  you  and 
L .... 

The  examining  Boards  appointed  by  McClellan,  have 
been  the  means  of  sending  home  a  large  number  of  in- 
efficient officers. 

Doull  is  already  making  a  name  for  himself,  proving 
himself  quite  equal  to  any  of  our  West  Point  graduates 
in  his  military  qualifications,  and  his  proficiency  in  math- 
ematics and  civil  engineering.  So  you  see  I  could  not 
have  a  better  instructor. 

We  are  very  quiet  here  at  Fort  Blenker,  having  only 
two  companies,  with  seven  officers,  and  being  almost  en- 
tirely isolated  from  any  other  regiment.  One  day  is 
painfully  like  another,  the  weather  being  so  bad  that  it 
is  quite  impossible  to  have  much  out-door  work.  We 
are  getting  very  weary  of  the  monotony  of  this  kind  of 
life,  and  long  for  a  change. 

The  greater  portion  of  the  troops  on  this  side  of  the 
Potomac  -will  be  moved  forward,  just  as  soon  as  the 
roads  become  passable  for  artillery.  Whether  our  regi- 
ment will  be  among  the  fortunate  number,  we  cannot 
tell,  but  Major  Doull  has  a  proposal  now  before  the 
Brigadier-general,  to  send  us  forward  with  siege  guns 
and  mortars,  as  it  is  very  evident  that  the  advance  upon 
Manassas  will  be  made  after  a  very  diffisrent  plan  from 
last  summer.  The  rebel  works  will  be  regularly  in- 
vested and  taken  by  siege,  five  or  six  days'  hard  fighting 
being  necessary  for  that  purpose. 

I  find  that  the  smattering  of  mechanics  which  I  pos- 
sess is  of  great  assistance  to  me  in  the  management  of 
guns,  and  as  I  have  been  studying  fortifications  very 
diligently,  I  am  anxious  to  have  an  opportunity  of  putting 
some  of  my  theories  into  practice. 

There  is  great  rejoicing  here  over  the  news  of  the 
victories  in  the  West,  and  the  general  opinion  apj^ears  to 
be  that  the  rebellion  is  "  on  its  last  legs."  God  grant 
that  it  may  be  so  ! 


42  ''MORE  THAN  CONQUEROR.'' 

I  am  sorry  to  tell  you  that  I  meet  with  great  discour- 
agements in  my  feeble  efforts  to  bring  the  poor  men  in 
my  own  and  other  companies  to  a  knowledge  of  the 
truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  Almost  all  the  men  in  this 
detachment  are  Roman  Catholics.  My  first  lieutenant 
is  of  the  same  faith,  and  assisted  by  a  priest  who,  like  all 
his  brethren,  is  most  unremitting  in  his  zeal.  They  all 
have  the  idea  (quite  right  by  the  way)  that  I  am  tryino- 

to  convert  them  ;  and  although  B does  not  of  course 

mterfere  with  me,  still  I  cannot  help  feeling  his  influ- 
ence. I  do  what  little  I  can,  hoping  and  praying  that 
some  of  the  poor  deluded  ones  may  be  brought  out  of 
darkness. 

Major  DouU  and  I  have  inaugurated  a  temperance 
movement  in  the  regiment,  and  I  am  glad  to  see  that  its 
effects  are  becoming  manifest  not  alone  amongst  the  men, 
but  amongst  the  officers,  many  of  whom  have  been  mak- 
ing brutes  of  themselves  ever  since  they  began  to  feel 
that  they  were  outside  the  influence  of  home  and  the 
restraints  of  society. 

All  the  officers  of  this  detachment  and  nearly  two 
thirds  of  my  men,  have  signed  off;  and  the  consequence 
is  a  very  great  improvement  in  the  moral  tone  of  the 
company. 

My  Sundays  here,  instead  of  being  the  happy  days  of 
home,  are  very  sorrowful  ones  to  me.  One  hundred 
men  being  crowded  into  one  very  small  house,  the  Major 
and  I  are  not  only  forced  to  occupy  the  same  little  room, 
but  It  always  being  the  quarters  of  the  commandino- 
officer,  every  little  detail  connected  with  the  fort  is 
brought  there,  and  on  Sunday  particularly  it  is  utterly 
impossible  for  me  to  enjoy  even  a  half  hour  to  myself. 
Most  of  our  army  officers  consider  Sunday  a  day  to  visit 
each  other,  and  as  they  think,  enjoy  themselves;  and  as  • 
D  IS  not  of  my  mind  in  religious  matters,  and  has 

a  great  deal  of  company  on  Sunday  in  addition  to  the 
calls  made  upon  me,  it  seems  as  though  I  never  could  be 


\ 


THE  PREPARATION.  43 

alone.  O  how  I  long  for  those  quiet  lovely  Sundays  I 
spent  with  you  and  L . 

You  perhaps  cannot  realize,  occupied  as  you  are  in  the 
Master's  work,  how  difficult  it  is  to  have  the  same  clear 
insight  into  heavenly  things,  and  to  keep  a  conscience 
void  of  offense  here  in  camp,  where  I  hear  nothing  but 
worldly  conversation,  and  where  one  rarely  hears  the 
name  of  Jesus,  except  in  some  scoffer's  mouth. 

I  know  that  the  true  Christian  can  be  just  as  near  his 
Saviour  when  in  camp,  surrounded  by  irreligious  and 
profane  men,  as  when  sliielded  by  the  gentle  loving  in- 
fluences of  home.  Still  there  is  a  sad  feehng  of  loneli- 
ness consequent  upon  a  position  such  as  mine,  which  I 
cannot  at  all  times  get  rid  of.  I  have  seen  more  open 
wickedness  and  unblushing  sin,  since  my  connection  with 
the  army,  than  I  ever  dreamed  of  before.  We  have  no 
regimental  chaplain,  and  the  weather  has  been  so  terrible 
that  none  of  the  regiments  about  here  have  had  regular 
service ;  consequently  the  few  of  my  men  who  will  go  to 
the  Protestant  Church  have  been  denied  the  privilege. 

Those  little  books  which  were  sent  out  from  home 
have  been  read  and  read,  over  and  over  again ;  and  just 
as  soon  as  the  affairs  of  the  regiment  are  definitely  set- 
tled, I  am  going  to  beg  for  some  more 

Fort  Blexker,  Thursday  Evening,  March  13,  1862. 
Dear  Papa,  ....  I  am  trying  hard  to  find  some- 
body to  buy  my  gray  horse ;  for  although  he  is  so  beau- 
tiful, and  I  have  succeeded  in  making  such  a  fine  saddle 
horse  of  him,  still  I  see  that  he  will  never  do  any  work 
where  I  am  obliged  to  jump  on  him  and  gallop  for  a 
mile  or  two  through  bushes,  and  stumps,  over  fences,  and 
ditches,  and  then  perhaps  leave  him  standing  tied  to  a 
tree  without  a  blanket,  and  this  in  all  weathers.  He  still 
couo-hs  a  good  deal  and  appears  quite  weak  at  times. 
And  yet  I  am  in  hopes  of  meeting  somebody  who  will 
fancy  him  enough  to  pay  a  big  price  for  him.     My  old 


44  ''MORE  THAN  CONQUEROR." 

friend  Hidden  of  the  Lincoln  Cavalry  had  offered  to  buy 
him,  but  he,  poor  fellow,  was  killed  last  Sunday  about  ten 
miles  from  here  while  leading:  a  charo^e  at  the  head  of 
his  men.  He  died  as  a  soldier  should,  in  the  perform- 
ance of  his  duty,  and  the  entire  division  are  sounding 
his  praises.  He  was  out  scouting  with  General  Kearny, 
and  they  came  upon  what  appeared  to  be  a  picket  guard 
of  the  enemy.  Hidden  had  only  thirteen  men,  but  he 
charged  down  a  hill  upon  them,  and  found  them  to  be 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  strong,  and  rifle-men.  He 
however  completely  routed  them,  killing  and  wounding 
a  great  many  and  taking  fourteen  prisoners ;  but  he  lost 
his  life,  being  shot  through  the  neck  and  killed  instantly. 
He  was  a  noble  fellow,  and  brave  as  a  lion.  I  wish  I 
knew  that  he  was  a  Christian.  You  will  remember  him ; 
he  dined  with  you  and  me  at  Delmonico's  one  day. 

I  was  out  beyond  Fairfax  yesterday,  sixteen  miles 
from  Alexandria,  and  from  what  1  can  learn,  1  think  that 
our  chiefs  are  not  a  little  puzzled  at  finding  that  the 
rebels  have  evacuated  Manassas. 

I  think  that  the  strength  of  the  army  will  return  to 
Washington  and  be  sent  down  the  river,  but  of  course 
nothing  definite  is  known. 

Wherever  they  go  we  earnestly  hope  that  we  shall  be 
ordered  to  accompany  them.  Our  regiment  is  rapidly 
getting  into  a  splendid  condition  under  Major  Doull,  and 
now  that  we  have  muskets  we  are  ready  for  anything. 

The  fame  of  Ericsson  and  his  monitor  is  in  every- 
body's mouth,  and  I  think  that  now  he  will  be  looked 
upon  in  his  true  character. 

Was  he  on  board  during  the  fight  ?  The  "  Times  " 
says  "  yes."  .... 

In  a  brief  note,  written  to  his  wife  late  at  night 
at  the  close  of  a  weary  day,  he  says :  — 

Love  our  gracious  Saviour,  darling.     Try  to  be  with 


THE  PREPARATION.  45 

Him  more  every  day ;  and  you  will  find  that  He  is  in- 
deed "Our  Elder  Brother,"  and  the  Friend  above  all 
others. 

In  a  letter  a  few  weeks  later  lie  writes  :  — 

I  had  a  lovely  letter  from .     He  is  I  think,  the 

most  heavenly  minded  man  I  ever  saw.  How  I  wish 
that  he  could  talk  to  the  poor  fellows  who  are  lying  in 
our  hospitals  about  here,  many  of  them  dying  without 
mention  of  Jesus'  name  being  once  made  to  them,  — 
that  name  so  full  of  comfort  and  hope  to  the  dying 
Christian. 


i 


THE  CONFLICT. 


"  Rise  !  for  the  day  is  passing, 

And  you  lie  dreaming  on  ; 
The  others  have  buckled  their  armor 

And  forth  to  the  fight  are  gone  : 
A  place  in  the  ranks  awaits  you, 

Each  man  has  some  part  to  play ; 
The  Past  and  Future  are  looking 

In  the  face  of  the  stern  To-day." 


CHAPTER   III. 

THE   CONFLICT. 

"  The  next  day  they  took  him,  and  had  him  into  the  armory,  where 
they  shewed  him  all  manner  of  furniture,  which  the  Lord  had  pro- 
vided for  pilgrims,  as  sword,  shield,  helmet,  breast-plate,  all-prayer, 
and  shoes  that  would  not  wear  out.  And  there  was  here  enough  of 
this  to  harness  out  as  many  men  for  the  service  of  the  Lord,  as  there 
be  stars  in  the  heaven  for  multitude,"  Buxyan. 

The  dreamer's  picture  must  have  been  in  tke 
mind  of  the  young  soldier,  when  he  drew  with 
skillful  pencil,  the  sketch  which  forms  the  frontis- 
piece of  his  pocket  diary  for  this  year,  —  Christian 
going  forth  to  the  conflict,  clad  in  the  Avhole  armor 
of  God.  Behind  liim  the  pleasant  fields  and  quiet 
valleys  —  before,  the  rough  and  dusty  highway, 
strewn  with  emblems  of  death.  But  with  firm 
hand  he  is  grasping  the  shield,  on  which  the  white 
cross  glistens,  and  his  eye  is  gazing  steadfastly  on 
the  motto  over  him  :  — 

"  Nominis  stat  umbra." 
For  we  have  abundant  evidence  that  whether  in 
garrison  or  in  the  field,  his  strong  tower  was  the 
name  of  Jesus  ;  and  that  though  i7i  the  world,, 
amid  its  most  distracting,  most  disheartening, 
scenes,  he  was  not  of  the  world.  We  know  of  no 
harder  warfare  for  the  young  Christian  than  camp 


50  ''MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

life  affords.  O,  how  many  young  men  who  were 
moving  humbly  in  the  path  of  Christian  usefulness 
amid  the  quiet  of  home  life,  have  entered  the  army 
and  lost  their  way,  —  passed  over  from  the  thorny 
outpost  under  the  canopy  of  heaven,  to  the  glare 
and  the  lights  and  the  festive  din  of  the  enemy's 
camp,  and  forgotten  the  conflict.  AVhile  others, 
like  Colonel  K itching,  have  gro^vn  stronger  from 
the  stern  conflict.  "  Blameless  and  harmless, 
shining  as  lights  in  the  world  ;  "  O,  we  can  never 
be  this,  unless  we  have  hold  of  Christ.  No  power 
short  of  this  can  keep  us  steadfast  in  our  Christian 
testimony,  firm  in  our  Christian  hope,  warm  in  our 
Christian  love,  where  there  is  nothing  without  to 
encourage  us. 

Colonel  Kitching  was  now  to  leave  the  barrack 
for  the  battle-field.  His  ardent  spirit  was  chafing 
for  more  active  service,  and  when  it  was  announced 
that  the  army  was  about  to  advance  towards 
Richmond,  and  there  was  a  prospect  of  his  being 
left  behind  to  do  garrison  duty,  he  could  keep 
quiet  no  longer,  and  volunteered  to  go  with  the 
army  of  the  Potomac.  In  a  letter  of  General 
fUpton's,^  referring  to  this  period,  and  of  his  meet- 
ing with  Colonel  Kitching,  he  says,  "  Anxious  to 
participate  in  the  first  campaign  of  the  army  of  the 
Potomac,  he  came  to  my  battery,  and  sought  per- 
mission to  join  it.  So  anxious  was  he  in  fact,  that 
he  not  only  waived  his  rank  to  serve  under  me,  but 
he  went  still  further,  and  took  command  of  a  sec- 
tion as  the  junior  second  lieutenant  of  the  battery. 

1  Then  a  captain  in  the  regular  army. 


THE   CONFLICT.  51 

Foregoing  every  consideration  due  to  his  rank, 
and  ignoring  the  pleasures  and  comforts  of  garri- 
son life,  he  sought  service  in  the  field  against  the 
enemies  of  his  country  ;  an  act,  not  only  indicative 
of  his  ardent  patriotism,  but  one  which  will  for- 
ever reflect  credit  and  honor  upon  his  character  as 
an  officer  and  soldier." 

The  following  letter  was  written  by  Howard 
soon  after  joining  General  Upton :  — 

Camp  Arnold,  Manassas,  Sunday  Evening,  AjMl  6,  1862. 

....  I  have  not  had  one  minute  since  reporting  my- 
self for  duty  to  the  battery.  Two  days  after  I  joined, 
I  was  appointed  adjutant  of  the  artillery  brigade  of 
Franklin's  division,  which  in  addition  to  my  daily  duties 
as  chief  of  section  in  my  own  battery,  keeps  me  on  the 
run  most  ol^the  time.  I  suppose  that  I  ought  to  con- 
sider the  appointment  a  compliment,  but  as  I  had  quite 
enough  to  do  before,  I  must  say  that  I  would  have  been 
quite  contented  without  it. 

Now  to  tell  you  what  we  have  been  doing  the  past 
three  days  and  how  we  got  where  we  are  now ;  as  I  wrote 
you 'from  our  old  camp  ("  Upton  "),  in  a  hurried  note, 
we  received  orders  Thursday  night,  at  about  eleven 
o'clock,  to  move  on  to  Manassas  Friday  morning.  So 
at  nine  o'clock  we  left  our  old  camp,  and  pushed  on  to 
Centreville  (twenty-one  miles)  before  dark.  We  had  a 
very  hot,  dusty  march  of  it,  I  can  tell  you  ;  the  lumber- 
ing artillery  carriages  raising  the  dust  to  such  an  extent 
that  one  could  scarcely  see  twenty  feet  of  the  road,  and 
the  sun  poured  down  upon  us  really  like  summer.  We 
reached  Centreville,  as  I  have  said,  just  before  dark  ;  and 
after  seeing  after  our  horses  and  guns,  we  pitched  a  tent, 
and  fixed  ourselves  as  comfortably  as  we  could ;  the  only 
difficulty  being  to  keep  warm,  as  it  comn^enced  raining 
just  after  midnight,  and  drenched  everything  through  and 


52  "MORE  THAN  CONQUEROR." 

through  —  for  while  troops  are  on  the  march,  the  most 
we  can  do  is  to  provide  a  shelter  against  the  dampness  of 
the  night,  and  a  hard  beating  rain  seems  to  penetrate 
everything  in  the  shape  of  canvas. 

"When  I  awoke  yesterday  morning,  all  my  clothes 
had  that  miserable  damp  feeling  that  chills  one  so,  and 
when  I  poked  my  head  out  of  the  tent  it  was  raining 
great  guns. 

We  ate  a  piece  of  beefsteak  and  some  crackers,  and 
started  at  seven  o'clock,  and  until  we  reached  Bull  Run, 
it  rained  and  rained  till  I  thought  it  would  never  stop ; 
and  such  dismal  work  it  is  marching  with  an  artillery 
train  on  such  a  day.  Every  little  while  we  would  get 
into  some  deep  hole  where  the  heavy  guns  would  stick 
fast,  and  we  would  have  to  put  on  extra  horses  to  pull 
them  out. 

When  we  reached  Manassas  station  the  rain  ceased, 
and  things  began  to  look  brighter,  and  before  we  had  our 
camp  arranged,  it  had  cleared  off  quite  pleasantly. 

We  are  located  in  a  lovely  spot  here,  about  two  miles 
beyond  the  old  battle-field,  with  almost  the  whole  of 
Franklin's  division  within  sight  of  us.  I  suppose  we 
are  on  our  way  to  Richmond,  and  that  we  shall  move  on 
in  the  morning,  but  cannot  tell  positively.  Much  dis- 
satisfaction is  expressed  at  our  having  been  withdrawn 
from.  McClellan's  command  and  placed  under  that  of 
McDowell,  but  as  good  soldiers  we  must  go  ahead,  and  do 
as  we  are  ordered  without  grumbling 

A  true  illustration  of  the  spirit  that  animated 
the  young  men  of  our  army.  Educated,  and  ac- 
customed to  think  for  themselves  on  all  subjects, 
tliey  freely  discussed  every  movement,  but  when 
the  order  was  given  to  march,  they  were  ready  to 
go  forward,  anywhere,  without  a  murmur.  It  was 
their   intelligence,  and   in    many  cases,   Christian 


THE   CONFLICT.  53 

faith,  that  made  them  the  noblest  and  best  soldiers 
that  ever  fought  for  their  country. 

The  order  of  President  Lincoln,  dictating  a 
movement  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  against 
Manassas,  was  at  this  time  rescinded,  and  in  com- 
pliance with  the  earnest  solicitations  of  General 
McClellan,  a  change  of  base  to  the  lower  Chesa- 
peake was  commenced.  This  wonderful  movement 
was  aptly  called  by  a  European  critic,  "  the  stride 
of  a  giant."  As  a  distinguished  writer  says,  "  To 
take  up  an  army  of  over  one  hundred  thousand 
men,  transport  it  and  all  its  immense  material  by 
water,  and  plant  it  down  on  a  new  theatre  of  oper- 
ations near  two  hundred  miles  distant,  is  an  en- 
terprise, the  details  of  which  must  be  studied,  ere 
its  colossal  magnitude  can  be  adequately  appre- 
hended. It  was  an  undertaking  eminently  charac- 
teristic of  the  American  genius,  and  of  a  people 
distins^uished  above  all  others  for  the  ease  with 
which  it  executes  great  material  enterprises  —  a 
people  rich  in  resources,  and  in  the  faculty  of  cre- 
ating resources." 

The  following  letters  refer  to  this  time  :  — 

On  board  Transport  "  Willing,'""  off  Yorktown,  ) 
Satu7'day  Evening^  April  19,  1862.  ) 

My  own  sweet  Wife  :  —  I  intended  writing  you  a 
nice  long  letter  before  leaving  Alexandria ;  but  we  re- 
ceived orders  to  embark  much  sooner  than  we  expected, 
and  our  men  having  been  paid  off  just  as  we  left,  the 
officers  were  obliged  to  do  all  the  work,  so  that  I  did  not 
get  one  moment  in  which  to  write. 

Papa,  I  suppose,  told  you  of  our  being  ordered  to 


54  "MORE   THAN  COXQUEROR." 

return  to  Alexandria  in  order  to  come  down  the  river, 
so  it  will  not  surprise  you  much  to  know  that  we  are 
here.  We  have  received  so  many  conflicting  orders 
lately,  that  I  think  I  should  not  be  much  astonished  at 
our  receiving  orders  to  embark  immediately  for  the 
moon. 

We  have  just  come  in  here  expecting  that  we  were  to 
disembark  in  rear  of  McClellan's  lines,  and  then  advance 
by  land,  but  we  have  within  ten  minutes  received  orders 
from  General  Franklin  not  to  land,  as  we  were  going 
farther  up  the  river,  and  Captain  Purdy,  Franklin's 
adjutant-general,  made  the  remark  to  Captain  Arnold, 
that  "  we  should  land  under  tire,"  so  I  su^jpose  we  may 
have  a  warm  time  of  it.  These  things  however,  ai-e  very 
uncertain,  and  we  don't  really  know  where  we  ai-e  go- 
ing  

"l  trust  that  our  blessed  Master  in  his  mercy  will  spare 
me  to  return  to  you  very  soon,  and  I  know  that  whatever 
happens,  He  will  take  care  of  us  as  He  has  in  days  gone 
by.  And  I  want  my  darling  one  to  trust  Him  implicitly  ; 
and  when  days  seem  darkest,  and  she  may  be  tempted  to 
think  Jesus  has  forsaken  her,  go  and  tell  Him  every- 
thing just  as  she  would  me  if  I  were  there,  and  then 
leave  all  her  cares  with  Him ;  and  she  will  find  Him 
the  same  kind,  loving  Saviour  that  He  has  always  been. 

I  must  confess  H 'darling,  that  this  is  a  trying 

hour  for  me ;  but  I  go  to  Jesus  and  He  seems  to  be  very, 
very  near  me  sometimes,  and  then  I  think  that  all  will 
be  well  if  I  only  trust  in  Him 

As  I  am  writing  I  can  hear  the  booming  of  the  heavy 
guns  at  Yorktown,  where  "  little  Mac  "  is  banging  away 
at  the  rebels.  The  report  is  that  there  has  been  severe 
work  there  to-day,  but  we  hear  nothing  official. 

Little  Doull  is  in  the  trenches  working  away  with  his 
heavy  guus.  He  will  make  a  name  for  himself  if  he  does 
not  lose  his  life 

God  bless  you  all,  and  in   his  infinite  mercy  unite  us 


THE   CONFLICT.  55 

again  here  ou  earth,  and  reunite,  us  in  his,  and  our 
heavenly  home.  Jesus,  Master,  be  with  all  my  precious 
ones,  and  with  their  own  Howard. 

To  his  wife  :  — 

Camp  Ellis,  neak  Yorktowx,  Friday  Evenhuj,  April  25,  18G2. 

....  I  have  been  nursing  Lieutenant  Williston  of 
our  battery,  who  has  been  very  sick  for  a  week  past  with 
typhoid  fever.  This,  in  addition  to  my  other  duties,  has 
kept  me  so  occupied  that  I  have  had  no  time  to  write. 

....  We  have  been  busy  all  the  week  getting  our 
horses  and  guns  ashore,  and  have  just  finished  to-day. 
We  are  now  awaiting  the  arrival  of  the  new  iron  gun- 
boat Galena,  to  embark  again  for  Gloucester  Point. 
I  inclose  in  my  letter  to  papa  a  rough  map,  cut  from 
the  ''  Herald,"  which  will  give  you  some  idea  of  our 
position.  General  McClellan  is  in  front  of  Yorktown 
with  nearly  one  hundred  thousand  men,  and  our  division, 
with  General  McCall's,  numbering  in  all  about  twenty 
thousand,  are  to  cross  the  York  River,  and  after  effect- 
ing a  landing,  attack  Gloucester  Point,  a  place  which  is 
strongly  fortified  and  held  by  the  rebels,  and  where  we 
shall  probably  be  obliged  to  fight  pretty  hard  to  obtain  a 
foothold. 

....  My  darling  must  pray,  as  I  feel  sure  she  does, 
that  our  loving  Father  will  spare  my  life  through  the 
dangers  of  the  battle-field,  and  also  that  He  will  ena- 
ble her  to  be  resigned  to  his  will  in  everything,  know- 
ing that  "  He  doeth  all  things  well." 

....   Give  my  best  love  to  L .     Tell  her  that  I 

would  love  dearly  to  have  one  of  our  old  talks  together 
and  that  through  the  mercy  of  Jesus,  I  can  appreciate 

her  feelings  better  now  than  in  those  old  times 

God  bless  you,  my  precious  one !  I  would  so  love  to 
kiss  you  good-night  as  of  old,  and  kneel  down  side  by 
side  as  we  did  that  sorrowful  Sunday  night,  and  pray  to 
the  same  lovmg  Jesus.     We  can  do  this,  my  darling. 


56  "MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

although  separated.  •  Don't  forget  to  go  to  Jesus,  at  twi- 
light, every  day,  and  I  will  be  there  with  you,  even  if  in 
the  saddle,  marching  in  the  dust,  or  on  the  battle-field. 

I  feel,  darling,  that  there  is  a  bright,  happy  future  in 
store  for  you  and  me  ;  perhaps  here  on  earth  ;  certainly 
in  our  Father's  house,  where  we  shall  be  together  "  with 
the  Lord." 

Camp  Ellis,  near  Yorktown,  Friday  Evening,  April  25,  1862. 
My  dear  Papa  :  — ....  Were  it  not  for  H • 


and  the  little  one,  T  should  go  into  battle  without  a  shade 
of  fear,  and  with  all  the  ardor  of  my  age  and  natural 
disposition. 

But  when  I  begin  to  think  of  what  poor  H will 

do  if  I  am  killed,  I  assure  you,  it  tries  my  faith  as  well 
as  my  manhood,  to  the  utmost. 

But  I  do  not  wish  you  to  think  that  I  am  desponding 
or  discouraged.  As  I  said  before,  were  it  not  for  others, 
who  are  comparatively  helpless,  and  dependent  upon  me, 
I  should  have  no  anxiety,  no  fear  for  the  future. 

If  I  am  spared  to  return,  I  shall  be  home  by  the  mid- 
dle of  May ;  and  then  if  we  could  keep  house,  some- 
where near  the  "  old  home,"  I  think  I  should  be  con- 
tented with  everything  and  everybody.  I  suppose  that 
you  are  very  much  in  the  dark  in  New  York,  as  to  the 
proposed  plan  of  operations  here,  so  1  will  tell  you  all 
I  know. 

McClellan  is,  as  you  know,  in  front  of  Yorktown, 
with  something  less  than  one  hundred  thousand  men. 
He  is  mounting  several  very  heavy  batteries,  but  is  not 
yet  ready  to  open  fire. 

Our  division  (Franklin's),  together  with  General  Mc- 
Cair§,  are  to  be  sent  across  York  River,  and  landed 
somewhere  below  Gloucester  Point,  with  the  intention  of 
taking  possession  of  it. 

It  is  very  strongly  fortified,  and  held  by  the  rebels, 
and  once  taken,  Yorktown  is   lost ;    consequently,  it  is 


THE   CONFLICT.  57 

supposed  that  they  will  make  a  desperate  resistance.  All 
the  generals  here  express  the  opinion  that  this  is  to  be 
the  battle  ground  of  the  war. 

I  inclose  a  map  which  I  cut  from  the  "  Herald,"  on 
which  I  have  marked  our  present  position  ;  please  give 

it  to  II as  it  will  give  her  a  very  definite  idea  of 

where  I  am,  and  where  I  am  going. 

As  I  may  not  have  an  opjDortunity  of  writing  again 
before  we  move,  you  must  not  be  surprised,  if  you  should 
not  hear  from  me  till  you  see  us  mentioned  as  having 
been  in  a  fight. 

I  almost  forgot  to  say  that  the  new  iron  gunboat 
Galena  is  to  accompany  us  up  the  river. 

Is  this  one  of  Ericsson's  ?  .  .  .  . 

Camp  Ellis,  near  Yorktown,  Sunday,  April  27,  1862. 

Darling  Mamma  :  —  I  have  wished  to  write  to  you 
every  day^since  we  started  on  our  first  campaign  to  Ma- 
nassas, but  I  am  so  differently  situated  here  from  what 
I  was,  as  captain  of  my  own  company,  that  it  is  very 

difficult  to  manage  to  scribble  even  a  few  lines  to  H 

now  and  then 

We  were  only  allowed  to  bring  two  tents  to  ac- 
commodate eight  officers,  and  the  result  is,  that  it  is 
quite  impossible  to  be  quiet  or  alone  for  ten  minutes,  un- 
less I  go  outside,  and  leave  camp  altogether.  You  know 
how  difficult  it  is  to  write,  when  surrounded  by  three  or 
four  noisy  persons,  who  are  continually  talking  to  you, 
and  to  all  ap23earance,  doing  everything  in  their  power 
to  disturb  and  interrupt  you. 

I  really  think  that  the  experiences  of  the  past  six 
months  have  entirely  obliterated  all  traces  of  a  desire 
for  military  glory  in  the  bosom  of  your  humble  servant. 

I  commenced  a  letter  to  you  last  night,  but  the  very 
first  page  was  so  gloomy  and  miserable,  in  addition  to  the 
fact  of  the  rain  having  leaked  through  the  tent,  upon  the 
paper,  making  it  look  as  though  I  had  been  dropping 
very  large  tears  upon  it,  that  I  tore  it  up 


58  ''MORE  THAN  CONQUEROR." 

My  discomfort  is  increased  by  the  fact  that  I  have 
little  or  no  sympathy  from  any  one  in  the  company.  The 
men  are  all  strangers  to  me,  and  would  remain  so  under 
the  present  dispensation,  were  I  with  the  company  for 
years  —  it  being  considered  subversive  of  good  discipline, 
and  very  irregular,  for  a  commissioned  officer  to  come  in 
direct  contact  with  the  men  in  any  way.  And  I  find  my 
lieutenants  to  be,  with  one  exception,  so  very  jealous  of 
my  being  higher  in  rank  than  they,  that  I  am  obliged  to 
be  extremely  cautious  how  I  infringe  upon  even  a  cus- 
tom of  the  company,  much  more  an  order. 

I  do  not  tell  you  all  this  in  a  complaining  mood,  but 
simply  because  I  have  ahyays  run  straight  to  mamma 
with  all  my  stories,  and  I  know  that  you  are  always  anx- 
ious to  know  just  how  I  am  situated,  wherever  I  am. 
Nor  must  you  think  that  I  have  any  difficulty  with  any 
one  here.  Not  at  all. ,  The  trouble  is  simply  this,  that 
while  in  command  of  my  own  company,  I  felt  all  the 
time  as  though  I  was  doing  somebody  some  good ;  I 
knew  each  individual  soldier,  his  troubles  and  sorrows. 
And  you  know  how  much  interest  I  felt  in  everything 
which  concerned  my  company. 

Here,  things  are  widely  different.  I  am  forced  to  act 
as  though  the  men  were  mere  machines,  without  either 
souls  or  feelings.  I  say  forced,  because  I  have  already 
been  shown  plainly  that  my  position  as  a  volunteer,  will 
not  admit  of  my  running  against  the  prejudices  of  these 
regular  officers. 

I  was  ordered  down  the  river  this  morning,  to  issue 
some  orders  to  the  engineers  who  are  constructing  the 
rafts  which  are  to  transport  our  guns  and  horses  across 
York  River,  and  I  saw  them  for  the  first  time. 

They  are  formed  of  many  canal  boats,  nearly  twenty 
feet  apart,  tied  together  by  strong  timbers,  upon  which 
platforms  are  built,  and  uj)on  these  the  horses  and  guns 
are  to  stand,  the  horses  already  harnessed  and  ready  to 
be  i^ushed  overboard,  and  taken  on  shore  in  the  shortest 
possible  time. 


THE   CONFLICT.  59 

I  wi'ote  papa,  I  believe,  all  about  our  proposed  move- 
ments, so  I  suppose  you  all  understand  the  plan  of  oper- 
ations just  about  as  well  as  we  do  here.  The  idea  here 
is  that  the  propose<l  point  of  attack  is  strongly  fortified, 
and  that  we  shall  be  obliged  to  disembark  under  fire  of 
the  enemy,  which,  to  say  the  least,  will  be  rather  disagTee- 
able,  for  my  experience  already  proves  that  it  is  quite 
difficult  enough  to  get  large  numbers  of  men  and  horses 
over  the  side  of  a  vessel,  and  then  ashore,  even  without 
the  additional  excitement  of  having  both  men  and  horses 
killed  by  shot  and  shell  while  in  the  water. 

But  it  is  thoughtless  in  me  to  worry  you  with  these 
things  when  perhaps  we  mayjiot  be  thus  exposed. 

And  here  I  want  to  beg  of  you  all  not  to  be  fright- 
ened if  you  hear  of  our  division  or  even  our  battery 
having  been  engaged,  for  the  newspaper  reports  of  these 
things  are  always  exaggerated. 

You  may  be  sure  of  one  thing,  that  if  anything  hap- 
pens to  niS^  you  will  hear  it  soon  enough  —  such  news 
always  appears  to  fly  on  lightning  wings. 

It  seems  wicked  to  be  scribbling  this  kind  of  letter 
on  Sunday,  dearest  mamma,  but  this  is  the  only  quiet 
hour  I  have  had  inside  the  tent  for  a  week  past,  and  I 
know  that  you  want  to  know  everything  about  me.  I 
do  so  long  for  a  dear  quiet  Sunday  at  home,  once 
more. 

The  only  difference  here  between  Sunday  and  any 
other  day  must  be  in  a  man's  own  heart ;  there  is  cer- 
tainly none  outside.  I  have  very  little  time  to  read 
books  of  any  sort,  but  I  have  that  little  "  Diary  "  which 
darling  Fanny  used  so  long,  and  it  is  so  small  that 
I  can  carry  it  in  my  pocket,  and  can  read  a  verse  and 
hymn  wherever  I  am.  It  is  a  dear  little  book,  and 
being  full  of  Fanny's  well  remembered  handwriting,  it 
is  always  accompanied  by  very  sweet  as  well  as  very 
sad  remembrances. 

Papa  told  me  in  his  letter  about  your  thinking  of  buy- 


60  ''MORE   THAN  COXQUEROR." 

ing  a  house  for  II and  L     Were  it  not  that  I  have 

had  constant  proof  for  the  past  twenty  years  of  the 
boundlessness  of  your  love  for  all  of  us,  I  could  not  be- 
lieve it.     It  seemed  too  good   to  be  true.     And    that 

darling  H and  I  should   really  be    living    in   our 

own  little  house,  seems  like  something  in  the  dim  future, 
only  to  be  dreamed  of.  You  know  how  I  love  home, 
always  did  as  a  boy ;  and  if  my  life  is  spared  to  return 
to  a  little  home  of  my  own,  I  think  my  cup  of  happiness 
will  be  full. 

I  know  that  my  precious  mother  will  be  delighted  to 
hear  that  Jesus'  presence  is  almost  always  realized  by  me 
now.  Sometimes,  it  is  true,  dark  clouds  seem  to  come 
between  Him  and  my  soul;  but  at  such  times  I  have 
only  to  go  to  Him  and  tell  Him  everything,  and  He 
at  once  dispels  the  darkness,  and  gives  me  perfect  confi- 
dence and  trust. 

Good-by,  my  own  darling,  precious  mamma.  This 
may  be  the  last  letter  I  shall  be  able  to  write  you. 

Pray  for  me,  that  whatever  happens,  I  may  be  safe  in 
Jesus.  Love  to  James  and  dear  little  Amy.  God  bless 
you  all.      Ever  jowv  loving  son. 

"  Oft  I  walk  beneath  the  cloud, 
Dark  as  midnight's  gloomy  shroud; 
But  when  fear  is  at  the  height, 
Jesus  comes,  and  all  is  light. 
Blessed  Jesus  !  bid  me  show 
Doubting  saints  how  much  I  owe." 

After  remaining  encamped  for  about  a  week,  in 
the  vicinity  of  Yorktown,  tliey  again  took  boats, 
and  under  Franklin  steamed  up  the  York  River, 
and  disembarked,  on  the  6th  of  May,  at  West 
Point.  The  battle  fought  the  next  day  was  the 
first  battle  in  which  he  was  engaged,  and  the  two 


THE   CONFLICT,  61 

letters  following  give  us  a  faint  idea  of  his  emotions 
on  beholding  the  stern  realities  of  war,  — 

"  The  dead  and  wounded  carried  in." 

To  his  wife  :  — 

Camp  Newton,  West  Point,  Wednesday  Evening,  \ 

May  7,  1862.  ] 

....  We  have  just  repulsed  an  attack  made  by  the 
rebels  about  twenty  thousand  strong,  under  General 
Smith. 

I  have  not  one  moment  in  which  to  write.  By  God's 
mercy  I  am  safe. 

We  arrived  off  this  place  yesterday  afternoon,  and 
were  hard  at  work  landing  our  horses  and  guns,  and  the 
enemy  attacked  us  at  ten  this  morning,  before  our  divis- 
ion was  all  ashore.  Two  of  our  infantry  regiments 
were  driven  out  of  the  woods  with  heavy  slaughter,  the 
31st  New  ^rk  having  lost  two  whole  companies,  and 
six  or  eight  officers.  When  the  enemy  drove  our  men 
from  the  woods  into  the  open  ground,  our  artillery 
opened  fire,  and  throwing  solid  shot  and  shell,  soon  made 
them  "  very  scarce." 

We  were  in  battery  six  hours,  and  we  have  all,  includ- 
ing the  poor  horses,  been  in  harness  since  Sunday  morn- 
ing ;  and  as  I  have  had  nothing  to  eat  but  one  big  cracker 
since  yesterday  noon,  I  am  beginning  to  feel  hungry  and 
tired. 

I  will  write  particulars  just  as  soon  as  I  can  get  time. 

Our  boys  were  not  much  exposed,  and  none  hurt ;  but 
the  manner  in  which  some  of  the  infantry  regiments 
were  cut  up  made  me  savage. 

I  have  just  come  from  a  poor  lieutenant  who  is  mor- 
tally wounded.  1  have  been  telling  him  of  Jesus,  but, 
poor  fellow,  he  is  almost  gone,  and  is  hardly  able  to 
think,  even.  God,  in  his  infinite  grace,  have  mercy  on 
his  soul !     He  seemed  to  know  nothinoj  of  the  Saviour, 


62  ''MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

and  although  so  fearfully  wounded,  would  say  at  times, 
when  able  to  speak,  that  he  knew  -he  would  get  well. 

Don't  be  worried,  darling.  I  am  all  right,  and  after 
having  something  to  eat  and  three  or  four  hours'  sleep, 
will  be  as  bright  as  possible.  We  shall  probably  follow 
the  rebels  up,  and  as  we  are  now  within  twenty-two 
miles  of  Richmond,  I  think  that  a  few  days  will  prob- 
ably finish  up  my  mission  and  enable  me  to  return  to 
you  all 

Camp  at  "  White  House,"  Yikginia,  May  16,  1862. 

....  I  had  no  chance  to  tell  you  anything  about  the 
battle  at  West  Point  on  the  7th,  and  I  knew  that  if  you 
were  sure  I  was  safe,  you  would  be  quite  willing  to  wait 
for  particulars,  until  I  could  get  time  to  write  fully. 

We  left  Yorktown  on  Tuesday  morning,  Franklin's 
division,  about  twelve  thousand  strong,  in  a  large  flotilla 
of  boats  of  every  description.  The  infantry  were  carried 
on  large  steamboats,  while  the  cavalry  and  artillery  were 
towed  behind  on  large  rafts  made  purposely  for  them, 
the  guns  being  placed  around  the  edge,  forming  a  bul- 
wark, inside  of  which  the  horses  were  placed,  with  har- 
ness on,  just  ready  to  be  hitched  to  the  guns  at  a  mo- 
ment's notice 

We  arrived  at  West  Point  just  before  dark,  and  after 
throwing  a  few  shell  into  some  rebel  cavalry  which  made 
its  appearance  on  the  shore,  we  commenced  landing  our 
troops.  You  will  at  once  see  that  this  is  rather  a  risky 
thing  —  landing  ten  thousand  men,  and  horses,  upon  a 
hostile  shore,  Avhen  every  moment  expecting  an  attack, 
for  it  being  necessarily  slow  work,  landing  the  men  by 
small  boatloads  at  a  time,  the  enemy  could  attack  them 
as  they  arrived,  and  slaughter  them  in  detail. 

These  rebels,  however,  appear  to  be  rather  afraid  of 
our  gunboats,  for  we  can  in  no  other  way  account  for 
their  not  molestino-  as,  than  the  fact  of  our  having  two 
gunboats.      At  any  rate,  they  allowed  their   chance  to 


THE   CONFLICT.  63 

slip  by,  and  we  worked  hard  all  night,  and  just  before 
daybreak  we  got  all  our  artillery  landed,  losing  only  one 
horse  out  of  five  hundred. 

My  boating  experience,  as  well  as  my  knowledge  of 
horses,  was,  1  hope,  of  some  service  that  night.  If  you 
could  have  seen  me  standing  at  the  tiller,  steering  a  huge 
raft,  with  one  hundred  and  eighty  horses  on  board,  jump- 
ing and  kicking,  and  trying  their  best  to  get  overboard, 
whilst  all  the  soldiers,  worn  out  with  hard  work,  were 
sleeping  on  all  sides,  you  would  have  wondered  what 
kind  of  craft  I  had  got  into. 

However,  as  I  said,  we  got  ashore  at  last,  and  about 
nine  o'clock  in  the  morning  we  were  attacked  by  the 
enemy  in  large  force,  under  Generals  Lee  and  Smith. 

Several  New  York  regiments  were  immediately  ordered 
out  to  meet  them,  and  very  soon  the  musketry  firing 
became  very  heavy.  We  had  four  batteries  of  artillery 
ashore,  and  we  were  held  in  reserve,  ready  for  action, 
waiting  tilljthe  rebels  should  come  out  of  the  woods  into 
the  plain,  and  give  us  a  chance  at  them.  Our  men,  the 
31st  and  32d  New  York,  and  one  Pennsylvania  regi- 
iment,  had  hardly  entered  the  woods,  when  the  firing 
became  very  heavy,  and  almost  incessant,  the  rebels 
yelling  and  cheering  like  fiends,  as  they  drove  our  men 
back  by  mere  force  of  numbers.  Every  few  moments 
some  poor  fellow  was  carried  past  us,  either  dead  or  hor- 
ribly wounded. 

We  never  fired  a  shot  until  our  men  began  to  appear, 
retreating  from  the  edge  of  the  woods,  when  we  loaded 
with  shell,  and  just  as  soon  as  the  enemy  made  their 
appearance,  we  let  them  have  it,  one  gun  at  a  time, 
slowly  and  deliberately.  They  stood  their  ground  for 
a  long  time,  and  their  shooting  was  terribly  effective, 
almost  all  of  our  wounded  being  hit  mortally  and  many 
killed  instantly,  by  being  shot  through  the  head.  Only 
one  of  our  artillerymen  was  hit,  however,  getting  a  rifle- 
ball  in  his  elbow. 


64  "MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

Our  solid  shot  and  shells  were  too  hot  for  them,  and 
at  last  they  began  to  retire,  when  our  brave  infixntry 
again  pushed  into  the  woods,  and  drove  them  about  two 
miles  before  night  came  on.  It  was  a  glorious  victory, 
for  our  force  was  small ;  they  outnumbering  us,  two  to 
one.  We  have  since  seen  their  reports  of  the  fight,  and 
they  acknowledge  that  "they  intended  driving  us  into 
the  river  as  at  Ball's  Bluff,  but  that  our  artillery  was  too 
hot  for  them.'' 

Indeed,  General  Newton   has   stated    since   that  our 

guns   saved   the   day Considering   the   numbers 

engaged,  our  loss  was  very  severe;  the  31st  New 
York  losing  almost  two  entire  companies,  including  fom- 
officers.  The  o2d  New  York  also  suffered  terribly,  as 
also  the  16th  New  York,  and  the  Pennsylvania  regi- 
ment. General  Franklin  was  with  our  battery  during 
part  of  the  time,  and  appeared  pleased  with  our  fir- 
ing. 

I  believe  that  this  army  cannot  be  beaten  now.  They 
stand  fire  like  veterans,  and  apparently  the  more  terribly 
they  suffer,  the  more  fiercely  they  fight 

In  Camp,  within  Twenty  Miles  of  Richmond,  ) 
Wednesday  Night,  May  19,  1862.  j 

Dear  Papa  :  —  I  have  had  no  opportunity  of  writing 
to  you  since  our  fight  at  West  Point,  except  to  tell  you 
of  my  safety,  for  we  have  been  so  continually  on  the 
move  that  we  have  scarcely  had  time  to  pitch  our  tents 
and  get  out  our  writing  materials,  before  we  would  re- 
ceive an  order  to  move  again. 

The  rebels  have  destroyed  everything  in  the  bridge 
line,  and  rendered  the  roads  as  impassable  as  they  could ; 
and  as  our  corps  is  in  the  advance,  we  have  to  make 
roads  for  the  whole  army,  and  we  frequently  are  delayed 
so  much  in  a  march  of  five  miles  that  six  and  even  eight 
hours  will  be  consumed  in  accomplishing  it. 

McCiellan  seems  to  have  thoroughly  matured  his 
plans,  and  is  moving  forward  steadily  and  surely. 


THE   CONFLICT.  Qb 

We  are  to-night  within  twenty  miles  of  Richmond, 
having  left  White  House  Landing  at  four  o'clock  this 
morning.  Our  pickets  are  out  about  eight  miles  ahead, 
and  report  no  considerable  force  of  the  enemy  in  sight ; 
but  the  general  ojjinion  is  that  they  will  make  a  grand 
stand  at  a  place  called  Bottom's  Bridge,  just  this  side  of 
Richmond. 

We  have,  of  course,  no  reliable  information  respecting 
their  force,  but  I  am  quite  certain,  from  what  our  division 
did  at  West  Point,  that  this  army  will  sweej)  steadily 
and  resistlessly  over  any  and  every  force  which  may  be 
arrayed  against  it. 

The  rebels  had  thirty  thousand  men  at  West  Point, 
with  thirty  pieces  of  artillery,  and  the  inhabitants  about 
the  neighborhood  say  that  their  avowed  intention  was  to 
drive  us  into  the  river,  as  at  Ball's  Bluff.  But  Gideon's 
God  is  certainly  with  us,  and  one  cause  for  congratulation 
is,  that  notwithstanding  our  apparent  helplessness  at  the 
time,  landing^upon  a  strange  and  hostile  shore,  with  only 
a  portion  of  the  artillery  belonging  to  the  division 
landed,  we  were  enabled  to  repulse  them,  as  we  did,  so 
effectually,  that  we  learn  now,  from  the  people  about, 
that  they  retreated  that  very  night,  even  leaving  their 
wounded.  Their  loss  must  have  been  very  heavy,  judg- 
ing from  the  number  of  graves  which  we  passed  in  om' 
march 

If  you  could  see  me,  nowadays,  throw  my  mattress 
down  either  on  the  uncovered  deck  of  an  artillery 
transport,  or  right  on  the  wet  grass,  it  matters  not  where, 
and  sleep  just  as  soundly  and  as  warm  as  if  I  was  in  my 
own  bed  at  home,  you  would  scarcely  believe  that  it  was 
the  same  chap  who  a  little  more  than  a  year  ago  was 
nursing  himself  with  such  care,  and  having  his  lungs 
examined  quarterly,  by  various  physicians,  to  see  how  far 
they  were  gone. 

To  give  you  some  idea  of  the  life  we  lead,  we  re- 
ceived our  orders  last  evening  to  move  this  morning  at 


66  '^MORE  THAN  CONQUEROR." 

four  o'clock,  and  as  I  was  "  officer  of  the  day,"  I  was 
obliged  to  get  up  at  two  o'clock,  having  only  had  three 
hours'  sleep,  and  attend  to  getting  the  battery  ready  to 
move.  We  then  commenced  our  march  at  four  o'clock, 
and  were  in  the  saddle  till  ten  a.  m.,  when  we  reached 
this  place,  and  by  the  time  we  got  our  camp  arranged 
(that  is,  our  horses  and  guns,  for  our  own  tents  did  not 
arrive  for  two  hours  afterward),  I  was  so  .  tired  and 
sleepy  that  I  could  not  keep  myeyesoi^en,  and  laid  down 
in  some  high  clover  with  my  overcoat  over  me ;  and 
although  it  was  raining  like  fun,  I  enjoyed  as  nice  and 
refreshing  a  sleep  as  I  ever  had  in  my  life.  I  do  not 
think  that  sleeping  in  the  wet  grass  in  a  rain-storm  would 
have  improved  my  health  last  spring,  do  you  ? 

But  here  we  are  obliged  to  do  as  we  best  can,  and  if 
our  tents  don't  come  up,  we  have  to  do  without  them. 

I  think  I  am  getting  fatter  every  day,  although 
the  weather  is  quite  warm,  and  we  are  worked  pretty 
hard.  I  cannot  be  thankful  enough  for  my  restored 
health 

In  Camp  near  New  Bridge,  Six  Miles  from  Richmond,  ) 
Thursday  Morning,  May  29,  1862.  ) 

Dear  Papa  :  —  We  are  still  idle  here,  waiting,  almost 
momentarily  expecting  an  order  to  move ;  and  very  anx- 
ious we  all  are,  I  assure  you,  to  "  go  in  "  and  have  the 
fight  over.  It  is  rumored  that  we  are  to  make  the  at- 
tack  to-morrow  morning,  and  I  sincerely  hope  it  may 
be  so,  as  it  is  much  more  unpleasant  waiting  day  after 
day  in  anticipation  of  a  battle  than  it  is  to  go  right  in 
and  finish  it  up. 

Our  generals  seem  to  think  that  the  resistance  here 
will  be  desperate,  and  McClellan  is  moving  along  cau- 
tiously. It  is  reported  that  the  rebels  have  one  hundred 
and  seventy-five  thousand  men  opposed  to  us,  but  we 
also  hear  that  they  are  to  a  great  extent  demoralized 
and  discouraged. 


THE   CONFLICT.  67 

We  had  rather  a  brilliant  affair  day  before  yesterday. 
General  Fitz  John  Porter  moved  up  on  our  right  with 
his  division,  about  twelve  thousand  strong,  and  coming 
across  about  fifteen  thousand  rebels,  he  completely  routed 
them  twice,  killing  a  great  many,  and  taking  about  nine 
hundred  prisoners.  Our  loss  in  all  is  about  two  hundred 
killed  and  wounded. 

We  can  see  the  enemy's  pickets  distinctly  from 
where  we  lie,  and  every  little  while  the  rascals  send  a 
shell  over  this  way,  just  as  a  reminder  of  their  pres- 
ence  

Five  o'  Clock  p.  m. 

I  was  sent  this  morning  up  to  Mechanicsville,  the 
scene  of  the  recent  fight,  where  our  brigade  has  one 
battery  stationed.  How  I  wish  you  could  just  see  the 
village  where  the  fight  took  place !  Every  house  is  rid- 
dled with  all  kinds  of  projectiles,  from  a  ten  pounder 
cannon-ball  to  a  pistol  bullet. 

The  tavern  of  the  place  was  used  as  a  shelter  by  some 
of  the  rebels,  and  there  is  not  a  room  in  the  house  that 
is  not  shot  throuajh  and  throuo;h. 

One  ten-pounder  solid  shot  from  one  of  our  rifle  pieces 
had  gone  through  the  side  of  the  house  and  through  the 
walls  of  three  rooms,  entirely  cutting  in  its  course  a 
door-post  and  casing  four  inches  square,  then  passed  out 
the  other  side  of  the  house  and  entered  an  outhouse, 
where  it  at  last  brought  up  by  striking  and  knocking 
down  a  brick  chimney.  I  never  fully  realized  before  the 
fearful  velocity  and  power  of  our  rifle  projectiles. 

Our  troops  are  in  splendid  fighting  order.  In  every 
instance  lately,  when  they  have  been  tried,  they  have 
behaved  with  the  greatest  coolness.  And  there  exists 
the  greatest  confidence  in  our  whole  army  that  we  shall 
thrash  the  enemy  very  soundly,  although  they  so  far  out- 
number us.  But  you  would  be  astonished  to  find  how 
intensely  ignorant  we  are  here  concerning  the  proposed 
mode  of  attack. 


68  "MORE  THAN  CONQUEROR." 

For  instance,  since  I  have  been  writing,  one  of  our 
officers  has  brought  in  word  that  we  shall  not  probably 
move  upon  Richmond  for  ten  days  or  two  weeks  ;  and 
that  McDowell  was  on  his  way  to  join  us ;  and  yet  I 
should  not  be  at  all  surprised  at  being  called  up  before 
daybreak  to  have  my  section  harnessed  uj).  It  is  just 
so  from  day  to  day.  We  often  hear  a  dozen  or  more 
different  reports  in  one  day,  and  the  consequence  is  that 
every  one  becomes  more  or  less  indifferent  to  the  stirring 
scenes  about  us. 

We  have  been  ordered  out  in  a  hurry  several  times 
lately,  sometimes  at  night,  and  each  time  fully  expect- 
ing that  the  crisis  had  at  last  arrived,  and  yet  from  con- 
stant association  with  such  things,  every  one  goes  about 
his  work  as  if  we  were  simply  preparing  for  drill  or 
parade;  and  this  is  the  state  of  things  throughout  the 
entire  army 

Camp  near  New  Bridge,  June  8,  1862. 

....  I  must  scribble  a  few  lines  to  you  to-night,  just 
to  try  to  drive  away  the  loneliness  that  I  have  felt  all 
day 

Everything  remains  about  the  same  here,  and  I  am 
beo'inning  to  feel  almost  discourasfed.  We  hear  almost 
every  day  that  we  shall  probably  attack  Richmond  im- 
mediately, and  every  few  days  an  order  will  come  to 
harness  up  our  battery  instantly,  and  be  ready  to  move 
at  a  moment's  warning,  but  still  we  do  nothing.  I  think 
that  General  McClellan  is  right  in  being  cautious,  know- 
ing, as  he  does,  that  the  enemy  will  make  a  desperate 
stand  just  here,  and  we  are  indeed  too  near  the  termina- 
tion of  this  wicked  rebellion  to  risk  anything  by  haste, 
when  by  waiting  a  few  days,  we  can  make  assurance 
doubly  sure.  But  it  is  very  tiresome  lying  here  within 
five  hundred  yards  of  the  enemy,  and  having  our  pickets 
shot  down  daily,  without  being  able  to  give  them  any- 
thing in  return. 


THE   CONFLICT.  69 

I  went  down  to  the  banks  of  the  Chickahominy  a 
day  or  two  ago,  with  ten  or  twelve  forage  wagons,  be- 
longing to  onr  brigade,  to  get  a  load  of  clover  (which  is 
growing  in  great  abundance  near  the  river)  for  our 
horses.  No  sooner  had  I  placed  my  men  (about  twenty- 
five  in  all)  in  the  field,  mowing  the  clover,  than  the 
rebels  on  the  other  side  the  river  commenced  shelling  us 
with  their  ten  and  twenty  pounder  guns.  The  rascals 
fired  so  well  that  I  was  forced  to  place  my  wagons  under 
a  hill  about  three  hundred  yards  off,  to  keep  the  horses 
from  being  struck.  Then  it  was  fun  to  see  the  men  mow ! 
The  regular  soldiers  belonging  to  our  battery,  with  real 
old  soldier's  pride,  scorned  to  dodge  or  wince,  when  the 
shells  came  whirring  through  the  air  ;  but  some  of  the 
men  belonging  to  volunteer  batteries  would  fall  down 
flat  in  the  grass  every  time  they  heard  a  shell  coming. 
As  they  continued  coming  every  three  or  four  minutes, 
you  may  imagine  that  there  was  more  dodging  than 
mowing ;  but  I  laughed  at  the  men  so  much,  that  after  a 
little  while  they  did  much  better. 

Our  poor  infantry  soldiers  are  obliged  to  work  con- 
stantly under  fire  of  this  kind,  building  bridges  and  roads 
just  below  us,  and  every  now  and  then  some  poor  fellow 

is  brought  over  this  way  on  a  stretcher 

I  have  had  a  very  quiet  Sunday  to-day ;  have  en- 
joyed it  very  much  with  my  Bible  and  my  thoughts.  I 
have  followed  my  dear  ones  through  the  day,  and  have 
prayed  earnestly  that  the  same  gentle,  loving  Saviour, 
who  has  been  with  me  in  the  cheerless  tent,  would  be 
with  you  all  at  home.  Pray  for  me,  that  Jesus  may 
keep  my  soul,  as  well  as  body,  in  his  own  gracious 
keeping. 

In  Camp,  near  Richmond,  Wednesdaij  Evening,  June  11,  1862. 

....  I  am  beginning  to  feel  as  though  I  could  not 
wait  for  the  entry  into  Richmond,  but  must  rush  home  to 
my  own  little  wife  and  baby,  and  let  other  men  fight  the 


70  "MORE  THAN   CONQUEROR." 

country's  battles ;  but  I  am  trying  to  be  patient,  and  am 
hoping  that  each  day  will  bring  the  order  for  us  to  open 
the  battle. 

All  my  fond  hopes  and  expectations  of  spending  a 
nice  summer  at  home  with  my  darlings  appear  to  be  dis- 
solving and  fading  away  ;  for  here  we  are  in  the  middle 
of  June,  and  not  in  Richmond  yet.  But  we  must  keep 
up  our  pluck,  and  hope  on  still.  We  shall  enjoy  our 
lovely  home  together  much  more  when  I  do,  at  last,  re- 
turn. 

I  have  been  indulging  in  some  tremendous  castles  in 
the  air  lately,  amongst  which  visions  of  housekeeping, 
little  sitting-rooms,  piano,  fat  baby  rolling  on  the  floor, 
etc.,  stand  prominent ;  and  yet  it  will  hardly  do  to  think 
too  much  upon  these  things,  for  at  any  time,  one  of  the 
rebel  round-shot  may  crash  through  my  house,  upsetting 
the  piano,  baby,  little  wifie  and  all. 

I  wonder  if  my  H remembers  to  pray  with  and 

for  me  at  twilight  every  day.  Jesus  has  been  very  kind 
to  me  lately,  darling.  He  has  made  me  contented  and 
happy  sometimes,  when  I  would  have  been  very  misera- 
ble if  left  to  myself  .... 

Just  as  soon  as  the  fate  of  Richmond  is  decided,  I 
shall  hurry  home,  and  we  must  wait  patiently  till  that 
time.  One  consolation  I  shall  always  have  in  after  years, 
that  I  gave  a  helping  hand  to  crush  out  this  unholy  and 
terrible  rebellion. 

Our  people  at  home  must  be  very  sad  about  poor,  dear 
little  Gracie.     She  was  such  a  sweet  child,  and  we  all 

loved  her  so   dearly.     I  think  of  poor  L all  the 

time.  Does  it  not  appear  strange,  darling,  that  she  and 
Theodore  should  be  so  afflicted?  ....  But  we  know 
that  "  whom  the  Lord  loveth,  He  chasteneth,"  and  al- 
though we  can  scarcely  understand  why  dear  little  Grace 
should  be  taken  away,  still  we  know,  and  I  am  sure  that 

dear  L feels,  that  it  is  all  for  the  best,  nor  would 

she  have  it  otherwise.  May  our  heavenly  Father  spare 
our  little  one  to  be  a  comfort  and  blessing  to  us  both  !  .  . . . 


THE   CONFLICT.  71 

That   our  loving  Redeemer  may  be  always  present 
with  you,  to  protect  and  bless,  is  the  constant  prayer  of 
Your  loving  Howard. 

Give  much  love  to  everybody  at  home.  Kiss  darling 
mamma  for  me,  and  tell  her  that  I  have  given  up  the 
study  of  all  tactics  but  the  eighth  chapter  of  Romans, 
which  I  find  more  and  more  glorious  every  time  I  read 
it. 

How  many  a  Christian  heart  will  respond  to  this 
verdict  of  the  riches  of  glory  of  that  wonderful 
chapter.  How  many  have  been  convinced,  con- 
verted, sustained,  and  cheered  by  it. 

We  remember  at  this  time  reading  a  letter  from 
a  young  officer  of  the  army  of  the  Potomac,  sent 
us  by  his  mother,  a  funny,  cheery  letter,  giving  an 
account  of  the  hard  and  wearisome  marches,  the 
exposureT;o  heat  and  to  cold  and  hunger  with  not 
a  word  of  complaint,  and  ending  with  the  very  un- 
expected ending,  "  Hurrah  !  mother  dear,  for  the 
eighth  of  Romans  !  " 

In  Camp  near  Fair  Oaks  Station,  Thursday,  June  19,  1862. 

My  sweet  Wife  :  —  You  will  see  by  the  date  of  this 
that  we  have  at  last  crossed  the  Chickahominy,  and  are, 
as  we  supposed,  fairly  on  our  road  to  Richmond. 

We  crossed  the  river  last  evening,  just  before  dusk, 
concealing  our  movements  so  successfully  from  the  enemy, 
that  they  were  pitching  their  shells  and  solid  shot  into 
one  bridge,  whilst  we  were  crossing  upon  the  next  one 
below.  After  crossing  we  had  a  miserable,  dreary  march 
through  woods  and  swamps  to  this  place,  which  is  very 
near  the  battle-ground  of  June  1st.  Our  way  lay 
through  a  dense  pine  forest,  which  in  many  places  was 
so  marshy  and  swampy  that    our  gun  carriages  would 


72  ''MORE   THAN  CONQUERORS' 

sink  in  to  the  hubs,  and  then,  such  whipjDing  and  yellino- 
and  shoving  and  pushing  to  make  the  poor  horses  drag 
the  guns  out  ! 

You  would  be  surprised  to  see  how  hard-hearted  and 
savage  war  has  made  me.  If  you  coukl  see  me  in  some 
terrible  mud-hole,  with  the  gim  simk  to  the  axle-tree,  and 
the  six  horses  in  the  mire  to  their  bellies,  urging  and  even 
flogging  the  horses,  and  scolding  the  men,  endeavoring  to 
extricate  my  gun  by  their  united  efforts,  you  would  tliink 
that  I  had  been  transformed  into  some  flinty-hearted 
omnibus  driver. 

But  you  see  that  the  guns  must  be  taken  care  of,  even 
at  the  expense  of  the  horses,  consequently  the  necessities 
of  the  case  have  driven  me  to  a  much  more  accurate 
knoAvledge  of  what  horses  can  stand  than  I  ever  had 
before. 

To  add  to  our  discomfort,  yesterday  a  heavy  shower 
came  on  during  our  march,  soaking  everything,  and  oblig- 
ing us,  when  at  last  we  reached  this  detestable  spot,  to 
pitch  our  tents  in  a  stumpy  clearing,  where  the  high 
weeds  were  so  wet  that  it  was  almost  like  pitchmg  our 
tents  in  the  centre  of  a  mill-pond.  But  you  would  have 
been  surprised  if  you  could  have  peeped  in  upon  us  after 
we  had  been  in  camp  about  an  hour,  to  see  how  ex- 
tremely jolly  the  party  were.  Seven  of  us  in  one  tent, 
each  with  a  piece  of  biscuit  and  pork,  and  tin  cup  of 
coffee  ;  you  would  have  thought  that  they  had  never 
lived  in  any  other  style.  I  must  however  except  my- 
self from  the  above  description,  as  I  have  been  a  little 
sick  for  two  or  three  days,  and  having  eaten  little  or 
nothing  am  quite  weak.  Besides  which  I  am  very  apt, 
when  I  get  through  the  excitement  of  the  day,  to  sit 
down  quietly  and  think  of  home  and  my  dear  ones  there, 
so  that  the  others  frequently  ask  me  what  the  matter 
is,  and  why  I  look  so  sad,  when  I  am  really  enjoying 
myself  much  more  than  I  could  by  laughing  and  talking 
with  them. 


THE   CONFLICT.  73 

The  weather  has  been  frightfully  hot  all  day,  so  that 
we  have  almost  roasted ;  still  the  heat  has  enabled  us  to 
dry  our  bed-clothes,  so  we  don't  complain. 

Friday  Evening,  June  20,  1862. 

I  was  obliged  to  cut  my  letter  short  last  night,  as  I 
became  quite  sick,  and  had  to  lie  down. 

I  have  been  in  bed  all  day,  and  having  taken  some 
"  horse  medicine,"  and  eaten  nothing,  I  feel  very  weak, 
but  am,  on  the  whole,  rather  better  than  I  was  yester- 
day ;  will  probably  be  all  right  in  the  morning. 

Thino's  beoin  to  look  as  thouo-h  we  should  have  the 
great  fight  very  soon  now.  Our  lines  are  being  pushed 
slowly  but  surely  forward,  until  now  our  pickets  are 
within  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  of  the  enemy. 

I  rode  out  about  half  a  mile  from  here,  yesterday,  to 
see  about  some  bridges  which  our  men  are  building,  to 
enable  our  artillery  to  cross  some  very  deep  ravines 
between  ois  and  the  enemy,  and  leaving  my  horse  in  a 
thick  wood,  I  went  forward  to  where  our  outside  pickets 
are  stationed,  and  was  surprised  to  find  that  the  "  secesh- 
ers  "  were  posted  so  near  that  we  could  almost  speak  to 
them.  A  little  wood  near  by  was  full  of  them,  and 
quite  a  pretty  picture  they  made  too,  in  their  bandit 
uniforms  and  broad-brimmed  hats  and  plumes.  They 
wear  clothes  made  of  a  kind  of  gray  homespun,  and  in- 
stead of  tight-fitting  coats  like  our  soldiers,  they  wear  a 
loose  blouse,  which  being  confined  at  the  waist,  reminds 
one  very  strongly  of  the  old  pictures  of  Robin  Hood's 
men,  as  they  dodge  in  and  out  behind  the  trees.  They 
tell  our  men  that  they  have  received  orders  not  to  fire 
upon  our  pickets,  unless  first  fired  upon ;  so  there  they 
stand  looking  at  each  other  all  day  long.  Now  and 
then  one  of  them  will  come  out  of  the  woods  and  wave 
his  hat,  or  raise  it  on  the  top  of  his  musket ;  then,  per- 
haps, call  out  to  one  of  our  men,  who  will  respond  in  a 
similar  manner,  making  it  extremely  difficult  to  realize 


74  ''MORE  THAN  CONQUEROR." 

that  at  any  moment  they  may  receive  orders  to  com- 
mence killing  each  other. 

Just  behind  where  their  pickets  were  so  near  us,  the 
rebels  have  put  up  quite  a  formidable  earthwork,  and  I 
could  see  the  sentinel  standing  by  one  of  their  brass 
guns,  and  watching  us  very  earnestly,  as  though  he 
would  like  exceedingly  to  try  what  effect  a  little  can- 
nister  shot  would  have  upon  us. 

We  expected  that  we  should  move  forward  at  dawn 
this  morning,  as  we  heard  yesterday  that  we  were  wait- 
ing only  for  the  completion  of  some  little  bridges,  which 
were  to  have  been  finished  last  night ;  but  no  orders  have 
come,  as  yet,  so  we  cannot  tell  when  we  shall  "  pitch  in." 
The  sooner  the  better,  as  far  as  I  am  concerned. 

I  do  not  think  our  artillery  will  have  as  much  to  do 
as  the  infantry,  in  the  coming  battles,  as  our  troops  are 
learning  to  rely  greatly  upon  the  bayonet,  and  I  am  sat- 
isfied that  if  the  rebels  are  once  broken  and  started  to- 
ward Richmond,  our  boys  will  never  let  them  stop  as 
long  as  two  remain  together.  The  artillery  will  prob- 
ably open  the  ball,  but  once  get  our  infantry  started  in 
a  charge,  and  I  am  afraid  it  will  be  difficult  for  the  artil- 
lery to  keep  up  with  them. 

It  is  splendid  to  witness  the  perfect  confidence  of  our 
troojDS  in  their  ability  to  whip  any  force  which  may  be 
broudit  aojainst  them.  Even  the  resjiments  which  were 
so  dreadfully  cut  up  in  the  late  battles  are  waiting  with 
the  greatest  eagerness  to  have  an .  opportunity  of  aveng- 
ing their  fallen  comrades. 

The  rebels  have  been  firing  into  our  hospital  this 
afternoon,  probably  thinking  it  was  the  head-quarters  of 
some  of  our  generals.  They  got  the  range  of  the  house 
to  a  nicety,  and  when  Doctor  Davis  went  over  there 
about  two  hours  since,  he  found  the  sick  men  scrambling 
for  the  woods  in  the  neighborhood ;  and  while  he  stood 
there,  two  thirty-pounder  rifle  shells  passed  through  the 
house,  making  a  noise  like  a  locomotive.     The  doctor 


THE   CONFLICT,  75 

immediately  placed  those  who  were  too  sick  to  get  out 
of  the  house  iu  the  cellar,  but  they  will  all  be  moved  to 
some  place  out  of  range. 

How  I  wish  papa  or  James  could  be  out  here  one 
'day  with  me,  just  to  hear  and  see  some  of  the  newly  in- 
vented rifle  projectiles  whirring  and  whistling  through 
the  air.  They  sound  exactly  like  a  locomotive  and  traui 
of  cars  going  over  one's  head. 

It  was  only  seven  days  after  the  events  narrated 
in  tills  letter,  that  General  McClellan,  having 
decided  upon  a  change  of  base  to  the  James  River, 
commenced  the  famous  retreat  of  seven  days,  which, 
whatever  may  be  the  opinion  of  the  wisdom  of  the 
move,  was  conducted  in  such  a  manner  as  to  reflect 
high  credit  on  the  army  and  its  commander,  and 
was  the  scene  of  some  of  the  greatest  hardships 
and  mostdesperate  conflicts  of  the  war.  Fighting 
all  day,  and  marching  all  night,  pushing  their  way 
across  a  dreary  country,  through  dense  woods  and 
tangled  undergrowth,  across  sluggish  streams,  the 
horrors  of  that  retreat  can  scarcely  be  exaggerated. 

We  next  hear  of  Howard  Kitching  at  the  battle 
of  Gaines'  Mills,  where  the  troops  first  made  a 
stand  after  their  retrograde  movement  commenced. 
General  Upton  writes :  "  We  entered  the  battle 
about  four  P.  M.,  at  once  engaged  the  enemy's  artil- 
■  lery,  and  remained  till  nearly  dark  under  a  heavy 
fire  of  shell  and  case  shot. 

"-  The  right  and  centre  sections  of  the  battery 
were  somewhat  covered,  but  the  left,  commanded 
by  Captain  Kitching,  was  exposed  to  the  full  view 
of  the  enemy,  and  received  much  more  than  its 


76  ''MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

proportion  of  fire.  During  the  entire  battle  he 
served  his  guns  with  great  coolness,  and  was  a 
brilliant  example  to  the  men. 

"  He  received  in  the  breast  a  most  painful  contu- 
sion from  the  fragment  of  a  shell,  but  did  not  quit 
his  post." 

We  do  not  give  this  testimony  to  the  manliness 
and  courage  of  Howard  Kitching  because  he  was 
singular  in  this  respect.  O  !  how  many  young 
hearts,  as  loving  and  as  brave  and  heroic  as  his, 
were  hushed  forever  amid  these  scenes  of  havoc 
and  of  death !  The  world  will  never  know  how 
they  fought,  and  how  they  died,  but  may  be  able  to 
get  a  clearer  view  of  their  patient  endurance,  and 
true  heroism,  in  the  mirror  of  a  comrade's  history. 

We  shall  not  follow  the  weary  tread  of  the 
Union  army  any  further.  The  painful  story  is 
recorded  by  other  pens.  When  they  reached  Har- 
rison's Landing,  from  constant  exposure,  unceasing 
excitement,  and  sleepless  nights,  passed  in  the  sad- 
dle, Howard  Kitching  was  seriously  ill. 

He  readily  obtained  leave  of  absence,  and  soon 
after  his  return  home,  resigned  his  position  in  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac. 

It  is  astonishing,  as  has  been  remarked,  that  an 
army  of  volunteers,  after  such  a  struggle,  should 
come  forth  in  condition  equal  to,  if  not  better,  than 
could  have  been  exhibited  by  the  veterans  of  any 
of  the  standing  armies  of  the  Old  World.  It 
was  of  course  owing  to  the  possession  of  qualities 
by  the  volunteers  of  our  repubhcan  army,  which 


THE   CONFLICT.  77 

appertain  to  the  soldiers  of  no  other  army.  Our 
troops  possessed  intelligence,  personal  character,  an 
absorbing  interest  in  the  struggle,  and  a  boundless, 
unselfish  devotion  to  country  ;  these,  added  to  the 
drill,  the  esprit  du  corps,  and  the  mechanical 
mobility  of  other  armies,  produce  a  military  force, 
which  may  be  temporarily  beaten  without  being 
vanquished,  which  may  render  retreat  victory,  and 
which,  though  it  may  be  decimated  in  numbers,  has 
the  vitality  and  cohesive  force  deeply  implanted  in 
its  nature,  which  makes  it  practically  invincible,  as 
no  troops  without  these  noble  moral  qualities  can 
be  said  to  be. 

No  army  could  have  been  put  to  a  more  severe 
test  of  its  mettle,  than  that  to  which  the  army  of 
the  Potomac  had  just  been  subjected;  and  from 
all  we  can  learn,  we  judge  there  never  was  an 
army  put  to  such  a  test,  that  came  forth  with  such 
honor,  in  a  mihtary  point  of  view. 


CLOUDS  AND  SUNSHINE. 


He  sendeth  sun,  He  sendetli  shower, 
Alike  they're  needful  for  the  liower ; 
And  joys  and  tears  alike  are  sent, 
To  shre  the  soul  fit  nourishment ; 
As  comes  to  me  or  cloud  or  sun, 
Father,  thy  will,  not  mine,  be  done  ! " 


CHAPTER   IV. 

CLOUDS   AND   SUNSHINE. 

"  And  now  naen  see  not  the  bright  h'ght  which  is  in  the  clouds;  but 
the  wind  passeth  and  cleanseth  them."  — Job  xxxvii.  21. 

Howard  Kitching's  return  home  was  wel- 
comed with  a  joy  deepened  by  the  memory  of  the 
perils  through  which  he  had  passed,  though  shad- 
owed by  the  apprehensions  springing  from  his 
shattered  health.  In  the  hope  of  arresting  his 
malady  and  recruiting  his  vStrength,  the  family 
went  with  him  to  Oscowana,  that  beautiful  sheet 
of  water,  lying  among  the  hills  that  look  down 
upon  West  Point.  And  there,  sailing  upon  the 
lake,  or  rambling  in  the  woods  that  wave  their 
branches  all  along  its  border,  he  seon  began  to  re- 
cover his  wonted  vigor,  and  mth  restored  health, 
his  restless  desire  to  be  Avith  those  who  were  fight- 
ing for  their  country  returned. 

In  vain  his  friends  contended  that  he  had  done 
as  much  for  the  cause  as  could  reasonably  be  de- 
manded of  }iim,  and  that  there  were  crowds  of 
young  men  at  the  Xorth,  who  had  neither  wife  nor 
child,  who  had  done  nothing  for  the  country,  and 
who  ought  now  to  go  to  the  front,  where  they  were 
wanted. 


82  "MORE  THAN  CONQUEROR." 

But  lie  felt  that  lie  was  now  more  needed  than 
ever.  There  was  a  general  feeling  of  discourage- 
ment throughout  the  North,  and  he  argued  that 
his  services  were  now  peculiarly  demanded.  He 
felt  that  he  was  fitted,  as  only  the  experience 
through  which  he  had  passed  could  fit  him,  to 
command  troops  in  the  fearful  struggle  that  every 
thoughtful  person  knew  wiis  yet  impending,  before 
the  end  could  be  attained. 

He  had  been  on  a  visit  to  New  York,  and 
startled  his  friends,  on  his  return,  vnth  the  -an- 
nouncement that  he  was  going  back  to  the  field 
again.  Colonel  William  Morris,  of  the  135th 
Infantry,  had  invited  him  to  go  with  him  as 
acting  lieutenant-colonel.  Difficult  was  it  for 
those  who  loved  him  to  spare  him  again,  only 
partially  recovered,  to  encounter  the  hardships 
and  risks  of  war.  But  what  he  had  suffered 
for  the  cause  for  which  he  had  been  fighting  had 
only  deepened  his  interest  in  the  gigantic  struggle. 
Sad  was  that  parting.  In  that  quiet  spot  in  the 
mountains,  many  a  pmyer  arose,  and  the  blessing 
of  many  aching  hearts  went  with  him. 

The  regiment  left  New  York  on  the  5th  of  Sep- 
tember, and  on  reaching  Baltimore,  they  were 
quartered  in  Fort  McHenry,  and  soon  after,  the 
regiment  was  changed  into  the  6th  regiment  of 
artillery. 

About  the  middle  of  October,  Stuart  made  liis 
famous  raid  into  Pennsylvania.  Crossing  the  Po- 
tomac with  fifteen  hundred   troopers,  he   passed 


CLOUDS  AND  SUNSHINE.  83 

through  Maryland,  occupied  Chambersburg,  and 
after  making  the  entire  circuit  of  the  Union  army, 
recrossed  the  Potomac.  Colonel  Kitching's  regi- 
ment was  sent  to  try  to  intercept  this  daring 
trooper,  but  returned  after  some  hard  marching, 
without  having  seen  him. 

Referring  to  this  event,  he  says  in  a  letter  of 
October  16th :  — 

My  own  darling  Mamma  :  —  I  have  just  returned 
from  a  wild-goOse  chase,  through  several  counties  in 
Pennsylvania,  after  Stuart,  and  as  I  am  really  tired  out, 
not  having  slei)t  any  on  a  bed,  or  had  my  clothes  or 
boots  off  since  Friday  last,  I  am  sure  you  will  not  ex- 
pect me  to  write  to  any  one 

Early  in  January,  1863,  his  command  was  re- 
moved to  Harper's  Ferry.  In  a  brief  note  to  his 
father,  alluding  to  this,  he  says  :  — 

I  have  just  received  orders  to  report,  with  my  com- 
mand (six  companies),  to  Brigadier-general  Kelly,  at 
Harper's  Ferry.  So  I  have  issued  orders  to  have  tents 
struck  at  daylight  in  the  morning,  and  the  command, 
ready  to  march  at  9  a.  m.,  with  two  days'  cooked  ra- 
tions. 

I  am  glad  to  move  for  many  reasons,  which  I  will  ex- 
plain when  I  have  time ;  and  I  cannot  help  feeling  a 
certain  decree  of  exhikiration  at  the  chance  of  see  in  s 
another  brush  with  our  mutual  friend  Jackson,  who  they 
say  is  advancing  up  the  Shenandoah  again. 

Two  weeks  later,  the  lieutenant-colonel  having 
reported  himself  for  duty,  Colonel  Kitching  was 
removed,  and  returned  home.  Very  soon  after 
this,  Colonel  Morris  being  promoted,  he  was  ap- 


84  ''MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

pointed  Colonel,  and  immediately  repaired  to  his 
post.  Captain  Donaldson,  a  brave  young  officer, 
who  was  with  him  throughout  his  subsequent  ca- 
reer, and  who  frequently  distinguished  himself  by 
his  gallantry,  thus  writes  of  this  time  :  — 

As  adjutant  of  his  command,  I  had  many  opportu- 
nities of  noticing  the  affection  with  which  he  was  re- 
garded by  all  who  were  under  his  care.  Who  of  the 
6th  New  York  Artillery,  will  forget  the  gloom  cast  over 
our  camp,  when  an  order  from  the  War  Department  re- 
moved him  from  us  as  our  lieutenant-colonel ;  and  later, 
the  joy  which  filled  every  heart,  when  the  news  reached 
us,  that  he  had  been  made  the  colonel  of  our  regiment  ? 
Returning  to  us  on  a  dreary,  rainy  day,  I  can  even  now, 
in  fancy,  hear  the  gentle  rebuke  that  fell  from  his  lips, 
because  we  had  allowed  the  men  to  turn  out  in  such  a 
storm,  to  do  him  honor.  Little,  though,  did  the  brave 
fellows  heed  the  rain,  so  long  as  he,  their  honored  com- 
mander, was  in  their  midst.  The  interest  and  welfare  of 
his  men  were  always  looked  after  by  Colonel  Kitching, 
and  w^hether  in  camp  or  on  the  march,  a  man  had  never 
twice  to  relate  a  grievance,  either  real  or  fancied,  with- 
out receiving  such  counsel  and  advice  as  would  tend  to 
lighten  his  burden,  and  cause  him  to  return  to  duty  with 
that  zest  and  heartiness,  w^hich  should  ever  characterize 
every  good  soldier. 

We  give  a  copy  of  the  order  issued  by  Colonel 
Kitching,  on  assuming  the  command  of  his  regi- 
ment :  — 

Head-quaeters,  6th  N.  Y.  Artillery,  \ 
Camp  Haight,  Ajjril  16,  1863.  j 

GENERAL  ORDER  NO  1. 

Pursuant  to  special  order  No.  23,  Head-quarters  Second 
Brigade,  First  Division,  Eighth  Army  Corps,  the  under- 


CLOUDS  AND  SUNSHINE.  85 

signed  hereby  assumes  command  of  the  Sixth  Regiment, 
New  York  Artillery. 

All  orders  heretofore  published  will  continue  in  force 
till  further  notice. 

The  commanding  officer  is  induced  by  the  recollection 
of  his  pleasant  association  with  the  command,  as  its 
lieutenant-colonel,  to  anticipate  a  bright  and  glorious 
future  in  store  for  the  regiment,  and  assures  his  fellow- 
soldiers,  both  officers  and  men,  that  while  making  their 
comfort  and  welfare  his  first  care,  his  ambition  will  be  to 
render  the  regiment  the  first  in  the  service  in  point  of 
drill,  discipline,  and  eiiiciency. 

To  accomplish  this  most  desirable  result,  it  is  neces- 
sary that  all  should  unite  in  a  determination  to  learn 
their  duty  thoroughly,  and  perform  it  conscientiously. 
Strict  and  prompt  obedience  to  order,  is  expected  and 
will  be  enforced ;  the  responsibility  of  the  expediency 
of  the  order  beino-  left  with  the  officer  issuino^  it.  Li 
no  other  way  can  that  discipline  be  maintained,  so  neces- 
sary to  the  welfare  and  effectiveness  of  any  military 
organization.  It  is  the  determination  of  the  command- 
ing officer  to  advance  those  who  by  closest  attention  to 
their  duties  and  ability  in  performing  them,  show  that 
they  will  be  useful  officers  in  a  higher  grade. 

He  hopes  and  believes  that  the  same  unanimity  of 
feeling  and  purpose  which  has  hitherto  rendered  this 
regiment  an  example  to  others,  will  continue  to  exist  and 
increase ;  and  that  whether  in  the  dull  routine  of  camp 
duties,  or  amid  the  excitement  of  the  battle-field,  we 
may  always  stand  shoulder  to  shoulder  —  alike  true  to 
ourselves  as  Christian  soldiers,  to  our  noble  regiment,, 
and  to  our  glorious  cause. 

(Signed)  J.  Howard  Kitching, 

Colonel  6th  JN.  T.  Artillery. 

E.  Donaldson,  Adjutant. 

In  the  letter  that  follows,  we  find  him   aojain 


86  "MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

mourning  over  his  troubled  and  discordant  Sunday- 
duties,  and  yet,  amidst  it  all,  rejoicing  in  a  present 

Saviour. 

( 

Camp  Haight,  Maryland  Heights,  April  26,  1803,  | 
Sunday  Morning.  ) 

....  This  has  been  neither  a  jileasant  nor  a  profit- 
able Sunday  to  me.  The  paymaster  came  this  morning, 
and  in  addition  to  the  excitement  and  bustle  consequent 
upon  the  companies  being  paid  off,  the  paymaster  him- 
self got  very  drunk  —  taking  all  day  to  pay  three  com- 
panies, when  he  should  have  paid  the  entire  regiment 
before  night.  I  stood  it  as  long  as  I  could  in  camp,  and 
then,  leaving  the  major  m  command,  and  seeing  every- 
thing in  good  order,  I  mounted  the  gray,  and  rode  over 
into  Virginia  to  a  little  Methodist  church. 

I  tried  to  enjoy  the  sermon,  but  there  was  an  illiterate 
man  in  the  pulpit  who  twisted  the  beautiful  words  of 
Scripture  into  such  terrible  jargon  that  it  was  truly  pain- 
ful to  me. 

You  remember  that  Sunday  was  always  a  very  tire-  * 
some  day  for  me  in  camp.     I  inspected  over  six  hundred 
muskets  this  morning  with  my  own  hands.     If  I  could 
only  be  left  alone  some  of  the  time  during  the  day,  so 
that  I  could  read  and  think,  I  should  be  all  right 

I  have  just  piu-chased  a  plate,  knife,  fork,  spoon,  etc., 
and  my  man  James  is  going  to  cook  for  me,  so  I  shall  be 
quite  independent.  But  since  I  have  been  here,  I  have 
been  living  like  a  pig,  —  the  only  decent  meals  having 

been  at  Mrs.  M 's  tent.      She  is  a  very  nice  woman  ; 

lives  here  with  two  children  in  the  midst  of  all  this  sick- 
ness, and  is  always  as  cheerful  as  if  she  had  everything 
just  as  she  could  wish.  Captain  P 's  wife  is  danger- 
ously ill  here  with  fever.  They  all  thought  she  would  cer- 
tainly die  yesterday,  but  she  appears  brighter  to-day.  .  .  . 

The  Lord  Jesus  has  been  very  dear  to  me  lately,  not- 
withstanding all  my  backslidings,  all  my  open  as  weU  as 


CLOUDS  AND  SUNSHINE.  87 

secret  sins,  my  forgetfulness  of  Him ;  yet  just  at  the  time 
when  I  needed  Him  most,  He  came,  and  here  amidst  all 
my  cares,  troubles,  and  perplexities.  He  has  been  very 
near  to  me.  .  If  I  could  only  tell  my  darling  all  I  feel, 
I  should  be  very,  very  happy. 

Mamma  gave  me  a  dear  little  book  of  Hymns  on  Christ- 
mas in  which  I  take  great  comfort,  the  little  time  I  can 
get  to  read  it.  There  are  many  beautiful  things  in  it, 
that  seem  to  be  intended  to  reach  om*  own  case,  in  almost 
everything.  One  little  verse  runs  in  my  head  all  the 
time,  — 

"Here  in  the  body  pent, 
Absent  from  Him  I  roam, 
Yet  nightly  pitch  my  moving  tent 
A  day's  march  nearer  home." 

There  was  no  one  thing  more  striking,  more  ad- 
mirable, than  the  cheerful  courage  with  which  our 
young  soldiers,  who  had  so  many  of  them  been  so 
tenderly  reared,  endured  hardness,  and  suffering  of 
tlie  extremest  kind.  How  gloriously  the  spiritual 
triumphed  over  the  animal.  In  what  an  uncom- 
plaining spirit  the  following  letter  is  written  :  — 

Camp  Haight,  Makylaxd  Heights,  May  5,  1863. 

....  I  have  not  been  able  to  write  much  lately,  for 
half  of  my  regiment  is  on  the  other  side  of  the  river 
guarding  Harper's  Ferry,  and  as  we  are  the  only  entire 
regiment  here  now,  and  are  rather  expecting  an  attack, 
I  have  been  in  the  saddle  most  of  the  time  day  and  night. 
Major  Crookston  is  in  command  of  the  five  companies 
on  the  other  side,  but  I  am  obliged  to  look  after  them, 
particularly  at  night.  If  the  rebels  were  only^  smart 
enough  to  attack  us  now,  they  could  take  the  place  very 
easily,  for  we  have  not  force  enough  to  hold  the  Heights. 

My  command  is  in  a  terrible  condition  just  now  from 
a  combination  of  causes.     Fourteen   of  my  officers  are 


88  ''MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

absent  —  sick,  and  detailed  on  duty  outside  the  regiment. 
Many  of  the  companies  are  reduced  to  skeletons  by  sick- 
ness and  death.  I  was  just  in  the  midst  of  moving  to 
my  new  camp  ground  when  this  terrible  storm  (raging 
now)  overtook  us,  consequently  half  my  camp  is  in  one 
place  and  half  in  another.  My  quartermaster  has  been 
taken  very  sick,  and  cannot  be  moved. 

Many  of  my  officers  (including  myself)  have  no  tents, 
as  we  have  been  living  in  log-huts,  and  the  quartermaster 
of  this  division,  who  should  have  had  tents  on  hand,  has 
none,  so  that  many  of  us  are  really  without  shelter  of 
our  own.  I  have  sent  my  new  lieutenant-colonel  over 
to  the  new  camp,  and  I  am  obliged  to  sleep  here  in  my 
hut,  with  one  sentry  in  front  of  my  door  to  let  me  know 
if  the  enemy  come.  If  my  regiment  was  all  together  in 
one  camp,  I  would  be  with  them,  even  though  I  had  to 
sleejD  out  on  the  ground,  but  having  it  divided,  it  is  quite 
proper  for  me  to  be  at  any  point  between  the  fragments. 

My  hut  is  no  protection  from  this  storm,  however,  for 
it  rains  right  through,  so  that  my  bed,  over  which  I  have 
laid  an  india-rubber  blanket,  has  a  puddle  of  water  in 
the  centre  three  or  four  inches  deep.  All  my  clothes, 
books,  papers,  and  everything  are  more  or  less  wet,  but 
I  keep  a  cheerful  fire  in  my  open  fire-place  which  bright- 
ens me  up  a  little. 

My  new  camp  will  be  beautiful  if  I  can  ever  get  my 
regiment  together  again. 

1  believe  I  wrote  you  of  the  death  of  Lieutenant  H , 

of  Company  "  G."  We  escorted  his  body  to  the  cars, 
this  morning.  Poor  fellow !  how  1  wish  that  I  could  be- 
lieve him  a  Christian 

I  expected  j^apa  to-day,  but  am  rather  glad  that  he 
did  ndt  come  just  at  this  time,  for  I  want  to  show  him 
my  regiment  all  together  when  he  comes ;  not,  as  now, 
split  up  into  squads  here  and  there ;  and  indeed  I  do  not 
know  how  I  could  make  him  comfortable  in  this  awful 
storm. 


CLOUDS  AND  SUNSHINE.  89 

If  I  get  into  Fort  Marshall,  I  am  satisfied  that  1  can 
fill  up  the  regiment  very  soon. 

I  am  worked  very  hard,  darling,  have  scarcely  time 
to  read  my  Bible  or  say  my  prayers.  Do  not  forget  to 
pray  for  me. 

Sunshine  after  the  storm. 

Camp  Bakry,  Maryland  Heights,  Saturdmj  Evening,  \ 

May  9, 1863.  ) 

My  own  Darling  :  —  I  have  gotten  nicely  fixed  in 
my  new  camp  ;  the  weather  is  beautiful,  the  sick  are  all 
improving,  officers  and  men  are  all  happy,  and  I  am 
happy  too.  My  camp  is  already  acknowledged  to  be 
the  most  beautiful  camp  extant.  We  have  been  fur- 
nished with  new  tents,  perfectly  white,  and  I  have  had 
each  street  lined  with  little  fir-trees,  and  the  spaces  around 
the  tents  carefully  sodded,  so  that  it  begins  to  look  like 
a  fairy  scene.  Nor  have  we  neglected  ventilation  and 
healthfulness,  for  the  tents  are  so  arranged  that  every 
morning  immediately  after  reveille,  every  tent  in  camp 
is  raised  from  the  floor  so  that  everything  is  exposed 
to  the  air.  All  clothes,  blankets,  etc.,  are  hung  out  till 
nine  o'clock  a.  m.,  when  the  tents  are  let  down,  and  the 
things  placed  inside  in  proper  shape. 

I  have  not  yet  had  my  own  tent  fixed  (outside),  for  I 
wished  the  men  to  get  themselves  in  comfortable  shape 
before  calling  on  them  to  attend  to  me.  But  I  intend 
on  Monday  to  have  some  nice  trees  planted  around  my 
own  tent,  and  to  make  it  as  ornamental  as  possible.  O,  if 
you  could  only  see  it  now  with  the  little  tents  lighted  up, 
and  shining  through  the  trees  ;  the  "  tattoo  "  just  beating, 

r  PT"^^— :!^  you  remember  !  and  here  and  there 
U/t^^j^^-^^^^^lH  a  si'oup  of  dusky  fisjures  collected 

^-XT" like  gypsies,  m  one  spot,  you  would 

say  that  it  was  the  most  beautiful  sight  that  you  ever 
beheld. 

I  do  hope  that  papa  will  come  before  we  move,  for  I 
do  want  him  to  see  it  very  much. 


90  ''MORE  THAN  CONQUEROR." 

I  am  working  very  hard  upon  some  new  fortifications 
which  are  building  here  in  anticipation  of  an  attack; 
two  hundred  men  from  my  regiment  being  detailed  daily 
for  that  purpose. 

We  have  just  heard  that  General  Keyes  has  entered 
Richmond,  and  the  whole  country  is  wild  with  excite- 
ment. I  do  not  know  whether  to  credit  it  or  not,  but 
hope  that  if  true,  we  can  hold  on  till  Hooker  can  push 
Lee  to  starvation. 

You  will  see  that  Hooker's  defeat  has  verified  my 
ideas  of  his  inability  to  control  so  large  an  army ;  for 
you  see  that  although  he  fought  one  third  of  his  army 
magnificently,  bravely,  as  he  always  has,  yet  the  other 
two  thirds  were  entirely  beyond  his  control,  and  forced 
to  act  on  their  own  responsibihty.  However,  he  did  his 
best 

If  possible,  I  shall  get  some  photographer  to  come  up 
here  and  take  the  camp  ;  and  all  my  otficers,  myself  in- 
cluded, and  my  head-quarters 

C- M is  doing  splendidly ;  stands   up  to  his 

Christian  principles  like  a  man,  is  not  afraid  of  any 
one's  opinion,  and  is  improving  so  rapidly  that  it  is 
truly  w^onderful. 

I  am  getting  my  matters  into  nice  shape The 

departments  at  Washington  seem  disposed  to  give  me 
all  the  aid  in  their  power ;  send  me  books,  blanks,  cir- 
culars, and  explanations,  so  that  I  have  really  sculled 
my  canoe  into  smooth  water,  and  shall  endeavor  to  keep 
it  there 

Do  you  read  the  chapter  regularly,  darling  ?  What  a 
glorious  chapter  for  to-night ;  the  fifth  chapter  of  First 
Thessalonians,  and  how  the  twenty-fourth  verse  seems 
to  cover  everything,  ''  Faithful  is  he  that  calleth  you,  who 
also  will  do  it." 

The  little  book  of  "  Devotional  Hymns "  which 
mamma  gave  me,  is  a  source  of  great  pleasure  to  me ; 
many  of  the  hymns  are  truly  lovely.     1  have  started  a 


CLOUDS  AND  SUNSHINE.  91 

subscription  for  a  soldier's  library,  which,  if  we  are  or- 
dered to  some  permanent  post,  can  be  made  a  som-ce  of 
much  benefit  as  well  as  comfort  to  the  men. 

I  had  the  first  case  of  open  rebellion  to-day,  and  am 
happy  to  say  the  effect  has  been  salutary.  A  "fighting 
man"  (Irish,  of  course)  in  Company  F.,  refused  to  obey 
his  captain  when  told  to  take  a  spade  and  go  to  work ; 
and  his  captain  foolishly  sent  him  to  the  guard-house 
instead  of  enforcing  obedience.  When  I  heard  of  it,  I 
sent  for  the  man  to  be  brought  to  his  own  company 
street  (where  it  occurred),  and  after  asking  Captain 
Morris  to  state  the  circumstances,  I  ordered  him  to  go  to 
work,  before  the  whole  company,  or  in  fact,  the  regiment, 
for  the  men  had  found  out  that  "  something  was  up." 

He  did  not  absolutely  refuse  in  words,  but  he  put  his 
hands  in  his  pockets,  and  said  that  I  had  no  right  to 
make  him  work,  or  something  of  that  sort.  I  told  him 
even  then  that  "  I  would  give  him  one  more  chance ;  that 
every  man  in  the  regiment  knew  that  although  I  did 
not  talk  very  loud,  or  use  profane  language,  when  I  said 
anything,  I  meant  it,  and  that  I  never  would  permit 
a  man  to  disobey  me;"  and  then  ordered  him  to  go 
to  work.  He  did  not  move  at  once,  so  I  got  off  my 
horse,  and  took  him  by  the  collar,  the  natural  result 
being,  that  he  took  the  shovel  and  went  to  work  in  good 
earnest. 

After  he  had  finished  his  task,  I  sent  for  him  to  my 
tent,  and  succeeded  in  convincing  him  that  "  he  had  been 
a  fool,"  and  he  promised  that  I  should  never  have  any 
trouble  with  him  in  future.  I  tell  you  all  this,  dar- 
ling, because  1  suppose  everything  m  my  d.aily  expe- 
rience   interests    you.      Tell    papa    to    come    on    right 


awav 


Howard's  testimony  to  the  value  of  reading  the 
Bible  systematically,  whether,  as  he  did,  according 
to  the  admirable  order  in  the  book  of    Common 


92  ''MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

Prayer,  or  on  any  other  plan,  will  be  responded  to 
by  every  Christian.  How  often  the  portion  for  the 
day  will  be  like  the  spring  in  the  desert  to  the 
thirsty  traveller,  welhng  up  with  its  waters  of 
refreshment,  the  same  living  fountain  he  has  met 
before ;  but  found  at  just  that  time,  possessing  a 
cool,  reviving  power,  of  priceless  value.  Careless, 
desultory  reading  brings  little  profit,  and  has  a 
tendency  to  dull  the  feelings,  and  incrust  the  heart, 
so  as  to  make  it  impenetrable  to  the  sword  of  the 
Spirit. 

The  Confederate  leaders  had  resolved,  at  this 
time,  to  commence  an  invasion  of  the  Loyal  States, 
and  in  prosecution  of  this  plan,  Ewell  had  ad- 
vanced upon  Winchester,  and  had  driven  General 
Milroy  into  his  works  around  the  town.  The  fol- 
lowing night  Milroy  abandoned  his  position,  but 
his  force  being  intercepted,  a  good  part  of  it  was 
captured  in  the  confused  mSlSe.  Upon  receiving 
these  tidings,  the  garrison  withdrew  to  Maryland 
Heights,  and  from  the  letter  that  follows,  we  see 
that  they  had  no  thought  of  surrendering  that  im- 
portant post  without  a  brave  resistance. 

Camp  Barry  (Harper's  Ferry),  Monday  Morning,  ) 
4  o'clock,  June  15,  1863.  ) 

My  own  Darling: — I  am  beginning  to  feel  quite  at 
home  now,  as  the  rebs  are  on  all  sides  of  us,  and  we  are 
all  in  "  line  of  battle,"  expecting  an  attack.  Our  Gen- 
eral Mih'oy  has  managed  in  some  way  to  let  them  get 
between  him  and  us,  and  cut  him  otf  with  ten  thousand 
men  who  ought  to  be  here  with  us. 

We  are  about  four  thousand  strong,  and  will  do  some 


CLOUDS  AND  SUNSHINE.  93 

fighting  before  we  give  up  the  place  ;  but  we  must  be 
reinforced,  for  the  odds  are  fearfully  against  us  ;  Ewell 
having  at  least  thirty  thousand  men. 

How  I  thank  the  Lord  that  you  are  not  here  now. 
General  Kelly  has  just  sent  up  a  train  to  take  the  women 
and  children  to  Baltimore,  and  I  am  truly  thankful  that 
you  are  not  of  the  number. 

I  have  ten  companies  of  my  regiment  with  me,  in  all, 
about  six  hundred  men.  The  other  two  companies  are 
upon  the  heights.  I  have  been  ordered  to  hold  Fort 
Duncan,  if  I  am  driven  from  the  open  plain ;  and  I  was 
up  there  last  night,  getting  things  in  shape,  and  having 
the  guns  mounted. 

Don't  be  anxious,  my  darling.  I  shall  not  be  much 
exposed,  I  trust,  and  the  same  kind  Father  who  has  al- 
ready brought  me  through  so  many  dangers  will  be  with 
me  still. 

Perhaps  we  may  not  have  any  fighting,  after  all.  Will 
write  as  f^et  a  chance  to  send  a  letter.  This  will  be 
taken  to  Baltimore  by  this  morning's  train,  the  last 
which  will  leave  here  for  some  time,  I  guess. 

Love  to  all  the  dear  ones ;  and  0,  so  much  to  our 
darling  boy. 

Do  not  think  our  case  desperate,  my  darling.  We 
have  a  splendid  position,  and  I  trust  can  hold  it.  I 
thought  better  to  tell  you  the  truth.  My  pay  is  due 
from  the  first  of  May,  to  this  time.  Write  me  as  usual. 
I  have  not  a  moment,  so  must  stop.  God  bless  you,  my 
own  little  "  birdie."  Don't  forget  your  Redeemer,  nor 
Your  own  Howard. 

The  anticipated  investment  of  Harper's  Ferry 
did  not  take  place,  and  Colonel  Kitcliing's  regi- 
ment remained  there  until  after  the  battle  of  Get- 
tysburg, when  the  government,  eager  to  put  into 
the  hands  of  General  Meade  everything  needed  to 


94  "MORE   THAN   CONQUEROR." 

assure  the  destruction  of  Lee's  army,  directed  the 
abandonment  of  Harper's  Ferry ;  and  the  troops 
that  had  been  defending  it,  under  General  French, 
joined  the  army  of  the  Potomac,  and  by  forced 
marches,  attempted  to  intercept  Lee's  army  at  the 
pass  of  South  Mountain. 

On  reaching  Crampton  Gap,  after  a  very  severe 
march  over  ahnost  impassable  roads,  and  hearing 
that  the  enemy  were  in  force  in  their  front,  Colonel 
Kitching  halted  his  column,  and  went  into  posi- 
tion. 

In  his  pocket  memorandum,  we  find  the  follow- 
ing entry :  — 

In  line  of  battle,  just  going  into  action,  ) 
Sunday,  July  12,  1863.  ) 

My   darling   H :    If   anything  should   happen 

to  me,  good-by.  God  bless  my  darhngs,  both.  Don't 
forget  your  Howy,  but  above  all,  don't  forget  the  Lord 
Jesus. 

There  is  pay  due  me  from  May  1st  to  the  date  of 
my  death  ;  ask  papa  to  get  it. 

Bid  all  my  dear  ones  good-by.  God  bless  you,  my 
own  little  comfort ;  you  have  been  God's  choicest  bless- 
ing to  me,  next  to  my  redemption  by  the  blood  of  his 
dear  Son. 

Bring  Howy  up  to  love  me,  darling  !  I  have  noth- 
ing to  leave  you  but  my  blessing.  My  trunk  is  at  Har- 
per's Ferry.  Your  own  Howard. 

The  rebels  declined  the  battle,  and  withdrew 
quietly  in  the  night.  The  pursuit  was  continued, 
and  the  enemy  was  overtaken  and  defeated,  as  we 
find  from  the  next  entry  in  his  diary. 


\ 


CLOUDS  AND  SUNSHINE.  95 

FHday,  July  23. 

Marched  from  Piedmont  to  Manassas  Gap.  Found 
the  gap  held  by  General  Hill,  with  sixteen  thousand  men. 
Attacked  him  and  took  possession  of  the  Pass,  driving 
the  enemy  to  Front  Royal.  He  evacuated  in  the  night. 
Loss  on  om-  side  seventy -five. 

Head-quakters  1st  Brigade,  3d  Division,  \ 
August  10,  1863.  ) 

....  Here  is  your  warrior  husband  commanding  a 
brigade,  and  the  largest  brigade  in  the  army,  too.  Gen- 
eral Elliott,  who  has  commanded  the  division,  is  absent 
in  Washington  on  a  court  of  inquiry,  and  in  his  ab- 
sence Morris  commands  the  division,  and  I  the  bri- 
gade  I    have,  of   course,  moved   my  quarters 

over  to  brigade  head-quarters,  and  am  really  becoming 
quite  a  B.  G.,  /.  e.  ''  Big  Gun."  .... 

You  should  see  me!  The  box  sent  by  papa  has  not 
arrived,  and  I  am  as  black  and  dirty  as  you  can  imagine. 
My  clothes,  outside,  have  become  so  soiled  from  lying 
upon  the  ground,  that  I  look  like  some  of  those  dirty 
rebel  officers  that  you  used  to  see  at  Fort  McHenry ; 
and  then  I  am  as  black  as  an  Indian,  so  you  can  imagine 
the  general  effect 

This  experience  of  the  past  two  years  and  a  half,  has 
given  me  a  great  abundance  of  self-reliance,  and  I  am 
just  as  confident  that  if  God  spares  my  life  I  shall  be 
able  to  get  along  as  a  business  man,  as  I  am  now  in 
attempting  to  command  a  division,  if  I  had  one. 

General  Lee  made  good  his  retreat,  and  the 
march  was  conducted  leisurely  toAvards  the  Rap- 
pahannock, and  when  encamped  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Warrenton,  the  next  letters  were  written. 

The  sadness  of  heart  which  comes  over  him,  as 
he  looks  out  upon  a  weary,  suffering,  unsatisfac- 


96  "MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

tory  world,  depicted  in  tlie  next  letter,  is  in  accord 
with  these  lines,  marked  by  him,  in  his  copy  of  the 
"  Hymn  from  the  Land  of  Luther,"  which  he  always 
carried  with  him  :  — 

"  How  weary  and  how  worthless  this  life  at  times  appears  ! 
What  days  of  heavy  musing,  what  hours  of  bitter  tears ! 
How   dark  the  storm-clouds  gather  along  the  wintry 

skies! 
How  desolate  and  cheerless  the  path  before  us  lies  ! 

"And  yet  these  days  of  dreariness  are  sent  us  from  above : 
They  do  not  come  in    anger,  but  in  faithfulness  and 

love ; 
They  come  to  teach  us  lessons  which  bright  ones  could 

not  yield, 
And  to  leave  us  blest  and  thankful  when  their  purpose 

is  fulfilled. 

"  They  come  to  draw  us  nearer  to  our  Father  and  our 

Lord, 
More   earnestly  to  seek  his  face,  to  listen  to  his  word, 
And  to  feel,  if  now  around  us    a  desert    land  we  see, 
Without  the  star  of  promise,  what  would   its  darkness 

be! 

"  They  come  to  lay  us  lowly,  and  humbled  in  the  dust, 
All  self-deception  swept  away,  all  creature  hope  and 

trust ; 
Our  helplessness,  our  vileness,  our  guiltiness  to  own. 
And   flee,  for  hope  and  refuge,  to   Christ,  and   Christ 

alone. 

"  They  come  to  break  the  fetters  which  here  detain  us 
fast, 
And  force  our  long  reluctant  hearts  to  rise  to  heaven 
at  last ; 


CLOUDS  AND  SUNSHINE.  97 

And  brighten  every  prospect  of  that  eternal  home, 
Where  grief   and  disappointment  and  fear  can  never 
come." 

TO  HIS  FATHER. 
Artillery  Reserve,  Warrektox  Junction,  August  25,  1863". 

....  What  a  hard,  unsatisfactory  world  this  is,  and', 
how  discouraging  would  all  our  efforts  be,  were  this  all 
we  have  to  look  forward  to  !  But  thank  God,  this  is  only 
the  work-house  to  fit  us  for  our  heavenly  home,  the 
mansion  of  rest,  beyond  the  river.  The  whole  wide 
world  presents  the  same  scenes,  men  toiling,  strivings 
fighting,  suffering ;  and  how  few,  if  any,  attain  the  antic- 
ipated result  of  their  labors  and  their  pains. 

I  get  terribly  blue  sometimes,  when  I  think  I  am  ex- 
pending the  very  best  years  of  my  life,  and  I  am  tempted 
to  think  that  perhaps  my  worldly  interests  and  prospects 
would  have  been  much  farther  advanced  had  I  taken  a^ 
different  IJourse.  But  then  again,  I  hiow  that  such  a 
cause  deserves  our  all,  if  necessary,  and  I  trust  that  in 
years  to  come  I  may  see  that  it  was  well  for  me  that  I 
was  led  into  this  conflict.  Certainly  a  loving  Hand  has 
guided  my  footsteps  thus  far.  I  have  been  enabled  to 
take  my  part  in  the  great  strife,  to  bear  my  share  of 
the  burden,  without  the  suffering  borne  by  many  others, 
and  without  entailing  suffering  and  desolation  on  my 
friends ;  and  I  am  often  led  to  wonder  why  the  Lord  has 
dealt  so  mercifully  with  me. 

You  will  remember  that  I  was  prevented  from  taking- 
command  of  the  24th  infantry  last  winter,  by  arriving 
in  Albany  one  day  too  late.  The  colonel  who  was  ap- 
pointed to  it  was  killed  at  Chancellors ville.  The  three- 
colonels  who  accompanied  me  into  Pennsylvania  last 
fall,  after  the  rebel  Stuart,  are  all  dead  —  two  killed 
under  Geueral  Banks,  and  one  at  Gettysburg. 

We  are  doing  nothing  here  ;  we  hear  that  Lee.  is  being 
heavily  reinforced,  but  cannot  tell  as  to  the  reliability  of 
the  report. 

7 


98  ''MORE  THAN  CONQUEROR. 

General  Meade  (so  I  hear  to-day)  climbed  Water 
Mountain,  near  Warrenton,  last  night,  and  was  much 
surprised  at  the  extent  of  the  enemy's  camp-fires. 

I  have  jumped  (temporarily)  into  rather  an  extended 
and  extensive  command,  being,  during  the  absence  of 
General  Tyler,  in  command  of  the  whole  artillery  re- 
serve, consisting  of  thirty  batteries,  two  regiments  of 
infantry,  and  about  three  hundred  ammunition  wagons. 
Having  been  confined  to  my  tent  since  my  arrival  here 
last  Saturday,  I  do  not  let  the  command  worry  me  much. 

I  am,  I  trust,  getting  better  now.  My  original  trouble 
is  very  much  better  ;  and  what  between  blistering  outside, 
and  plenty  of  castor  oil  in,  something  had  to  get  better, 

or  worse We  are  having    a    terribly  cold  spell 

just  now,  and  both  officers  and  men  feel  it  exceedingly, 
having  left  everything  but  one  blanket  at  Frederick  and 
Harper's  Ferry.  The  men  have  only  one  coat,  no 
overcoat,  and  only  one  blanket;  and  having  no  tents, 
they  feel  the  change  very  much.  I  have  obtained  a  new 
suit  of  clothes  for  them,  which  I  hear  will  be  here  to- 
morrow. 

To-night,  I  have  arranged  matters  with  a  view  to 
keeping  warm,  if  possible.  I  have  had  a  very  large 
wood  fire  built  right  in  front  of  my  tent,  and  the  sentry 
on  guard  will  keep  it  going  all  night,  miless  the  wind 
changes  —  in  which  case,  his  orders  are  to  "  stop 
putting  on  wood,"  as  it  would  certainly  smoke  me  out. 
I  intend  to  go  to  bed  in  my  overcoat,  and  hope  that  I 
shall  keep  warm 

Head-quarters  6th  N.  Y.  Artillery,  ) 

Artillery  Reserve,  August  27,  1863.      j 

....  I  will  scribble  you  a  few  lines  to-night  before 
sleeping,  to  tell  you  that  I  am  considerably  better  than 
yesterday,  and  hoping  to  be  all  right  in  a  day  or  two. 

The  blister  which  the  doctor  put  on  last  night  seems 
to  have  done  me  good  ;  much  of  the  terrible  pain  suffered 


CLOUDS  AND  SUNSHINE.  99 

yesterday  is  gone,  and  I  have  now  some  appetite. 
There  is  a  cold  storm  blowing  up  which  makes  my  little 
open  tent  in  these  dark  woods  seem  very  cheerless,  and 
the  raw  autumn  wind  rushinoj  throuc^h  the  trees  has  a 
tendency  to  make  me  homesick. 

So  long  as  I  am  well,  and  able  to  be  moving  about 
and  attending  to  my  daily  duties,  I  can  stand  this  misera- 
ble kind  of  life  very  well ;  but  to  lie  on  my  back  on  my 
little  camp  bed,  with  one  blanket,  unable  to  do  anything 
but  think,  it  becomes  quite  a  different  matter  to  one  who 
has  always  had  such  kind,  loving  hands  to  minister  to  him 
in  sickness. 

My  camp  here  is  in  a  very  thick  wood  composed  of 
oak-trees,  some  of  them  very  high,  and  the  storm  howls 
through  them  making  a  hideous  noise,  and  bending  the 
great  trunks  as  though  they  were  saplings.  I  have  just 
ordered  my  corps  of  pioneers  to  sound  all  the  trees  in 
our  immediate  vicinity,  fearing  lest  some  of  them,  being 
rotten,  might  blow  down  and  injure  some  of  the  men. 

The  health  of  the  regiment,  and  indeed  the  army,  is 
not  good.  I  have  nearly  one  hundred  men  sick,  and 
many  of  my  officers.  One  of  my  captains  was  smitten 
with  typhoid  on  our  march  to  this  place,  and  although 
I  left  him  at  a  very  nice  house  on  the  road,  with  the  best 
doctor  to  attend  him,  yet  I  fear  he  cannot  live  but  a  day 
or  two,  and  have  telegraphed  to  his  father.  It  is  a  ter- 
rible case.  He  is,  or  professes  to  be,  a  skeptic;  has 
always  railed  at  religion  and  everything  of  the  kind.  I 
have  had  several  conversations  with  him  since  I  took 
command  of  the  regiment,  but  they  have  always  ap- 
peared to  be  unprofitable,  and  now  he  is  delirious,  and 
the  doctor  tells  me  that  it  is  terrible  to  hear  him  rave 
and  swear. 

I  wish  that  I  could  get  to  him,  but  it  is  impossible, 
for  he  is  seven  miles  from  this  and  I  am  too  weak  to  ride. 
In  his  lucid  moments,  all  his  bravado  and  boldness  appear 
to  have  left  him,  and  he  cries  like  a  child.     He  was  a 


100  '^MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

good  soldier,  in  the  common  sense  of  the  term,  —  uncom- 
phiining,  prompt,  and  a  good  disciplinarian, —  but,  poor 
fellow,  he  scoffed  at  the  only  means  whereby  his  poor 
sinful  soul  could  be  cleansed  and  made  fit  to  inherit 
eternal  life;  and  now  God  has  cut  him  down  in  his 
pride  and  manliness  as  a  warning  to  us  all.  I  pray  God 
that  he  may  yet  recover,  but  Doctor  Porter  thinks  that 
there  is  little,  if  any  hope. 

One  cause  of  the  sickness  in  the  army,  and  regiment, 
is  the  bad  quality  of  the  water ;  we  are  worse  off  in  our 
present  location  in  this  respect,  than  we  have  been  yet. 
Fortunately  for  me,  I  use  very  little  water,  seldom 
drinking  between  meals,  and  at  meals  having  either  tea 
or  coffee. 

I  am  now  busy  digging  wells,  hoping  to  obtain  a  better 
quality  of  water  ;  but  I  really  hope  tliat  the  army  may 
fall  back  upon  the  line  of  Occoquan  Creek  and  Fairfax 
Court  House,  if  for  nothing  else  than  jjlenty  of  good 
water. 

I  learned  long  since  on  the  Peninsula  that  a  soldier 
who  drinks  water  in  any  considerable  quantity  while  on 
the  march,  changing  its  medicinal  properties  as  it  does 
at  every  mile  in  the  road,  must  inevitably  get  sick.  I 
abstain  scrupulously  while  on  the  march,  and  try  to 
convince  the  men  how  injurious  it  is ;  but  it  is  impossi- 
ble, 'i'hey  will  rush  for  a  mud-puddle,  as  soon  as  they 
are  permitted  to  leave  the  ranks,  and  the  consequence  is 
a  universal  prevalence  of  diarrhoea. 

I  ought  from  my  experience  here  to  be  a  most  exem- 
plary "  Paterfamilias "  after  the  war,  for  these  men 
have  to  be  treated  just  like  children,  and  I  have  ten 
hundred  and  thirty-seven  under  my  charge  —  to  be  fed, 
clothed,  punished,  praised,  thought  for,  and  thought  of 
constantly.  How  weary  I  am  becoming  of  tliis  constant 
anxiety  and  care,  for  not  a  thing  transpires  in  the  regi- 
ment, however  trivial  its  character,  that  is  not  in  some 
way  referred  to  me,  and  causes  me  more  or  less 
thought 


CLOUDS  AND  SUNSHINE.  101 

The  autumn  of  this  year  was  spent  by  Generals 
Meade  and  Lee  in  attempts  to  outmanoeuvre  each 
other,  with  varied  success  ;  and  in  December  both 
armies,  as  if  by  consent,  settled  down  in  winter 
quarters,  to  recuperate  from  the  wear  and  tear  of 
the  trying  season  of  1863,  and  renew  their  strength 
for  the  impending  shock  of  arms,  in  the  spring. 

Lee  held  the  south  bank  of  the  Rapidan,  his 
forces  being  distributed  from  the  river  along  the 
Orange  Court  House  and  Gordonsville  road.  The 
army  of  the  Potomac  established  itself  along  the 
Orange  and  Alexandria  Railroad  from  the  Rapidan 
back  to  the  Rappahannock.  The  ranks  of  both 
armies  were  filled  up  by  recruits ;  and  drills,  in- 
spections, and  reviews  were  energetically  pushed 
forward-within  the  opposing  camps. 

Fully  occupied  as  Colonel  Kitching  was  with 
the  arduous  duties  of  his  command,  he  did  not  neg- 
lect, during  this  period  of  comparative  quiet,  his 
Master's  work.  He  was  much  aided  in  this,  by  the 
timely  arrival,  on  the  10th  of  December,  of  Mr. 

C ,  the  chaplain  of  the  regiment,  who  proved 

a  faithful  co-worker  all  through  the  war. 

With  his  aid,  Bible  classes  and  prayer-meetings 
were  held  in  the  colonel's  quarters  every  evening, 
and  the  place  was  crowded  with  the  soldiers,  many 
of  whom  passed  from  death  unto  life.  We  well 
remember  Howard's  beaming  look  as  he  dwelt  upon 
these  evidences  of  a  genuine  work  of  grace,  and  we 
believe  this  hymn,  which  we  find  marked  in  his 
little  book,  dated  at  this  time,  truly  portrays  the 
history  of  his  inner  life :  — 


102  "MORE  THAN  CONQUEROR." 

Sunday,  December  20,  1863. 
"  My  beloved  is  mine,  and  I  am  his."  —  Cant.  ii.  16. 

"  Long  did  I  toil,  and  know  no  earthly  rest, 
Far  did  I  rove,  and  found  no  certain  home ; 
At  last  I  sought  them  in  his  sheltering  breast, 

Who  opes  his  arms,  and  bids  the  weary  come  ; 
In  Christ  I  found  a  home,  a  rest  divme. 
And  since  then  I  am  his,  and  He  is  mine. 

"  Yes  !  He  is  mine !  and  naught  of  earthly  things  — 
Not  all  the  charms  of  pleasure,  wealth,  or  power, 

The  fame  of  heroes  or  the  pomp  of  kings  — 
Could  tempt  me  to  forego  his  love  an  hour. 

'  Go,  worthless  world,'  I  cry, '  with  all  that 's  thine ; 

Go,  I  my  Saviour's  am,  and  He  is  mine.' 

*'  The  good  I  have  is  from  his  stores  supplied. 
The  ill  is  only  what  He  deems  the  best ; 
He  for  my  friend,  I'm  rich  with  naught  beside, 

And  poor  without  Him,  though  of  all  possessed  : 
Changes  may  come  —  I  take,  or  I  resign, 
Content  while  I  am  his,  and  He  is  mine. 

"  While  here,  alas  !  I  know  but  half  his  love. 
But  half  discern  Him,  and  but  half  adore ; 
But  when  I  meet  Him  in  the  realms  above, 

I  hope  to  love  Him  better,  praise  Him  more. 
And  feel  and  tell,  amid  the  choir  divine, 
How  fiilly  I  am  his,  and  He  is  mine." 

Colonel  Kitching  obtained  leaye  of  absence  to 
pass  the  holidays  witb  his  family. 

It  was  a  calm,  bright  Christmas  Day,  just  such 
a  day  as  we  love  to  picture,  in  our  imagination,  as 
fit  to  usher  in  this  hallowed  season,  and  the  services 
of  the  church  had  more  than  their  wonted  sweet- 


CLOUDS  AND  SUNSHINE.  103 

ness,  and  a  thrill  of  deeper  joy  than  usual  went 
round  the  family  group  gathered  in  the  home  at 
Peekskill,  because  the  absent  soldier  had  returned, 
on  furlough,  safe  and  well.  The  tales  of  wild 
forays,  midnight  attacks,  skillful  retreats,  and  hair- 
breadth escapes,  were  listened  to  with  eager  ears 
and  glowing  hearts  that  night,  and  before  we  knelt 
in  prayer,  Ave  sang  that  sweet  version  of  the  91st 
Psalm,  which  he  loved  so  well. 

After  a  happy  fortnight  spent  among  liis  friends, 
he  returned  to  his  post,  and  the  evening  after  his 
arrival,  at  the  close  of  a  letter  he  says :  — 

"  Good-night,  dear  papa.  May  the  Lord  Jesus  be 
equally  near  to  all  of  us,  that  though  we  are  not  all 
able  to  be  in  the  dear  home  circle,  as  in  days  gone  by, 
yet  we  may  be  all  one  in  Christ  Jesus ! 

"  That  the  dear  Lord  may  be  ever  with  you,  is  the 
prayer  of  your  loving  son,  Howaed." 


REFRESHING  SHOWERS. 


"  Lord,  what  a  change  within  us  one  short  hour 
Spent  in  thy  presence  will  prevail  to  make, 
What  heavy  burdens  from  our  bosoms  take. 
What  parched  grounds  refresh,  as  with  a  shower ! 
We  kneel,  and  all  around  us  seems  to  lower ; 
We  rise,  and  all,  the  distant  and  the  near, 
Stands  forth  in  sunny  outlines,  brave  and  clear  ; 
We  kneel,  how  weak ;   we  rise,  how  full  of  power. 
Why  therefore  should  we  do  ourselves  this  wrong. 
Or  others  —  that  we  are  not  always  strong. 
That  we  are  ever  overborne  with  care. 
That  we  should  ever  weak  or  heartless  be, 
Anxious  or  troubled,  when  with  us  is  prayer. 
And  joy  and  strength  and  courage  are  with  thee  ?  " 

R.  C.  Trench. 


CHAPTER  V. 

KEFEESHING   SHOWERS. 

"  He  shall  come  down  like  rain  upon  the  mown  grass:  as  showers 
that  water  the  earth."—  Psalm  Ixxii.  6. 

With  the  shadow  of  home  partings  over  his 
heart,  Howard  Kitching  returned  to  his  camp  at 
Brandy  Station,  soon  cheered  however,  by  the  hght 
from  above  that  was  breaking  over  the  regiment. 

In  a  letter  to  the  Christian  Commission  from  the 
Rev.  A.  Cookman,  written  at  this  time,  we  find 
this  description  of  the  encampment :  — 

The  camp  of  the  New  York  6th,  arranged  under 
the  direction  of  Colonel  Kitching,  is  perhaps  one  of  the 
most  tasteful  and  convenient  in  the  army.  It  is  as  reg- 
ularly laid  out  as  Philadelphia.  On  the  west  of  a  hill 
are  the  officers'  quarters,  some  of  them  so  neat  that  really 
they  would  not  disgrace  Central  Park.  This,  of  course, 
is  the  Fifth  Avenue  of  this  military  community.  Im- 
mediately in  front  of  the  colonel's  tent  is  the  Broadway, 
a  broad  street  which  is  flanked  on  either  side  by  the 
soldiers*  tents,  arranged  according  to  companies,  with 
wider  and  narrower  streets.  In  front  of  all  is  the  parade 
ground,  where  each  evening  the  regiment  appears  on  a 
dress  parade,  and  frequently  a  battalion  drill.  Surround- 
ing this  camp,  and  a  part  of  the  artillery  reserve,  are 
full  batteries  from  New  York,  Connecticut,  Ohio,  Mas- 
sachusetts, Maine,  Virginia,  and  the  United  States  reg- 
ular service.  Colonel  Burton,  acting  Brigadier-general, 
has  command  of  the  whole,  his  head-quarters  beautifully 
located  on  a  fragment  of  forest.     The  forests  through 


108  "MORE!   THAN  CONQUERORS 

this  section  have  almost  entirely  disappeared  in  provid- 
ing winter  quarters  and  firewood.  This  is  my  field  of 
effort  for  a  few  days. 

Head-quarters  Artillery  Reserve,  ) 
Sunday  Evening,  January  10,  1864-      ) 

My  own  Darling  :  —  Here  I  am  back  again  in  my 
old  tent,  with  no  wife,  no  boy,  "  no  nothing,"  but  an  old 
stove  and  a  camp  cot.  The  sudden  transition  from  the 
comfort  and  happiness  of  home  to  this  kind  of  thing,  is 
indeed  fearful,  —  much  harder  than  ever  before.  I  never 
have  appreciated  or  enjoyed  my  home  as  much,  and  never 
have  been  obliged  to  return  to  such  complete  soldier 
existence,  having,  as  during  last  winter,  been  either  in 

garrison  or  in  a  permanent  camp However,  I  am 

feeling  better  to-day,  and  from  the  present  appearance 
of  things  I  shall  not  have  time  to  feel  "  blue "  or  any- 
thing else,  during  the  next  fortnight Everybody 

appeared  very  glad  at  my  return.  Two  of  General 
Tyler's  staff  officers  hugged  me,  and  said  that  "  now  their 
troubles  were  all  over,  and  everything  would  be  all  right." 
General  Hunt  also  told  me  that  he  was  very  glad  indeed 
that  I  had  returned,  and  that  he  did  not  doubt  but  that  I 
could  straighten  things  out I  find  that  in  my  ab- 
sence   Mr.    C has    accomplished   much.     He    has 

opened  a  large  chapel  tent,  capable  of  holding  nearly 
two  hundred  men  ;  and  on  approaching  the  camp,  this 
morning,  it  was  delightful  to  hear  my  men  singing.      How 

thankful  I  am  that  the  dear  Lord  sent  ]Mr.  C here. 

By  his  blessing  it  must  be  the  means  of  bringing  many 
of  my  men  to  Jesus'  feet.  God  grant  it,  for  his  dear 
Son's  sake 

TO  HIS  FATHER. 
Near  Beverly  Ford,  Virginia,  January  13,  1864. 
....  I  am  now  commanding  the  artillery  reserve, 
and  cannot  tell  when  I  shall  be  relieved I  am  ter- 
ribly homesick,  as  a  matter  of  course ;  but  am  so  much 


REFRESHING  SHOWERS.  109 

interested  in  my  work  here,  particularly  in  my  own  regi- 
ment, that  I  cannot  regret  my  decision  to  remain  in  the 

service.     Mr.  C 's  labors  have  been  already  crowned 

with  success,  which  is  most  gratifying.  His  Bible  class 
has  now  forty-three  members  from  my  own  regiment; 
eleven  new  ones  joined  at  our  meeting  last  night. 

The  men  are  overjoyed  at  the  religious  privileges 
which  are  now  within  their  reach.  After  the  breakinsc 
up  of  the  meeting  last  night,  Mr.  C ,  his  two,  col- 
leagues, and  myself,  had  "  family  prayers,"  which  was 
more  refreshing  than  you  can  imagine,  out  here  in  the 
wilderness.  Ask  James  to  please  hurry  up  the  books,  as 
the  men  are  most  anxious  to  have  them. 

I  have  just  succeeded  in  making  my  quarters  very 
comfortable,  but  feel  the  cold  very  much  at  night,  the 
change  is  so  great.  The  robe  is  the  greatest  comfort  to 
me.  The  first  night  I  put  it  on  top  of  my  other  blankets, 
but  found  that  the  weight  of  it  made  me  rather  colder 
than  bef&re,  by  impeding  the  circulation,  so  now  I  put  it 
inside,  and  sleej)  right  on  the  fur,  and  it  is  glorious. 
Thank  darling  mamma  and  aunty  for  the  box  of  eatables. 
I  am  enjoying  them  exceedingly. 

.  I  am  very  busy  reorganizing  things  here  at  head-quar- 
ters ;  have  brought  Donaldson  over,  as  acting  Assistant 
Adjutant-general,  and  am  sailing  the  ship  pretty  much 
on  my  own  hook 

In  a  very  hurried  note  a  few  days  later,  lie 
says  :  — 

Mr.   C has  gone  to  New  York  to  be   ordained 

to  the  ministry.  Our  work  goes  bravely  on,  and  it  would 
do  your  heart  good  to  see  how  my  men  enjoy  and  ap- 
preciate the  meetings  for  reading  and  prayer. 

His  inability  to  speak  freely  on  religious  sub- 
jects, which  he  laments  in  the  next  letter,  is  en- 
tirely distinct  from  that  false  shame  which  shrinks 


110  ''MORE  THAN  CONQUEROR," 

from  confessing  Christ  before  men.  It  was  doubt- 
less owing  to  a  faulty  religious  education.  And 
the  Episcopal  Church  has,  we  think,  been  remiss 
in  this  matter.  It  has  not  urged  its  members,  as 
it  should  have  done,  to  the  taking  an  active  part  in 
the  conflict  with  the  world,  giving  each  one  work 
to  do,  and  showing  each  person  how  to  do  it ;  teach- 
ing its  members  that  working  for  Christ  is  not  to 
be  the  life  of  the  minister  and  a  few  gifted  ones  in 
the  congregation  only,  but  of  the  feeblest  and  least 
influential  of  the  flock.  The  aged  man  with  his 
infirmities,  the  man  in  the  strength  and  energy  of 
his  prime,  the  boy  with  all  the  freshness  of  his 
young  heart,  the  matron,  and  the  maiden,  and  the 
young  girl,  with  her  winning  ways  of  girlhood,  all 
are  stewards,  all  have  a  place  in  the  vineyard ;  for 
each  and  all  the  Master  has  a  work  to  do. 

But  we  believe  that  now  we  can  see  the  raj^s  of 
golden  -light,  the  harbingers  of  a  brighter  day. 
Our  teachers  begin  to  understand  the  gospel  of 
Christ  in  its  fullness :  to  see  that  it  was  sent  to 
win  every  affection,  to  brighten  every  smile,  to 
shed  fresh  interest  over  every  pursuit,  to  light  up 
new  hopes  in  every  prospect ;  to  embrace  every 
variety  of  human  temperament,  assist  every  degree 
of  human  capacity ;  to  understand  and  to  teach 
that  all  the  elements  of  human  progress,  which 
God  so  wonderfully  carried  on  separately  as  prep- 
arations for  his  Son  on  earth,  find  their  confluence 
and  their  highest  employ  under  that  gospel  of  which 
his  Son  is  the  centre  and  head ;  that  there  never 


REFRESHING  SHOWERS.  Ill 

was  a  holy  thought,  or  prophetic  yearning,  or  re- 
sponse of  the  hfe  to  the  conscience  in  the  land  of 
promise,  —  never  a  beautiful  word  or  thing  in  the 
land  of  intellect  or  art,  —  never  a  just  ordinance 
or  maxim  of  public  integrity  in  the  land  of  polity 
and  empire,  —  which  that  Christianity,  which  in- 
corporates and  hallows  the  three,  is  not  prepared' 
to  adopt,  to  amplify,  to  ennoble,  to  sanctify.  We 
shall  never  have  a  strong  growing  Church,  until 
Christians  are  brought  up  to  this  standard  of  the 
Bible,  and  become  practical  working  Christians. 

Artillery  Reserve,  near  Beverly  Ford,  Virginli,  ) 
Sunday  Evening,  January  17,  1864.  ) 

My  oavn  precious  Mamma  :  —  I  had  set  apart  this 
evening  particularly  to  devote  in  part  to  you,  but  I  have 
been  occupied  all  day  with  a  murder  case  which  occurred 
last  night,_and  since  my  return  from  jDrayer-meeting,  my 
tent  has  been  full  of  officers  visiting  me  in  relation  to 
the  murder,  so  that  I  am  now  alone  for  the  first  time, 
(eleven  o'clock,  p.  m.) 

This  murder  is  a  terrible  affair.  It  appears  that  the 
tent  of  a  sutler  for  one  of  the  brigades  in  my  command 
was  forcibly  entered  last  night,  the  sutler  beaten  to 
death,  and  all  his  goods  destroyed,  by  men  belonging  to 
some  of  the  batteries.  The  facts  being  reported  to  me, 
1  immediately  ordered  a  Board  of  Inquest  in  the  case, 
and  I  have  arrested  everybody  upon  whom  the  slightest 
suspicion  rests.  The  Board  have  not  yet  finished  their 
investigations,  but  I  imagine  that  it  will  turn  out  that 
there  was  an  attack  made  upon  the  sutler  for  the  pur- 
pose of  robbery,  which  ended  in  a  general  fight,  during 
which  the  deed  was  committed. 

Such  a  thing  could  not  have  happened  in  a  fort  regi- 
ment, having  guards  and  sentries ;  but  in  the  batteries, 
no  guards  are  considered   necessary ;    consequently  the 


112  ''MORE  THAN  CONQUERORS 

men  are  more  at  liberty.  If  the  crime  is  proved  upon 
any  man,  he  will  be  dealt  with  summarily 

I  came  very  near  being  killed  like  General  Corcoran, 
yesterday.  In  coming  from  head-quarters,  my  horse 
broke  through  some  concealed  ice,  in  crossing  a  very 
bad  hole  at  a  rapid  gait,  and  we  both  rolled  over  and 
over  in  the  mud.  My  staff  officers  thought  that  I  was 
killed,  and  I  thought  that  my  horse  was,  for  he  doubled 
his  head  completely  under  him,  and  turned  a  complete 
somersault.  But  thanks  to  a  kind  Providence  I  never 
get  hurt  by  these  kind  of  tumbles,  which  kill  other 
peo2)le  ;  and  I  escaped  with  a  slight  sprain  of  my  wrist. 

But  such  a  looking  object,  or  rather  objects,  as  my 
horse  and  I,  you  never  imagined.  I  was  completely 
covered  with  black  mud  from  head  to  foot,  and  Mc- 
Clellan,  my  big  horse,  was  worse,  for  he  was  considerably 
cut  and  bruised.  I  begin  to  fear  that  my  fate  will  be 
hanging,  for  you  know  'fa  man  born  to  be  hung,  will 
never  be  drowned." 

Mr.  C is  in  Washington,  to  undergo  examination, 

previous  to  his  ordination. 

Our  meeting  to-night  was  very  nice,  but  I  now  feel 
the  want  of  that  ability  to  speak  freely  on  religious 
matters,  which  I  so  much  admire  in  others.  I  consider 
it  one  of  the  great  wants  in  our  Church  system,  that 
young  people  are  not  brought  forward  to  take  an  active 
part  in  religious  meetings.  It  is  a  sore  trial  to  me,  and 
a  source  of  deep  mortification,  that  while  private  soldiers 
under  my  command  can  step  forward  and  lead  in  prayer, 
or  sjDcak  of  the  things  of  Jesus,  I,  who  am  their  leader  in 
everything  else,  am  hardly  able  to  say  a  word  for  Jesus. 

I  suppose  the  real  trouble  is  that  my  fear  of  failing 
in  anything  before  my  men,  is  stronger  than  my  desire 
to  do  my  manifest  duty  in  this  matter ;  and  I  do  strive 
against  the  feeling,  but  yet  the  difficulty  exists.  It  is 
not  diffidence.  I  do  not  hesitate  to  say  anything  to  any- 
body in  the  line  of  my  military  duty,  but  on  this  one 


REFRESHING  SHOWERS.  113 

point  I  feel  myself  to  be  very  weak.  Maybe  practice 
will  help  me,  at  any  rate  I  am  trying. 

]Mi'.  C has  said  so  much  about  W to  the  men. 

that  they  consider  her  a  kind  of  saint  on  earth  (and  in- 
deed they  are  not  far  wrong).  I  think  that  I  can  see 
manifestations  of  a  deeper  affection  for  me  lately  than 
ever  before.  Pardon  me,  darling  mamma,  for  saying  so,. 
when  I  know  that  I  so  little  deserve  their  respect  or 
affection,  but  I  cannot  help  feeling  happy  when  the  men 
ajDpear  to  have  confidence  in  me,  and  to  love  me 

The  chapel  tent,  in  which  so  many  of  their 
pleasant  meetings  were  held  was  put  up  on  the 
slope  of  a  gentle  hill,  and  nearly  surrounded  by  a 
grove  of  pine  woods,  through  which  the  wuids 
swept  with  a  melodious  sigh  day  and  night,  and 
when  this  was  mingled,  as  it  continually  was,  with 
the  soimd  of  many  voices  singing  familiar  fireside 
hymns,  the  music,  as  it  stole  over  the  camp,  hushed 
often  the  loud  laugh  of  the  careless. 

We  have  heard  Howard  Kitching  tell,  with 
tears  in  his  eyes,  how  his  heart  would  throb,  when 
sitting  in  his  tent,  he  heard  the  men  singing  these 
old,  well  worn  hymns,  —  "  Just  as  I  am ; "  "A 
charge  to  keep  I  have ;  "  and  "  When  I  survey  the 
wondrous  cross."  Meetings  were  held  in  this  tent 
three  times  a  day,  and  every  evening.  A  library 
was  formed  of  books  contributed  by  numerous 
friends,  and  religious  books  and  papers  were  dis- 
tributed throughout  the  regiment.  The  tent, 
when  not  otherwise  occupied,  was  also  used  as  a 
reading  room.  And  in  this  way  much  was  done  for 
the  temporal  and  spiritual  welfare  of  the  soldiers. 


114  ''MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 


TO    HIS    FATHER. 

Saturday  Night,  January  30,  1864. 

Mr.  C must  have  been  exceedingly  pleased  with 

his  visit  home.  He  can't  say  enough  of  you  all.  Many 
thanks  for  the  basket  of  things;  I  shall  enjoy  them 
very  much. 

I  am  building  me  a  new  log-house  over  in  the  regi- 
mental camp,  as  I  shall  vacate  these  premises  in  favor  of 
the  new  commanding  officer,  Colonel  Burton,  5th  U.  S. 
Artillery,  on  Friday  next.  I  hope  to  be  with  you  again 
for  a  day  or  two  immediately  after  the  first  of  the  month, 
as  it  has  become  necessary  for  me  to  visit  Albany  again, 
in  connection  with  some  new  companies  which  the  gov- 
ernor is  sending  to  the  regiment.  I  am  filling  up  the 
regiment  very  rapidly  now,  and  hope  that  by  April  I 
shall  have  over  fifteen  hundred  men  in  the  field 

I  wish  you  could  see  our  chapel  tent,  papa,  and  the 
men  flocking  to  it  to  hear  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  Numbers 
come  out  openly,  every  day,  and  rejoice  in  having  found 
the  Lord.     There  are  now  three  clergymen  in  the  tent, 

besides  Mr.  C .     A  chapel  tent  has  also  been  put  up 

in  the  regular  brigade,  horse  artillery,  in  this  command. 
I  am  very  grateful  and  happy  for  all  this.  Indeed,  were 
it  not  for  this,  I  should  be  sorely  tempted  to  quit  the 
army  before  spring 

Good  by  !  God  bless  you  all  with  his  choicest  bless- 
ings.     Your  loving  son,  Howard. 

Wednesday  Evening,  February  3,  1864. 
My  dearest  Papa  :  —  Many  thanks  for  your  kind, 
encouraging  letter  of  January  oOth.  The  box  has  not 
yet  arrived,  but  will  be  very  welcome  when  it  does 
come  ;  the  only  trouble  will  be  how  to  distribute  the 
good  things,  as  our  meetings  include  about  three  hundred 

men  now,  and  are  increasing  daily My  regiment 

is  filling  up  very  rapidly.     I  have  now  eleven  hundred 


REFRESHING  SHOWERS.  115 

and  sixty-six  men,  and  shall  have  eighteen  hundred  be- 
fore the  spring  campaign  opens.  One  new  company  from 
Elmira  has  been  added  in  a  body.  The  captain  is  a 
Methodist  clergyman,  and  "  spouts  "  in  meeting  at  a  great 
rate. 

I  shall  be  relieved  from  this  command  to-morrow, 
probably,  and  shall  be  very  glad  to  be  free  from  the  addi- 
tional care  and  responsibility  ;  and  many  recruits  having 
joined  my  regiment,  I  ought  to  be  with  it. 

There  is  really  a  revival  in  my  regiment.  Men  are 
coming  forward  daily  to  testify  for  Jesus,  and  a  percepti- 
ble change  in  the  tone  of  the  entire  regiment  is  manifest. 
Would  that  my  officers  could  be  moved  by  God's  Spirit 
to  come  out  on  the  right  side  !  There  is  a  clergyman 
from  Philadelphia  now  here.  He  preaches  every  even- 
ing, and  says  that  he  never  attended  more  interesting 
meetings. 

But  I  cannot  quite  overcome  my  old  antipathy  to 
their  "-free  and  easy,"  everybody-get-up-and-say-some- 
thing  style,  and  frequently  see  and  hear  things  which  seem 
to  me  quite  inconsistent  with  the  solemnity  of  the  occa- 
sion  

A  work  of  grace  like  this  could  not  go  forward 
without  exciting  enmity,  and  the  bitterest  opposition 
among  the  ungodly  men  of  the  regiment.  The 
chaplain  was  persecuted,  and  every  effort  was  made 
to  effect  his  removal.  The  colonel  was  opposed 
by  those  from  whom  he  had  hoped  better  things, 
and  Satan  made  a  fierce  onset,  to  overthrow  the 
work  so  gloriously  begun.  But  though  "  cast 
down,"  Howard  Kitching  was  not  "  destroyed," 
and  with  a  sad  but  brave  heart  he  went  quietly 
forward,  and  he  and  the  chaplain  ultimately  lived 
down  all  opposition,  and  many  soldiers  were  en- 
listed under  the  banner  of  the  Crucij&ed. 


116  "MORE    THAN  CONQUEROR." 

This  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  was  not  confined 
by  any  means  to  Howard  Kitching's  regiment ;  it 
was  very  general  throughout  the  army  of  the 
Potomac  this  winter.  Not  only  in  chapel  tents, 
but  by  the  camp  fires,  on  the  cold  hill-side,  the 
voice  of  prayer  was  heard,  and  the  answer  came, 
and  many  a  heart  beat  stronger  through  the  grace 
that  is  in  Christ  Jesus. 

As  the  spring  campaign  was  drawing  on,  and 
the  hour  of  battle  near,  the  Lord's  Supper  was 
celebrated  for  the  last  time,  —  to  many  of  the  men 
their  last  communion.  From  those  who  shared  in 
these  privileges,  we  have  had  most  touching  ac- 
counts of  these  scenes  in  the  army  ;  from  the 
strangeness  of  the  surroundings,  and  solemnity  of 
the  associations,  they  were  scenes  never  to  be  for- 
gotten. 

March  22, 1864. 
....  We  are  now  having  the  most  violent  snow- 
storm of  the  winter.  It  has  been  storming  all  the  after- 
noon, and  the  snow  is  nearly  a  foot  deep,  making  the 
camp  look  very  cold  and  dreary ;  the  sentry  in  front  of 
my  tent  is  nearly  blinded,  and  can  scarcely  walk  his  beat. 
I  am  not  very  well,  but  yet  not  very  sick;  probably  the 
March  weather  has  affected  my  lungs  again.  I  have 
kept  in  my  little  house  all  day,  and  am  now  going  to 
bed 

March  25,  1864. 

....  It  is  storming  so  fearfully  that  I  am  almost 
deafened  with  the  thunder  of  the  rain  upon  my  canvas 
roof.  It  has  been  a  very  gloomy  day,  and  the  patches 
of  dirty  snow  scattered  here  and  there,  make  the  land- 
scape far  from  agreeable.  We  have  had  such  a  dry,  mild 
winter,  that  I  fear   our  troubles  are  yet  to  come  in  the 


REFRESHING  SHOWERS.  117 

shape  of  spring  rains,  and  indeed  it  is  raining  just  now, 
as  though  it  would  never  stop. 

Tuesday  we  had  a  regular  old-fasliioned  snow-storm. 
The  snow  fell  to  the  depth  of  about  eight  inches,  and 
Wednesday  morning  cleared  up  as  bright  as  could  be, 
the  sun  making  everything  sparkle  and  glisten  like  gold. 
Some  of  my  men  made  me  a  little  rustic  sleigh,  to  which 
I  harnessed  my  two  horses,  and  gave  Mrs.  Colonel  Burton 
a  sleigh  ride ;  the  only  sleigh,  I  guess,  that  has  ever  ap- 
peared in  the  Army  of  the   Potomac. 

Yesterday  we  had  the  greatest  fun !  The  men  from 
the  different  companies  began  to  snowball  each  other  ; 
so  I  divided  the  regiment  into  two  wings,  about  two 
hundred  men  U23on  each  side.  I  took  command  of  the 
right  wing,  and  gave  the  Lieutenant-colonel  and  Major 
the  left,  and  after  inviting  Colonel  and  ISIrs.  Burton  out 
to  see  the  sport,  we  had  a  scientijic  snowballing.  The 
battle  lasted  for  about  an  hour,  but  although  the  left 
wing  had  the  most  men,  yet  my  wing  drove  them  off  the 
ground,  simply  by  tactical  manoeuvring. 

No  one  was  killed,  but  several  wounded,  including 
many  officers.  Three  or  four  of  them  have  black  eyes 
to-day  ;  but  all  enjoyed  it  very  much,  and  the  frolic  did 
the  men  a  great  deal  of  good.  It  certainly  did  me  a 
service,  for  I  have  been  so  blue  latel}^,  and  have  been  so 
confined,  and  felt  so    discouraged,  that  the  effect  of  a 

hearty  laugh  was  beneficial I  have  been  so  worried 

lately  that  I  am  not  like  my  old  self  at  all I  am 

beginning  to  feel  very  old  —  older  every  day  !  .  .   .  . 

March  27,  1864,  Sunday^  Midnight. 

My  o^vn  sweet  Darling:  —  Again  has  the  holy 
Sabbath  (and  Easter,  too)  been  to  me  a  day  of  hard, 
hard  work. 

Colonel  Burton  has  turned  over  the  command  of  the 
reserve  to  me,  as  he  is  to  leave  to-morrow,  and  two  regi- 
ments of  heavy  artillery  have  reported  to  me,  and  kept 


118  "MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

me  on  the  jump,  organizing  matters,  and  getting  them 
into  camp.  They  are  very  large  indeed,  —  the  4th  and 
the  15th  New  York  Artillery,  —  numbering  twenty-five 
hundred  men  each.  The  4th  will  be  ordered  to  the  2d 
Corps  soon,  but  the  15th  will  be  brigaded  with  my  regi- 
ment, giving  me  the  command  of  a  brigade  of  four 
thousand  men.  General  Hunt  thinks  it  will  be  perma- 
nent, so  I  suppose  I  shall  be  acting  brigadier-general 
till  the  end  of  the  war  ;  or  till  I  get  my  head  shot  off — 
no,  my  darling,  no  danger  of  that ! 

I  will  write  you  all  about  my  new  command  to-morrow. 
I  wonder  how  you  have  spent  this  beautiful  Easter  Sun- 
day ?  Do  you  remember  the  last  ?....!  have  good 
news  for  you.  I  shall  try  to  run  home  for  two  or  three 
days    after    Colonel    Burton    returns  —  probably    next 

week If  I  can  only  get  one  clay  at  home,  I  will 

come Pardon  this  hurried  note,  my  darling,  it  is 

the  best  I  can  do  to-night ;  but  I  could  not  let  this  Sun- 
day go  without  dropping  at  least  a  line  to  my  own  "  little 
heart's-ease."  .... 

Head -QUARTERS  First  Brigade,  Artillery  Reserve,  ) 
Sunday  Evening,  April  17.  ) 

My  own  precious  Mamma  :  —  Your  dear,  sweet  let- 
ter has  been  read  again  and  again,  and  would  have  been 
answered  long  since,  if  I  had  been  able ;  but  as  you  will 
see  by  the  heading  of  this,  I  am  acting  brigadier-gen- 
eral, and  as  it  will  be  a  permanent  command,  I  am 
organizing  it  to  suit  my  ideas ;  and  changing  many 
things.  After  I  get  the  machine  running  regularly,  I 
shall  not  have  as  much  to  do,  as  when  commanding 
officer  of  my  regiment,  there  being  fewer  details ;  but  for 
a  time  I  shall  have  every  moment  occupied.  I  have 
about  four  thousand  men  in  my  brigade,  two  thousand 
being  Dutchmen 

I  have  not  enjoyed  my  Sunday  at  all.  Orders  have 
been  coming  in  all  day,  and  my  tent  has  been  filled 
with  officers  from  the  different  corps.     These  Sundays 


REFRESHING  SHOWERS.  119 

in  the  army  are  dreadful  indeed,  spent  as  they  are  gen- 
erally. I  am  not  usually  annoyed  in  this  way,  for  officers 
know  that  I  like  to  have  my  Sundays  to  myself,  but  to- 
day many  have  called  to  congratulate  me  upon  my  new 
command. 

O,  how  I  look  back  upon  our  dear,  quiet  Sundays  at 
home,  particularly  the  evening  time,  when  we  have  for  so 
many  years  been  all  together  singing  sweet  hymns  ;  and 
I  can  truly  say  "  making  melody  in  our  hearts  to  the 
Lord." 

I  believe,  darling  mamma,  that  children  never  had  so 
many  pleasant  times  to  look  back  upon,  shadowed  by  so 
little  grief ;  and  under  the  dear  Lord's  kind  providence 
we  owe  our  gratitude  to  you  and  dear  papa  for  making 
our  home  so  pleasant,  and  throwing  around  it  so  many 
blessed  associations. 

And  my  own  darling  mother,  none  of  your  children 
appreciate  that  dear  home  more  than  I  ;  indeed  I  be- 
lieve, JiDt  half  as  much.  How  could  they  ?  All  have  a 
home  but  me ;  I  sometimes  feel  like  a  wanderer  uj^on 
the  face  of  the  earth 

My  last  visit  home  was  on  many  accounts  one  of  the 
brightest  spots  in  my  life.     My  darling  boy  is  so  sweet, 

and  seems  to  love  me  so  dearly and  though  all 

these  things  make    it   much  harder  to  leave  you  all,  yet 

the   memory   is    very    comforting  and  pleasant 

I  find  that  this  routine  of  military  duties  is  becoming 
more  irksome  to  me  every  day.  I  long  for  home,  with 
those  I  love,  and  who  love  me. 

I  note  what  you  say  of  the  dear  Lord's  care  of  me 
and  mine.  I  do  not  forget  this,  dearest  mamma  ;  indeed 
I  could  not  endure  this  experience,  if  I  were  not  certain 
that  my  darlings  are  in  better  keeping  than  any  protec- 
tion I  could  give  them 

April  22,  1864. 

....  My  brigade  is  splendid.  We  were  reviewed 
by  General  Grant  on  Wednesday.  He  only  gave  us 
thirty  minutes'  notice  to  turn  out.    I  had  three  thousand 


120  ''MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

men  on  the  ground,  and  was  complimented  very  highly 
upon  their  appearance,  their  perfect  drill,  and  splendid 
marching.  I  was  introduced  personally  to  General 
Grant 

TO  HIS  FATHER. 

Saturday  Evening,  April  30,  1864. 

....  I  have  been  suiFering  from  a  pretty  severe  at- 
tack of  pleurisy  since  yesterday.  At  one  time  to-day,  I 
was  in  dreadful  pain ;  but  have  been  blistered,  and  am 
now  much  better.  I  trust  I  shall  be  all  right  in  the 
morning.  I  was  foolish  enough  to  drop  asleep  in  my 
tent,  with  a  draught  blowing  over  me,  and  my  illness  is 
the  natural  result 

I  suppose  you  are  all  auxious  to  know  something  of 
the  destination  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  in- 
deed so  are  ive.  No  one  knows  anything.  We  are 
making  great  preparations ;  so  are  the  rebs.  They  are 
throwing  up  dirt  most  industriously  in  our  front  at  Cul- 
pepper. 

This  army  is  growing  like  magic.  My  own  regiment 
is  to-night  over  eighteen  hundred  strong;  my  brigade 
thirty-nine  hundred.  I  have  had  a  battery  of  mortars 
turned  over  to  me  to-day  which  smells  strongly  of  siege. 
I  am  drilling  my  brigade  very  hard,  and  have  an  idea 
that  you  may  hear  something  from  the  "  First  Brigade, 
Ai-tillery  Reserve,  Army  of  the  Potomac,"  before  fall. 
My  Dutchmen  say  that  I  am  '■Her  duyvil,''  because  I 
"  gives  'em  so  much  drill,  and  so  little  lager."  But  I 
am  sitting  up  too  late  for  a  sick  man,  and  must  go  to 
bed 


THE  WILDERNESS. 


" '  What  have  you  seen  ? '    said  Christian. 

" '  Seen !  why  the  valley  itself,  which  is  as  dark  as 
pitch :  we  also  saw  there  the  hobgoblins,  satyrs,  and 
dragons  of  the  pit ;  we  heard  also  in  that  valley  a  con- 
tinual howling  and  yelling,  as  of  a  people  under  unutter- 
able misery,  who  there  sat  bound  in  affliction  and  irons : 
and  over  that  valley  hung  the  discouraging  clouds  of 
confusion :  Death  also  doth  always  spread  his  wings 
over  it.  In  a  word  it  is  every  whit  dreadful,  being 
utterly  without  order.' " 

Bunyan's  PiLGKi]*rs  Progress. 


CHAPTER  VI. 
THE  WILDERNESS. 

"  He  found  him  in  a  desert  land,  and  in  the  waste  howling  wilder- 
ness; he  led  him  about,  he  instructed  him,  he  kept  him  as  the  apple  of 
his  eye."  —  Deut.  xxxii.  10. 

On  the  3d  of  May  the  order  went  forth  for  the 
army  to  march. 

We  give  an  extract  from  the  journal  of  a  friend 
of  Colonel  Kitching's,  as  it  is  one  of  the  indica- 
tions we  have  of  the  kind  of  preparation  he  made, 
when  it  was  possible,  before  going  into  battle. 

May  3,  1864. 
Colonel  Kitching  sent  for  me  at  eleven  o'clock,  p.  m., 
as  we  were  to  leave  at  three  o'clock,  the  following 
morning,  to  begin  our  campaign  in  the  Wilderness. 
After  some  pleasant  talk  we  read  the  Bible  together,  and 
then  prayed  for  God's  blessing  for  ourselves  and  families, 
and  the  army,  and  especially  our  regiment.  The  hour 
and  a  half  thus  spent  together  was  a  solemn  and  precious 
time.     We  parted  very  cheerful  and  happy  in  the  Lord. 

Ten  o^clock,  p.  m. 
The  men  are  singing  and  packing  up. 

The  5th  of  May  found  a  hundred  thousand  men 
across  the  Rapidan. 

The  barrier  that  had  so  long  divided  the  opposing 
armies  was  passed,  and  with  the  mingled  emotions  which 
grand  and  novel  enterprises  stir  in  men's  breasts,  the 


124  ''MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

troops  looked  out,  hopefully,  yet  conscious  that  a  terrible 
struggle  was  before  them,  into  a  region  yet  untrodden  by 
the  hostile  armies,  but  soon  to  become  historic  by  a 
fierce  grapple  of  armed  hosts  and  bloody  battles  in 
many  tangled  woods. 

The  line  of  march  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
after  crossing  the  Rapidan,  led  through  a  region 
known  as  the  Wilderness.  This  desolate  region  is 
thus  described  by  the  author  from  whom  we  have 
just  quoted :  — 

It  is  impossible  to  conceive  a  field  worse  adapted  to 
the  movements  of  a  grand  army.  The  whole  face  of  the 
country  is  thickly  wooded,  with  only  an  occasional  open- 
ing, and  intersected  by  a  few  narrow  wood-roads.  But 
the  woods  of  the  Wilderness  have  not  the  ordinary 
features  of  a  forest.  The  region  rests  on  a  belt  of  min- 
eral rocks,  and,  for  above  a  hundred  years,  extensive 
mining  has  here  been  carried  on.  To  feed  the  mines 
the  timber  of  the  country  for  many  miles  around  had 
been  cut  down,  and  in  its  place  there  had  arisen  a  dense 
undergrowth  of  low-limbed  and  shaggy  pines,  and  stiff 
and  bristling  chincapins,  scrub-oaks,  and  hazel.  It  is 
a  region  of  gloom  and  the  shadow  of  death.  IManeu- 
vering  here  was  necessarily  out  of  the  question,  and 
only  Indian  tactics  told.  The  troops  could  only  re- 
ceive direction  by  a  point  of  the  compass  ;  for  not  only 
were  the  lines  of  battle  entirely  hidden  from  the  sight  of 
the  commander,  but  no  officer  could  see  ten  files  on  each 
side  of  him.  Artillery  was  wholly  ruled  out  of  use ;  the 
massive  concentration  of  three  hundred  guns  stood  silent, 
and  only  an  occasional  piece  or  section  could  be  brought 
into  play  on  the  roadsides.  Cavalry  was  still  more  use- 
less. 

It  was  not  the  design  of  General  Grant  to  give 


THE    WILDERNESS.  125 

battle  in  this  difficult  country,  but  he  hoped,  by 
turning  the  Confederate  right,  he  would  be  able  to 
mask  his  march  through  the  Wilderness,  and  then 
by  rapid  advance  towards  Gordonsville,  plant  him- 
self between  the  Confederate  army  and  Richmond. 
But  Lee,  instead  of  falling  back  on  finding  his  flank 
turned,  took  a  strategic  offensive,  directed  a  rapid 
concentration  of  his  forces  to  meet  Grant,  and 
aimed  to  shut  up  Grant  in  the  Wilderness. 

We  cannot  follow  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  step 
by  step  through  the  terrible  battles  of  the  Wilder- 
ness, —  the  strangest  battles  ever  fought,  —  though 
to  do  so  would  give  examples  of  patient  suffering, 
unfaltering  courage,  and  high  heroism,  such  as  the 
world  has  seldom  witnessed  or  history  recorded. 

Brav;e  young  boys  !  how  many  fought  their  last 
battle  there.  To  many  of  them,  one  step  from  the 
thorny  tangled  wilderness  to  the  sapphire  pave- 
ment above. 

This  great  struggle  commenced  on  the  5th  of 
May,  but  Colonel  Kitching's  brigade  was  not  or- 
dered in  until  the  following  morning.  The  sol- 
diers had  been  listening  to  the  roar  of  cannon  and 
the  peal  of  musketry,  and  the  confused  noise  from 
the  battle-field  all  day,  and  the  order  for  them  to 
enter  where  the  shadow  of  death  was  falling  so 
heavily,  seemed  to  sober  and  solemnize  the  most 
thoughtless. 

A  meeting  for  prayer  was  held  at  midnight. 
The  spot  chosen  was  the  graves  of  those  who  had 
fallen   in  the  previous  battle  of   Chancellor sville. 


126  '*MORE  THAN  CONQUEROR." 

The  moon  lit  up  tins  strange  scene.  Forty-seven 
men  were  there,  mth  their  colonel  among  them. 
We  have  heard  Howard  Kitching  often  tell  of  this 
night,  and  of  the  earnest,  simple  prayers  of  these 
soldiers,  only  such  prayers  as  are  made  at  such 
times. 

Such  scenes  as  these  were  not  uncommon  in  the 
army  of  the  Potomac,  and  we  think  they  deserve 
to  be  recorded,  as  they  are  among  the  few  things 
that  can  relieve  the  dark  background  of  the  dread- 
ful thing  men  call  war. 

Howard  Kitching's  military  journal  of  this  pe- 
riod shows  an  amount  of  labor,  suffering,  and  pri- 
vation that  befel  the  troops  in  the  continual  shift- 
ing of  his  corps,  fighting  by  day,  and  marching 
by  night,  of  which  no  general  statement  can  give 
any  idea.  For  twelve  days  the  fighting  was  inces- 
sant. Every  effort  was  made  during  that  time 
to  find  a  spot  where  the  rebel  lines  could  be 
broken.  But  these  attempts  were  skillfully  met  at 
every  point ;  wherever  an  attack  was  made,  the 
enemy  bristled  out  in  breastworks,  and  every  inch 
of  ground  was  contended  for,  with  a  dash  and  a 
vigor  which  could  not  be  overcome. 

The  following  was  written  on  a  little  scrap  of 
paper,  on  the  battle-field  :  — 

Neab  Spottsylvania  Court  House,  3fay  13,  1864.  ) 
Six  0^ clock,  A.  M.  ) 

My  own  precious  Darling:  —  I  thank  God,  I  am 
still  alive,  and  able  to  write  you  a  line,  for  I  know  that 
you  must  be  terribly  anxious. 

We  have  all  been  going  through  the  most  terrible  ex- 


THE    WILDERNESS.  127 

periences  for  the  past  week,  reaching  the  climax  yester- 
day and  last  night.  The  world  never  saw  such  fight- 
ing. Both  sides  feel  this  to  be  the  last  struggle,  and 
contend  with  a  fierceness  that  is  awful.  Our  losses  have 
been  fearfid,  probably /or^y  thousand. 

I  am  not  well,  darling,  and  after  the  excitement  is 
over  shall  probably  feel  worse.  Would  that  this  were 
the  last  of  this  terrible  struggle  !  How  I  long  to  know 
how  my  darlings  are,  and  how  I  long  to  be  with  you, 
never,  never  to  leave  you  again. 

The  general  result  of  our  week's  fighting  has  been 
good,  but  the  cost  heavy. 

I  cannot  write  more  now,  darling;  I  am  sitting  in 
the  mud  and  rain,  the  very  dirtiest  looking  object  you 
ever  beheld.  I  will  send  a  line  as  I  have  opportunity. 
Bless  you,  my  sweet  wife  !  Ever  your  own 

Howard. 

General  Grant,  at  length  becoming  satisfied  that 
Lee  could  not  be  dislodged  from  his  stronghold  in 
this  entangled  Wilderness  by  direct  assault,  resolved 
by  a  flank  movement  to  dislodge  him  from  this  un- 
assailable position. 

"  Preparations  for  this  movement  were  begun  on 
the  afternoon  of  the  19th.  of  May ;  but  the  enemy 
observing  these,  retarded  its  execution  by  a  bold 
demonstration  against  the  Union  right.  It  hap- 
pened that  the  flank  was  held  by  a  division  of  foot 
artillerists,  under  General  Tyler,  posted  in  an  im- 
portant position,  covering  the  road  from  Spottsyl- 
vania  to  Fredericksburg,  which  was  the  army's 
main  line  of  communication  with  its  base  at  the 
latter  point.  Ewell  crossed  the  Ny  River  above 
the  right  flank,  and  moving  down,  seized  the  Fred- 


128  ''MORE   THAN   CONQUEROR." 

ericksburg  road,  and  laid  hands  on  an  ammunition 
train  coming  up.  Tyler  promptly  met  this  attack, 
and  succeeded  in  driving  the  enemy  from  the  road, 
and  into  the  woods  beyond.  The  foot  artillerists 
had  not  before  been  in  battle,  but  it  was  found 
that  once  under  fire,  they  displayed  an  audacity 
surpassing  even  th-e  old  troops.  In  these  murder- 
ous wood-fights,  the  veterans  had  learned  to  em- 
ploy all  the  Indian  devices  that  aif ord  shelter  to 
the  person ;  but  these  green  battalions,  unused  to 
this  kind  of  craft,  pushed  boldly  on,  firing  furi- 
ously. Their  loss  was  heavy,  but  the  honor  of  the 
enemy's  repulse  belongs  to  them." 

These  "  green  battalions  "  were  the  foot  artiller- 
ists of  Colonel  Kitching's  brigade. 

It  was  soon  after  the  battle,  when  the  land  was 
filled  with  rumors  of  battles  lost  and  woii,  and 
anxious  hearts  were  watching  for  some  certain  tid- 
ings, that  a  poor  woman,  respectably  clad,  called  at 
Howard's  home,  and  asked  to  see  his  mother.  She 
remarked  that  she  was  a  mother,  mth  a  son  in  the 
army,  and  therefore  knew  what  a  mother  felt  at 
such  a  time ;  that  she  had  walked  a  long  distance 
to  give  her  to  read  a  letter  from  her  son,  who  was 
in  Colonel  Kitching's  regiment.  We  cannot  refrain 
from  giving  an  extract,  as  it  serves  to  show  the 
class  of  men  that  composed  his  command  :  — 

On  the  19th  inst.,  near  Spottsylvania  Court  House, 
our  (Kitching's)  -brigade  and  Tyler's  division  were  at- 
tacked by  Ewell's  whole  corps,  and  led  by  that  general 
in  person ;  and  although  it  was  the  first  time  we  were 


THE    WILDERNESS.  129' 

so  actively  engaged,  aDfl  could  not  be  expected  to  stand' 
as  unflinchingly  as  older  troops,  still  the  flower  of  the> 
Southern  army,  led  by  one  of  their  ablest  generals,  and? 
outnumbering  us  five  to  one,  could  not  force  us  back  one- 
foot. 

Our  little  colonel  was  at  his  post  as  usual,  with  a 
smile  and  cheerful  remark  for  all,  and  a  word  of  consola- 
tion for  the  w^ounded.  Our  regiment  captured,  during 
the  fight,  seventy-nine  prisoners.  They  all  say  that  they 
were  addressed  by  their  general  before  they  left,  who 
told  them  that  they  were  going  to  attack  raw  troops,  and 
a  victory  would  be  easy  and  decisive ;  but  they  all  say 
they  do  not  wish  to  see  any  more  such  raw  troops. 

Our  colonel  may  well  be  proud  of  his  regiment,  as 
w^e  are  of  him  as  our  commanding  officer.  I  wish  you 
could  see  him  once.  To  see  him  is  to  respect  him ;  but 
to  know  him  is  to  love  him.  Pie  is  just  my  idea  of  a 
perfect  soldier  and  gentleman.  While  the  shells  are  fly- 
ing over  us,  and  the  bullets  whizzing  past  us,  he  is  walk- 
ing leisurely  up  and  down  the  line,  and  if  any  of  the 
boys  should  dodge,  he  will  say  with  a  smile,  "  No  ducking, 
—  stand  up  !  "  His  demeanor  and  example  in  battle 
has  made  heroes  of  the  meanest  cowards. 

The  conduct  of  the  6tli  Artillery  in  this  battle 
was  thus  noticed,  in  the  following  General  Order : 

Head-quarters  Army  of  the  Potomac. 
The  Major-general  commanding  desires  to  express 
his  satisfaction  with  the  good  conduct  of  Tyler's  divis- 
ion and  Kitching's  brigade  of  heavy  artillery  in  the  af- 
fair of  yesterday  evening.  The  gallant  manner  in  which 
those  commands  (the  greater  portion  being  for  the  first 
time  under  fire),  met  and  checked  the  persistent  attacks 
of  a  corps  of  the  enemy,  led  by  one  of  the  ablest  gen- 
erals, justified  the  commanding  general  in  the  si)ecial 
commendation  of  troops,  who,  henceforth,  will  be  relied 


130  ''MORE   THAN   CONQUERORS 

tupon,    as  were  the    tried  veterans   of  the   Second   and 
Fifth  corps,  at  the  same  time  engaged. 

By  command  of  Major-general  Meade, 

[Signed]  S.  S.  Williams,  A.  A.  G. 

Brigadier-general  Tyler, 
Commanding  Division. 

The  terrible  experience  of  the  twelve  days  be- 
fore Spottsylvania  convinced  every  man  in  the 
army  that  the  position  of  Lee  was,  in  truth,  im- 
pregnable. Above  forty  thousand  men  had  al- 
ready fallen  in  the  bloody  encounters.  General 
Grant,  anxious  as  he  was  to  give  Lee  a  crushing 
blow,  was  convinced  that  it  could  not  be  done  by 
direct  assault.  He  then  began  to  turn  the  posi- 
tion by  a  flanli  march.  This  is  an  operation  usu- 
ally accounted  very  hazardous,  in  the  presence  of 
a  vigilant  enemy.  It  was,  nevertheless,  conducted 
with  great  precision,  and  skill,  and  complete  suc- 
-  cess. 

This  turning  movement,  jealously  guarded  as  it 
was,  did  not  pass  unobserved  by  the  wary  enemy. 
Accordingly,  at  midnight  on  the  20th,  the  same 
:night  on  which  Hancock  set  out,  Longstreet's 
corps  was  headed  southward,  and  another  grand 
/race  between  the  two  armies,  similar  to  that  from 
the  Wilderness  to  Spottsylvania,  was  begun. 
Neither  army  seems  to  have  sought  to  deal  the 
other  a  blow  while  on  the  march,  and  both  headed, 
as  for  a  common  goal,  towards  the  North  Anna. 
On  the  morning  of  the  23d  May,  the  army  reached 
the  northern  bank  of  that  stream.  But  it  was 
only  to  descry  its  old  enemy  planted  on  the  oppo- 


THE    WILDERNESS.  131 

site  side.  After  a  series  of  strategical  moves, 
crossing  and  recrossing  the  North  Anna,  the  army 
struck  to  the  southward  and  was  across  the  Pa- 
munkey  on  the  28th.  Pushing  on  towards  the 
Chickahominy,  heavy  skirmishing  took  place  on 
the  30th  of  May,  as  they  drew  near  that  river,  the 
approaches  to  which  they  found  strongly  covered 
by  Lee's  army. 

It  was  ascertained  that  the  whole  of  Swell's 
corps  held  position  at  Shady  Grove  Church,  and  as 
the  enemy  soon  afterwards  appeared  to  be  threat- 
ening to  move  round  by  the  Mechanicsville  pike 
and  turn  Warren's  left,  Crawford  directed  one  of 
his  brigades  to  the  left  to  cover  that  road.  This 
brigade  had  hardly  reached  the  vicinity  of  Be- 
thesda  Church  when  Rhodes'  division  of  Swell's 
corps  assailed  it  furiously  in  the  flank.  After 
maintaining  the  unequal  contest  for  a  few  mo- 
ments, the  brigade  fell  back  to  the  Shady  Grove 
road  with  the  enemy  in  full  pursuit.  At  this  m©- 
ment  General  Crawford  brought  up  the  remainder 
of  the  reserves,  and  Colonel  Kitching's  brigade  of 
heavy  artillery  opened  fire  in  conjunction  with 
batteries  on  both  flanks,  which  nearly  demolished 
the  rebel  column  of  attack.  The  enemy  fell  back 
in  terrible  disorder,  and  left  their  dead  and 
wounded  behind  them  on  the  field. 

His  own  letter  gives  an  account  of  this  struggle, 
out  of  which  he  came  unharmed,  sheltered,  as  he 
felt  he  had  been,  by  the  impenetrable  armor 
wrought  out  of  many  prayers. 


132  ''MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

South  Side  of  Pamuxkey  River,  Virginia,  ) 
May  29,  1864.  ) 

My  dear  Papa  :  —  I  would  have  written  you  a  line 
long  since,  knowing  how  very  anxious  you  must  be,  but 
it  has  been  quite  impossible  to  get  a  letter  away,  and  I 
have  had  no  mail  from  home  since  the  8th.  I  am 
most  anxious  to  hear  from  you  all,  and  if  I  jiermitted 
myself  to  think  of  my  anxiety  and  imaginings,  I  slioidd 
be  quite  unfitted  for  duty.  But  I  know  that  the  same 
kind  Hand  that  has  so  wonderfully  preserved  me  through 
the  past  three  weeks  has  my  loved  ones  in  his  keeping, 
and  that  I  can  leave  them  with  Ilim. 

I  sup})ose  that  the  papers  have  given  you  a  pretty 
good  idea  of  our  present  whereabouts,  and  our  doings 
since  the  opening  of  the  campaign,  but  nothing  but  the 
actual  experience  could  give  one  any  adequate  concep- 
tion of  the  severity  of  the  fighting.  I  had  considered 
myself  an  old  soldier  after  the  Peninsula  campaign,  but 
have  learned  that  I  had  never  seen  fighting  till  now. 

My  brigade,  three  thousand  strong,  is  doing  duty  as 
infantry,  and  has  "seen  the  elephant,"  I  assure  you. 
When  our  army  first  met  the  enemy.  May  6th,  I  was 
ordered  to  the  front,  and  reported  to  General  Warren, 
Fifth  Corps.  He  ordered  me  to  join  General  Wads- 
worth,  who  was  fighting  and  hard  pressed  in  a  thick 
wood,  on  the  left  of  our  line.  I  "  pitched  in,"  but  be- 
fore I  could  join  Wads  worth,  he  was  shot  through  the 
head,  and  I  met  his  division  broken  and  coming  to  the 
rear.  I  let  his  tired  men  pass  through  my  lines,  and 
waited  for  "  Johnny  Reb  ; "  but  at  the  first  fire  my 
right  regiment  broke  and  ran  away,  leaving  the  right  of 
my  line  unprotected,  and  the  best  I  could  do  was  to  fiiU 
back  fighting.  My  own  regiment  did  splendidly,  ma- 
neuvering as  coolly  as  if  on  drill.  After  getting  my 
brigade  together  again,  we  went  in  and  "  flaxed  "  the 
rebs  out. 

Since  the  6th  instant   my  command   has   fought  with 


THE    WILDERNESS.  133 

every  corps  in  the  army  ;  and  on  the  19th,  I  was  sent 
up  on  the  right  flank  to  guard  the  Fredericksburg  road 
while  the  rest  of  the  army  was  making  a  demonstration 
on  our  left. 

I  made  my  dispositions  as  well  as  I  could,  but  from 
the  length  of  the  line  which  I  was  required  to  hold  I 
had  to  scatter  my  brigade  too  much."     At  four   o'clock 
P.  M,  I  was  attacked   by  Ewell's  entire  corps,  but  my 
men  did  fight  magnificently.      We  never  lost  one  inch 
of  ground,  but  held  the  whole  corps  of  rebs  till  nearly 
SIX  o  clock,  when  reinforcements  came   on  the   ground. 
Ihe  fun  of  it  is  that   the  reinforcements    came  on  the 
ground  separately,  by  regiments  and  batteries,  and  learn- 
ing that  your  hopeful  son  was  in  command  of  the  posi- 
tion they  reported  to  me,  so  that  by  seven  o'clock  I  was 
fighting  over  seven  thousand  men,  and  in  command  of 
more  than  a   division.     My  old   regiment,  the  Second 
Aew  York,  reported  to  me,  and  I  had  the  pleasure   of 

leading  one  battalion  into  the  fight I  have  lost 

thirteen  officers  and  five  hundred  and  thirty-two  men 
m  my  brigade,  but  the  command  is  in  first-rate  condition 
and  spn-its,  and  appear  to  tliink  that  they  have  been 
pretty  well  handled. 

I  inclose  copy  of  an  order  issued  by  General  Meade 
on  the  action  of  the  nineteenth,  which  will  explain  itself. 
lou  must  not  misunderstand  me,  dear  papa,  in  thus 
speaking  of  my  command.  My  officers  and  men  de- 
serve all  the  credit  that  they  have  received,  and  of 
course  I  am  proud  of  them  ;  and  am  sure  that  you  will 
be  glad  to  know  that  my  command  has  done  well 

We  had  a  brisk  fight  crossing  the  ]S^orth  Anna,  on  the 
twenty-third.  My  Christian  men  have  done  particularly 
well  I  could  tell  you  of  many  instances  of  most  he- 
roic behavior  on  their  part,  but  have  not  time  now.  I 
can  hartUy  realize  my  own  escape.  From  the  fact  that 
my  troops  were  mostly  new,  I  felt  it  to  be  necessary  to 
expose  myself  more  than  would  otherwise  have  been  my 


134  "MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

duty,  and  yet,  while  every  one  of  my  field  officers  has 
either  been  wounded  himself  or  had  his  horse  killed,  1 
have  had  only  a  slight  scratch.  A  sharpshooter  suc- 
ceeded in  breaking  the  skin  of  my  neck,  but  it  did  not 
hurt  me  much.  We  afterward  wounded  and  captured 
him,  and  he  said  that  "  he  had  fired  seven  times  at  that 
little  colonel,  and  that  he  would  die  happy  if  he  could 
have  hit  him." 

I  think  that  our  busli whacking  is  over  for  the  present, 
for  we  are  so  near  Richmond  that  I  do  not  think  the 
enemy  will  stand  outside  his  works.  If  we  can  get  him 
penned  up  there  we  shall  wind  up  this  arrangement  very 
soon.     I  should  be  quite  content  to  retire  now,  if  the 

campaign  were  ended These  chaps  cannot  say 

that  I  am  afraid  to  fight  as  infantry,  now  ! 

Pardon  my  writing  of  nothing  but  myself,  but  I  have 
only  time  to  write  the  news.  Here  is  an  order  to  move 
forward  to  Haws'  shop,  six  miles,  so  good-by !  God 
bless  you  all.     Love  to  dear,  darling  mamma. 

Your  loving  boy,  Howard. 

Tuesday  Evening,  May  31,  1864. 

My  oavn  precious  Wife:  —  I  am  writing  this  in 
the  rifle-pits  that  cost  me  nearly  two  hundred  lives  yes- 
terday to  hold,  and  where  the  rebels  lost  more  than 
three  hundred  men  in  their  attempt  to  take  our  position. 
My  brigade  was  assigned  permanently  to  this  division 
yesterday  morning  as  an  infantry  command,  and  I  had 
just  reported  to  General  Crawford,  when  I  was  ordered 
to  the  front  to  support  Colonel  Hardin's  brigade,  which 
was  being  hard  j^ressed  at  the  time. 

I  led  my  column  to  the  front  at  once,  but  the  order 
proved  to  have  been  issued  too  late,  for  I  had  but  just 
got  my  column  in  motion,  filing  along  a  narrow  road, 
when  the  enemy  broke  Colonel  Hardin's  line  and  came 
upon  the  head  of  my  column. 

I   had  no   time   to   form  line  of  battle  ;  two  of  my 


THE    WILDERNESS.  135 

staiF  fell  at  the  iSrst  fire  ;  one,  Lieutenant  Ferris,  by  his 
horse  being  shot  thi-Ough  the  head  and  falling  ujDon  him, 
and  the  other,  Bailey,  shot  in  the  breast.  Major  Crook- 
ston  and  Ca^Dtain  Palmer,  just  behind  me,  also  fell, 
Crookston's  horse  killed,  and  Palmer  shot  throuo-h  the 
ankle.  This  terrible  fire  right  into  the  head  of  the 
column  broke  the  men,  many  of  whom  had  fallen,  killed 
or  wounded,  and  in  less  time  than  I  have   been   telling 

o 

you,  my  brigade,  excepting  one  battalion  which  I  man- 
aged, through  the  heroic  exertions  of  Majors  Jones  and 
Shonnard,  to  keep  together,  was  sailing  across  the  plain. 

My  oflicers  are  magnificent,  and  at  the  first  fence, 
where  any  protection  could  be  had  from  the  murderous 
fire,  they  rallied  the  6th  Artillery,  and  I  made  a  stand 
for  about  thirty  minutes  against  two  brigades  of  the 
enemy.  They  came  on  in  two  lines  of  battle,  waving 
their  battle-flags,  and  led  bravely  enough  by  their  offi- 
cers, but  our  rail  fence,  of  which  we  had  made  as  good  a 
breastwork  as  we  could,  did  us  good  service,  and  we  did 
give~~them  "  Jessie."  I  was  forced  to  fall  back,  having 
no  reinforcements,  but  they  lost  one  brigadier-general, 
one  colonel,  three  lieutenant-colonels,  and  a  large  num- 
ber of  men,  besides  our  taking  over  seventy  prisoners. 

A  rebel  colonel  (Christian),  who  was  badly  wounded 
and  fell  into  our  hands,  told  me  that  he  had  never  seen 
such  fearful  volleys  as  our  men  poured  into  their  ranks. 

We  fell  back  to  our  supports,  and  got  two  batteries 
into  position,  and  then  had  it  hot  and  heavy  till  night 
put  an  end  to  it 

At  ten  o'clock  last  night  I  had  just  come  in  from  the 
field,  after  burying  my  dead  and  bringing  in  my 
wounded,  and  was  lying  mider  a  tree,  wondering  why  it 
was  that  I  was  so  miraculously  spared,  while  every  one 
with  me  had  been  killed  or  wounded,  when  my  orderly 
returned  from  headquarters  with  the  first  mail  that  I 
have  received  since  the  twelfth,  and  as  I  read  one  dear 
letter  after  another,  I  ceased  to  wonder  at  my  jpi'cserva- 


136  ''MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

tion,  for  I  thought  that  any  one  for  whom  so  many  ear- 
nest prayers  were  continually  ascending  must  be  almost 
bullet-proof.      Such  clear,  loving  letters  from  my  precious 

H ,    Louise,    darling    mamma,    Theodore,  and   all ! 

Never  had  soldier  such  friends,  and  I  believe  that  never 
was  soldier's  head  covered  in  the  day  of  battle  by  such 
fervent  prayers. 

I  sometimes  think,  darling,  that  I  ought  not  to  write 
you  thus  fully  about  these  dreadful  battles,  and  lead  you 
to  think  how  much  exposed  I  am  to  injury  and  death  ; 
but  thet»  again,  I  think  so  long  as  it  is  so,  and  cannot  be 
helped,  and  the  papers  give  you  the  same  general  infor- 
mation, without  its  correctness,  that  it  is  better  for  you 
to  know  from  me  just  how  it  is,  and  be  prepared  for  the 
Lord's  will. 

....  I  notice  one  thins:  which  encourasfes  me 
greatly,  that  the  rebel  attacks  ujDon  our  lines  are  becom- 
ing weaker  and  weaker.  If  the  Administration  will  but 
send  us  plenty  of  reinforcements,  we  can  finish  up  the 
rebellion  this  campaign,  I  believe.  The  prisoners  that 
we  take  all  appear  to  be  glad  to  get  into  our  lines,  and 
say  that  "  the  jig  is  up."  But  O,  what  a  fearful  sacrifice 
of  life  will  yet  be  the  price  of  our  success. 

I  am  off  duty  to-day,  darling.  The  excitement  of 
yesterday  brought  on  my  dysentery,  so  that  I  cannot 
ride,  and  have  been  lying  still  all  day.  Don't  be  wor- 
ried when  I  am  a  little  under  the  weather.  T  am  not 
very  sick,  and  indeed,  if  I  were,  it  might  prove  a  bless- 
ing, by  keeping  me  out  of  some  other  danger.  Just 
trust  in  our  Heavenly  Father's  tender  love  and  care. 
He  has  kept  us  so  ftir,  and  will  not  forsake  us  now. 

You  would  scarcely  know  me,  darling,  if  you  could 
see  me  now,  —  I  look  so  rough.  My  clothes  are  torn 
and  dirty.  I  am  tanned  as  black  as  a  darkey,  and  from 
hard  work  and  want  of  sleep,  I  look  as  though  I  had 
been  on  a  spree.     O,  how  I  long  for  rest !  .  .  .  . 

My   pickets    are   popping    away    now   in    my   front. 


THE    WILDERNESS.  137 

Whew  !  how  tired  I  am  of  hearing  fire-arms.  Fourth 
of  July  would  have  no  charms  for  me  now. 

Bless  you,  my  darling,  precious  wife.  Kiss  my  dar- 
ling boy  for  me.  The  dear  Lord  keep  my  darling  se- 
cure from  every  harm 

Mr.   C is  lying  on  the  gi'ound  beside  me,  and 

sends  his  best  respects.  He  is  doing  a  blessed  work 
amongst  our  wounded.  He  is  a  noble  soldier  of  the 
Lord  Jesus. 

It  will  interest  you  to  know  that  my  bed  is  a  blanket 
laid  upon  the  ground,  in  rear  of  the  rifle-pits.  I  have 
not  had  any  tent  up,  or  roof  over  me,  but  one  night  dur- 
ing the  campaign. 

In  Eifle-pits,  Nine  Miles  from  Richmond,  ) 
Mmj  31,  1864.  ( 

My  own  precious  Mamma:  —  I  am  now  sitting 
upon  my  india-rubber  blanket  in  the  rifle-pits,  for  which 
we  had  a  fierce  fight  yesterday * 

I  got  in  action  about  one  o'clock,  and  we  had  it  hot 
and  heavy  till  after  dark.  I  have  only  a  moment  to 
scribble ;  cannot  give  you  particulars,  but  am  again 
thanking  my  Heavenly  Father  for  my  preservation.  I 
lost  two  of  my  staff,  shot  by  my  side,  and  every 
mounted  officer  in  my  own  regiment  was  either  shot 
himself  or  had  his  horse  killed  under  him,  and  I  escaped 
unhurt. 

I  do  not  speak  of  my  exposure  to  worry  you,  darling 
mamma,  but  have  thought  it  better  for  you  to  know  the 
truth,  and  be  prepared  for  any  dispensation  of  God's 
providence. 

We  are  very  much  encouraged  by  our  successes  thus  far. 
Whenever  we  meet  the  enemy  in  the  open  country, 
or  he  attacks  us,  we  whip  him.  Yesterday,  they  were 
slaughtered  fearfully.  I  went  over  the  field  after  the 
fight.  We  found  one  brigadier-general,  one  colonel, 
two    lieutenant-colonels,    beside    about     three   hundred 


138  "MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

men,  lying  in  front  of  my  command  alone.  We  also 
took  about  eighty  prisoners.  Would  that  the  leaders  of 
this  terrible  rebellion  would  see  the  certain  downfall  of 
their  wicked  efforts,  and  stoj)  now,  rather  than  sacrifice 
the  lives  that  must  be  lost  before  the  end  of  the  cam- 
paign 1 

My  loss  yesterday  will  prove  about  two  hundred  in 
killed,  wounded,  and  missing 

Give  my  best  love  to  all  the  dear  ones.  This  is  a 
miserable  apology  for  a  letter,  but  I  can  only  scribble 
these  little  notes  to  you,  telling  you  of  my  safety,  now- 
adays. 

I  am  sitting  amongst  my  men  in  rear  of  my  rifle-pits, 
with   an   india-rubber  blanket  under  me,  and  the  stars 

over  me.     Mr.  C is  quietly  sleeping  on  his  blanket 

near  me.  My  pickets  are  occasionally  popping  at  the 
enemy,  and  vice  versa.  My  clothes  are  ragged,  and 
dirty  ;  I  am  tanned  like  a  darkey,  and  altogether  look 
jDretty  seedy  ;  but  I  believe  that  my  superior  officers  and 
my  command  have  full  confidence  in  me,  which  is  a 
source  of  great  comfort. 

Many  thanks  for  telling  me  what  Sergeant  Lloyd's 
mother  said.  These  little  things  are  a  great  help  to  a 
soldier. 

You  had  better  direct  your  letters  to  Kitching's  Brig- 
ade, Fifth  Army  Corps ;  as  we  are  no  longer  a  j^art  of 
the  reserve,  but  a  regular  infantry  command.  I  must 
close  now,  dearest  mamma,  although  I  hate  to  send  you 
such  a  letter  —  all  about  myself,  too  ;  but  I  know  you 
are  anxious  to  hear  of  my  safety.  I  shall  now  read  my 
chapter  in  the  Bible,  and  turn  in  on  my  blanket  for  a 
little  rest,  for  I  got  none  last  night.  God  bless  you  all. 
Ever  your  loving  Howard. 

The  rifle-pits  where  the  next  letter  was  written, 
liad  been  won  from  the  enemy  by  Colonel  Kitch- 
ing's brigade  after  five  hours'  hard  fighting.     In 


THE    WILDERNESS.  139 

tlie  engagement  he  received,  as  we  have  seen,  a 
sho^it  wound  on  the  neck  from  a  minie  ball.  But 
the  panoply  of  prayer  was  around  him,  and  we  find 
him,  while  sorrowing  over  his  dead  and  wounded 
soldiers  with  that  deep  tenderness  which  belongs 
to  all  heroic  natures,  again  taking  comfort  in  the 
thought  that  he  was  sheltered  thus  by  prayer. 

It  is  common  for  Christians  to  acknowledge  in 
their  talk  this  power  of  prayer,  but  how  few  act- 
ually realize  that  every  one  among  us,  the  sim- 
plest, the  feeblest,  the  neediest,  may  as  a  prince 
have  power  with  God  and  prevail.  All  who  are 
anxious  pray.  But  it  is  not  always  the  prayer  of 
faith,  made  as  to  One  who  can  be  and  will  be  pre- 
vailed on  to  answer  it.  The  prayer  of  faith  is  al- 
ways answered.  The  reply  may  not  be  altogether 
according  to  our  desire  ;  the  result  of  the  victory 
altogether  of  our  own  shaping.  There  is  in  spirit- 
ual things  many  a  glorious  victory  that  comes  in  the 
guise  of  a  defeat,  just  as  there  is  many  an  inglori- 
ous defeat  that  looks  at  first  like  a  victory.  But 
still,  prayer  shall  win  its  end  ;  its  best  end  ;  its 
end  of  glory  to  God,  and  of  blessing,  richest  bless- 
ing to  your  beloved  one  and  to  yourself ;  it  shall 
bring  abundant  consolation,  and  fullest  satisfaction, 
if  it  be  in  faith  —  if  it  be  earnest  —  if  it  be  un- 
wearied. Plow  many  a  prayer  offered  up  by  deso- 
late firesides  received  their  fullest  answer  amid 
these  scenes  of  carnage  ;  how  many  were  brought  to 
Jesus ;  how  many  found  the  battle-field  the  path- 
way to  the  land  where  they  learn  war  no  more  ! 


140  ''MORE  THAN  conqueror:' 

In  Rifle-pits,  near  Cold  Harbor,  \ 
Friday  Evening,  June  3,  1864.        ) 

My  own  precious  Sister:  —  Your  dear,  sweet  let- 
ters, as  also  Theodore's,  of  the  21st  of  May,  reached 
me  on  Monday  night,  just  after  our  terrible  fight  had 
been  stopped  by  the  darkness,  and  I  had  just  returned 
from  my  picket  line,  where  I  had  been  collecting  the 
dead  and  wounded  of  my  poor  fellows.  I  was  com- 
pletely exhausted,  and  was  lying  on  the  ground  wonder- 
ing why  the  Lord  had  spared  me  so  wondrously  through 
such  an  awful  fire,  wlien  so  many  of  my  comrades  had 
fallen  by  my  side.     ]\Iy  orderly  handed  me  a  bundle  of 

dear  letters  from  H ,  yourself,  Theodore,  and  dear 

mamma  ;  and  as  I  read  them,  one  after  another,  I  ceased 
to  wonder  at  my  preservation,  for  all  told  of  constant 
and  unceasing  prayers  going  up  for  me,  and  I  began  to 
think  that  one  so  cared  for,  and  prayed  for,  must  be  al- 
most bullet-proof. 

If  you  could  but  realize,  darling,  the  comfort  of  such 
dear  letters  from  home  at  such  a  time.  I  have  been 
almost  constantly  under  fire  for  a  month,  and  although 
I  trust  that  no  sense  of  personal  danger  has  ever  inter- 
fered for  one  moment  with  my  duty,  yet  I  am  of  that 
temperament  that  I  always  have  a  vivid  realization  of 
the  exposure  of  my  position ;  and  after  the  great  excite- 
ment attendant    upon  the   proper  management  of   my 

command  is  over,  then  comes  the  thought  of  dear  H , 

my  poor  fatherless  boy,  and  a  dear,  kind  father  and 
mother,  who  can  only  remember  me  as  a  source  of  anx- 
iety and  care.  After  every  fight  I  have  had  these  ter- 
rible seasons  of  depression,  and  had  had  no  mail  from 
home  since  the  8th  till  Monday  last. 

Don't  think,  darling,  that  my  heart  fails  in  the  good 
work  ;  it  is  not  that.  I  never  feel  stronger  or  more 
hopeful  than  when  my  brigade  is  engaged.  It  is  the  re- 
action afterward  —  the  mournful  duties  of  collecting, 
identifying,  and  burying   my  dead  comrades  —  trying  to 


THE    WILDERNESS.  141 

heljD  and  comfort  my  jDoor  wounded,  who  seem  almost 
to  shame  me  for  having  escaped.  This  is  what  tears 
the  heart  of  a  man  in  times  and  scenes  like  these.  And 
when  I  read  yonr  dear  letters,  telling  me  how  you 
longed  to  have  me  near  you  to  comfort  me ;  and  I  began 
to  think  of  the    inexpressible   comfort  of  being  for*an 

hour  with  H ,  or  you,  or  dear  mamma,  I  just  forgot 

my  manliness  and  burst  out  crying.  I  could  not  help  it. 
But  this  is  scarcely  a  soldier's  letter,  darling !  Now  for 
the  other  side,  which  is  just  as  fully  realized,  I  assure  you. 
We  are  driving  the  enemy  at  every  point.  Wherever 
we  meet  him  we  show  our  ability  to  overcome  him. 
Even  the  heavy  artillery,  which  was  considered  raw  and 
undisciplined,  has  been  able  to  repulse  their  choicest 
troops  twice. 

^  I  hear  that  my  brigade  has  been  mentioned  very 
kindly  by  the  press ;  have  you  seen  it  ?  My  brave  fel- 
lows deserve  it  — six  hundred  and  thirty  of  my  brigade, 
including  thirteen  officers,  have  either  gone  to  their''  last 
roll-call,  or  are  swelling  the  list  in  hospital.  But  it 
is  becoming  a  by-word  in  the  army  that  the  wounded 
heavy  artillerymen  complain  less  than  any  other  men  in 
the  hospitals.  A  braver,  cooler,  and  more  obedient  set 
of  men,  I  never  saw.  O,  that  they  were  all  Christians, 
and  could  testify  for  the  Lord  Jesus,  as  did  one  of.  my 
poor  sergeants.  Hart,  who  had  both  legs  blown  off,*  and 
spent  last  Sunday  as  his  first  day  in  heaven. 

But,  if  I  do  not  say  good-by,  this  cannot  go  to-night. 
Even  as  I  write  this,  my  darling,  a  twelve-pounder  shell  is 
rushing  over  my  head,  and  -bursts  in  the  field  behind  us. 

How  much  I  wish  to  say  to  you,  my  darling  sister ! 
....  Write  me  your,  dear  letters  whenever  you  can. 
Thank  dear  Theodore  for  his  lovely  letters.  God  bless 
you  all,  darlings !  Don't  worry  at  the  tone  of  my  let- 
ter. I  never  hid  anything  from  you,  and  thoughts  of 
H and  Howy  do  prevent  my  being  a  thorough  sol- 
dier at  all  times.      God  bless  you,  darling. 

Your  own  brother,  Howard. 


142  ''MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR.'' 

Sergeant  Hart  was  a  noble  Christian  soldier, 
whom  Howard  Kitching  loved  with  a  very  strong 
love.  We  remember  well  his  telling  us,  when  on 
a  bed  of  suffering,  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  of  the 
last  farewell  of  Hart. 

In  the  very  thick  of  the  fight,  he  was  carried 
past  him,  mortally  wounded,  and,  looking  up  with 
a  bright  smile,  he  exclaimed,  "  Colonel,  I  shall 
have  the  honor  of  being  in  heaven  before  you." 
And  we  were  told  by  one  who  visited  him  in  the 
hospital,  that  just  as  the  shadow  of  death  was  fall- 
ing upon  him,  he  made  a  last  effort,  and  his  clear 
voice  rang  through  the  building  as  he  sang  a  verse 
of  the  hymn  they  were  so  fond  of  singing  in  their 
prayer-meeting ;  — 

"  Joyfully,  joyfully,  onward  I  move, 
Bound  to  the  land  of  bright  spirits  above ; 
Angelic  choristers  sing  as  I  come, 
Joyfully,  joyfully,  haste  to  thy  home  ! 
Soon  will  my  pilgrimage  end  here  below, 
Home  to  the  land  of  bright  s^Dirits  I  go  ; 
Pilgrim  and  stranger  no  more  shall  I  roam, 
Joyfully,  joyfully  resting  at  home." 

And  so  he  fell  asleep. 

How  pleasant  it  is  to  think  how  many  sons  and 
brothers,  on  the  battle-field  and  in  the  hospital, 
have  been  cheered,  at  last,  by  the  memory  of  some 
sweet  household  hymn. 

Friday^  June  3,   1864. 

My  dearest  Papa  :  —  I  am  in  rear  of  my  command 
in  the  rifle-pits,  near  Cold  Harbor,  within  six  miles  of 
Richmond. 


THE    WILDERNESS.  143 

We  have  not  been  engaged  to-day,  but  are  exposed 
to  heavy  fire  of  artillery  in  our  present  position,  which 
makes  us  keep  pretty  close  to  mother  earth.  Yesterday 
and  day  before,  my  brigade  was  in  action,  adding  to  the 
number  of  my  poor  fellows  who  have  gone  to  their  last 
account,  or  are  filling  the  hospitals,  and  yet  how  wonder- 
fully has  the  Lord  preserved  me,  a  monument  of  his 
wondrous  power  and  love. 

AVe  are  steadily  driving  the  enemy  back  upon  his 
Imes  around  Richmond,  but  the  tenacity  and  stubborn- 
ness with  which  he  holds  his  ground  is  wonderful.  O, 
If  the  le..ders  of  this  wicked  rebellion  would  only  see 
hat  leir  ultimate  doom  is  fixed,  and  by  a  surrender 
stop  tins  fearful  bloodshed!  But  I  suppose  that  some 
good  will  come  of  this  sacrifice  of  life  which  we  may 
see  hereafter.  •' 

The  army  is   tired   out,  but  in  good   spirits 

lyler  was  hit  this  morning.  This  is  truly  "  the  Valley 
of  the  Shadow  of  Death,"  but  I  trust  that  the  Lord  is 
With  us 

TMs  "  Valley  of  the  Shadow  of  Death  "    was 
to  be  strewn  with  many  more  victims,  for  these 
reconnoissances  showed  Lee  to  be  in  a  very  strong 
position,  covering  the  approaches  to  the  Chicka- 
hommy,  the  forcing    of  which    it  was  now  clear 
must  cost  a  great  battle.     It  was  evident  from  the 
development  of  the  enemy's  strength,  that  the  ef- 
fort to  cross  where  the  two  armies  faced  each  other 
had   little  promise  of  success.      It  was  resolved' 
therefore,  to  move  toward  the  south,  and  force  the 
passage  of  the  Chickahominy  at  Cold  Harbor,  and 
thus  compel  Lee  to  retire  within   the    intrench- 
ments  of  Richmond.     We  shall  not  follow  in  de- 
tail the  movements  of  the  army  which  led  to  this 
disastrous  battle. 


144  ''MORE  THAN  CONQUEROR." 

When  the  dispositions  of  the  several  corps  were 
made,  the  order  was  given  for  a  general  assault 
along  the  whole  front  of  six  miles,  to  be  made  at 
half -past  four  in  the  morning. 

Next  morning,  with  the  first  gray  light  of  dawn 
struggling  through  the  clouds,  the  preparations  began ; 
from  behind  the  rude  parapets  there  was  an  up-starting, 
a  springing  to  arms,  the  mufiled  commands  of  officers 
forming  the  line.  The  attack  was  ordered  at  half-past 
four,  and  it  may  have  been  five  minutes  after  that,  or  it 
may  have  been  ten  minutes,  but  it  certainly  was  not 
later  than  forty-five  minutes  past  four,  when  the  whole 
line  was  in  motion,  and  the  dark  hollows  between  the 
armies  were  lit  up  with  the  fires  of  death. 

It  took  hardly  more  than  ten  minutes  to  decide  the 
battle.  There  was  along  the  whole  line  a  rush  —  the 
spectacle  of  impregnable  works  —  a  bloody  loss  —  then 
a  sullen  falling  back,  and  the  action  was  decided. 

Through  this  mthering  fire  of  shot  and  shell, 
Howard  Kitching  passed  unscathed. 

This  was  the  last  of  the  series  of  conflicts  fought 
so  desperately  from  the  Wilderness  to  the  Chicka- 
hominy,  in  which  Grant's  loss  consisted  of  more 
than  sixty  thousand  men  put  hors  de  comhat. 

The  result  of  this  battle  showed  that  this  line 
could  not  be  carried  by  direct  assault.  General 
Grant  resolved,  therefore,  to  transfer  the  army,  by 
a  flank  march,  to  the  south  side  of  the  James 
River.  This  march  of  fifty-five  miles  across  the 
Peninsula  was  made  in  two  days,  and  with  per- 
fect success,  and  the  morning  of  the  16th  June 
found  the  whole  army  on  the  south  side  of  the 
James. 


THE    WILDERNESS.  145 

Petersburg,  which  has  been  defined  as  a  fortress 
thrust  forward  on  the  flank  of  the  Confederate 
capital,  was  a  possession  coveted  eagerly  by  each 
combatant.  Grant  designed  to  seize  it  before  Lee 
could  reinforce  the  feeble  garrison.  But  there  was 
unaccountable  delay,  grievous  mismanagement, 
and,  when  too  late,  heroic  but  fruitless  assaults, 
repulse  and  mournful  loss  of  life.  Convinced  by 
these  failures  that  direct  attack  was  in  vain,  Gen- 
eral Grant  ordered  the  troops  to  begin  entrenching 
a  systematic  line. 

It  was  after  a  campaign  of  nearly  two  months' 
dm-ation— a   campaign    of    varying    fortune,    of 
gigantic  battles,  of  signal  successes,  of  vast  losses, 
of  ceaseless  activity,  of  unsurpassable  hardships,  of 
greainnarches,  which  can  in  no  wise  be  computed 
by  the  hundred  miles  it  traversed  since  the  day  it 
crossed  the  Rapidan,  a  campaign  characterized  by 
consummate  generalship  on  the  part  of  its  leader, 
as  well  as  of  his  subordinates  —  a  campaign  de- 
mandmg  the  constant  exercise  of  every  military 
and  manly  quality  on    the   part   of  every  soldier 
engaged  in  it;  it  was  at  the  end  of  such  a  cam- 
paign that  the  Union  army  found  itself  arrested 
before  the  strong  chain  of  redans  in  front  of  Pe- 
tersburg. 

10 


( 


THE  TRENCHES. 


"  The  feigned  retreat,  the  nightly  ambuscade, 
The  daily  harass,  and  the  fight  delayed, 
The  long  privation  of  the  hojDed  supply, 
The  tentless  rest  beneath  the  humid  sky. 
The  stubborn  wall  that  mocks  the  leaguer's  art. 
And  palls  the  j^atience  of  his  baffled  heart : 
Of  these  they  had  not  deemed.     The  battle  day, 
They  could  encounter  as  a  veteran  may  ; 
But  more  preferred  the  fury  of  the  strife 
And  present  death,  to  hourly  suffering  life." 


* 


CHAPTER   VII. 

THE   TRENCHES. 

"  For  thou  hast  been  a  strength  to  the  poor,  a  strength  to  the  needy 
in  his  distress,  a  refuge  from  the  storm,  a  shadow  from  the  heat,  when 
the  blast  of  the  terrible  ones  is  as  a  storm  against  the  wall." 

Isaiah  xxv.  4. 

There  was  a  general  feeling  of  disappointment, 
and  great  depression  at  the  north  with  the  result  of 
this  campaign.  It  was  difficult  for  the  people  to 
appreciate  what  had  been  accomplished.  "For 
every^  battle  of  the  warrior  is  with  confused  noise, 
and  garments  rolled  in  blood,"  and  it  is  only  after 
the  shout  is  hushed,  and  the  strife  ceased,  and  the 
smoke  of  the  battle  entirely  cleared  away,  that  a 
just  judgment  can  be  formed.  They  knew  by 
many  a  darkened  fireside  that  the  sacrifice  had 
been  a  fearful  one. 

Not  so  with  the  army.  Its  spirit  was  never 
more  unbroken,  never  more  patriotic,  never  more 
heroic.  An  intelligent  writer,  who  visited  the 
army  at  this  time  says  :  — 

"  If  there  be  one  term  which  will  at  once  pointedly 
and  comprehensively  characterize  the  fixed  moral  quality 
into  which  the  army  of  the  Potomac  has  gi'own,  it  seems 
to  me  to  be  a  word  which  has  lost  much  of  its  primitive 
force  from  frequent  and  inapplicable  use  —  the  word 
indomitable.     It  cannot  be  broken,  it  cannot  be    over- 


150  ''MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

come ;  it  cannot  be  reduced  to  despair ;  it  has  no 
thought  but  of  continuous  struggle,  through  cloud  and 
sunshine  —  no  prospect  other  than  of  ultimate  success. 
You  feel  this  everywhere,  in  its  ranks  and  under  the 
most  inauspicious  circumstances.  You  see  it  among  the 
private  soldiers  and  officers.  You  notice  it  in  the  fore- 
front of  the  battle  line,  and  around  the  nightly  camp 
fire.  You  see  its  deep  impress  on  all  faces ;  you  hear 
its  expression  universally ;  and  you  behold  it  working 
itself  out  practically." 

And  not  the  Avearisome  days  and  wearisome 
nights,  the  scorching  heat  by  day  and  the  cold 
night  chill,  the  hard  life  in  the  rifle-pits  before 
Petersburg,  could  Avear  down  the  heroic  spirit  of 
that  heroic  army. 

In  Rifle-pits,  two  Miles  from  Petersburg,  | 
I'uesday  Evening^  June  21,  1864.  ) 

My  DEAR  Papa:  —  Your  kind  letter  of  June  13th 
reached  me  yesterday,  with  two  from  dear  mamma,  two 
from  Louise,  and  one  from  Gussie  ;  so  you  can  imagine 
that  I  had  a  real  feast  for  a  time.  Our  mail  generally 
comes  in  this  manner,  so  that  for  three  or  four  days, 
sometimes  a  week,  we  may  receive  nothing,  and  then  a 
wdiole  batch  of  letters  wdll  come  together.  It  really 
seems  as  though  these  dear  home  letters  always  come 
just  when  most  needed,  and  most  acceptable ;  another 
manifestation  of  love  from  our  Heavenly  Father  in 
sending  these  dear  comforts  just  when  weariness  and 
gloom  renders  them  so  precious. 

Since  Friday  last  my  brigade  has  occupied  a  most 
uncomfortable  position,  having  been  in  the  rifle-pits  the 
whole  time ;  and  since  Saturday  night  in  such  close 
proximity  to  the  enemy's  lines  that  both  parties  are 
obliged  to  cover  themselves  in  every  possible  wa3^ 

Saturday  afternoon  our  whole  division  received  orders 


THE  TRENCHES.  151 

to  advance  and  occupy  a  line  some  three  hundred  yards 
in  advance  of  that  occupied  during  the  day ;  so  at  four 
o'clock  our  line  was  formed  and  the  order  given  to  ad- 
vance. My  brigade  was  formed  in  two  lines,  and  at  the 
command,  jumped  over  the  breastworks  and  pushed 
ahead  in  beautiful  order;  but  having  to  cross  a  cornfield 
m  very  short  range  of  the  enemy's  works,  they  opened 
on  us  such  a  fearful  fire  of  artillery  and  musketry  that 
I  lost  one  hundred  and  fifty-nine  men  killed  and 
wounded  before  I  gained  the  desired  position.  Once 
there,  we  held  on,  and  very  soon  threw  up  a  little  work 
along  our  line  which  covered  my  men  very  nicely. 

It  is  truly  wonderful,  the  quickness  with  which  our 
soldiers  can  throw  up  sufficient  earth'  to  protect  them 
from  rifle  balls.  Bayonets,  spoons,  hands,  sticks,  — al- 
most anything  is  used  to  "  scratch  dirt,"  and  like  magic 
a  line  of  two  or  three  thousand  men  who  are  one  mo- 
ment exposed  to  every  shot  will  be  pitching  head  fore- 
most into  the  earth,  like  moles. 

The  brigade  of  regulars  on  my  left,  lost  even  more 
heavily  than  I.  We  are  now  holding  the  position 
gained  at  that  time,  but  as  I  said  before,  so  close  are 
we  to  the  "Johnnies,"  that  both  sides  are  Hving  in 
holes  in  the  ground.  I  am  for  the  first  time  occupying 
a  little  bomb-proof  headquarters,  made  of  pine  logs  with 
sand  outside,  which  protects  myself  and  staif  perfectly 
so  long  as  we  can  remain  inside.  I  tried  being  without 
cover  the  first  day,  but  had  two  men  on  guard  at  my 
head-quarters  and  three  of  our  horses,  shot ;  so  I  made 
up  my  mind  to  "go  into  garrison."  Since  then  we  have 
been  more  comfortable,  but  the  bullets  do  whistle  around 
iQ  a  terrible  way ;  every  tree  near  us  is  riddled. 

Many  of  my  men  are  becoming  splendid  marksmen. 
The  men  from  western  New  York,  that  I  got  last  winter, 
are  almost  all  good  shots,  and  ha\^  been  inflicting  severe 
punishment  upon  the  enemy.  I  have  stopped  the  firing 
of  my  pickets  once  or  twice,  for  I  think  it  nothing  less 


152  "MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

than  murder,  but  just  so  soon  as  my  men  stojD,  the  ras- 
cals commence  to  crawl  up  towards  us  so  that  we  are 
forced  to  open  fire  again.  I  take  it  for  granted  that  all 
these  matters  interest  you  all,  more  than  anything  else 
that  I  can  write. 

I  saw  General  Warren  last  evening  at  his  head-quar- 
ters and  had  a  very  nice  talk  with  him.  He  appears  to 
know  you  very  well,  remembers  dear  Fanny,  and  talked 
about  you  all  for  some  time. 

He  said  a  great  many  very  kind  things  to  me  which 
I  can  tell  you,  but  23lease  do  not  repeat  except  at  home. 
General  Warren  told  me  that  his  corps  was  very  proud 
of  my  command,  and  of  me  ;  and  that  he  had  recom- 
mended me  for  brigadier-general,  and  that  I  stood  third 
on  the  list  from  the  corps.  I  thanked  him,  of  course,  but 
told  him  that  I  did  not  anticipate  anything  of  the  kind 
from  him.  He  said  that  I  deserved  it,  and  should  have 
it ;  that  everybody  in  the  corps  wanted  me  to  have  it. 
Don't  think  me  foolish,  dear  papa,  or  that  I  am  puffed 
up  by  foolish  speeches.  I  only  tell  you  these  things 
just  as  they  are  told  to  me,  and  because  I  know  that 
you  all  feel  interested  in  my  position  and  success. 

I  cannot  understand  why  everybody  is  making  such 
a  fuss  about  me,  for  I  have  not  done  anything  that  I  am 
aware  of,  which  calls  for  it.  My  men  have  indeed  done 
nobly  and  I  am  proud  of  them ;  but  it  really  makes  me 
very  sad  when  I  think  that  I  am  in  any  manner  being 
benefitted  by  the  loss  of  so  many  brave  men  ;  and  I  al- 
most feel  ashamed  that  I  have  not  been  hit.  But  O,  how 
I  do  long  for  the  time  when  I  can  return  to  you  all  and 
be  free  from  this  unnatural  excitement. 

I  am  unable  to  give  you  any  news  about  the  move- 
ments of  the  army  generally.  There  is  some  new 
movement  on  foot.  I  believe  it  to  be  another  demon- 
stration upon  the  enemy's  right  flank ;  but  everything  is 
kept  exceedingly  quiet.  I  cannot  think  that  we  shall 
attempt  another  assault  upon  the  works  of  the  enemy. 


THE   TRENCHES.  153> 

if  we  can  get  around  them  in  any  possible  way,  for  the- 
sacrifice  of  life  is  too  heavy. 

The  plan  of  Generals  Grant  and  Meade  appears  to> 
be  to  work  upon  the  communications  of  Lee  toward  the 
south,  which  if  successful  will  of  course  put  Lee  in  a  bad 
box.  He  has  now  only  one  channel  of  supplies  open, 
i.  e.,  the  road  through  Weldon,  and  I  imagine  that  their 
visions  of  short  rations  must  be  getting  very  distinct 
and  unpleasant. 

We  are  hoping  that  the  rebs  may  be  holding  out 
only  for  the  Chicago  Convention  on  the  fourth  of  July, 
and  that  if  they  can  glean  no  hope  from  that  they  may 
decide  to  give  up  a  worse  than  bad  job.  I  pray  God 
that  this  army  may  not  suffer  a  defeat  meanwhile,  for 
the  effect  upon  the  whole  country  would  be  most  disas- 
trous. Under  God,  nothing  but  some  terrible  mistake 
or  mismanagement  could  produce  such  a  direful  result, 
for  we  must  outnumber  the  enemy  by  some  forty  thou- 
sandrmen,  and  we  have  a  good  and  secure  base,  which  is 
the  most  important  part 

1  forwarded  the  letter  for  Dr.  Richardson.  His 
young  relative  is  safe  and  well.  As  to  Lieutenant 
Stewart,  I  do  not  know  whether  he  is  alive  or  not.  I 
heard  it  rumored  that  he  had  been  killed,  but  do  not 
know.  If  I  can  learn  anything  of  him  I  will  let  you 
know. 

I  must  bid  you  good-night,  and  go  to  bed,  for  it  is 
very  late,  and  the  Johnnies  do  not  suffer  me  to  sleep 
much.  Even  as  I  write  a  bullet  grazes  the  top  of  my 
log  house  and  whistles  through  the  trees. 

Best  love  to  all  the  loved  ones,  and  with  a  heartfull. 
for  yourself,  dear  papa,  I  am  as  ever. 

Your  loving  son,  Howard. 


154  ''MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

On  Norfolk  and  Petersburg  R.  R.,  Two  miles  from     ) 
Petersburg,  Sunday  afternoon,  June  26,  1864.  ) 

My  own  precious  Mamma  :  —  My  command  lias 
just  been  relieved,  temporarily,  from  the  horrible  rifle- 
pits  which  we  have  occupied  since  Saturday  the  18th, 
after  our  famous  charge  on  the  enemy's  works,  which  we 
did  not  take. 

That  night,  Saturday,  as  soon  as  it  became  dark,  I 
advanced  my  line  about  two  hundred  yards  nearer  the 
enemy,  and  threw  up  a  new  line  of  breastworks,  and 
there  we  have  remained  nntil  to-day.  The  heat  has 
been  terrible,  and  having  no  shelter  from  the  broiling 
sun,  many  of  my  poor  fellows  have  been  completely 
used  up.  The  thermometer  stood  105°  in  the  shade  yes- 
terday, so  you  can  imagine  the  condition  of  things  in  a 
narrow  rifle-pit,  dug  in  the  sand,  and  without  shelter 
from  the  sun.  Our  lines  are  now  so  close  to  the  enemy 
that  if  a  man  shows  his  head  above  the  breastworks  on 
either  side  —  bang  !  bang !  a  volley  of  musketry  will 
warn  him  not  to  be  guilty  of  such  rashness  again.  Im- 
mediately after  dark,  however,  we  all  jump  out  of  our 
holes  and  stretch  ourselves ;  spades,  shovels,  and  picks 
are  put  in  requisition  to  strengthen  the  line  or  to  dig 
underground  passages  from  one  line  to  the  other ,  officers 
who  have  been  unable  to  leave  their  pits  during  the  day, 
visit  each  other  to  talk  over  the  little  events  of  the  day, 
and  until  midnight  the  entire  line  appears  to  be  alive. 

My  command  has  been  so  much  exposed,  and  lost  so 
many  men  during  the  past  week,  that  a  brigade  was 
sent  out  to  relieve  me ;  and  I  have  my  men  now  en- 
camped in  a  nice  woods,  not  quite  out  of  reach  of  shell, 
but  where  it  is  clean,  and  where  both  officers  and  men 
are  enjoying  themselves,  washing  and  resting. 

I  have  not  had  much  of  the  day  to  myself  as  yet,  for 
we  have  just  made  camp,  and  I  want  to  write  you  a  few 
words  at  least,  to  tell  you  of  my  continued  health  and 
safety.     This  little  matter  off  in  the  mail,  I  am  promis- 


THE  TRENCHES.  155 

ing  myself  a  nice  quiet  Sunday  evening.  Not  but  that 
it  is  a  real  pleasure  to  write  to  you  all,  dearest  mamma, 
but  I  get  so  little  time  or  opportunity  to  be  quiet ;  or 
even  to  read  my  Bible  unmolested,  that  it  is  doubly  ap- 
preciated when  a  real  Sunday  is  granted  me. 

Mr.  C is  to  have  a  meeting  this  evening,  the  fii'st 

opportunity  since  crossing  the  Chickahominy  ;  but  it  is 
very,  very  sad  to  see  the  gaps  made  in  our  little  congre- 
gations by  these  merciless  bullets.  Many  of  our  Chris- 
tian soldiers  have  glorified  their  Master  by  a  soldier's 
death;  and  two  of  the  leading  spirits  of  these  little 
meetings,  Sergeants  Hart  and  Hutton,  have  been  killed, 
making  a  sad  difference  in  everything  connected  with 
them. 

Mr.  C has  completely  won  the  hearts   of  both 

officers  and  men  by  his  kindness  to  our  w^ounded.  He  is 
truly  a  wonderful  man,  and  is  becoming  quite  celebrated 
in  the  entire  army 

-^^^^^= —  and have  been   ordered  before  a  military 

commission,  and  will  be  discharged  from  the  service. 
With  these  two  men  I  trust  that  the  last  remnant  of  the 
wicked  influences,  which  have  so  terriblj^  injured  this 
regiment,  will  have  departed,  and  that  hereafter  the 
Lord's  work  will  go  on  untramraeled. 

I  received  another  dear,  lovely  letter  from  L yes- 
terday.    These  dear  letters  from  yourself  and  L 

are  so  comforting  to  me,  and  always  have  something  in 
them  which  goes  right  to  some  needy  spot  in  my  wicked 
heart.  Never  had  any  one  such  friends  as  I.  I  bless 
God  constantly  for  them  and  only  wish  that  I  deserved  a 
tithe  of  the  love  so  constantly  lavished  upon  me 

The  Lord  is  certainly  blessing  me  for  the  sake  of  my 

friends.      Give  my  best  love  to  all  the  dear  ones 

God  bless  you,  my  own  precious  mamma  !  That  you 
arid  dearest  papa  may  be  preserved  many,  many  years, 
to  those  who  love  you  so  dearly,  and  that  your  children 
may  be  able  to  comfort  your  declining  days,  is  the  con- 
stant prayer  of  your  loving  son,  Hovtard. 


156  ''MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

June  30,  1864. 

My  DEA.REST  Papa:  —  Yours  of  25th  is  at  hand. 
Many,  many  thanks  for  the  stationery ;  it  is  most  ac- 
ceptable  

I  am  very  grateful  that  the  article  you  allude  to, 
speaks  so  justly  of  my  brave  men,  who,  by  their  cool 
bravery  and  willing  obedience,  have  been  the  material 
cause  of  my  success.  A  braver  or  more  perfectif/  obe- 
dient regiment  of  men  does  not  exist.  In  our  terribly 
severe  charge  of  the  18th  June,  the  regiment  was  joined 
in  line  witli  the  brigade  of  regulars,  and  eUcited  the 
warmest  praise  from  them  and  their  officers,  for  their 
behavior  under  such  terrible  fire. 

Poor  fellows,  I  wonder  that  they  can  find  heart  to 
speak  .1  good  word  for  me,  having  been  so  frequently 
rushed  into  almost  certain  death  by  my  orders. 

There  is  no  general  news.  Our  cavalry  have  been 
operating  on  the  Danville  railroad,  but  have  not  as  yet 
returned.  We  are  in  the  trenches  still,  but  have  made  a 
kind  of  arrangement  on  both  sides  "  not  to  fire  at  each 
other  unless  to  combat  some  movement."  This  does  not 
include  officers,  however  ;  I  wish  it  did.  The  moment 
an  officer  shows  himself  he  becomes  the  target  for  sev- 
eral rifles  from  the  enemy.  The  rebel  officers  cannot 
be  so  easily  distinguished,  evqn  though  we  had  the  same 
disposition  to  j^ick  them  off,  which,  thank  God,  our  sol- 
diers have  not. 

In  riding  along  my  line  yesterday,  one  of  my  staff 
officers  remarked  that  my  large  horse  would  probably 
draw  fire,  when  "  zip !  "  a  rifle  bullet  whistled  past  his 
head,  making  him  rear  and  plunge,  so  that  I  thought  he 
had  been  hit,  and  looked  him  all  over,  trying  to  find  the 
Avound.  I  have  been  very  fortunate  in  this  campaign 
as  regards  my  horses,  not  having  lost  one  of  my  own  yet. 

I  am  very  uneasy  at  what  you  tell  me  of  your 
anxiety  about  me.  I  am  in  the  Lord's  hands,  dear 
papa.     He,  who  has  spared  me  thus  far,  can  certainly 


THE  TRENCHES.  I57 

take  care  of  me  in  the  future.     Do  not  let  it  prey  upon 

your  mind 

lam  very  glad  that  you  and  dearest  mamma  are 
spending  a  little  time  at  Oscawana.  I  hope  the  change 
will  strengthen  mamma.  Good  bye.  God  bless  you 
all.     Your  loving  son,  Howard. 

TO    HIS    FATHER. 

July  3,  1864. 

•  •  •  •  What  a  Sunday  for  a  Christian  man  to  spend ! 
Occupied  the  whole  day  with  my  duties  here  —  scarcely 
time  to  pray. 

How  I  wish  that  I  could  be  with  you  to-morrow. 
Rumor  says  that  we  may  have  a  noisy  Fourth  here.  My 
skirmish  line  is  banging  away  now  in  a  manner  that 
quite  eclipses  anything  of  the  kind  in  New  York,  and 
the  enemy's  mortar  shells,  which  they  will  insist  upon 
throwing  over  here  (altiiough  they  go  right  over  ib 
without  injuring  any  one),  make  a  terrible  noise,  roaring 
and  hissing  through  the  air  like  so   many  air-locomo"^ 


tives. 


In  Teenxhes  near  Petersburg,  ) 
Wednesday  Evening,  July  6,  1864.      1 

My    dearest  Papa:  — Your   kind  and   interesting 
letter  of  the  2d  instant  reached  me  last  evening 

I  am  pushing  my  line  ahead  to-night,  and  throwing 
up  new  works,  so  can  only  scribble  a  few  words. 

I  am  gradually  crawling  up  to  the  "  Johnnies'  "  works. 
I  moved  forward  last  night  more  than  one  hundred 
yards  without  losing  a  man.  My  men  are  just  in  the 
spirit  of  it,  and  advanced  so  cautiously  and  quietly  that 
the  "  Johnnies  "  were  apparently  exceedingly  astonished 
this  morning,  to  find  a  stout  line  of  rifle-pits  a  hundred 
yards  nearer  them  than  at  "  tattoo."  There  exists  con- 
siderable rivalry  amongst  the  different  divisions  and 
brigades  as  to  which  shall  approach   the  enemy's  lines 


158  "MORE  THAN  CONQUEROR." 

most  rapidly.  To-morrow  morning,  if  I  am  successful 
to-night,  my  line  will  be  within  about  four  hundred 
yards  of  theirs. 

The  men  are  so  near  each  other  now  that  they  call 
out  to  one  another  in  a  most  amusing  way.  Last  even- 
ing the  enemy  called  to  us  "  Yanks  "  that  their  time 
would  be  out  in  three  days,  "  when  they  were  coming 
over  to  see  us." 

On  "  the  Fourth "  there  were  some  North  Carolina 
troops  in  front  of  us,  and  when  we  raised  our  "  stars 
and  strijDCS  "  on  our  breastworks  and  the  band  played 
Star  Spangled  Banner,  the  rebs  took  in  their  se- 
cession rag  and  cheered  lustily.  I  believe  that  were 
it  not  for  our  politicians  these  two  armies  would  settle 
this  matter  and  reconstruct  the  Union  in  twenty-four 
hours. 

The  news  that  Ewell  is  at  Harper's  Ferry,  does  not 
scare  us  very  badly  here,  although  I  see  that  it  is  creat- 
ing something  of  a  bobbery  at  the  North.  One  of  our 
divisions,  Rickett's,  of  the  Sixth  Corps,  was  sent  around 
to  Sigel  to-day.  There  is  no  news  of  interest  here. 
Don't  believe  the  newspapers,  I  beg  of  you  !  .  .  .  . 

Well,  I  must  away.  If  you  hear  a  heavy  musketry 
to-night,  you  will  understand  it  to  be  my  line  advancing! 

May  our  heavenly  Father  bless  you  all,  and  have  you 
in  his  gracious  keepmg,  ever  prays  your  loving  son, 

Howard. 

The  severe  mental  struggle  which  Howard 
Kitching  alludes  to  in  the  next  letter  was  one  of 
the  "  great  fight  of  afflictions,"  through  which 
many  a  stout  heart  had  to  pass  in  this  war.  They 
were  most  of  them  young  men,  who  had  not  only 
left  their  family  and  homes,  but  their  business, 
and  sacrificed  every  temporal  advantage  to  serve 
their  country  in  her  hour  of  need,  and  the  har- 


THE   TRENCHES.  159 

rassing  thought  was  ever  j^resent,  that  if  they  fell 
in  battle,  their  loved  ones  were  unprovided  for. 

Ix  Rifle-pits,  near  Petersburg,  July  12,  1864. 
My  dearest  kind  Papa  :  —  Your  loving  letter  of 
last  Saturday,  written  at  Dobb's  Ferry,  has  just  arrived, 
and  you  cannot  imagine  how  your  kindness  makes  me  a 
new  man  for  the  balance  of  the  campaign.  You  are  all 
so  kind  to  my  darling  wife  and  boy  that  I  know  I  ought 
not  to  worry  about  them,  but  the  ever-present  thouoht 
that  in  the  event  of  my  death  they  would  be  left  unp'^'o- 
vided  for,  is  one  continual  nightmare  to  me.  I  cannot 
shake  it  off,  do  what  I  may.  I  re'ason  with  myself 
about  duty  to  my  country,  and  all  that,  and  yet  the 
fear  that  I  may  have  done  wrong  in  entering  or  remain- 
ing in  the  service  against  so  many  discouragements  and 
over  so  many  obstacles  (intended,  it  may  be,  to  have 
prevented  my  doing  this,)  will  remain  with  me  day  and 
nightr  .... 

I  can  tell  you  this,  papa,  without  fear  of  your  misun- 
derstanding it ;  for  I  am  confident  that  you  know  7io 
other  consideration  would  induce  me  to  "look  back, 
having  once  put  my  hand  to  the  plough."  I  pray  con- 
tmually  for  impHcit  trust  in  the  God  of  the  flitlierless, 
and  I  have  endeavored  to  fight  as  became  a  Christian 
soldier.  No  man  dare  hint  that  I  have  ever  hesitated 
to  lead  where  men  ought    to   follow;  yet  the    torment 

of  my  anxiety  for  H and  my  boy,  is  none  the  less 

severe. 

You  can  then  imagine  why  your  past  kindnesses,  and 
especially  your  last  letter,  should  give  me  new  con- 
fidence, and  help  to  lift  this  weight  off  my  mind. 

....  God  grant  that  at  some  future  day  I  may  be 
able  to  return  all  your  loving  kindness.  I  am  so  thank- 
ful that  darling  mamma  is  better.  I  feared  that  her 
trip  to  Oscawana  and  her  adventures  there  might  have 
proved  an  injury  instead   of  a  benefit.      Give   her  my 


160  ''MORE  THAN  CONQUEROR" 

best  love.  I  will  rej)ly  to  her  dear  lovely  letter  to-mor- 
row, if  I  live. 

Our  situation  here  remains  about  the  same.  We  are 
gradually  advancing  our  lines,  strengthening  them  as  we 
go.  There  is  the  constant  fire  of  artillery  and  mortar- 
shells,  but  not  so  much  musketry  of  late.  I  have  lost 
several  good  men  yesterday  and  to-day  by  mortar-shells, 
and  had  three  very  narrow  escapes  myself;  having  been 
covered  with  dirt,  and  grazed  by  pieces  of  shell  —  but 
thank  God,  I  am  all  right  yet.  I  am  now  getting  some 
batteries  into  position,  which  I  trust  will  drive  the  rebs 
away  from  the  guns  which  are  annoying  us  so  much. 

The  Maryland  affair  is  assuming  larger  proportions 
than  at  first,  but  I  still  doubt  whether  Lee  has  weakened 
his  forces  here  to  any  considerable  extent.  The  raiders 
I  believe  to  be  mostly  from  in  front  of  Hunter. 

Good  night.  Our  heavenly  Father  bless  you  all,  and 
reunite  us  here,  or  hereafter.  Your  loving  and  grateful 
son,  Howard. 

Trenches  near  Petersburg,  Sunday  midnight,  July  17,  1804. 

My  precious  Sister: — We  are  all  under  arms 
awaiting  an  attack  of  the  enemy,  so  I  can  only  say  a 
word. 

I  had  intended  writing  you  a  long  letter  this  evening 
in  reply  to  your  dear  lovely  letter  of  Monday  last,  re- 
ceived last  night ;  but  a  deserter  from  the  enemy  com- 
ing into  my  lines  and  informing  me  that  the  enemy  were 
massing  large  bodies  of  troops  in  my  front,  preparatory 
to  an  attack  to-night,  set  me  at  work,  as  you  may  im- 
agine, getting  everything  in  readiness  to  receive  our 
visitors. 

So  instead  of  being  able  to  spend  this  Sunday  even- 
ing telling  you  and  H what  a  precious   Sunday  I 

have  enjoyed  I  have  been  obliged  to  almost  forget  every- 
thing but  how  best  to  arrange  every  means  in  my  power 
for  the  slaughter  of  my  fellow  creatures.  But  this  is 
war! 


THE   TRENCHES.  161 

I  have  placed  my  brigade  in  two  lines,  four  ranks 
deep,  batteries  on  my  flanks  ;  everything  is  ready  to  open 
on  our  enemies  at  the  proper  time.  Just  now  every- 
thing is  unusually  quiet  —  the  ominous  hush  before  the- 
storm.  Before  day-break  the  whole  earth  about  here 
may  be  trembling  with  the  roar  of  cannon  and  the  shock, 
of  struggling  men.  If  the  enemy  attack,  and  we  repulse 
him,  as  by  God's  help,  /mean  to,  just  here  —  we  shall 
follow  him  up,  endeavoring  to  rush  into  his  works  when 
he  does.  But  man  proposes,  God  disposes  —  we  can 
only  do  our  best. 

The  dear  Lord  has  been  very  near  me  to-day,  my  dar- 
ling. It  has  been  Sunday  in  my  heart,  as  well  as  in  the 
almanac.  It  seems  as  though  I  have  obtained  a  better 
realization  of  the  all-sufficiency  of  the  Saviour's  sacri- 
fice, than  ever  before  —  its  adaptation  to  every  individual 
case. 

•  My  precious  sister,  I  cannot  express  my  thankfulness 

for  your  dear  letters,  which  with  T 's,  mamma's, 

and  all  the  rest,  are  such  loving  aids  in  showing  my 
path  and  assisting  me  to  follow  it.  Never  had  any  one 
such  friends  as  I ;  and  when  each  mail  brings  me  a  dear 
letter  from  one  of  you,  with  its  words  of  cheer,  I  feel  as 
though  I  could  never  thank  God  sufiiciently  for  such 
blessings.  As  you  say,  darling,  I  ought  to  be  good  and 
happy,  for  I  believe  no  one  ever  had  as  many  dear  ones 
praying  for  him  as  I.  When  I  look  back  and  compare 
my  religious  privileges  with  those  of  others,  I  shudder 
to  think  how  obstinately  wicked  I  must  be  to  resist  such 
influences. 

But  I  must  stop  scribbling,  for  my  little  desk  and 
private  papers  are  not  safe  here,  and  should  be  sent  to 
the  rear ;  so  I  must  bid  you  good  night  and  shut  up  my 
desk. 

God  bless  you,  my  own  darling  sister.     Thank  dear 

T for  his  kind  letter.     You  and  he  are  just  my 

ideal  of  true    patriots.     Although  your  knowledge  of 
11 


162  "MORE  THAN  CONQUEROR:' 

•"  the  situation  "  is  not  sufficiently  detailed  to  enable  you 
to  see  as  we  do  many  causes  for  our  want  of  success  in 
the  wickedness  and  selfishness  of  our  leaders,  yet  it  is 
as  well  you  should  not  know  —  and  I  trust  that  God 
will  save  our  country,  notwithstanding  our  national 
sins. 

Don't  worry  about  me.  If  we  are,  as  I  suppose,  on 
the  eve  of  another  battle,  the  same  strong  arm  that  has 
thus  far  kept  me,  will  keep  me  still. 

This  letter  is  all  "  I,"  but  my  darling  will  pardon  it. 
Your  loving  brother,  Howard. 

In  Trenches  near  Petersburg,  July  18,  1864. 

My  o^vn  H :  —  I  scratched  you  a  miserable  little 

note  last  night  while  awaiting  an  attack  of  the  enemy 
which  did  not  "  come  off,"  so  to-night  I  will  drop  you  a 
line  to  tell  you  that   I  am   all   right  —  have  not  been 

fighting,  but  am    terribly  homesick All    this 

makes  me  blue  —  but  it  is  the  Lord's  will,  and  must  he 
right 

I  came  so  near  being  ordered  to  Washington 

yesterday  with  my  regiment  that  it  is  quite  a  disappoint- 
ment to  me  that  the  order  was  countermanded.  It  seems 
ithat  a  regiment  of  heavy  artillery  was  ordered  by  Grant 
to  go  to  Washington  for  permanent  duty  on  the  fortifica- 
tions. As  my  regiment  has  been  more  hardly  used  and 
suffered  more  than  any  other.  General  Meade  decided  to 
send  it,  and  was  just  issuing  the  order,  when  an  order 
came  from  Grant,  countermanding  it  until  it  can  be 
ascertained  whether  or  not  one  of  the  regiments  now 
there  with  the  Sixth  Corps  will  remain.  Wasn't  it  a 
narrow  escape  ? 

I  hear  that  General  Meade  spoke  of  retaining  me 
here  as  a  brigade  commander  in  case  he  sends  my  reg- 
iment, but  do  not  know  how  that  would  have  been.  .  . 
.  .  .  There  is  nothino:  new  with  us.  Continual  shoot- 
ing  at  each  other  by  the  sharp-shooters  with  every  now 


THE   TRENCHES.  163 

and  then  a  twelve  pounder  solid  shot,  or  twenty-four 
pounder  mortar  shell  tearing  through  my  head-quarters 
making  everything  ring  again.  I  have  had  to  put  up  a 
little  fortification  to  protect  my  horses,  for  the  rascals 
shoot  them  right  in  front  of  my  tent. 

Major  Shonnard  leaves  for  home  in  the  morning.  O, 
how  I  envy  him,  and  how  delighted  his  mother  will  be 
to  get  him  safe  home.  He  has  done  his  duty  as  a  sol- 
dier in  a  fearless  manner  and  carries  with  him  the  respect 
of  all  his  brother  officers He  is  a  splendid  fel- 
low, and  has  proved  himself  a  true  friend  of  mine.  .  .  . 
.  .  I  must  to  bed,  my  darling,  for  it  is  midnight.  Do 
you  read  the  chapter  every  night  ?  Don't  forget  to  pray 
for  me,  precious !  Keep  veiy  near  to  the  dear  Lord. 
May  He  bless  you  with  his  choicest  blessings.  Kiss  my 
boy  for  his  papa. 

Trenches  near  Petersburg,  Saturday  Evening,  ) 
July  23, 1864.  ) 

My  dearest  Papa  :  —  I  am  so  "  chock  full,"  of  good 
news  to-night  that  I  must  give  my  dear  ones  the  benefit 
of  it.  I  enclose  an  official  copy  of  telegram  received 
to-day  from  Sherman,  which  speaks  for  itself.  He  is 
doing  wonders. 

I  consider  Atlanta  to  be  of  more  importance,  in  a 
military  point  of  view,  than  Richmond. 

Next,  General  A.  J.  Smith  has  thrashed  the  rebs 
soundly  upon  the  same  ground  where  our  General 
Sturgis  was  defeated  recently;  and  that  will  perhaps 
please  you  all  equally  well  with  all  this  good  news. 

Lastly,  my  regiment  has  been  ordered  to  Washington 
to  take  charge  of  the  defenses  there.  I  received  the 
order  this  morning,  and  am  getting  the  regiment  in  read- 
iness to  move  so  soon  as  the  Sixth  Army  Corps  returns 
to  this  army.  I  learn  that  General  Grant  ordered  Gen- 
eral Meade  to  send  one  regiment  of  heavy  artillery  to 
Washington,  and  General  Meade  said  that  as  my  regi- 


164  ''MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

ment  had  done  infantry  duty  so  long  and  so  well,  and 
had  suffered  so  heavily,  it  deserved  the  first  chance  for 
rest  and  recuperation.  I  cannot  help  feeling  pleased  ; 
for  coming  as  the  order  does,  unsolicited,  and  as  a  kind 
of  reward  of  merit,  it  does  us  no  harm  as  soldiers,  and 
is  very  acceptable. 

My  command  in  Washington  will  be  quite  extensive ; 
a  brigade  covering  a  line  of  works  of  about  eight  miles. 
Truly  the  Lord  has  been  wonderfully  kind  to  me. 

I  at  first  thought  that  after  getting  my  regiment  nicely 
fixed  in  garrison,  I  would  apply  for  a  command  in  this 
army  again,  as  I  am  told  that  General  Meade  will  give 
me  a  brigade  here  if  I  wish  it ;  but  on  second  thought,  I 
feel  that  T  ought  not  to  do  so.  I  have  shown  my  will- 
ingness to  fight,  I  hope,  when  it  has  been  my  duty,  and 
the  Lord  has  preserved  me  miraculously.  Now  that  He 
has  opened  this  way  of  serving  my  country  with  equal 
honor,  and  greater  safety,  it  seems  hardly  right  to  volun- 
teer anything,  simply  to  gain  military  reputation.  Write 
me  what  you  think. 

I  have  been  to  head-quarters  to-day,  and  find  that 
every  one  thinks  that  my  regiment  has  earned  this  re- 
spite and  that  /  ought  to  take   it.     Won't  H be 

glad?  .... 

My  regiment,  officers  and  men,  are  delighted,  and 
have  been  cutting  such  capers  on  their  breastworks  that 
the  Johnnies  wanted  to  know  what  was  the  matter. 
'  The  rebs  are  getting  very  sulky  over  the  news  from 
Atlanta.  They  have  forbidden  all  intercourse  between 
their  men  and  ours,  and  are  now  amusing  themselves 
by  throwing  a  shell  occasionally  into  our  lines;  and 
perhaps  suspecting  that  I  am  about  leaving  they  throw 
them  unpleasantly  near  my  head-quarters. 

Please  send  this  letter  to   H for  I  cannot  write 

her  to-night,  and  if  she  only  learns  that  I  am  coming  to 
Washington,  she  will  be  so  pleased  as  not  to  care  how 
she  gets  the  information.  I  will  write  to  her  to-morrow 
if  I  live 


THE   TRENCHES.  165 

This  letter  is  as  usual,  all  about  myself ;  my  desire  to 
tell  you  what  I  know  will  interest  you,  being  my  only 
apology. 

God  bless  you  all !  How  can  we  thank  Him  enough 
for  his  wonderful  kindness  to  us. 

Good-night,  my  dearest  papa.  Love  to  darling 
mamma  and  all.      Ever  your  loving  son,       Howard. 

Before  Petersburg,  July  29,  1864. 
Friday  Night,  one  o'clock. 

My  precious,  darling  Wifie  :  —  I  have  just  re- 
ceived orders  to  move  in  an  hour  (at  two  o'clock)  into 
position,  preparatory  to  the  grand  assault  upon  the 
enemy's  line. 

Burnside  with  the  Ninth  and  Eighteenth  Corps  is  to 
make  the  assault,  supported  by  our  corps.  My  brigade 
has  been  selected  as  the  leading  one  of  the  Fifth   Corps. 

I  had  hoped  that  on  your  account  I  might  leave  for 
Washington  before  another  fight,  but  it  is  God's  will  that 
it  should  be  otherwise.  He  will  take  care  of  me  as  He 
has  always  done.  Don't  be  worried,  my  own  little  pre- 
cious wifie !  I  will  get  word  to  you  immediately  after 
the  fighting  is  over. 

If  it  should  be  the  Lord's  will  that  anything  should 
happen  to  me  —  always  trust  Him  for  everything.  Let 
nothing  weaken  your  trust  in  Him.  Bring  my  boy  up 
to  know  and  love  Him. 

Never  forget,  my  own,  sweet  wife,  how  dearly  I  have 
loved  you.     You  are  my  best  earthly  blessing. 

^  Good-by,  my  darling!  I  will  write  to-morrow 
night,  God  willing.  I  trust  I  may  date  my  letter  in 
Petersburg. 

May  the  dear  Master  bless  you.  Trust  IRm,  darling, 
and  Be  will.  .... 

Gradually  advancing  their  lines  and  strengthen- 
ing them  as  tliey  went,  when  the  system  of  works 


166  '.''MORE  THAN  CONQUEROR." 

was  completed,  the  SOtli  July  was  fixed  upon  to 
make  an  assault  on  the  enemy's  position.  To 
further  this  coup-de-mai7i,  under  the  direction  of 
General  Burnside,  a  mine  was  dug  under  a  fort, 
the  destruction  of  which,  it  was  thought,  would  se- 
cure the  fall  of  Petersburg. 

This  appears  to  have  been  a  wretchedly  mis- 
managed affair.  There  was  lamentable  error  some- 
where, ai\d  the  sacrifice  of  many  brave  fellows  was 
the  consequence. 

The  explosion  of  the  mine  was  the  signal  for  a 
simultaneous  outburst  of  artillery  fire,  all  along 
the  hue,  from  the  various  batteries.  The  earth 
shook  for  miles  around,  under  this  terrific  fire. 
The  enemy's  guns  were  soon  silenced. 

When  the  assaulting  column  reached  the  fort,  it 
was  found  to  have  been  converted  by  the  explo- 
sion into  a  huge  crater. 

In  the  men  poured  without  hesitation,  and 
pressed  on  till  they  were  met  by  the  deadly  fire 
of  the  enemy.  Here  they  stood  at  bay.  The  sev- 
eral divisions  pressing  in  became  mixed  up  ;  and  a 
scene  of  disorder  and  confusion  commenced  which 
seems  to  have  continued  to  the  end  of  the  conflict. 
The  withering  fire  of  the  enemy  made  frightful 
havoc.  For  two  hours  our  brave  men  fought  des- 
perately, but,  being  unsupported,  at  length  with- 
drew in  utter  confusion. 

Colonel  Kitching  expresses  the  feeling  of  the 
army  at  "this  miserable  affair."  The  whole 
country,  which  had  been  filled  with  rumors  of  the 


THE   TRENCHES.  167 

fall  of  Petersburg,  was  chagrined  and  saddened  by 
the  issue.  , 

In  Camp,  near  Petersburg,  / 
Tuesday  Evening,  August  2,  1864.      ) 

My  precious  JVIamma  :  —  I  commenced  a  letter  to 
you  last  eveniug,  but  after  writing  a  page  or  so,  I  found 
that  it  was  too  soon  after  our  recent  disgraceful  failure 
for  me  to  write  to  any  one,  and  that  I  was  saying  many 
things  that  an  officer  commanding  a  brigade  ought  not 
to  say ;  so  I  tore  my  letters  up,  said  my  prayers,  and 
went  to  bed. 

I  see  by  the  papers  just  received,  that  everybody  at 
home  was  led  to  believe  for  a  time  that  our  assault  upon 
Petersburg  had  been  successfid,  and  that  we  were  in 
possession  of  the  place,  and,  indeed,  so  we  should  have 
been,  had  there  been  any  management  of  affairs  upon 
the  field. 

At  eleven  o'clock  Friday  night,  I  received  orders  to 
move  my  brigade  at  two  o'clock  to  the  front  of  General 
Bumside's  line,  and  then  go  into  position,  preparatory 
to  supporting  him  in  his  assault  at  three  o'clock.  My 
brigade  was  to  lead  the  division.  I  did  as  ordered,  and 
at  three  o'clock  received  orders  to  remain  in  position  till 
further  orders.  At  4.45,  a.m.,  the  mine  under  the 
enemy's  battery  in  our  front  was  blown  up,  and  at  that 
signal  the  artillery  along  our  whole  line  opened  upon 
the  enemy.  Such  an  infernal  noise  was  never  heard 
before  by  mortal  ears.  Gettysburg,  Malvern  Hill,  and 
Antietam  would  not  compare  with  it.  At  that  moment 
the  infantry  should  have  charged,  but  did  not  move  till 
some  time  after,  giving  the  enemy  time  to  recover  from 
their  surprise  and  prepare  to  resist  our  assault. 

When  the  storming  party  did  move,  it  was  composed 
of  blacks,  instead  of  white  soldiers,  as  it  should  have 
been,  and  in  consequence  the  work  was  but  half  done. 
Still  our  column  pushed  into  two  of  the  enemy's  lines 
of  works,  and  if  our  division  had  been   ordered  to  sup- 


368  ''MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

port  them,  all  would  have  gone  well ;  but  for  some  rea- 
son no  order  came  to  Warren  to  put  us  in,  and  the  Ninth 
Corps  was  driven  back. 

Never,  in  my  opinion,  has  the  army  had  such  a 
chance  of  complete  success  ;  never  has  such  a  chance 
been  so  completely  thrown  away. 

I  had  watched  ??^y  men  with  considerable  anxiety  be- 
fore the  attack  opened,  for  they  having  learned  that 
they  had  been  ordered  to  Washington,  I  feared  that  they 
might  be  unwilling  to  go  into  another  fight,  if  they 
could  help  it ;  but  on  the  contrarj^,  I  never  saw  men  so 
eager  for  a  fight.  I  could  scarcely  keep  them  quiet. 
Every  man  could  see  the  enemy's  weakness  and  just 
what  was  required  to  enable  us  to  rout  them  completely  ; 
and  yet  no  order  came,  and  we  were  forced  to  lie  still 
and  see  our  men  fall  back.  The  loss  in  my  command 
was  very  slight :  one  officer  and  seven  men,  all  day. 

The  entire  army  is  terribly  chagrined  at  the  "  fizzle  ; " 
a  board  of  officers  is  investigating  the  matter  now,  and 
I  trust  that  the  responsible  party  may  suffer. 

No  one  knows  anything  of  our  future  movements. 
You  will  all  be  very  much  disappointed  that  I  have  not, 
as  yet,  left  for  Washington,  and,  indeed,  I  do  not  think 
that  I  shall  go  at  all  now.  The  programme  has  changed 
so  materially  that  I  do  not  think  my  regiment  will  be 
sent.  You  may  imagine  my  disappointment,  particu- 
larly now But  it  must  be  "  all  well  "  or  it  would 

not  be  so,  and  I  endeavor  to  be  contented.     My  chief 

disappointment  is  on  account    of  H and  my  dear 

ones  at  home.     Your  dear  letters,  from  yourself,  H , 

and  Louise,  reached  me  last  night ;  all  so  joyous  at  my 
being  ordered  to  Washington,  and  now  if  I  should  not 
go,  your  disappointment  will  be  in  proportion. 

God's  will  be  done.  He  has  so  wonderfully  cared 
for  me  through  three  years  of  peril.  He  can  surely  be 
trusted  implicitly  now. 

You  ask  about  my  health.     I  have  not  been   very 


THE   TRENCHES.  169 

well  for  more  than  a  month,  but  did  not   desire   Shon- 

nard  to  say  anything  about   it  at   home Severe 

exercise  or  excitement  have  been  very  painful  at  times, 
but  since  we  have  been  in  the  trenches  I  have  been  able 
to  rest  a  great  deal,  and  as  I  am  evidently  improving,  I 
did  not  say  anything  of  it  in  my  letters,  for  I  knew  it 
would  do  no  good,  but  only  worry  you  all  if  you 
thought  me  ill. 

I  am  very  anxious  about  you,  darling.  .  .  .  .  I  am 
very  glad  you  are  going  to  Oscawana  for  a  time,  for 
you  always  appear  to  improve  there.  Don't  get  lost  in 
the  woods  again ! 

I  am  so  crazy  to  see  the  new  home.  Every  one 
writes  of  its  beauty  and  comfort,  till  I  think  it  must  be 
a  little  paradise.  Any  liome  would  be  a  paradise  to  me 
now,  after  my  three  years  soldiering. 

....  How  I  would  like  to  go  fishing  with  papa  at 
the  Lake !  But  it  is  late,  and  1  must  stop  scribbling. 
If  fSu'can  read  this,  I  shall  be  much  surprised  ;  I  write 
such  a  dreadful  hand  —but  then  all  great  men  do  ! 

Thank  you  again,  my  darling  mamma,  for  your  kind, 
loving  letters.  Give  my  love  to  all,  and  with  a  heart 
full  for  yourself  and  dear  papa,  I  am,  your  loving  son, 

Howard. 

to  major  shonnard. 

Camp  near  Petersburg,  Wednesday  Evening,  \ 
■  3,  1864.  ) 


N 


My  dear  Fred  :  —  Your  most  kind  and  interesting 
letter  has  just  been  received  and  read  with  great  pleas- 
ure. I  note  all  you  say  about  the  best  interests  of  the 
regiment,  and  will  endeavor  to  reply  at  length  to-morrow. 
I  have  only  a  few  minutes  now. 

You  have  ere  this  learned  of  the  failure  of  our 
assault  upon  Petersburg  on  Saturday  last.  I  am  sorry 
to  confess  it,  but  it  was  truly  the  most  disgraceful 
"fizzle"    of   the    whole    campaign.       Everything    was 


170  ''MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR" 

planned  well  and  wisely,  and  up  to  a  certain  point 
succeeded,  but  the  assaulting  party  did  not  do  their  duty, 
or  the  works  would  have  been  ours. 

The  negroes  behaved  badly,  and  yet  in  my  opinion 
if  our  division  had  been  ordered  in,  we  would  have  car- 
ried everything.  I  speak  of  our  division  because  we 
were  lying  all  ready  to  support  the  storming  party,  and 
from  our  position  just  in  front  of  the  exploded  mine 
could  see  everything.  General  Warren  selected  the 
third  brigade  to  lead  our  division  and  I  went  into  position 
at  three  o'clock,  just  where  Burnside's  corps  crossed  our 
works  to  go  out. 

The  state  of  the  case  was  so  simple,  the  enemy's 
weakness  so  apparent,  that  our  men  were  just  bewitched 
to  push  forward,  and  it  was  with  the  greatest  regret  that 
the  order  suspending  offensive  operations  was  received. 
I  wish  that  I  had  time  to  give  you  a  detailed  account  of 
the  whole  affair,  but  I  have  not.  The  artillery  fire  on 
our  side  was  in  my  opinion,  and  I  believe  has  been  gen- 
erally pronounced,  the  most  magnificent  ever  witnessed. 
The  enemy's  fire  was  completely  subdued,  and  had  the 
infantry  done  half  as  well,  Petersburg  would  have  been 
ours.  However,  there  is  no  philosophy  in  bemoaning 
our  ill  success  now  ;  the  only  way  is  to  atone  for  it. 
The  loss  in  my  brigade  was  slight ;  one  ofiicer,  Gilberts, 
slightly,  and  seven  men  wounded.  A  court  of  inquiry 
is  in  progress  for  the  purpose  of  fixing  the  responsibility 
of  our  defeat,  and  I  earnestly  hope  that  the  guilty  party 
may  suffer. 

It  would  have  done  your  soldier's  heart  good,  my  dear 
fellow,  to  have  seen  the  Sixth  Artillery  throughout  that 
whole  day.  Moved  suddenly  at  two  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  without  coffee,  they  all  thought  that  we  were 
on  our  road  to  Washington ;  and  when  I  told  them  that 
on  the  contrary  they  were  to  lead  our  division  in  a  des- 
perate assault  on  the  enemy's  works,  in  place  of  the 
demoralization  which  I  feared  on  account  of  their  disap- 


THE   TRENCHES.  ITl 

pointment,  there  was  nothing  but  manifestations  of  joy 
at  our  having  been  selected  for  the  work,  and  the  most 
evident  determination  to  do  it  thoroughly.  The  only 
disappointment  appeared  to  be  that  they  were  not  per- 
mitted to  retrieve  the  day  with  the  bayonet. 

Fred,  it  is  a  noble  regiment.  I  am  well  pleased  that 
brave  Crosby  is  doing  so  well.  He  well  deserves  his 
promotion.  Many  thanks,  my  kind  friend,  for  your  san- 
guine expressions  regarding  my  promotion,  but  I  am  not 

so  sauguine Having  tried  to  do  my  duty  to  and 

with  my  command,  I  am  willing  to  leave  all  else  with 
One  who  has  already  blessed  me  beyond,  far  beyond 
my  deserts,  or  even  hopes. 

I  trust  that  ere  this  you  have  been  able  to  meet  my 
mother  and  sisters.  They  are  most  anxious  to  see  you. 
Write  whenever  you  can ;  your  kind  letters  are  most 
grateful  to  me,  I  assure  you.  Eemember  me  kindly  to 
your  parents,  and  believe  me  as  ever, 
—  Your  sincere  friend, 

John  Howakd  Kitching. 
P.  S.     Reiran,  of   "  E "  company,  was  wounded    in 
the  foot',  May'^SOth  and  sent  to  hospital.     From  what  I 
can  learn,  he  was  hit  slightly. 

Near  Petersburg,  Virginia,  August  7th,  1864. 
My  own  sweet  Wife  :  —  This  has  been  a  terribly 
uncomfortable  day.  The  heat  is  intense,  the  dust  suffo- 
cating, and  the  flies  unbearable.  No  one  ever  experi- 
enced such  torment  from  flies  since  the  plague  of  the 
Egyptians.  Not  such  flies  as  we  have  at  home,  but 
great  green  chaps  that  bite  like  rattle-snakes,  and  stick 
like  glue !  We  can  scarcely  eat  except  before  daylight, 
and  after  dark,  and  as  to  obtaining  a  wink  of  sleep,  it  is 
quite  out  of  the  question. 

I  have  been  terribly  homesick  to-day.  I  always  have 
a  longing  for  home  and  my  darlings,  but  sometimes  it 
becomes  to  strong  that  for  the  time  being  it  almost  unfits 
me  for  my  duties 


172  ''MORE  THAN  COXQUEROR." 

Everybody  has  been  blue  since  our  terrible  "  fiasco  " 
on  the  30th.  The  campaign  has  virtually  ended  without 
our  capturing  Richmond  or  indeed  gaining  any  decided 
advantage,  which  amounts  to  a  sacrifice  of  all  the  noble 
men  who  have  fallen  since  we  crossed  the  Rapidan. 

What  Grant  proi:)Oses  to  do  now,  nobody  can  imagine. 
We  certainly  need  one  himdred  and  fifty  thousand  men 
in  addition  to  those  we  now  have,  to  enable  us  to  take  the 
offensive.  Had  we  been  successful  on  the  third,  every- 
thing would  have  been  different.  We  ought  to  have 
captured  at  least  ten  thousand  prisoners  and  all  the 
artillery  that  they  have  here,  which  would  not  only  have 
weakened  them  numerically,  but  would  have  served  to 
discourage  them  immensely  as  well  as  to  encourage  our 
people,  and  promote  volunteering I  do  not  pre- 
tend to  cast  the  blame  upon  any  individual,  for  I  do  not 
know  enough  of  the  orders  issued  during  the  day ;  but 
somebody  is  to  blame. 

Since  the  attack,  my  brigade  has  been  lying  in  our 
present  camp  in  the  woods,  just  out  of  range  of  the 
enemy's  missiles  except  now  and  then  a  large  thirty- 
poimder,  which  comes  whir-r-r-iug  along.     The  lines  are 

very  quiet,  however,    most  of  the    time How 

much  we  shall  have  to  talk  about,  if  God  spares  me  to 
return  to  you.  I  really  feel  ten  years  older  than  I  did 
before  this  campaign.  Responsibility  and  constant  care 
make  one  grow  old  very  rapidly. 

I  wonder  how  you  have  been  occupied,  to-day,  dar- 
ling ?  .  .  .  .  I  have  been  reading  over  Theodore's  little 
"  Fountain  of  Living  Waters,"  and  love  it  more  than 
ever Papa  in  his  last  letter  mclosed  some  lit- 
tle scraps  from  a  religious  paper  —  they  interested  me 
so  much  that  I  inclose  them 

We  have  very  Httle  opportunity  for  religious  meetings 
now,  as  when  the  command  is  not  in  the  front  line,  a 
large  proportion  is  away  on  fatigue  duty,  building  bat- 
teries,  etc.      Last    Sunday  we    had  church   under  the 


THE   TRENCHES.  173 

trees,  and  Mr.  C.  preached  a  first-rate  practical  sermon, 
to  a  most  attentive  congregation.  The  men  think 
everything  of  Mr.  C,  and  well  they  may.  He  has  been 
most  faithful  and  kind 

Fifth  Akmy  Corps,  August  9tk,  1864- 
Dear  Papa  :  —  I  inclose  check,  my  wages  from 
"  Uncle  Samuel "  for  tiie  month  of  July.  Heavy  pay,  is 
it  not,  for  living  in  a  hole  in  the  ground  and  being  shot 
at  daily  by  "  Johnny  Reb."  ....  It  may  be  the 
last  full  month's  pay  I  shall  ever  receive.  Who  can 
tell?  .... 

I  inclose  official  copy  of  telegi'am  received  last  night 
from  Department  of  the  Gulf.  The  news  is  good, 
particularly  as  it  comes  through  rebel  sources.  I  am 
anxious  to  learn  how  the  "  Tecumseh  "  was  sunk.    There 

is  nothing  new  here Please   tell   Mr.  Charters 

that  liis  friend,  Lieutenant  George  D.  Hyatt,  died  of 
cong^BBtion  of  the  lungs  in  my  hospital,  soon  after  I  last 
wrote  him.     We  sent  his  body  home. 

I  trust  that  dear  mamma  is  better.  Give  my  best 
love  to  all.      God  bless  you,  dear  papa. 

Your  loving  son,  How^ard. 

There  has  just  happened  a  terrible  accident  here. 
The  large  ordnance  warehouse  at  City  Point  blew  up 
to-day,  killing  and  wounding  a  large  number  of  men, 
and  destroying  a  large  amount  of  property.  The  ex- 
plosion shook  the  earth  about  here  for  fifteen  miles. 

Ml-.  C had  a  most  providential  escape.     He  was 

in  the  express  office  at  City  Point  when  the  exj^losion 
occurred.  The  whole  building,  as  well  as  all  the  build- 
ings in  the  neighborhood  were  destroyed  ;  men  standing 
beside  him  were  literally  blown  to  pieces,  and  yet  he 
escaped  with  only  some  slight  bruises,  and  b^ing  stunned 
for  a  time.  Truly  the  ninety-first  Psalm  is  verified  lit- 
erally with  those  "  who  abide  in  the  secret  place  of  the 


174  ''MORE  THAN  CONQUEROR:' 

Most  High."     "  The  destruction  that  wasteth  at  noon- 
day, does  not  come  nigh  them." 

I  have  just  received  a  truly  characteristic  telegram 
from  General  Sherman,  a  copy  of  which  I  inclose. 

Yours  lovingly,  Howard. 

COPY    OF    DESPATCH    FROM    GENERAL    SHERMAN. 

Near  Atlanta,  August  7th,  8.30  p.  m. 

We  keep  hammering  away  here  all  the  time,  and 
there  is  no  peace  inside  or  outside  of  Atlanta.  To-day, 
Schofield  got  round  the  flank  of  the  line  assaulted  yes- 
terday by  General  Reilly's  brigade,  turned  it,  and 
gained  the  ground,  with  all  our  dead  and  wounded.  We 
continued  to  press  on  that  flank,  and  brought  on  a  noisy, 
but  not  a  bloody  engagement.  We  drove  the  enemy  be- 
hind his  main  breastworks,  which  cover  the  railroad 
from  Atlanta  to  East  Point.  We  captured  a  good 
many  of  the  skirmishers,  which  are  of  their  best  troojDS, 
for  their  militia  hug  the  breastworks  close. 

I  do  not  deem  it  prudent  to  extend  more  to  the  right, 
but  will  push  forward  dailj^  by  parallels  and  make  the 
inside  of  Atlanta  too  hot  to  be  endured.  I  have  sent 
to  Chattanooga  for  two  thirty-pounder  parrotts,  with 
which  we  can  j^ick  out  almost  any  house  in  town. 

I  am  too  impatient  for  a  seige,  but  I  don't  know  but 
here  is  as  good  a  place  to  fight  it  out  as  further  inland. 
One  thing  is  certain  —  whether  we  go  inside  of  Atlanta 
or  not,  it  will  be  a  used  up  community  by  the  time  we 
are  done  with  it. 

[Signed.]  W.  T.  Sherman, 

Major-general. 

In  his  last  letter  from  tlie  trendies  in  front  of 
Petersburg,*^' lie  writes  :  — 

1  have  learned  in  the  army  that  it  will  not  do  for 


THE   TRENCHES.  175 

any  one  who  professes  to  have  experienced  the  love  of 
Christ  to  conceal  the  fact.  He  must  show  his  colors 
boldly.  Not  only  so,  but  he  must  stand  by  them.  It 
is  just  so  everywhere.  He  or  she  who  dares  not  come 
out  on  the  Lord's  side,  before  the  world,  although  pro- 
fessing Him  in  the  church,  will  possess  the  respect  of 
no  one,  not  even  those  who  are  openly  impious.  And 
more  than  all,  they  are  more  guilty  in  the  Lord's  sight 
than  the  open  sinner. 

What  Howard  Kitching  learned  in  the  army,  — 
that  a  soldier  of  the  cross,  to  be  respected,  must 
show  his  colors  boldly  and  stand  by  them,  —  is  a 
truth  confirmed  by  the  experience  of  every  Chris- 
tian. The  coward,  of  whatever  description,  is  an 
object  of  scorn ;  whereas  there  is  a  kind  of  rever- 
ence for  braver}^,  even  when  men  are  inclined  to 
wisht~it  a  better  cause.  And  when  a  man  has  once 
declared  himself  the  disciple  of  Christ,  the  Avorld 
expects  him  to  act  tip  to  the  declaration  ;  and 
though  it  may  despise  his  principles,  and  hate  his 
preciseness,  it  will  think  the  worse  of  him  in  pro- 
portion as  he  seems  ashamed  of  his  religion,  and 
the  better  in  proportion  as  he  is  firm  in  its  main- 
tenance and  display. 

The  solution  to  the  problem,  of  the  Apostles' 
boldness  before  their  enemies  was,  ''  They  had 
been  with  Jesus."  And  so  must  we  be  with  Jesus, 
if  we  would  bear  good  testimony  for  Him  in  the 
presence  of  the  world.  To  have  heard  of  Him, 
to  have  read  of  Him,  is  not  enough  ;  we  must  he 
with  Him  ;  walk  with  Him  in  a  consenting  will, 
love  Him  as  having  loved  us,  be  joined  to  Him  in 


176  ''MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

one  spirit.  Thus  alone  can  consistent  testimony 
be  borne  to  Him  by  his  people.  They  who  have 
been  with  Jesus  fear  not  the  pomp,  nor  the  scoffs, 
nor  the  threats  of  men.  The  wmds  may  blow  and 
the  floods  arise,  and  the  rains  come  and  beat  on 
that  house,  but  it  shall  not  fall,  for  it  is  founded 
on  a  rock.  A  man's  religion  before  the  world  is 
one  of  those  things  by  which  his  genuineness  and 
reality  as  a  Christian  are  most  readily  tested. 

We  cannot  put  on  this  character.  It  must  result 
from  the  gradual  accretion  of  many  experiences, 
many  trials,  many  failures,  many  prayers,  years 
spent  mider  the  eye  and  within  the  sound  of  the 
voice  of  the  Saviour.  We  cannot  build  it  up  on 
the  shifting  sands  of  fashion,  or  on  the  soft  and 
tempting  soil  of  self-indulgence ;  its  foundations 
must  be  on  the  holy  hills,  or  it  will  never  stand. 

And  it  is  a  comfort  to  think  that  many  a  soldier 
who  lies  buried  in  these  places,  made  desolate  by 
the  ruthless  tramp  of  contending  armies,  —  poor, 
and  weak,  and  mean,  and  unlearned,  many  of 
them  may  have  been,  their  names  unknown  except 
by  a  few  comrades,  —  still  there  is  cheer  in  the 
thought  that  they  shall  stand  in  the  Great  Roll- 
call,  unabashed,  with  One  to  answer  for  them  ; 
their  names  known  in  heaven,  for  they  are  writ- 
ten in  the  Lamb's  book  of  life.  They  loved  their 
Redeemer  here  —  they  walked  with  Him,  they 
served  Him,  they  confessed  Him,  —  and  He  will 
not  deny  them  there. 


DEFENSES  OF  WASHINGTON. 


"  I  say  to  thee  —  do  thou  repeat 
To  the  first  man  thou  majest  meet 
In  lane,  highway,  or  oj^en  street,  — 

"  That  he  and  we  and  all  men  move 
Under  a  canopy  of  love. 
As  broad  as  the  blue  sky  above ; 

"  That  doubt  and  trouble,  fear  and  pain 
And  anguish,  all  are  shadows  vain, 
That  death  itself  shall  not  remain  ; 

"  That  weary  deserts  we  may  tread, 
A  dreary  labyrinth  may  thread. 
Through  dark  ways  underground  be  led ; 

"  Yet,  if  we  will  one  Guide  obey, 
The  dreariest  path,  the  darkest  way 
Shall  issue  out  in  heavenly  day  ; 

"  And  we,  on  divers  shores  now  cast, 
Shall  meet,  our  perilous  voyage  past, 
All  in  our  Father's  house  at  last." 

Dean  Trench. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 
DEFNSES   OF   WASHINGTON. 

**  For  now  we  see  through  a  glass,  darkly  ;  but  then  face  to  lace: 
now  I  know  in  part ;  but  then  shall  I  know  even  as  also  I  am  known." 

1  Cor.  xiii.  12. 

Haed  pressed  as  Lee  found  himself  in  his  be- 
leagured  hnes  behind  Petersburg,  he  r<3solved  on 
a  plan  of  relief  which  had  before  proved  so  suc- 
cessful. This  was  to  make  a  diversion  in  favor  of 
his  own  army  by  such  a  menace  against  Washing- 
toiTas  would  compel  Grant  to  part  with  so  many 
troops  from  the  army  of  the  Potomac  that  offen- 
sive operations  against  Petersburg  must  cease. 

The  force  detached  by  Lee  for  this  expedition 
consisted  of  a  body  of  twelve  thousand  men  under 
General  Early.  Following  the  beaten  track  of  in- 
vasion, Early  marched  rapidly  down  the  Shenan- 
doah Valley. 

From  the  peculiar  situation  of  that  valley  in  a 
military  point  of  view,  it  was  always  open  to  a  de- 
tached force  to  make  incursions  across  the  frontier 
of  the  loyal  States,  whether  for  the  purpose  of 
plunder  or  of  a  diversion  in  favor  of  the  main  Con- 
federate army,  by  a  menace  against  Washington. 

''  The  only  force  at  hand  with  which  to  dispute 
Early's  advance,  was  a  body  of  a  few  thousand 


180  ''MORE  THAN  CONQUEROR." 

foot  artillerists,  hundred  days'  men  and  invalids 
under  General  Wallace,  then  in  command  at  Bal- 
timore. But  on  learning  of  the  irruption  of  the 
enemy  across  the  Potomac,  General  Grant  detached 
the  Sixth  Corps  from  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
and  forwarded  it  by  transports  to  Washington.  It 
happened,  too,  at  this  juncture,  that  the  Nine- 
teenth Corps,  under  General  Emory,  which  had 
been  ordered  from  New  Orleans,  after  the  failure 
of  the  Red  River  expedition,  had  just  arrived  in 
Hampton  Roads.  Without  debarking  it  was  sent 
forward  to  follow  the  Sixth. 

The  advanced  division  of  the  Sixth  Corps  under 
General  Ricketts  having  arrived.  General  Wallace, 
with  that  added  to  his  heterogeneous  force,  moved 
forward  to  meet  Early,  and  took  position  on  the 
Monocacy.  Here  he  received  battle  on  the  8th, 
and  though  he  was  discomfited,  the  stand  he  made 
gained  time  that  was  of  infinite  value." 

On  the  11th,  Early's  van  halted  before  the  for- 
tifications covering  the  northern  approaches  to 
Washington.  By  afternoon  his  infantry  came  up 
and  showed  a  strong  line  in  front  of  Fort  Stevens. 
Early  had  an  opportunity  to  dash  into  the  city, 
the  works  being  very  slightly  defended.  Great 
was  the  panic  in  Washington,  and  the  alarm 
throughout  the  northern  States  was  almost  as 
great. 

But  the  rebel  commander  hesitated  and  lost 
time,  and  during  the  day  the  Sixth  Corps  arrived, 
and  was  soon  followed  by  the  Nineteenth. 


DEFENSES  OF   WASHINGTON.  181 

On  the  12th  July,  a  brigade  of  the  Sixth  Corps 
made  a  sally  from  the  lines  and  fell  upon  and 
drove  the  enemy  for  a  mile,  suffering  a  loss,  but  in- 
flicting heavier  damage  on  the  enemy.  That  night 
Early  withdrew  across  the  Potomac,  pursued  by 
General  Wright,  who  did  not  overtake  the  enemy 
until  he  reached  the  Shenandoah  Valley. 

But  though  driven  back,  the  rebel  commander 
bivouacked  in  the  valley,  and  kept  up  such  a 
threatening  attitude  that  it  was  found  impossible 
to  return  the  Sixth  and  Nineteenth  Corps  to  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac.  No  sooner  was  this  at- 
tempted, than  Early  was  again  across  the  border 
and  threatening  Washington. 

Colonel  Kitching  was  ordered  with  his  command 
to~Washington,  to  take  charge  of  the  defenses  of 
that  city,  and  arrived  there  on  the  16th  of  August. 

Washington,  1st  Brigade,  Hardin's  Division,  ) 
22d  Army  Corps,  August  17,  1864.  3 

My  dear  Papa  :  —  I  telegraphed  you  yesterday  of 
my  arrival  here  with  my  command.  I  reported  to 
General  Augm',  and  was  at  once  placed  in  command  of 
this  brigade. 

General  Augnr  told  me  that  I  would  find  things  in 
very  bad  shape,  and  indeed  I  do.  There  has  been  no 
system  in  the  management  of  the  command  till  every- 
thing has  gotten  wrong  end  foremost.  I  have  relieved 
the  former  staff  and  am  trying  to  get  matters  regulated, 
which  will  keep  me  very  busy  for  ten  days  at  least,  when 
I  hope  to  be  able  to  take  matters  easier. 

The  command  is  large,  comprising  thirteen  forts  with 
their  garrisons,  extending  about  eight  miles.  I  have  not 
yet  been  able  to  ride  over  my  line,  and  see  what  I  have 
jumped  into. 


182  "MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

My  officers  and  men  are  delighted  to  get  into  nice 
barracks  after  living  as  they  have.  I  have  a  little  cot- 
tage, two  rooms,  which  I  can  clean  up,  and  make  very 
comfortable.  My  head-quarters  are  about  four  miles 
from  Washington  City. 

I  am  pretty  well ;  have  a  bad  cold,  but  nothing  more. 
....  My  best  love  to  all.  I  shall  only  have  time  to 
scribble  a  line  now  and  then  till  I  can  get  a  little  ahead 
of  my  work. 

It  seems  so  queer  to  be  able  to  lie  down  at  night  in 
quiet,  without  the  danger  of  being  blown  to  pieces  by  a 

mortar  shell.     I  aj)preciate  it,  I  assure  you You 

cannot  imagine  how  I  thank  God  in  my  heart  for  this 
quiet  —  the  absence  of  suffering  and  death  which  has 
accompanied  our  campaign  in  the  field.  God  bless  you 
all !  Your  loving  son, 

Howard. 

Pardon  the  style  of  this,  dear  papa.  My  experience 
here  now  is  rather  worse  than  it  was  when  you  visited 
me  at  Harper's  Ferry,  when  I  first  took  command  of  my 
regiment ;  people  running  in  every  minute  —  no  time 
for  anything. 

TO    HIS     3I0THER. 

Washington,  August  18, 1804. 

.....  How  thankful  I  am,  darling  mamma,  that 
the  Lord  has  seen  fit  to  remove  my  command  from  the 
field  for  a  time.  They  have  shown  by  their  conduct  a 
willingness  to  do  their  duty  in  any  capacity,  and  now,  so 
long  as  it  is  necessary  that  some  troops  should  be  here, 
I  am  very  glad  that  it  is  my  command. 

As  I  wrote  papa,  I  am  more  busy  just  now  than  I 
ever  have  been  in  my  life,  but  it  will  be  so  only  for  a 
week  or  two,  till  I  get  things  running  regularly.  After 
that  J  expect  to  have  a  very  easy  time. 


,  DEFENSES  OF   WASHINGTON.  183 

I  am  much  better  in  health  than  I  have  been  for  some 
time  :  the  change  has  done  me  good.  I  shall  try  to  get 
a  few  days  with  you  soon,  God  willing. 

Poor  Mr.  C is  in  hospital.     He  is  quite  sick,  but 

I  hope  will  be  better  in  a  few  days. 

It  seems  singular  indeed,  to  be  in  a  city  again,  after 
the  past  summer's  experience.  How  mercifully  has  the 
Lord  sjDared  me  when  so  many  of  my  acquaintances  have 
lost  their  liveS  ;  so  many  their  limbs,  or  their  health. 
If  yoLi,  darling,  were  only  as  strong  and  well  as  I  am  ! 
I  shall  wait  for  a  letter  from  you  most  anxiously. 

Give  my  best  love  to  all.  Louise  wrote  me  such  a 
dear  loving  letter.  No  one  was  ever  blessed  with  such 
dear  friends  as  I. 

God  bless  you,  my  own  precious  mamma. 

Best  love  to  dear  papa,  Theodore,  and  all 

Yours  lovingly,  Howard. 

Sunday  Night,  August  28,  1864. 

My  own  Darling  :  —  I  had  intended  writing  you  a 
nice  long  letter  to-day,  but  an  opportunity  offered  for 
me  to  attend  church  in  town,  and  as  I  have  not  been  in 
such  a  long  time,  I  went.  I  have  just  returned,  having 
enjoyed  the  services  very  much  indeed  —  a  real  good 

sermon,  beautiful  music,  and  the  dear  old  service 

I  begin  to  feel  quite  civilized  again You  will 

see  by  the  papers  that  my  regiment  just  escaped  anothei 
bloody  fight  by  leaving  Peterbsurg  when  it  did.  The 
Fifth  Corps  has  again  seized  the  Weldon  Railroad,  and 
the  Fifteenth  New  York  Artillery,  one  of  the  regiments 
of  my  brigade,  has  been  very  much  cut  up,  losing  its 
commanding  officer  and  many  others. 

How  can  we  ever  be  sufficiently  thankful  to  Him  who 
Jias  spared  me  in  this  miraculous  way ! 


184  "MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR" 

Washington,  September  5,  1864. 

My  dear  Papa  :  —  General  Hardin  being  absent, 
I  am  temporarily  in  command  of  the  division,  with  my 
head-quarters  here  in  the  city. 

I  am  getting  along  pretty  well  in  tliis  department,  the 
only  trouble  being  that  my  efficient  force  is  too  small  by 
far  for  the  work  to  be  done  —  particularly  as  the  works 
in  my  lines  have  been  garrisoned  by  one  hundred  day 
troops,  and  have  been  suffered  to  get  into  exceedingly 
bad  condition,  requiring  a  great  deal  of  extra  labor  to 
repair  damages  and  put  them  in  shape. 

My  worst  trouble  is  that  many  of  my  officers  and 
men  are  getting  sick.  It  is  invariably  so,  when  troops 
retm'n  from  the  field  into  barracks.  I  cannot  find  that 
the  locality  is  unhealthy,  although  this  is  the  worst  time 
of  year  here,  from  September  first  to  the  middle  of  Oc- 
tober. 

The  men  having  been  so  long  in  the  field,  eat  every- 
thing, and  do  everything  foolish,  so  that    my  hospitals 

are  full I  feel  as  though  it  would  not  be  a  very 

difficult  matter  for  me  to  get  sick  with  fever,  or  chills,  or 
something  of  the  kind.  I  am  gaping  and  stretching  all 
day  long ;  but  I  have  taken  a  dozen  grains  of  quinine 
daily  for  a  few  days,  and  feel  much  better  this  morning. 

When  General  Hardin  returns,  I  will  try  again  to  ob- 
tain a  leave  for  five  days,  for  I  am  so  anxious  to  see  you 
all,  and  to  attend  to  home  matters,  that  I  am  very  rest- 
less indeed. 

....  We  are  sending  some  troops  to  New  York  in 
anticipation  of  the  draft ;  but  I  do  not  apprehend  any 
trouble. 

The  news  from  Atlanta  is  glorious,  is  it  not  ?  O,  for 
a  decisive  victory  in  the  East ! 

Give  my  best  love  to  darling  mamma,  Gussie,  Louisp 
and  all.  How  are  the  little  ones  ?  Thank  dear  Gussie 
for  her  lovely  letter  and  the  beautiful  little  painting. 
God  bless  you  all.     Ever  your  loving  son, 

Howard. 


DEFENSES   OF   WASHINGTON.  185 

FoKT  Reno,  September  7,  1864. 

....  My  dear  little  doctor  (Baker)  died  yesterday,, 
after  a  week's  illness,  of  ty^Dlioid  fever.  He  had  been 
at  my  head-quarters  all  through  the  campaign,  and  had 
endeared  himself  to  all  by  his  bravery  and  loveliness  of 
character.  The  poor  fellow  never  was  sensible  for  a 
day  after  he  was  taken,  and  ran  down  to  a  mere  shadow^ 

I  am  trying  to  get  the  government  to  allow  me  to 
issue  to  my  men  a  ration  of  whisky  and  quinine  daily, 
as  a  preventive  against  the  malaria.  I  have  been  quite 
sick,  myself,  but  am  now  quite  well  again. 

General  Hardin  inspected  my  brigade  to-day,  and  was 
so  pleased  that  he  told  me  that  I  could  have  my  leave 
whenever  I  asked  for  it ;  so  as  soon  as  I  can  settle  this 
matter  of  the  major's,  and  get  things  in  nice  running 
order,  I  shall  try  to  run  home  for  two  or  three  days.   .  . 

It  was  one  of  those  glorious  American  sunsets, 
which  defy  the  richest  tints  of  the  artist  and  the 
burning  words  of  poet  to  paint.  As  we  sat  look- 
ing out  of  the  casement  of  our  little  cottage  on 
the  banks  of  the  Hudson,  river,  and  cliff,  and  dis- 
tant hills,  and  fleecy  clouds,  all  shimmering  in  the 
golden  glow,  a  scene  so  hushed  and  lovely,  we 
were  led  to  contrast  this  quiet  picture  with  the 
scenes  of  conflict  and  suffering  through  which  our 
soldiers  were  passing.  While  thus  talldng,  the 
door  opened  softly  and  Howard  stood  before  us, 
with  beaming  face  and  merry  laugh  at  our  sur- 
prise. 

Only  hearts  that  have  long  been  weary  with 
watching  for  the  footsteps  of  one  long  absent, 
hourly  facing  death  before  a  watchful  foe,  can 
reahze  the  comfort  of  such  a  meeting. 


186  ''MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

The  quiet  eyening  passed  in  talking  over  the 
.summer  campaign,  and  Ave  were  filled  with  ever 
deepening  wonder  and  gratitude  at  his  escape. 
He  fought  over  for  us,  in  his  life-like  way,  some  of 
the  desperate  battles  of  the  Wilderness,  giving  us 
a  more  graphic  idea  of  the  fearful  struggles  in  that 
dreary  region  than  we  ever  had  before,  and  such 
glimpses  of  brave  young  Christian  hves  that  ended 
there,  that  it  saddened  us  to  think  no  record  should 
ever  be  had  of  them. 

A  great  change  we  saw  had  come  over  Howard 
Kitching.  He  was  the  same  bright  spirit  as  ever, 
and  the  old  sunny  smile  still  passed  at  times  over 
his  handsome  face.  But  he  had  grown  older,  and 
his  look  was  more  often  than  before  grave  and 
quiet,  and  a  sense  of  deep  responsibiUty  evidently 
weighed  upon  him. 

How  many  boys,  just  from  their  mothers'  side, 
grew  at  once  into  manhood  amid  these  scenes 
which  taxed  every  energy  of  every  man  in  the 
;army. 

The  following  day  we  joined  the  family  at 
the  lovely  lake  of  Oscawana.  Howard  was 
obliged  to  visit  Albany  on  business,  but  returned 
to  the  lake  at  midnight,  sick  and  weary.  While 
we  chafed  his  cold  hands  and  a  hot  supper  was 
preparing  for  him,  our  thoughts  and  conversation 
turned  upon  the  three  years  that  he  had  been  ex- 
posed to  cold,  and  want,  and  hardships  of  every 
kind,  with  no  gentle  hand  to  minister  to  him  in 
sickness,  or  care  for  his  comfort,  and  we  began  to 
feel  that  we  could  not  spare  him  again. 


DEFENSES   OF    WASHINGTON.  187 

Late  into  the  iiigM  we  sat  around  liim,  urging 
him  to  leave  the  service.     We  pressed  the  fact 
that   he   had  done   his   duty  nobly,  had   shrunk 
from  no    sacrifice,    and  that  now  the  clamis    ot 
wife  and  child  and  mother  were  paramount,  and 
from  other  family  considerations,  it  was  his  dtdy 
to  remain  at  home.     There  were  those  who  needed 
the  support  of  his  strong  arm,  and  now  that  the 
Lord  had  spared  him  so  wonderfully,  it  seemed 
but  right  that  he  should  return  to  other  duties, 
and  allow  his  place  to  be  filled  by  young  men  who 
had  fewer  claims  upon  them. 

Howard  hstened  sadly  to  all  our  arguments,  and 
they  had  weight  enough  to  depress  and  perplex 
him,  but  the  soldier'e  heart  was  in  the  forefront 
of  the  conflict ;  and  the  thought  of  staying  at 
home,T5efore  the  day  of  final  victory,  seemed  so 
painful,  that  we  parted  sorrowfully,  grieving  much 
that  we  had  said  anything  on  the  subject. 

The  next  day  was  the  last  Sunday  we  were  all 
to    ioin   in  the  beautiful   service  of    our  church. 
The  pathos  of  its  soul-subduing  Litany  never  ap- 
peared deeper,  the  appropriateness  of    its  tender 
petitions  never  more  heartfelt.     We  met,  a  small 
congregation,  in  the  parlor   of    the  hotel.      The 
preacher  took  for  his  text  "  Casting  all  your  care 
upon  Him,  for  He  careth  for  yon."     In  speaking 
of  the  majesty  of  the  Lord  who  careth  for  the 
sinner, he  quoted  the  eloquent  words  of  the  poet: 
«  He  rides  unseen  on  the  hurrying  storm ; 
He  sits  on  the  whirlwind's  car ; 


188  ''MORE  THAN  COXQUEROR." 

He  wraps  in  the  clouds  his  awfiil  form, 

And  ti-avels  from  star  to  star. 
A  thousand  messengers  wait  his  will, 

And  a  million  heralds  fly, 
And  their  Sovereign's  high  behest  fulfill 

Through  a  vast  eternity." 

And  yet,  though  so  exalted,  the  preacher  added, 
He  caretlifor  you.  Himself  careth.  He  hath  dele- 
gated to  angels  the  ministering  to  your  wants,  but 
He  hath  not  divested  Himself  of  his  love  for  you. 
Having  loved  you  with  an  everlasting  love  —  hav- 
uig  written  your  poor  name  on  the  eternal  pages 
of  liis  book  of  life  —  having  drawn  you,  in  his  own 
manner,  through  the  love  of  Jesus,  to  Himself, 
quickening  and  regenerating,  washing  and  sancti- 
fying by  Jesus'  blood  and  Jesus'  spirit.  He  has 
put  you  among  his  children.  He  has  prepared  and 
He  destines  for  you  an  eternal  home.  But  you  are 
yet  a  poor  sinner  in  the  wilderness,  journeying  on- 
ward —  and  in  the  wilderness  you  have  wants  and 
sorrows,  and  dangers,  and  fears  and  conflicts.  But 
amid  them  all  the  Father  is  caring  for  his  child  ! 
And  lest  your  knees  grow  feeble  and  your  heart 
faint,  lest  necessity  felt  and  feared  daunt  you.  Him- 
self hath  given  you  this  assurance  —  "I  care  for 
you  —  I  am  with  you  —  I  ivill  care  for  you  and  be 
with  you,  never  leaving,  never  forsaking." 

Yes,  children  of  the  heavenly  King,  you  who 
are  journeying  homeward  to  your  Father's  courts, 
there  is  no  season,  there  is  no  circumstance,  there 
is   no   place,    but   He  careth    for  you:   hovering 


DEFENSES  OF   WASHINGTON.  189 

around  you  as  tlie  eagle  over  her  young,  watching 
you  as  the  good  shepherd  his  flock,  encircling  you, 
as  the  hills  are  around  Jerusalem,  loving  you  more 
tenderly  than  doth  the  mother  her  nursing  child. 

We  shall  never  forget  the  wistful  look  of  the 
young  soldier,  as  he  sat  listening  to  his  last  ser- 
mon, nor  his  tearful  acknowledgement  of  the  com- 
fort these  words  of  assurance  gave ;  remarking 
that  we,  who  enjoyed  these  privileges  all  the  time, 
could  not  half  appreciate  them,  nor  know  how  to 
sympathize  with  the  poor  fellows  in  the  army  who 
had  no  Sunday. 

The  last  Sunday  evening  was  spent,  as  so  many 
Sunday  evenings  in  other  days  had  been  spent,  in 
singing  old  familiar  hymns.  The  parting  hymn 
was,  by  mutual  consent,  the  favorite  hymn  of  a 
sister,  now  in  glory  : 

"  Be  still  my  heart,  these  anxious  cares 
To  thee  are  burdens,  thorns  and  snares  ; 
They  cast  dishonor  on  thy  Lord, 
And  contradict  his  gracious  word. 

«  Brought  safely  by  his  hand  thus  far, 
Why  wilt  thou  now  give  place  to  fear? 
How  canst  thou  want,  if  He  provide, 
Or  lose  thy  way  with  such  a  guide  ? 

"  Though  rough  and  thorny  be  the  road, 
It  leads  thee  home,  apace,  to  God ; 
Then  count  thy  present  trials  small, 
For  heaven  will  make  amends  for  all." 

The  next  two  days,  our  last  together  before  the 
great  sliadow  fell  upon  us,  were  bright  and  beauti- 


190  "MORE  THAN  CONQUEROR." 

ful,  and  that  lovely  region  lay  bathed  in  the  sub- 
dued golden  light  of  our  autumnal  glory.  We 
were  out  upon  the  lake,  or  wandering  through  the 
woods  gathering  wild  flowers  and  the  gorgeously 
tinted  leaves  of  the  forest,  or  clamberuig  up  cHffs, 
and  he  and  a  younger  brother  made  the  woods  ring 
with  their  peals  of  laughter  and  snatches  of  songs. 
It  was  the  holiday  after  the  long  weary  school 
days — the  buoyant  sparkling  spirit  mellowed,  not 
destroyed,  by  the  faith  of  the  Christian. 

These  last  scenes  linger  in  the  memory  and  stir 
among  the  heart-strings  of  those  who  loved  him. 

He  mounted  his  horse  in  the  morning,  just  as 
the  sun  was  tipping  the  hills  with  gold.  We 
watched  his  graceful  figure  as  he  rode  down  the 
winding  road  —  caught  a  last  glimpse  as  he  passed 
over  the  brow  of  a  hill  —  one  wave  of  the  hand- 
kerchief and  he  was  gone,  and  we  saw  him  not 
again  till  he  was  brought  home  wounded  from  the 
field  of  battle. 

Washington,  October  2,  1864. 

My  dear  Papa  :  —  I  have  just  received  my  very 
"  honorable  discharge "  from  the  service  of  the  United 
States,  upon  an  application  of  my  own  on  the  ground  of 
more  than  three  years  service.  The  order  will  be 
issued  to-morrow,  and  I  shall  leave  for  New  York  to- 
morrow evening. 

My  reason  for  leaving  the  service  at  this  time,  you 

know All  my  fi'iends    say  that  I  have   done   a 

very  foolish  thing,  and  perhaps  I  have,  but  I  have  deter- 
mined after  much  jDrayerful  consideration,  and  have  tried 

to  do  what  was  best.     I  hope  you  will  approve 

I  am  assured  here  that  I  can  obtain  a  command  at  any 


DEFENSES  OF   WASHINGTON.  191 

time,  so  if  everything  goes  right,  and  the  country  needs 
me,  I  can  return  by  and  by 

God  willing,  I  will  see  you  Tuesday,  when  we  can 
talk  matters  over.  I  shall  go  to  Albany  Tuesday  night, 
after  which  I  shall  return  to  the  army  for  a  day  or  two 
to  bid  my  command  farewell 

Love  to  all.  I  am  terribly  blue  at  the  step  I  have 
taken.     Your  loving  son,  Howard. 

Washixgtox,  October  4,  1864. 

My  dear  Papa  :  —  I  wrote  you  day  before  yesterday, 
that  I  had  received  my  discharge  from  the  service  by 
reason  of  more  than  three  years  service. 

I  made  all  my  arrangements  to  go  home  last  night, 
but  when  I  went  to  the  War  Dej^artment  yesterday 
morning,  the  Secretary  of  War  revoked  the  order,  and 
ordered  me  to  report  immediately  with  my  command  to 
General  Sheridan. 

It  is  a  terrible  disappointment  to  me,  for  I  had  strug- 
gled with  myself  very  hard  ever  since  my  return,  to 
decide  whether  I  ought  to  be  discharged  at  this  time,  and 
having  made  up  my  mind  that  it  was  my  duty,  and  the 
order  having  been  issued,  it  cut  me  terribly  to  have  it 
revoked.     It  puts  me  in  the  position  of  a  man  who  tried 

to  get  out  of  the  service,  but  could  not I  cannot 

learn  where  my  command  is,  but  presume  it  is  near 
Staunton  by  this  time.  I  intended  to  leave  for  Harper's 
Ferry  this  morning,  but  could  not  get  transportation  for 
my  horse.  I  shall  leave  to-morrow  morning.  I  shall 
have  a  nice  little  ride  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  miles 
through  a  country  full  of  guerrillas,  after  leaving  Har- 
per's Ferry.     What  command  I  shall  have,  or  what  I 

shall  do  when  I  get  there,  I  cannot  tell  yet I 

shall  take  no  baggage  to  the  field  this  time ;  shall  leave 
all  my  books,  papers,  and  other  things  at  the  Metropoli- 
tan Hotel  here,  so  if  you  should  want  them  at  any  time 
you  will  know  where  to  find  them I  have  but 


192  ''MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

little  time  and  cannot  write  to  any  one  else  now.      Give 

my  dearest  love  to  all  the  loved  ones God  bless 

you  all.     Yours  lovingly,  Howard. 

Head-quarters  Provisional  Division,  Harper's  Ferry,  ) 

October  6,  1864.  ) 

Dear  Papa  :  —  I  arrived  here  yesterday  noon,  and 
instead  of  being  permitted  to  go  on  at  once  to  my  com- 
mand, was  placed  in  command  of  all  troops  arriving 
here  on  their  way  to  General  Sheridan. 

There  are  about  three  thousand  here  now,  belonging 
to  the  Sixth,  Eighth,  and  Nineteenth  Army  corps  ;  rep- 
resenting every  regiment  in  those  corps,  and  all  sorts  of 
officers.  I  am  now  getting  them  armed  and  organized 
as  quickly  as  possible,  and  as  soon  as  I  get  about  four 
thousand  I  shall  i^ush  on  for  Sheridan.  I  have  organ- 
ized two  brigades  and  hope  to   get  off  on   Saturday  or 

Sunday My  head-quarters  are  on  a  high  bluff 

above  the  Shenandoah  ;  prettily  located,  but  cold  and 
damp,  nevertheless 

Head-quarters  Provisional  Division,  Harper's  Ferry,  ) 

October  9,  1864.  ) 

My  DARLING  Louise: — Your  dear  precious  letter 
has  been  read  over  and  over  again,  and  would  have  been 
answered  at  once,  but  that,  as  you  probably  know,  I 
have  been  so  very  busy,  and  so  uncertain  where  I  was 
going  or  what  I  was  going  to  do,  that  I  have  not  writ- 
ten to  any  one,  save  a  few  words  to  H and  papa  to 

let  you  know  of  my  whereabouts  and  safety. 

For  two  days  in  Washington  I  considered  myself  out 
of  the  service,  and  was  making  all  my  arrangements  ac- 
cordingly, expecting  to  be  with  you  all  in  a  day  or  so, 
when  an  order  was  issued  revoking  my  discharge. 

True  to  my  determination  expressed  to  you,  as  soon 
as  I  reached  Washington,  I  applied  for  my  honorable 
discharge  on  the  ground  of  more  than  three  years  ser- 


DEFENSES  OF   WASHINGTON.  193 

vice  ;  but  you  see  that  we  soldiers  are  not  permitted  to 
return  to  our  families  even  when  our  term  of  service  ex- 
pires. However,  I  am  trying  to  think  that  it  is  all  for 
the  best,  although  it  is  a  terrible  disappointment  to  me, 
once  having  made  up  my  mind  to  do  it,  and  that  it  was 
my  duty. 

When  I  reached  here  on  my  way  to  the  front,  Gen- 
eral Stevenson  placed  me  in  command  of  this  division  or- 
ganizing for  General  Sheridan,  and  I  have  been  working 
day  and  night  to  get  them  clothed,  armed  and  equipped, 
ready  for  the  field.  I  have  three  brigades,  about  two 
thousand  each,  and  having  been  obliged  to  make  up  a 
staff  temporarily  of  the  officers  as  I  found  them,  all 
strangers,  you  can  imagine  that  I  have  had  to  do  consid- 
erable work  unaided.  The  command  is  all  ready  for  the 
field  and  I  have  just  issued  marching  orders  for  to-mor- 
row morning.  I  hope  to  reach  Strasburg  Wednesday 
evening. 

My  future  is  of  course  very  uncertain.     I  cannot  tell 

what  T^  shall  do  until  I  get  to  the  front 

My  visit  home  was  one  of  the  pleasantest  that  I  have 
had.     Unfortunately,  you  and  I  had  no  opportunity  of 

seeing  much  of  each  other The  truth  is,  darling, 

I  was  very  much  worried  and  troubled  while  at  home. 
I  don't  mean  unhappy,  but  anxious  and  puzzled  to  know 
what  was  best  to  do.  You  know  I  have  a  great  re- 
sponsibility, for  a  young  man.  All  the  time  I  was  home 
I  was  cogitating  over  the  step  that  I  took  when  I 
reached  Washington,  and  it  involved  so  many  important 
considerations  that  I  was  much  exercised  to  know  what 
to  do.  It  was  useless  to  ask  for  advice  at  home,  upon 
that  particular   point,  for  I  knew  that  a  desire   to   have 

me  at  home  would  render  home  judgment  partial 

Here  I  am  in  an  old  half  worn  tent,  no  baojoraore,  blank- 
ets  laid  on  the  grass,  the  weather  as  cold  as  winter ;  sur- 
rounded by  strangers,  holding  a  temporary  command  in 
which  I  can  take  but  little  interest,  and  with  my  future 
13 


194  "MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

more  uncertain  than  ever  before.  All  this,  after  antici- 
pating a  winter  spent  with  H and  my  boy. 

But  I  am  trying  to  think  that  good  will  result  from  it, 
although  I  cannot  see  it  yet.  I  get  fearfully  blue  and 
discouraged  at  times,  but  you  and  I  know  where  to  go 
at  such  times,  darling !  Were  it  not  for  the  comfort 
and  encouragement  that  we  receive  from  above,  I  do  not 
know  what  I  should  do  under  some  of  the  bitter  dis- 
appointments which  I  have  suffered This  has 

not  been  like  Sunday,  for  I  have  been  so  occupied  all 
day  getting  clothes  and  shoes  for  my  men.  How  I 
long  for  Sundays  at  home. 

Good-by,  my  darling  sister.  Thank  you  again  for 
your  sweet  sympathizing  letters.  Write  me  whenever 
you  can.  Give  my  best  love  to  dear  Theodore,  and  be- 
lieve me,  my  darling,  as  ever, 

Your  truly  loving  brother,  Howard. 

Harper's  Ferry,  October  9, 1864. 

Dear  Papa  :  —  I  am  still  here,  not  having  yet  com- 
pleted the  equipment  of  my  division.  I  expect  to  move 
for  Winchester  to-mori*ow  morning.  I  am  very  busy. 
We  were  at  work  all  night  last  night,  drawing  and  issu- 
ing arms  and  clothing. 

My  old  brigade  arrived  at  Martinsburg  on  Friday, 
and  will  return  to  the  front  with  me.  I  have  ordered 
them  to  leave  Martinsburg  on  Tuesday  morning  and 
meet  me  at  Bunker  Hill,  so  I  shall  take  about  seven 
thousand  men  to  Sheridan.  I  learn  this  morning  that 
Sheridan  has  retired  to  Strasburg,  but  do  not  know  how 
reliable  the  information  is.  He  has  not  had  a  fight,  but 
sim23ly  fallen  back  voluntarily,  after  destroying  the  wheat 

in  the  valley I  have   not   heard   a  word  from 

home  since  leaving  Washington.     I  fear  my  letters  have 

gone  to  the  front I  trust  you  are  all  well.     My 

best  love  to  all.  Your  lo\Tng  son, 

Howard. 


DEFENSES   OF    WASHINGTON.  195 

The  marks  in  his  pocket  hymn-book  show  that 
he  found  solace  in  these  dark  days  in  these  beauti- 
ful lines  of  J.  H.  Newman  :  — 

"I  will  lead  them  in  paths  they  have  not  known."  —Is.  xlii.  16. 
«  Lead,  Saviour  lead,  amid  the  encirding  gloom 
Lead  thou  me  on  : 
The  night  is  dark,  and  I  am  far  from  home, 

Lead  thou  me  on. 
Keep  thou  my  feet,  I  do  not  ask  to  see 
The  distant  scene  —  one  step  enough  for  me.. 

"  I  was  not  ever  thus,  nor  prayed  that  thou 
Should'st  lead  me  on  ; 
I  loved  to  choose  and  see  my  path,  but  now 

Lead  thou  me  on. 
I  loved  the  garish  day,  and,  spite  of  fears, 
Pride  ruled  my  will ;  remember  not  past  years. 

"  So^long  thy  power  hath  blessed  me — sure  it  still 

Will  lead  me  on. 
O'er  moor  and  fen,  o'er  crag  and  torrent,  till 

The  night  is  gone. 
And,  with  the  morn,  those  angel-faces  smile  ^ 
Which  I  have  loved  long  since,  and  lost  awhile." 


THE  LAST  BATTLE. 


"  Soon  and  forever  the  work  shall  be  done, 
The  warfare  accomplished,  the  victory  won  ; 
Soon  and  forever  the  soldier  lay  down 
The  sword  for  a  harp,  the  cross  for  a  crown.' 


CHAPTER   IX. 

THE  LAST   BATTLE. 
"  The  night  is  far  spent,  the  day  is  at  hand."  —  Rom.  xiii.  12. 

Sheridak's  army,  flushed  with  repeated  victo- 
ries, lay  quietly  but  strongly  posted  on  the  bank 
of  Cedar  Creek. 

At  early  dawn  on  the  morning  of  the  19th  of 
October,  the  light  so  dim,  struggling  through  a 
dense  fog,  that  they  could  scarce  distinguish  friend 
fronir^oe,  the  rebels  startled  them  from  their  slum- 
bers, with  a  fiendish  yell,  sweeping  through  the 
camp  in  overwhelming  numbers.  The  surprise 
was  complete.  Colonel  Kitching  had  barely  time 
to  buckle  on  his  sword,  seize  his  pistols,  and  mount 
his  horse.  Having  only  one  battalion  of  his  own 
regiment,  he  succeeded,  after  an  almost  hopeless 
effort,  in  rallying  his  men,  and  held  an  important 
road  for  several  hours,  until  nine  out  of  eleven  of 
his  officers  were  either  killed  or  wounded. 

One  color-sergeant  after  another  was  shot  down, 
and  his  troops  were  giving  way  before  a  wild 
onslaught,  when  Major  Jones,  who  was  greatly 
beloved  by  the  regiment,  fell  mortally  wounded. 
Howard  Kitching  spurred  forward  and  called  out, 
"  Stop  men,  you  will  not  let  Jones  be  made  a  pris- 


200  "MORE  THAN  CONQUEROR:' 

oner !  "  They  rallied  to  a  raan,  and  stood  their 
ground  until  their  major  was  safely  carried  to  the 
rear.  We  have  heard  Howard  tell,  with  tears,  how 
many  brave  young  fellows  lost  their  lives  in  the 
rescue  of  an  officer  they  loved  so  well. 

Just  here  it  was,  that  a  young  color-sergeant  was 
carried  by,  his  life-blood  ebbing  fast  away.  With 
a  sad  but  radiant  face  he  looked  up  and  said, 
''  Colonel,  I  did  the  best  I  could  !  " 

Colonel  Kitching  then  reported  in  person  to 
Major-general  Wright,  connnanding  the  army, 
asking  to  be  assigned  to  some  command,  where  he 
could  be  of  most  service.  The  order  he  received 
was,  "  that  he  should  rally  the  troops  wherever  he 
should  find  them,"  so  as  to  delay  the  advance  of 
the  enemy,  mitil  a  position  should  be  found  where 
they  could  make  a  stand. 

With  all  the  dash  and  energy  of  his  character, 
he  addressed  himself  to  the  difficult  duty.  He 
spurred  among  the  disordered  soldiery,  and  his 
clear  musical  voice  rang  out  over  the  wild  scene, 
as  he  called  to  them  to  "  fall  in."  They  soon  be- 
gan to  rally  around  him  and  contend  for  every  foot 
of  ground.  But  the  enemy  was  in  overwhelming 
numbers,  and  the  command  was  driven  as  far  as 
the  Creek,  which  they  found  blockaded  by  the 
baggage  trains. 

He  succeeded  by  his  influence  and  unwearied 
efforts  in  securing  the  passage  of  the  wagons. 
Once  across  the  stream  the  panic-struck  stragglers 
began  to  rush  to  the  rear.    Again  his  voice  was 


THE  LAST  BATTLE.  201 

heard  above  the  din  and  confusion,  the  roar  of 
musketry,  and  the  mingled  shouts  of  battle.  In 
the  midst  of  this  wild  tumult,  facing  the  enemv, 
a  minie  ball  crashed  through  his  foot.  Wearied 
and  wounded  he  still  sat  his  horse,  and  gave  his 
orders,  though  now  in  subdued  tones.  He  was 
again  and  again  urged  to  leave  the  field,  but  re- 
fused until  the  army  had  taken  a  position  where 
they  might  repel  any  attack  of  the  enemy.  At 
this  moment  it  was  that  General  Sheridan  rode  up 
to  the  front,  and  gave  new  life  to  the  troops  by  the 
magnetism  of  his  presence. 

Satisfied  that  all  was  right  now,  he  directed 
Captain  Donaldson  to  accompany  him  to  try  and 
find  a  surgeon  to  dress  his  wound.  Growing 
fainter  and  fainter  from  loss  of  blood  and  suffering, 
he  was  yet  compelled  to  ride  for  nearly  four  miles 
to  the  rear,  before  he  could  obtain  assistance. 
They  then  found  an  assistant  surgeon,  belonging 
to  one  of  the  cavalry  regiments,  to  dress  the  wound, 
which  was  discovered  to  be  so  serious,  that  he  ad- 
vised the  wounded  officer  to  be  carried  in  an  ambu- 
lance to  where  he  could  obtain  medical  treatment 
without  delay. 

The  ambulances  came  rumbling  by  in  rapid  suc- 
cession, but  were  all  filled  with  wounded  men,  and 
Colonel  Kitching  was  unwilling  to  have  any  poor 
fellow  disturbed  to  make  room  for  him.  A 
stretcher  was  then  made  of  a  piece  of  shelter  tent 
and  pine  poles,  and  with  the  help  of  some  strag- 
glers he  was  carried  several  weary  miles.     But  this 


202  ''MORE  THAN  CONQUEROR." 

mode  of  transportation  proved  so  painful,  and  as 
Howard  was  growing  weaker  and  weaker,  an 
ambulance,  containing  a  poor  soldier,  mortally 
wounded,  was  stopped,  and  he  was  placed  beside 
him,  and  so  they  reached  Winchester. 

Suffering  as  he  was,  he  did  not  allow  himself  to 
be  driven  to  the  head-quarters  of  General  Edwards 
until  he  had  seen  his  wounded  comrade  safely  and 
comfortably  cared  for  in  the  hospital. 

While  waiting  an  examination  of  his  wound  in 
this  dreary  place,  —  a  bare  room,  crowded  to  suffo- 
cation with  wounded  and  d3dng  officers,  —  the  news 
was  received  of  Sheridan's  brilliant  attack,  and  the 
total  rout  of  the  enemy.  Howard  looked  up  from 
his  couch  of  suffering  and  exclaimed,  "  If  tliis  be 
true,  I  should  be  willing  to  lose  another  leg." 
The  ball  was  safelv  extracted,  but  the  surg-eon 
advised  that  he  should  be  removed  away  from 
these  sad  scenes,  and  where  he  could  feel  the  sun- 
shine of  loving  faces,  and  be  nursed  by  loving 
hands. 

The  brave  young  soldier  had  fought  his  last 
battle,  his  active  work  was  done  —  it  had  been 
nobly  done.  He  had  yet  to  pass  through  the 
harder  fight  of  patient  suffering  ere  the  hour  of 
victory  came. 


THE  DISCIPLINE  OF  SUFFERING. 


The  way  is  dark,  my  Father !     Cloud  on  cloud 
Is  gathering  thickly  o'er  my  head,  and  loud 
The  thunders  roar  above  me.     See,  I  stand 
Like  one  bewildered  !     Father,  take  my  hand, 

And  through  the  gloom 

Lead  safely  home 
Thy  child ! 

The  day  goes  fast,  my  Father !  and  the  night 
Is  drawing  darkly  down.     My  faithless  sight 
Sees  ghostly  visions.     Fears,  a  spectral  band, 
Encompass  me.     O  Father  !  take  my  hand, 
_  And  from  the  night 

Lead  up  to  light 
Thy  child ! 

The  way  is  long,  my  Father!  and  my  soul 
Longs  for  the  rest  and  quiet  of  the  goal  ; 
White  yet  I  journey  through  this  weary  land. 
Keep  me  from  wandering.     Father,  take  my  hand  ; 

Quickly  and  straight 

Lead  to  heaven's  gate 
Thy  child ! 


The  way  is  dark,  my  child  !  but  leads  to  light. 
I  would  not  always  have  thee  walk  by  sight. 
My  dealings  now  thou  canst  not  understand. 
I  meant  it  so ;  but  I  will  take  thy  hand, 

And  through  the  ijlooni 

Lead  safely  home 
My  ihild ! 


The  day  goes  fast,  my  child  !      But  is  the  night 
Darker  to  me  than  day  ?     In  me  is  light ! 
Keep  close  to  me,  and  every  sj)ectral  band 
Of  fears  shall  vanish.      I  will  take  thy  hand. 

And  throuijh  the  nisxht 

Lead  up  to  light 
My  child  ! 

The  way  is  long,  my  child !      But  it  shall  be 

Not  one  step  longer  than  is  best  for  thee  ; 

And   thou  shalt  know,  at  last,  when   thou   shalt 

stand 
Safe  at  the  goal,  how  I  did  take  thy  hand, 
And  quick  and  straight 
Lead  to  heaven's  gate 
My  child  ! 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE  DISCIPLINE   OF   SUFFERING. 

"  There  came  a  cloiul,  and  overshadowed  them:  and  they  feared  as 
they  entered  into  the  cloud. 

"  And  there  came  a  voice  out  of  the  cloud,  saying,  This  is  my  be- 
loved Son:  hear  him."  —  St.  Luke  ix.  34,  35. 

A  TELEGRAPHIC  dispatch  from  General  Sheri- 
dan, on  Thursday,  October  20,  announced  ''  Victo- 
ry in  the  Valley."  "  We  have  again  been  favored 
by  great  victory  —  a  victory  won  from  disaster  by 
the  gallantry  of  our  officers  and  men."  ....  "I 
have  to  regret  the  loss  of  many  valuable  officers 
killed  and  wounded  ;  among  them  Colonel  Joseph 
Thorburn,  killed;  Colonel  J.  Howard  Kitching, 
wounded  ;  Colonel  R.  G.  McKenzie,  wounded  se- 
verely but  would  not  leave  the  field." 

A  few  hours  later  came  a  telegram  from  How- 
ard, saying  that  he  was  only  wounded  slightly, 
would  come  home  as  soon  as  possible. 

The  first  painful  shock  soon  gave  way  to  a  feel- 
ing of  intense  relief  and  thankfulness  that  the  pre- 
cious life  was  spared  — and  in  the  hours  of  suspense 
that  followed,  we  tried  to  believe  that  this,  too, 
might  be  a  blessing  in  disguise  ;  a  slight  wound 
that  would  give  him  back  to  us  again,  and  keep 
him  safe  from  further  danger. 


208  ''MORE   THAN  CONQUERORS 

We  were  ill  prepared  for  the  sad  surprise  tliat 
awaited  us.  We  went  on  in  the  night  train,  reach- 
ing Baltimore  an  hour  after  midnight.  With  beat- 
ing hearts  and  noiseless  steps,  we  sought  his  room, 
anticipating  a  jo}^ul  meeting.  A  tall  figure  started 
up  from  the  darkness  at  the  door  of  his  room. 

"  O,  'dis  de  Colonel's  sister  !  Glad  to  see  you, 
Miss  Louise.  Massa  Fred,  too.  De  doctor  say  if 
you  come,  you  not  to  be  let  in  —  de  Colonel  too 
bad  to  see  anybody." 

We  sat  in  the  darkness  with  the  faithful  negro, 
and  waited.  Presently  his  father,  who  had  reached 
Baltimore  by  a  previous  train,  came  to  us,  and 
from  him  we  learned  how  Howard's  thoughtful 
love  had  dictated  the  telegram  on  the  battle-field, 
to  save  us  the  shock  of  knowing  the  truth  at  once. 
There  was  reason  enough  for  our  deepest  anxiety. 

We  left  Baltimore  early  in  the  morning.  His 
surgeon,  and  his  faithful  friend,  Captain  Donald- 
son, watched  over  him  with  the  tenderness  of 
brothers.  Everything  was  done  ^hat  could  be 
done  to  alleviate  the  suffering  of  that  weary  jour- 
ney. 

The  President  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Rail- 
road had  most  kindly  prepared  an  entire  car  for 
our  use  —  having  the  seats  removed,  and  every 
possible  arrangement  made  which  could  add  in  any 
way  to  our  comfort,  personally  superintending 
everything,  that  there  might  be  no  confusion  or 
delay. 

Most  touching  was  the  respect  and  thoughtful 


THE  DISCIPLINE   OF  SUFFERING.         209 

kindness  manifested  throughout  the  day.  While 
we  stood  around  the  stretcher  at  the  station,  trying 
to  shield  him  from  the  cold  mnd,  an  Irish  woman 
with  a  baby  in  her  arms  looked  over  his  sister's 
shoulder.  Seeing  the  still  rosy  cheeks,  and  bright 
curls,  she  wiped  away  the  tears  with  the  corners 
of  her  apron,  and  said,  "  Och,  an  its  dreadful! 
such  a  lovely  young  man  as  that ! ''  and  then  whis- 
pered -  Has  he  a  mother  ?  O,  an  it 's  the  pity  for 
her,  poor  thing." 

All  day  long  there  were  whispered  questions, 
and  words  of  sympathy  —  cologne  water,  and  fruits 
and  other  httle  delicacies  offered.  Two  or  three 
times  a  fellow-traveller  would  come  beside  him 
with  a  cheery,  hopeful  word  —  some  allusion  to  the 
glorious  victory  of  the  day  before  —  once  or  twice 
a  "  G^d  bless  you.  Colonel  !  you  are  suffering  m  a 
glorious  cause." 

May  He  who  has  promised  never  to  forget  "  the 
cup  of  cold  water,"  abundantly  reward  every  lov- 
ing look  and  word  that  sent  a  ray  of  sunshine 
through  the  gloom  of  that  dark  day. 

At  a  late  hour,  Saturday  night,  we  reached  the 
Metropolitan  hotel.  New  York,  where  his  mother 
was  waiting  his  arrival. 

When  Howard  saw  her  anxious,  paUid  face 
bending  over  him  as  he  lay  exhausted  upon  his 
stretcher,  he  looked  up  with  a  bright  smile,  and 
forgetting  his  sufferings,  with  a  cheery  voice,  tried 
in  every  way  to  allay  her  fears  and  give  her  hope 

for  the  future. 

14 


210  ''MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

We  draw  a  veil  over  the  weeks  that  followed  — 
days  and  nights  of  weary  suffering,  with  no  mo- 
ment of  relief  or  rest.  ''  I  tell  you  what,  darling," 
he  said  suddenly  one  night,  ''  this  is  a  great  deal 
harder  work  than  marching,  or  lighting,  either !  " 

The  strength  and  endurance  that  had  been 
proved  on  many  a  battle-field,  many  a  weary  night 
march,  and  in  the  scorching  heat  of  the  deadly 
rifle-pits,  was  to  be  put  to  still  severer  test,  before 
the  final  victory. 

His  sister  said,  ''  It  is  always  a  great  deal  harder 
to  suffer  than  to  Avork.  It  requires  more  grace  ; 
and  therefore,  I  suppose,  we  can  glorify  the  Lord 
a  great  deal  more  by  patient  endurance  than  by 
active  service.  At  any  rate,  darling,  you  have  the 
promise,  '  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee.'  " 

"  Yes,"  he  said,  "  it  always  has  been." 

Then  they  talked  for  a  little  while  of  the  mean- 
ing of  that  familiar  word,  "  a  soldier  of  Christ," 
how  little  they  had  ever  before  realized  its  depth 
of  meaning  —  all  that  it  implied  of  single-hearted 
devotion,  implicit  obedience,  entire  self-sacrifice. 
How  little  we  knew  as  Christians,  of  that  readi- 
ness to  suffer  any  hardships,  endure  any  privation, 
counting  no  sacrifice  too  great,  even  life  itself,  in 
0U7'  glorious  cause. 

The  "  Silent  Comforter  "  was  hung  where  the 
first  rays  of  morning  light  would  fall  upon  it, 
and  often  after  a  weary  night  of  suffering,  the 
text  for  the  day  seemed  manna  from  heaven  —  the 
very  portion  his  soul  required  —  a  fresh  draught 


THE  DISCIPLINE   OF  SUFFERING.         211 

from  the  Fountain  of  Living  Waters.  Many  a 
sweet  talk  we  had  at  early  dawn,  when  his  eye  first 
rested  on  the  words  of  comfort  and  peace. 

On  the  fourteenth  of  November,  at  Yonkers,  his 
little  daughter  was  born.  When  the  first  agitation 
of  hearing  the  tidings  was  passed,  he  whispered,. 
"  O,  isn't  it  a  blessing  ?  I  am  so  thankful.     Now 

H will  have  a  dear  little  daughter  to  comfort 

her  when  I  am  gone."  Then  first  we  knew  that 
he  thought  his  recovery  doubtful  —  and  although 
we  tried  in  every  way  to  reassure  him,  increasing 
weakness,  and  other  alarming  symptoms,  convinced 
us  that  there  was  reason  enough  for  his  forebodings. 
That  evening,  the  surgeons,  in  consultation,  de- 
cided that  amputation  could  no  longer  be  post- 
poned without  endangering  his  life.  The  decision 
was  told  him,  tenderly  and  cheerfully,  with  many 
assurances  of  his  speedy  recovery.  He  talked 
with  the  surgeons,  in  his  usual  calm,  courteous  way, 
but  when  they  were  gone  and  the  room  was  still, 
we  saw  that  the  shadow  was  still  upon  his  heart ; 
it  darkened  over  us  all  -^  we  could  not  but  think 
perhaps  it  was  the  shadow  of  death. 

The  physicians  decided  that  a  day  must  elapse, 
to  try  by  stimulants  to  revive  his  failing  strength. 
It  was  a  day  of  clouds  and  darkness.  Reduced  by 
pain  and  long  confinement,  his  nervous  system  was 
utterly  unstrung,  and  his  courage  and  fortitude 
gave  way.  It  seemed  impossible  for  him  to  become 
quite  reconciled  to  the  loss  of  his  foot.  His  natural 
dread  of  the  operation  was  very  great,  and  many 


212  "MOn/i    TITAN  COSQCERORr 

times  he  said,  he  must  beg  the  surgeon  to  try  to 
save  it,  evidently  fearing  that  it  might  be  sacri- 
ficed to  save  prolonged  suffering. 

The  night  before  the  operation  the  shadow  of 
thick  darkness  was  over  the  weary  one.  He  was 
restless  and  feverish  and  faint  with  anxiety  and 
pain.  The  enemy  of  souls  was  on  the  watch  at 
such  an  hour.  His  mother  tried  to  soothe  and  lull 
him  to  sleep,  by  repeating  familiar  hymns  and  Bible 
verses.  At  length,  as  if  cpiitc  unable  to  repress 
the  ;igony  of  feeling,  he  stretched  out  his  arms  and 
drawing  her  down  close  beside  him,  resting  his  face 
against  hers,  he  burst  into  tears,  saying  "  O  I 
mamma  !  darling,  it  is  of  no  use.  I  believe  Jesus 
Himself  has  forsaken  me.  I  have  been  such  a  sin- 
ner. I  am  so  wretched.  I  cannot  come  up  to  the 
dreadful  to-morrow.  I  am  so  weak,  so  miserable. 
And  then  as  if  recollecting  himself,  he  added, 
"  Mamma,  dear,  you  know  I  am  no  coward,  I  never 
was  afraid  to  do  my  duty,  but  I  am  so  sick." 

His  mother  souMit  to  calm  him  bv  reminding:  him 
of  Jesus'  power  and  love,  and  dwelling  on  the  un- 
changeableness  of  Him,  whose  promise  runs, ''  Him 
that  cometh  unto  me,  I  will  in  nowise  cast  out." 

In  desponding  tones  he  said  :  "  O  !  He  has  for- 
saken me,  I  cannot  pray." 

Again  she  who  sat  beside  him,  reminded  him  of 
Christ's  faithfulness  and  the  unfailing  nature  of 
the  promises,  and  repeated  those  blessed  words 
"  Fear  not :  for  I  have  redeemed  thee,  I  have 
called  thee  by  thy  name  ;  thou  art  mine."     For  a 


THE  DISCIPLIXE   OF  SUFFERING.        213 

few  moments  the  cloud  lingered  on  his  pale  face 
but  a  sweet  smile  chased  it  away,  the  enemy  was 
beaten  back,  and  kissing  his  mother,  he  said  with 
I  quiet,  assured  voice,  "  That  is  so.  What  would  I 
ever  have  done  without  you,  mamma  !  " 

In  the  morning  of  that  sad  day,  the  following 
note,  from  one  he  loved,  was  read  to  him : 

Tuesday  Evening,  November  15,  18G4. 

^Iy  dearest  Howard  :  —  Though  not  present  with 
you  to-morrow,  I  shall  be  with  you  in  spirit  and  in  the 
fellowship  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  very  near  to  you,  as  at 
the  mercy  seat  I  ask  the  Lord  to  give  you  grace  and 
strength  and  sunshine,  in  what  seems  a  dark  passage. 

Tlie  earnest  prayers  from  so  manV  lovinir  hearts.  <Toinsr 
\x\)  for  you  now,  will  bring  a  blessing,  and  you  will  yet 
see  love,  the  tenderest  love,  written  all  over  this  trial. 

Do  not  worry  your  mind  or  heart  with  misgivings 
about-the  past,  or  present,  or  future.  Look  away  from 
Imman  instrumentalities  altogether,  and  believe  that 
every  circumstance  is  ordered  by  Him  who  watches  the 
falling  of  a  sparrow.  Leave  everything  with  the  dear 
Lord  who  has  made  you  his  own  dear  child,  and  lie  in 
his  arms  quietly  and  listen  to  those  sweet  words  of  his, 
we  read  together  this  morning.  "  Let  not  your  heart  be 
troubled ;  ye  believe  in  God,  believe  also  in  me.  Peace 
I  leave  with  you,  my  peace  I  give  unto  you.  Let  not 
your  heart  be  troubled,  neither  let  it  be  afraid." 

The  Lord  bless  thee,  and  keep  thee.  The  Lord 
make  his  face  to  shine  upon  thee,  and  be  gracious  unto 
thee.  The  Lord  lift  up  his  countenance  upon  thee,  and 
give  thee  peace,  both  now  and  evermore. 

AVith  deepest  love  and  tenderest  sympathy  yours, 


It  was  thought  advisable  to  remove  Howard  to 
another   room  before  the  amputation,  that  entire 


214  "MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

chancre  of  scene  and  fresher  air,  niiorht  enable  him 
to  sliake  off  the  low  fever  which  was  wasting  his 
strength. 

A  cheerful,  sunny  room  was  prepared  for  him 
—  everything  made  to  look  as  bright  and  pleasant 
as  possible  —  but  it  was  a  very  sad,  weary  face  that 
looked  around  upon  it  all.  His  eye  rested  upon 
the  text  his  mutlier  had  hung  opposite  the  bed. 
*'  When  thou  passest  througli  the  waters,  I  will 
be  with  thee,  and  through  the  rivers,  they  shall 
not  overflow  thee.  When  thou  walkest  through 
the  fire  thou  shall  not  be  burned,  neither  shall  the 
flame  kindle  upon  ,thee  ;  for  I  am  the  Lord  thy 
God^  the  Holy  One  of  Israel^  thy  Saviour.^' 

"  Fear  not ;  I  will  not  fail  nor  forsake  thee." 
With  such  a  look  of  surprise  he  said,  ••'  O  mamma, 
what  a  comfort !  that  that  should  be  the  text  for 
to-day.  It  seems  almost  like  Jesus  speaking  ;  '' 
but  there  was  not  the  look  of  peace  and  quiet 
trust  we  longed  to  see.  We  felt  that  there  was  a 
dark  shadow  on  his  heart.  The  moment  he  was 
left  alone  with  his  sister,  he  grasped  her  hand,  and 
with  a  look  of  intense  anxiety  and  distress,  said, 
"  Darhng,  if  I  die  this  morning,  do  you  think  I 
can  be  saved  ?  "  After  a  moment's  silent  prayer 
she  said, — 

"  Why  Howy,  I  have  no  more  doubt  of  it  than 
that  you  and  I  are  here  now." 

"  O,  that  is  because  you  don't  know.  You  don't 
know  anvthins:  about  what  a  sinner  I  have  been. 
You  think  I  have  been  good,  but  I  have  not.     I 


I 


THE  DISCIPLINE   OF  SUFFERING.         215 

have  been  cbeadfuUy  wicked;   if   you  knew,  you 
wouldn't  think  I  could  be  saved  at  all." 

"  O,  Howy,  after  Jesus  has  been  yoiu'  precious 
Saviour  all  these  years,  you  are  not  going  to  dis- 
trust Him  now!  You  know  his  blood  cleanseth 
from  all  sin.  However  you  have  wandered,  He  is 
so  glad  to  receive  you  back  again  —  He  will  forgive 

it  aiir 

He  shook  his  head  sadly.      "  No,  L ,  not 

such  sins  as  mine,  — you  don't  know." 

She  said,  "•  My  darling — this  is  Satan's  work. 
He  always  comes  at  just  such  times,  to  torment  us 
with  our  sins,  and  keep  us  from  looking  to  Jesus. 
Whatever  you  have  been,  Jesus  is  ready  to  receive 
you  now,  and  forgive  you  freely.  He  says  "  Him 
that  Cometh  unto  me,  I  will  in  noivise  cast  out:' 

''  But  it  was  so  dreadful  in  me  —  I  will  tell  you 
—  and  then  you  will  know.  That  morning,  you 
know,  at  Cedar  Creek,  when  the  rebels  rushed 
through  my  camp  —  it  was  awful  —  we  could 
hardly  tell  friend  from  foe.  I  had  only  a  few  of 
my  own  men,  all  those  mixed  regiments  —  they 
didn't  know  me,  and  I  could  not  manage  them  like 
my  own  brigade.  I  tried  every  way  to  rally  them. 
We  were  making  a  desperate  stand,  when  some 
teamsters  and  other  fellows  came  rushing  across 
the  field,  enough  to  make  a  panic  —  and  an  oath 
escaped  me  !  " 

His  friend  Captain  Donaldson  had  come  in  and 
sat  down  beside  him.     ''  Donny,"   said  he,  "  did 
you  ever  hear  me  swear  before  ?  " 
"  Never,  Colonel." 


216  "MORE   THAN  COXQUEROR." 

''  It  was  dreadful,  —  I  don't  know  how  I  could 
have  done  it  —  it  must  have  been  Satan  —  but  I 
was  so  excited,"  and  again  came  the  eager  whisper, 
''  Do  you  really  think  Jesus  can  forgive  that?  " 

*'  But  you  know,  Howy,  '  The  blood  of  Jesus 
Christ  cleanseth  from  all  sin.'  Suppose  that  you 
have  never  loved  Jesus  at  all  —  never  tried  to 
serve  Him  —  have  sinned  against  Him  all  your 
life.  You  are  a  poor  miserable  sinner  —  you  can- 
not do  a  thing  to  save  yourself.  Now  it  was  for 
just  such  sinners  that  Jesus  died.  St.  Paul  said, 
'  It  is  a  faithful  saying,  Jesus  Christ  came  into  the 
world  to  save  sinners,  of  whom  I  am  chief.'  If 
you  are  the  chief  of  sinners,  then  Jesus  died  to  save 
you.  He  will  save  you,  now.  '  ]My  sheep  shall 
never  pe)Hsh^  ne'itlier  shall  any  pluck  them  out  of 
my  hand.'" 

They  Avere  interrupted  by  the  arrival  of  the  sur- 
geons ;  but  as  his  sister  stooped  to  kiss  him,  there 
was  one  more  eager  question,  "  You  really  think 
I'm  safe  ?  "  and  a  quiet  look  of  peace  came  over 
his  face.     "  Well,  then,  I'll  trust  Him." 

Two  hours  of  terrible  suspense  and  we  were 
again  watching  beside  him,  waiting  for  returning 
consciousness.  At  length  he  looked  around  upon 
us,  with  such  a  bewildered  look,  and  then  the 
sweet  bright  smile  came  back,  as  his  sister  said, 
"  Do  you  know  me,  darhng  ?  " 

"  O,  yes,  L ,  I  always  know  you^ 

''  Well,"  she  said,  pointing  to  the  text,  "  you 
see  it  was  all  true !  The  Lord  has  kept  his  prom- 
ise." 


THE  DISCIPLINE  OF  SUFFERING.         217 

"  Yes,"  he  spoke  slowly  and  with  difficulty, 
^'-He  always  does.     He  's  so  good." 

The  peace  which  shone  in  that  bright,  quiet 
smile,  ''  kept  his  heart  and  mind  "  in  Christ  Jesus, 
unto  the  eijd. 

Howard  did  not  rally,  as  we  had  hoped,  after 
the  amputation.  The  low  fever  which  had  hung 
about  him  from  the  beginning  of  his  illness  devel- 
oped typhoid  symptoms,  and  day  by  day  his 
strength  wasted,  until  hope  almost  died  from  our 
hearts. 

His  sufferings  at  this  time  were  intense.  Utterly 
prostrated  with  fever,  not  a  moment's  rehef  from 
pain,  rarely  able  to  sleep  more  than  three  minutes 
at  a  time  —  no  wonder  that  he  wearily  longed  for 

rest. 

"  It  seems  so  strange,"  he  said  ;  ''  I  used  to 
throw  myself  right  down  on  the  ground,  sometimes 
the  rain  pelting  down  on  me,  and  sleep  hke  a  top. 
Now,  I  would  give  anything  for  half  an  hour's  sleep, 
and  can't  get  it." 

"  Tlioxi  boldest  mine  eyes  waking,"  said  one  who 
w^atched  beside  him.  "  You  know,  wearisome  days 
and  nights  are  appointed^ 

''  Yes,  I  know.  I  do  try  so  hard  to  be  patient ; 
but  I  am  so  weary." 

Only  those  who  watched  through  the  weary 
days  and  nights,  whose  aching  hearts  cried  in  the 
morning,  "  Would  God  it  were  evening,"  and  in 
the  evening,  ''  Would  God  it  were  morning," 
could  know  how  patiently  he  endured  —how  ten- 


218  "MOPxE   THAN   CONQUEROR." 

derly  watchful  he  was  of  those  who  nursed  liim  ; 
how  often,  with  the  sweet  kiss  and  earnest  lovinir 
thanks  for  some  little  relief  afforded,  came  the 
tearful  words,  ''  It  is  such  a  comfort  —  but  you  will 
all  be  worn  out.  If  I  could  only  do  without 
you!" 

On  the  night  of  the  25th  of  November,  a  wicked 
attempt  was  made  by  some  emissaries  from  the 
South,  to  fire  the  city  of  New  York.  By  a  con- 
certed plan  nearly  all  the  large  hotels  of  the  city 
were  fired  at  the  same  hour. 

We  were  watching  in  the  stillness  of  the  night 
in  the  sick  room,  anxious  lest  a  step  or  a  word 
should  disturb  the  quiet,  and  entirely  unconscious 
of  the  excitement  in  the  streets,  no  sound  of 
alarm  having  reached  us. 

Suddenly  the  door  opened  softly,  and  without  a 
word  the  faithful  negro  walked  in  with  the  Colo- 
nel's stretcher,  put  it  down  beside  the  bed,  and  in 
a  moment  had  spread  blankets  and  pillows  upon 
it ;  then  stood  beside  it  like  a  dark  sentinel. 

We  saw  in  a  moment  what  it  all  meant.  Al- 
most overwhelmed  with  fear  of  the  consequences 
of  such  excitement,  and  exposure  to  the  cold,  we 
whispered  "  Pete,  is  our  hotel  on  fire  ?  "  Raising 
his  finger  warningly  he  said,  "  Yes,  Miss,  right 
smart  !  Don't  tell  de  Colonel !  Four  gentlemen's 
waitin' outside  de  door — and  we  jest  carry  him 
out  when  de  time  comes,  and  not  disturb  him  a 
bit." 

But  to  our  surprise,  Howard  raised  his  head  from 


THE  DISCIPLIXE   OF  SUFFERING.         219 

the  pillows,  looked  down  at  the  stretcher,  and  then 
with  such  a  bright  smile  and  little  nod  to  his  ser- 
vant, said,  "  All  right,  Pete  :  you're  a  good  fellow ; " 
then  to  us,  "  Now  don't  be  frightened,  darhngs  I  we 
can  manage  first-rate.  Where  's  mamma  ?  "  And 
as  she  came  in,  pale  with  excitement,  he  reached 
out  his  hand  to  her,  and  drew  her  close  beside  him 
with  protecting  tenderness,  talking  so  brightly  and 
cheerfully,  as  if  his  were  the  strong  arm  that  was 
to  rescue  us  all. 

As  we  w^atched  his  bright  eye  and  the  quiet 
tone  of  command  that  seemed  to  come  mtli  the 
emergency,  one  said,  ^'  Why,  Howard,  I  believe  if 
you  could  command  your  regiment,  and  lead  them 
into  battle,  it  would  make  you  well ! "  His  eye 
brightened,  and  strength  seemed  to  come  with  the 
very  thought,  as  he  said,  "  I  really  believe  it  would  ! 
If  I  could  only  mount  my  horse." 

Throuerh  the  lovin^r  kindness  of  the  Lord,  we 
were  spared  the  necessity  of  leaving  the  room. 
The  fire  was  extinguished  mth  very  little  difficulty, 
and  though  it  was  a  night  of  excitement  and  alarm, 
as  tidings  came  of  the  fire  breaking  out  in  one 
hotel  after  another,  and  anxious  men  walked  the 
streets  all  night,  the  quiet  of  the  sick  room  was  not 
again  disturbed. 

On  the  first  of  December  Howard  was  removed 
to  Yonkers.  His  physicians  hoped  that  entire 
change  of  scene,  with  the  fresh  air  of  the  country, 
and  the  comfort  of  having  his  wife  and  little  chil- 
dren, would  enable  him  to  rally,  and  break  up  the 
fever  that  seemed  wasting  away  his  life. 


220  ''MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

He  bore  tlie  journey  well.  "  The  fresh  air  was 
so  delicious,'"  he  said,  "  that  he  did  not  even  mind 
the  jolting  of  the  ambulance  over  the  stones." 

But  the  next  day  was  one  of  excessive  exhaus- 
tion. His  mother,  and  others  who  had  been  watch- 
ing with  him,  quite  worn  out,  had  been  obliged  to 
return  home  for  a  day  of  rest,  and  his  sister  was 
left  alone  with  him.     She  writes  :  — 

"  It  was  a  sweet,  sad  day.  Howard  seemed  very  ill ; 
and  when  he  said  to  me  so  quietly  and  decidedly,  "  Dar- 
ling. I  shall  never  be  well  again  I  "  my  heart  contradicted 
the  cheerful  tones  with  which  I  strove  to  encourage  him, 
and  draw  bright  pictures  of  happy  days  to  come. 

"  We  had  many  a  little  quiet  talk  that  day ;  the 
*  peace  that  passeth  understanding,'  seemed  to  pervade 
the  very  atmosphere  of  the  room  ;  and  as  evening  drew 
on,  though  his  increasing  weakness  startled  me,  he  was 
unwilling  to  have  the  family  summoned. 

" '  In  the  stillness  and  the  starlight, 
In  sight  of  the  Blessed  Land, 
We  thought  of  the  by -gone  Desert-hfe, 
And  the  burning,  blinding  sand. 

" '  Many  a  dreary  sunset. 
Many  a  dreary  dawn. 
We  had  watched  upon  those  desert  hiUs 
As  we  pressed  slowly  on. 

"  '  Yet  sweet  had  been  the  silent  dews 
Which  from  God's  presence  fell, 
And  the  still  hours  of  resting 
Bv  Palm  tree  and  bv  well. 


THE  DISCIPLIXE   OF  SUFFERING.         221 

«  '  We  were  talking  about  our  King, 
And  our  elder  Brother, 
As  we  were  used  often  to  speak 
One  to  another. 

"  '  The  Lord  standing  quietly  by. 
In  the  shadows  dim. 
Smiling,  perhaps,  in  the  dark,  to  hear 
Our  sweet,  sweet  talk  of  Him. 

"  ' "  I  think  in  a  little  while," 
I  said  at  length, 
"  We  shall  see  His  face  in  the  city 
Of  everlasting  strength  ; 

«  ' "  And  sit  down  under  the  shadow 
Of  His  smile, 
With  great  delight  and  thanksgiving 
To  rest  awhile." 


"  '  I  knew  by  His  loving  voice 
His  kingly  word. 
The  veiled  Guest  in  the  starlight  dim 
Was  Christ,  the  Lord  ! 

« '  I  could  hear  that  the  Lord  was  speaking 
Deep  words  of  grace  ; 
I  could  see  their  blessed  reflection 
On  his  sweet,  pale  face.'  " 

Towards  midnight  be  sank  so  rapidly  that  the 
family  were  hastily  summoned,  but  the  fearful 
crisis  passed,  he  fell  mto  a  sweet  sleep,  and  the 
morning  dawned  upon  brighter  hope. 

Days  and  nights  of  suffering  were  yet  in  store ; 
faith  and  patience  had  not  yet  their  perfect  work  ; 


222  ''MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

there  were  lessons  still  to  learn  in  "  the  fellowship 
of  the  sufferings  of  Christ." 

One  night,  long  after  midnight,  when  he  seemed 
perfectly  Avorn  out  with  pain  and  fever,  and  a 
racking  cough  that  gave  him  scarcely  a  moment's 
rest,  one  who  watched  him,  took  up  a  book  of 
hymns  that  lay  upon  the  table,  in  hope  of  some 
word  of  comfort  and  strength  to  soothe  the  restless 
questionings  of  her  aching  heart.  The  book  opened 
to  a  hymn,  which  seemed  an  answer  to  all  unbelief, 
an  echo  to  that  loving,  half-reproachful  question, 
"  Jle  that  spared  not  His  own  Son^  but  delivered  Ilim 
up  for  us  all,  how  shall  He  not  with  Him  also 
freely  give  us  all  things  ?  " 

"  Birds  have  their  quiet  nest, 
Foxes  their  holes,  mid  man  his  peaceful  bed  ; 

All  creatures  have  their  rest,  — 
But  Jesus  had  not  ivhere  to  lay  His  head. 

''  Winds  have  their  hour  of  calm, 
And  waves,  to  slumber  on  the  voiceless  deep  ; 

Eve  hath  its  breath  of  balm. 
To  hush  all  senses  and  all  sounds  to  sleep. 

"■  The  wild  deer  hath  his  lair, 
The  homeward  flocks  the  shelter  of  their  shed  ; 

All  have  their  rest  from  care,  — 
But  Jesus  had  not  where  to  lay  his  head. 

"  And  yet  He  came  to  give 
The  weary  and  the  heavy-laden  rest ; 

To  bid  the  sinner  live, 
And  soothe  our  ffriefs  to  slumber  on  his  breast. 


THE  DISCIPLINE   OF  SUFFERING.        223 

"  What  then  am  I,  my  God, 
Permitted  thus  the  paths  of  peace  to  tread? 

Peace,  purchased  by  the  blood 
Of  Him  who  had  not  where  to  lay  His  head  ? 

"  I ,  who  once  made  Him  grieve ; 
I,  who  once  bade  His  gentle  spirit  mourn ; 

Whose  hand  essayed  to  weave 
For  His  meek  brow  the  cruel  crown  of  thorns  :  — 

"  O  why  should  I  have  peace  ? 
Why  ?  but  for  that  unchanged,  undying  love, 

Which  would  not,  could  not  cease, 
Until  it  made  me  heir  of  joys  above. 

"  Yes  !  bui  for  pardoning  grace, 
I  feel  I  never  should  in  glory  see 

The  brightness  of  that  face, 
That  once  was  pale  and  agonized  for  me !  " 

No  sound  broke  the  stillness,  and  his  sister 
thought  the  sweet  hymn  had  soothed  liim  to  sleep. 
An  hour  later,  he  suddenly  exclaimed  in  such  a 

tone  of  real  distress,  "-  O,  L !  both  hands  and 

both  feet !  "  Thinking  he  must  be  suffering  in- 
tensely, she  said,  "  Why,  darling,  are  you  so  much 
worse  ?     I  thought  you  were  asleep." 

"  O,  no,"  he  said,  his  eyes  filled  with  tears. 
"  Jesus  —  how  could  he  endure  it  ?  Both  hands  and 
both  feet !  and  all  for  us,  too  !  " 

Then  he  told  her  how  often  he  had  thought 
that  the  pain  in  his  lacerated  foot  must  have  been 
the  same  kind  of  pain  that  Jesus  suffered  ;  how 
his  own  suffering,  even  with  all  the  alleviations  of 
our  loving  care,  had  made  him  think  more  and 


224  "MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

more  of  the  dread  mystery  of  that  death  upon  the 
cross  ;  the  hiding  of  the  Father's  countenance ; 
the  taunts  and  jeers  of  the  multitude,  all  the 
fearful  circumstances  of  that  fearful  day.  It  was 
too  painful  to  dwell  upon,  and  they  Avere  glad  to 
look  up  to  Jesus  glorified,  and  join  the  song  that 
is  evermore  ascending  "  unto  Him  that  loved  us, 
and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  His  own  blood  ; 
to  Him  be  glory  and  dominion  forever  and  ever." 

Howard  soon  began  to  improve,  and  gained 
strength  so  rapidly  that  the  shadow  that  had  been 
over  us  so  long  was  quite  dispelled,  and  we  looked 
forward  without  misgiving,  to  his  entire  recovery. 
Many  a  pleasant  family  gathering  we  had,  around 
his  wheel-chair ;  amused  at  his  merry  stories,  re- 
joicing in  all  the  evidences  of  returning  health. 
About  this  time  one  of  his  orderlies,  from  the 
Sixth  Artillery,  arrived,  in  charge  of  the  Colonel's 
horses.  Most  amusing  were  the  interviews  between 
the  two  ;  the  little  Irishman's  humorous  replies 
to  numberless  questions,  about  all  that  had  trans- 
pired since  the  Colonel's  absence,  with  occasional 
sly  suggestions,  from  "  Pete,"  who  generally  sat 
as  a  shadow,  just  behind  him.  Many  a  cheery 
message  was  sent  back  to  the  regiment,  telling 
them  that  as  soon  as  he  could  mount  his  horse, 
he  would  be  with  them  to  lead  them  in  the  as- 
sault on  Petersburg." 

The  week  before  Christmas  was  bitterly  cold. 
A  heavy  snow-storm,  followed  by  a  keen  north 
wind,    made   us   fear   that  we  must  give  up  the 


THE  DISCIPLINE  OF  SUFFERING."        225 

pleasure  we  had  anticipated  of  bringing  Howard  to 
Dobb's  Ferry  before  the  holidays.  Thursday,  the 
twenty-second  of  December,  the  cold  was  intense. 
We  were  sitting  around  the  fire,  thinking  the  wind 
must  have  reached  its  height,  when  we  heard  the 
sound  of  sleigh  bells,  and  a  moment  after  Howard 
drove  up  to.  the  door,  alone,  in  a  little  cutter. 
He  was  so  benumbed  with  cold,  that  he  could 
neither  move  nor  speak.  As  quickly  as  possible, 
he  was  carried  in,  and  laid  upon  the  sofa,  while 
we  chafed  his  hands  and  face,  and  wrapped  warm 
blankets  around  him.  Pete  came  in,  almost  as 
much  overcome  with  the  cold  as  he.  A  warm 
punch,  which  had  been  ordered  Howard  was 
brought,  but  he  said,  "0,  that's  just  the  thing 
for  Pete  !  Drink  it  quick,  Pete,  it  will  warm  you 
directly:^" 

We  insisted  that  he  should  take  it,  for  we  were 
filled  with  apprehension  ;.  and  felt  that  not  a  mo- 
ment should  be  lost,  and  that  the  strong  negro 
man  would  suffer  less  from  a  few  minutes  delay,  but 
our  remonstrance  was  useless. 

"Drink  it  quick,  Pete!"  he  said.  "Why, 
mamma,  the  poor  fellow  is  almost  perished  I  You 
know  they  are  used  to  such  a  warm  climate ;  he 
never  knew  what  kind  of  winters  we  have  here 
at  the  North  ;  did  you,  Pete  ?  " 

We  succeeded  at  last  in  restoring  them  both 
to  warmth  and  comfort ;  and  Howard's  joy  at  be- 
ing once  more  at  home,  almost  overcame  for  a 
time,  our  fear  of  the  result.     "  Why,    mamma," 

15 


226  "MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

he  said,  "  I  would  liaye  driven  tliree  times  as  far, 
just  to  lie  here  once  more,  and  look  around  at  all 
the  dear  home  things." 

The  house  was  undergoing  extensive  repairs.  It 
was  impossible  to  make  him  comfortable  there,  and 
rooms  had  been  prepared  for  him  at  the  house  of 
Mr.  A.  near  by.  He  did  not  seem  to  have  suf- 
fered from  the  exposure  as  we  feared.  On  Sat- 
urday, the  day  before  Christmas,  we  brought  him 
home  again  ;  had  quite  a  merry  little  sleigh  ride, 
and  then  all  day  he  lay  on  the  sofa  in  the  little 
sitting-room,  "  so  happy  to  be  really  at  home." 
"  Why,  mamma,"  he  said,  "  you  have  no  idea  what 
perfect  bliss  it  is,  just  to  lie  here  and  see  you  and 
A.,  and  all  of  you  going  about  just  like  old  times. 
The  dear  old  pictures  and  easy  chairs  !  everything 
looks  so  lovely." 

Our  hearts  linger  around  the  memory  of  that 
day.  As  we  sat  around  him,  talking  of  all  the 
pleasant  Christmas  times  that  we  had  passed  to- 
gether, and  rejoicing  in  hope  of  happy  days  to 
come,  no  voice  whispered  that  the  bright  face 
would  never  make  sunshine  in  our  home  again  ; 
that  the  loving  look  with  which  his  eye  rested 
on  all  the  familiar  home  treasures,  was  a  look  of 
farewell. 

"  You  and  I  will  dine  together,  mamma,  to  keep 
Christmas  !  "     So  a  table  was  spread  beside  his 
sofa,   and  they  dined  together  ;  his  hearty  enjoy- 
ment making  it  a  real  Christmas  treat  to  us  all. 
Before  evening  he  was  suffering  much ;  but  it 


THE  DISCIPLINE   OF  SUFFERING.        227 

had  been  "  sueh  a  happy  day !  "  and  as  he  was 
assisted  to  the  caiTiage  many  a  hngering  look 
came  back  from  the  threshold,  and  waving  his 
hand  with  a  parting  kiss,  he  said,  "  I  think  I'll 
come  and  spend  the  day  with  you  every  day^  mam- 
ma !  it  has  been  such  a  treat !  " 

The  pain  which  commenced  that  evening  in- 
creased in  severity,  and  it  was  soon  evident  that 
he  had  taken  a  violent  cold.  For  a  few  days  we 
did  not  apprehend  serious  difficulty.  He  was  able 
to  sit  up  for  a  while  each  day,  and  although  suffer- 
ing intensely  at  times,  we  all  shared  his  cheerful 
anticipation  that  he  would  "  be  all  right  in  a  few 
days." 


THE  VICTORY  WON. 


"  A  journey  like  Elijali's  swift  aiul  brin^lit. 
Caught  gently  ui)wanl  to  an  early  crown. 
In  heaven's  own  chariot  of  unblazing  light, 
With  death  untasted  and  the  grave  unknown.' 


CHAPTER   XI. 
THE  VICTORY  WON. 

"  But  thanks  be  to  God,  which  giveth  us  the  victory,  through  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ."  —  1  Cor.  xv.  57. 

The  Scriptural  lesson  for  the  day,  Tuesday  the 
tenth  of  January,  was  Howard's  favorite  chapter, 
the  8th  of  Romans,  and  its  lessons  of  joyful  trust 
were  well  fitted  to  cheer  him  as  he  was  about  to 
cross  the  dark  river. 

Those  glorious  words,  the  assured  confidence  of 
the  Christian  warrior,  how  meet  to  be  the  last  his 
eye  should  ever  rest  upon  this  side  the  valley. 

"  Nay,  in  all  these  things  we  are  more  than  con- 
querors through  Him  that  loved  us.  For  I  am 
persuaded,  that  neither  death,  nor  life,  nor  angels, 
nor  principalities,  nor  powers,  nor  things  present, 
nor  things  to  come,  nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any 
other  creature,  shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from 
the   love  of  God,  which  is    in  Christ   Jesus  our 

Lord." 

Words  of  light  that  he  could  welcome  now  that 
Satan  had  long  since  departed,  and  the  smile  of 
Jesus   was   filling  his  heart   with   quietness   and 

peace. 

The  inflammation  of  the  wound  had  increased  to 


232  "MORE   THAN  CONQUEROR." 

such  a  degree,  that  a  slight  surgical  operation  was 
necessary. 

Hearing  this,  and  that  his  mother  was  also  seri- 
ously ill,  we  came  in  haste,  from  New  York,  in  the 
same  train  with  the  surgeon. 

A  violent  storm  was  raging.  The  wind  moaned 
drearily  through  the  trees  that  shut  in  the  house 
from  the  road.  The  driving  storm  without  gave  a 
deeper  hush  to  his  quiet  curtained  room. 

Howard's  face  lighted  up  mth  a  glow  of  sur- 
prise and  pleasure,  as  he  grasped  my  hand  and 
said:  — 

"  How  good  you  are  to  come  out  in  such  a  storm  ! 
I  am  afraid  you  will  both  be  sick  from  such  expo- 
sure !  " 

There  was  only  time  for  a  few  questions.  When 
the  preparations  were  completed,  he  said  "  Wait 
a  moment,  Doctor  !  "  then  drawing  his  sister  close 
down  to  him,  he  whispered,  "  If  I  should  not  live 
through  this,  dearie,  you  know  «<;Ao  I  have  trusted." 
Then  repeating  the  farewell  messages  she  had  so 
often  before  received,  for  the  other  loved  ones,  and 
seeing  the  tears  in  her  eyes,  he  said  in  his  bright, 
cheerful  tone  "  but  this  is  only  in  case  I  should 
not  live.  You  know  the  Doctor  says  there  is  no 
danger.  Now  go,  darling  !  You  cannot  do  me 
any  good,  you  know,  and  you  will  suffer  more  than 
I  will." 

He  drew  her  closer  for  a  moment  with  a  linger- 
ing kiss,  saying  "It  will  all  be  over  in  a  few  min- 
utes, darling,  and  we  will  have  such  a  nice  talk 
afterward!  " 


THE   VICTORY   WON.  233 

Chloroform  was  administered,  and  the  operation 
performed  ahnost  instantaneously.  A  shadow 
passed  over  his  face,  then  a  cabn,  bright  smile. 
Howard  Elitching  was  "  with  the  Lord," 

"  The  wistful,  longing  gaze 
Of  the  passing  soul  — 

"  Grew  only  more  rapt  and  joyful 
As  he  clasped  the  Master's  hand, 
I  think,  or  ever  he  was  aware 

They  were  come  to  the  Holy  Land. 


APPENDIX. 


"  0  safe  at  home,  where  the  dark  tempter  roam's  not, 
How  have  I  envied  thy  far  happier  lot ! 
Abeady  resting  where  the  evil  comes  not, 
The  tear,  the  toil,  the  woe,  the  sin,  forgot. 

"  0  safe  in  port,  where  the  rough  billow  breaks  not. 
Where  the  wild  sea-moan  saddens  thee  no  more  ; 
Where  the  remorseless  stroke  of  tempest  shakes  not ; 
When,  when  shall  I  too  gain  that  tranquil  shore  ? 

"  0  bright,  amid  the  brightness  all  eternal, 

When  shall  I  breathe  with  thee  the  purer  air? 
Air  of  a  land  whose  clime  is  ever  vernal, 
A  land  without  a  serpent  or  a  snare. 

*  Away,  above  the  scenes  of  guilt  and  folly, 
Beyond  this  desert's  heat  and  dreariness, 
Safe  in  the  city  of  the  ever-holy, 

Let  me  make  haste  to  join  thy  earlier  bliss." 

'f  Another  battle  fought  —  and  O,  not  lost  — 
Tells  of  the  ending  of  this  fight  and  thrall, 
Another  ridge  of  time's  lone  moorland  crossed. 
Gives  nearer  prospect  of  the  jasper  wall. 

"  Just  gone  within  the  veil,  where  I  shall  follow, 
Not  far  before  me,  hardly  out  of  sight  — 
I  down  beneath  thee  in  this  cloudy  hollow. 
And  thou  far  up  on  yonder  sunny  height. 

"  Gone  to  begin  a  new  and  happier  story, 

Thy  bitterer  tale  of  earth  now  told  and  done ; 
These  outer  shadows  for  that  inner  glory 
Exchanged  forever.     O  thrice  blessed  one ! 

"  O  freed  from  fetters  of  this  lonesome  prison. 
How  shall  I  greet  thee  on  that  day  of  days. 
When  He  who  died,  yea  rather  who  is  risen. 

Shall  these  frail  frames  from  dust  and  darkness  raise." 


APPENDIX 


THE  PRESIDENT  OF   THE  UNITED  STATES  OE  A3IEEICA 

To  all  who  shall  see  these  presents,  Greeting. 

Know  ye  that  I  do  hereby  confer  on  J.  Howard 
Etching,  of  the  U.  S.  Vohinteers,  in  the  ^;"'««  f  *« 
United  States,  by  and  with  the  consent  of  the  Senate, 
the  rank  of  Brigadier-general,  by  Brevet  m  said  ser- 
It,  to  rank  as  °such  fi^m  the  first  day  o  August,  m 
Ih?  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and 
sixty  four;  for  meritorious  and  distinguished  services 
during  th;  campaign   of  this   year,  before   Eichmond, 

^  And'l  do  strictly  charge  and  require  all  officers  and 
soldiers  under  his  command,  to  obey  and  respect  him 
accord  n.ly  ;  and  he  is  to  observe  and  follow  such  orders 
and  diectLs  from  time  to  time  as  he  shall  receive  from 
me,  or  the  future  President  of  the  TJmted  States  of 
America,  and  other  officers  set  over  him  accordmg  to 
tw  and 'the  rules  and  discipline  of  war.  This  commis- 
siou  to  continue  in  force  during  the  pleasure  of  the 
President  of  the  United  States  for  the  time  being. 

Given  under  my  hand,  at  the  city  of  W-h-gto-, 
this  twentieth  day  of  April  in  the  year  of  om-  Lord, 
1:  tLusand  eighf  hundred  -d  sixty-five  -  the  -gh^^^ 
ninth  year  of  the  Independence  of  the  United  btates. 

By  the  President, 

Andrew  Johnson. 
Edwin  M.  Stanton, 
Secretary  of  War. 


238  APPENDIX. 

Recorded,  —  vol.  iv.  page   20,  Adjutant-general's  of- 
fice, April  20,  1865. 

U.  A.  Nichols, 

AssH.  Adjutant-general, 


At  a  meeting  of  the  officers  of  tlie  Sixth  Regiment, 
New  York  Heavy  Artillery,  held  at  Camp  Defences,  of 
Bermuda  Hundred,  Va.,  on  Monday  evening,  January 
16,  1865,  the  followins  Preamble  and  Resolutions  were 
unanimously  adopted. 

Whereas,  Brevet  Brigadier-general  J.  Howard  Kitch- 
ing.  Colonel  of  the  Sixth  Regiment,  New  York  Ar- 
tillery, died  on  the  10th  day  of  January,  1865,  of 
wounds  received  in  the  engagement  of  Cedar  Creek, 
Virginia,  on  the  19th  day  of  October,  1864:  There- 
fore, 

Resolved,  That,  recognizing  the  act  of  our  Heavenly 
Father,  in  thus  removing  from  us  our  commanding  of- 
ficer, we  bow  submissively  to  his  inscrutable  will. 

Resolved,  That  the  character  of  General  Kitching  as 
an  officer  and  a  gentleman,  was  such  as  commanded  our 
highest  respect  and  esteem.  His  qualities  as  a  soldier 
and  a  leader,  whether  displayed  in  the  quiet  of  camp  or 
in  the  storm  of  battle  always  secured  the  earnest  con- 
fidence of  all.  We  feel  that  no  one  can  supply  his  place 
with  us.  He  died  for  his  country,  but  his  memory  will 
ever  live  in  our  hearts  as  that  of  a  good  man,  a  true 
soldier,  and  a  gallant  officer. 

Resolved,  That  to  the  bereaved  family  of  our  de- 
ceased commander  we  tender  our  sincere  sympathy  and 
an  earnest  prayer  that  the  God  of  the  widow  and  the 
fatherless  may  protect  and  comfort  them. 

Resolved,  That  as  a  further  mark  of  our  respect,  the 
officer's  of  the  regiment  wear  the  customary  badge  of 
mourning  for  thirty  days. 


\  APPENDIX.  *         239 

Resolved,  That  these  resolutions  be  published  in  the 
New  York  "  Herald,"  "  Times,"  «  Tribune,"  "  Army  & 
Navy  Journal,"  and  Yonkers  "  Statesman,"  also  that  a 
copy  be  engrossed,  and  transmitted  to  the  family  of  the 
deceased. 

Geo.  C.  Kibbe, 

Major  Sixth  N.  Y.  Artillery, 
President. 
Jacob  Bowers, 

Lieut.  Sixth  N.  Y.  H.  A., 
Secretary. 


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