THE LIBRARY
OF
THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA
LOS ANGELES
J%^
'-$"
'^i^^<_^^ ;
REMINISCENCES AND LETTERS
OF
GEORGE ARROWSMITH
OF NEW JERSEY
LATE LIEUTENANT-COLONEL OF THE ONE HUNDRED
AND FIFTY-SEVENTH REGIMENT, NEW YORK
STATE VOLUNTEERS
BY
JOHN S. APPLEGATE
RED BANK, N. J.
JOHN H. COOK, PUBLISHER
1893
I'RKSS OK THE REGISTER,
RKD HANK, X. J.
TO
ARROWSMITH POST,
NO. 6l, DEPARTMENT OF NEW JERSEY', GRAND
ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC, THIS BOOK IS
RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED.
work grew insensibly on my hands, beyond the
limits of an ordinary discourse, and in a form
materially abridged I presented it to the Post
at a public meeting held under its auspices on
the evening of Decoration Day, 1891. Now, at
the request of a number of those who were en-
deared to the soldier for his many excellent
qualities, and of others, who, though personally
unacquainted with him, are interested in his
history as members of the organization that
bears his name, I have undertaken to publish
the matter I have collected, intending it as a
simple memorial of a brave and loyal man.
J. S. A.
Red Bank, N. /., December ?th, 1893.
CONTENTS.
PORTRAIT OF GEORGE ARROWSMITH Frontispiece
INTRQDUCTORV . i
ANCESTORS 3
EARLY LIFE . . 7
COLLEGE DAYS . .11
LAW STUDENT AND TUTOR ... 22
His PATRIOTISM KINDLED 28
ENROLLMENT AS A SOLDIER . 32
EN ROUTE FOR WASHINGTON 43
BATTLE OF BULL RUN . 52
CAMP AND PICKET . 61
THE TENTED FIELD . . 66
DESTRUCTION OF A BRIDGE . 79
A DESCRIPTION OF ALEXANDRIA . 87
BEAUTIFUL CAMP MARY 92
A VISIT TO MOUNT VERNON . 97
SKIRMISH AT POHICH CHURCH 102
A WAR CAMP IN AUTUMN . . 104
THE CHAPLAIN ARRIVES 114
1'AGE.
A SOLDIER'S THANKSGIVING . 116
FORT LYON ... 123
ALONG THE RAPPAHANNOCK . 127
TALKS WITH PRISONERS . 137
ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL . . 143
A SUMMER RESORT ENCAMPMENT . . 146
NEW DUTIES . . ... 152
CEDAR MOUNTAIN . 154
SECOND BULL RUN . . . 156
TRIBUTE FROM GENERAL TOWER . 161
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL . 164
A PLEASING RECEPTION . . 173
WASHINGTON IN 1862 . 177
A REMINISCENT LETTER . 182
PERSONAL INCIDENTS . .186
VISIT TO THE TWENTY-NINTH . . 189
CHANCELI.ORSVILLE 193
HONOR FOR THE 157'I'H . 198
THE INVASION OF THE NORTH . 206
THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG . . 210
DEATH OF ARROWSMITH . . . ,214
FUNERAL OBSEQUIES ..... 227
TRIBUTE FROM COLONEL PLACE . . 229
CONCLUSION 232
APPENDIX 237
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH,
INTRODUCTORY.
'T^HERE are many heroes in American history
who have won national fame. There are
many others whose reputations are more cir-
cumscribed, but who were just as brave, just as
patriotic, just as self-sacrificing. The last may
be counted by the hundreds of thousands who,
at the call of the President for volunteers, went
forth from the counting-house, the farm, the
workshop to engage in deadly strife with the
enemies of our country. Many were young
men of rare promise, talented, cultured and
brave, and who might have attained high na-
tional distinction in civil or military life, but
2 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
were cut down in battle at the very threshold of
their career. As observed by President Lincoln
in a compliment to the character and intelligence
of regiments arriving in Washington at the be-
ginning of the civil war, they contained individ-
uals quite competent to discharge the functions
of the highest executive office of the nation.
I propose to speak of one of these gallant
heroes, a youth of brilliant promise, cut down in
the morning of life ; a soldier of this republic,
who entered the field to die, if need be, for the
honor of its flag, with no expectation of a return
to peaceful pursuits until the object of the war
had been accomplished.
ANCESTORS.
fcORGE ARROWSMITH was born on the
eighteenth day of April, 1839, in the part
of Middletown township (now Holmdel) near
Harmony meeting-house. He was a descendant
of a family of Arrowsmiths, settled on Staten
Island about the year 1683, who were English-
men, occupying a prominent position in society,
and had rendered public service, both of a mili-
tary and judicial character. His father was
Thomas Arrowsmith, a farmer by occupation,
who owned a farm on which he resided, and a
mill, at what was then known as Arrowsmith's
Mills. He was a man of limited educational ad-
vantages, but naturally gifted with superior
mental endowments. His manner was mild and
his disposition social. He had stored his mind
with the information of general reading, and
4 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
thus with the advantage of a retentive memory,
was an instructive and entertaining conversation-
alist, as well as a pleasing public speaker. His
simplicity of character was such that even be-
yond middle life he found pleasure in the com-
pany of boys in their teens, and there are those
living who, when boys, have spent a pleasant
hour in his society and profited by his counsel.
He was quite an effective public speaker. In
my early law practice I crossed swords with him
on one occasion before a road tribunal, when he
spoke in his own behalf, and I found him by
reason of the high respect he commanded as a
citizen, supplemented by his persuasive diction
and adroit manner of presenting his case, a
dangerous adversary In the village debating
society and the village debating society was
no small factor in our civilization fifty years ago
his varied information usually enabled him to
bear the palm. He enjoyed in a high degree
the confidence of his fellow citizens. He was a
veteran of the war of 1812 and a major in the
State militia. For a number of years he served
the Township of Middletown as its assessor of
taxes. In 1835 he was elected a member of the
legislative counsel of New Jersey, a position cor-
responding with that of State Senator under the
constitution of 1844. In this capacity he served
two years, being succeeded by the late Hon.
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 5
William L. Dayton. In 1843 ne was elected to
the responsible position of Treasurer of the
State of New Jersey, holding the office until
1845. From 1848 until 1850 he was a member
of the board of Chosen Freeholders for the
township of Raritan, being the first to represent
that township on the Board. From February,
1852, until February, 1858, he was- one of the lay
judges of the Court of Errors and Appeals of
New Jersey. In all these official positions he
discharged his duties creditably and acceptably
to the public, and his integrity was never as-
sailed. He died December 27th, 1866, at the
age of seventy-two years. The loss of his son
was a crushing grief, and like Jacob when he
refused to be comforted and said "I will go
down unto the grave unto my son mourning,"
his death followed swiftly. The mother of
George was Emma VanBrackle, a lady of quiet
manner, but whose countenance seemed radiant
with maternal tenderness and affection, and
whose life was " full of good works and alms
deeds which she did." She was a daughter of
Hon. Matthias VanBrackle of Monmouth county,
a substantial farmer who in 1820 represented his
district in the State legislature. She survived
the death of her husband a few years.
There were born to Thomas and Emma Ar-
rowsmith nine children. Joseph Edgar Arrow-
6 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
smith, long well known as a leading physician
of the county, resident at Keyport ; John V. Ar-
rowsmith, a highly respected citizen, also resi-
dent at Keyport ; Eleanor, the esteemed wife of
Daniel Roberts ; Cordelia, a lovely young lady,
who died at the early age of twenty years ;
Thomas Arrowsmith, who in the beginning of
the civil war enlisted in the Eighth Pennsylvania
cavalry, and was subsequently promoted to the
position of Brigade Quartermaster with the rank
of Major, serving until the end of the war, and
who afterwards engaged in teaching; Stephen,
who died in infancy; Emma, a much beloved
sister, who is lately deceased; George, the sub-
ject of this sketch; and Stephen V. Arrowsmith,
the present principal of the Keyport graded
school, where he has successfully served the pub-
lic for fifteen years.
EARLY LIFE.
A T the old Harmony school house in the
vicinity of his home George obtained his
preliminary educational training. Here he was
intimately associated as a fellow pupil with
Major Charles B. Parsons, who was destined to
become a fellow soldier in the army of the
Union, and a commander of the Grand Army
Post bearing his playmate's name. I first met
George as a schoolmate at the Middletown
Academy about the year 1851. Among others
in our class were Thomas Field, now deceased,
a young man of much promise ; the Rev.
Thomas Hanlon, D. D., President of Pennington
Seminary; the Hon. George C. Beekman, late
presiding judge of the Court of Common Pleas
and State Senator; and Jacob T. Stout, the en-
terprising contractor of Atlantic Highlands. At
8 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
this early age George manifested a military taste.
Even at a much younger period, as his mother
used to say, "he was completely carried away
with anything that pertained to soldiers." A
pack of schoolboys trooping as wild horses
would suggest to his mind a charging squadron
of cavalry; and later, upon the college hill, on a
quiet Sabbath morn, listening to peals of the
church bells in the valley below, he would recall
Napoleon's fondness for such an incident. Head-
ley's "Washington and his Generals" and "Na-
poleon and his Marshals," were favorite books.
His admiration for the fighting qualities and
dash of Marshals Ney and Murat and Benedict
Arnold was unbounded, though bitter in his de-
nunciation of Arnold's treason. His first com-
position at the Middletown Academy was upon
the subject of George Washington. It made a
lasting impression on my mind as a bright pro-
duction by so young an author. Throughout
his academic course all his orations and essays,
so far as I can remember, were upon historical
subjects or characters. In school he was bright
and tractable. Out of school he was a leader in
sport and never offensive to his play fellows.
Once I saw him angry. An older boy stood be-
fore him, vexing him with gibes and raillery. He
stood like a statue, silent and sullen, but occa-
sionally expressing defiance by throwing a key
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 9
which hung suspended by a string around his
neck towards his tormentor's face. It was not
difficult for his assailant to interpret the action,
and he wisely suspended his offensive conduct.
"The charm of his character," said Dr. Lock-
wood in an obituary address, "was his filial
obedience. It was a volume of eulogy con-
densed into one heart utterance, when the aged
father said to me in words almost choked by
the sense of his bereavement, 'George was a
good boy; I never once had occasion to chas-
tise him.' "
After a short attendance at school at Middle-
town Point, he entered the grammar school con-
nected with Madison University at Hamilton,
New York, in May, 1854. I was already a stu-
dent there, and being old schoolmates, we took
a room together in No. 31, first floor, Western
Edifice, at the southwesterly entrance. It was
by far the noisiest room on the Hill, and we
made it noisier by unmelodious practising upon
violins, evoking emphatic protests from our
neighbors, who I fear have never entirely for-
given us for the many joyless hours we caused
them.
In housekeeping we suffered no adversity
worse than a holiday spent in exasperating ef-
forts to put up and connect a line of disjointed
stove pipe. I might add for the benefit of the
10 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
curious reader that there were no expressions
of a profane nature accompanying the work,
though what we said internally well, that is
not legal evidence.
On another occasion our domestic bliss was
marred by bitterness and disappointment. We
bought some pretty paper to decorate the walls
of our room. To save expense we put it on
ourselves. It was not artistically done, but it
was better than bare walls. As the paper be-
came thoroughly dried, we observed that when-
ever a fire was started and the room warmed
up a crackling sound would be heard around the
borders. Investigation showed it was the paper
gradually loosening day by day, greatly disturb-
ing the equanimity of our tempers, until finally
it was indeed a sorry spectacle, hanging upon
the wall in rolls and festoons. But there was
a lesson derived from the experience, which is
never to paper a whitewashed wall.
COLLEGE DAYS.
TN October, 1855, George entered the Fresh-
man class of Madison University at the age
of sixteen. He was allotted to the Ionian
Society, one of the two literary societies then
existing in the college. Though the youngest
student, he took and maintained a high rank
both in class and in literary work. He could
acquire with little effort and was a sprightly
and ready writer. Socially he was highly es-
teemed, and was a general favorite with students
and townspeople. While his face was not of
the handsome type, yet he passed as a hand-
some man. Height, five feet, eleven inches, hair
black and long, complexion dark, dark hazel
eyes, a face serious in repose, form erect and
spare, weight one hundred and forty pounds,
and a manly bearing, all combined to produce
12 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
a military figure that would be noticed in a
crowd.
He was popular with the ladies and fond of
ladies' society, though I never knew of his being
especially devoted to any one, beyond what was
consistent with a mere friendly partiality. I
recall a query propounded by a young lady
student at the Hamilton Female Seminary in the
reading of her paper at a public meeting of its
literary society, " Does Arrowsmith manufacture
Cupid's arrows ?"
He was possessed of superior musical gifts.
Throughout his academic course he sang in the
college choir and glee club. Having a deep
and melodious bass voice, it was rarely indeed
that he was not one of a musical party that
afforded pleasant entertainment in a serenade
or at an evening concert. He also excelled in
instrumental music as an amateur performer
upon the piano, organ, bass viol and violin. In
college sports he was never a laggard, though
not an athlete. In his day, athletics were not a
college specialty as now, and in the absence of
practice there was little opportunity for devel-
opment in that line. He was fond of swimming,
skating and coasting. I recall an incident when
on a Thanksgiving Day a party of which he was
one skated down the Chenango canal to Earl-
ville and back, a distance of twelve miles. The
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 13
last one to arrive at Earlville was to pay for the
oysters for the party. The last was a Virginian,
who enlisted in "the war on the Confederate side,
and was killed in battle at the explosion of the
mine before Petersburg.
A coasting incident I have not forgotten.
Mounting the same sled, we started for break-
fast to the boarding hall, quarter of a mile
away. With polished runners, a steep descent
and Smooth ice, we shot down the ravine like
an arrow. It was impossible to round that
curve without upsetting, so we headed straight
down a sloping field. Half way across, with un-
slackened speed, we struck a ditch concealed
under the snow. There followed an exhibition
of stars, infinite in variety, succeeded by a tab-
leau, suggestive of the " wreck of matter and
the crush of worlds."
In college pranks George was a good fol-
lower, but never a leader. And even as a fol-
lower he recognized the limits of self-respect.
If a proposed scheme involved an element of
dishonor, his ready answer was " No, that will
be mean ;" but an innocent affair like "ringing
the rust" or a "mock scheme" for a Junior
Exhibition or a Young American Celebration of
the Fourth of July, he entered into with ardor.
An incident will illustrate the harmless char-
acter of his college jokes. When the first sub-
14 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROW8MITH.
marine Atlantic cable was laid and messages of
congratulation had passed between the Presi-
dent and the Queen, there was a sudden inter-
ruption of communication. While the people
were eagerly waiting for the next message,
which owing to an accident was delayed, George
overnight printed some placards (he had learned
to set type in the village printing office) and
posted them around town, greeting the public
eye the next morning with the following an-
nouncement: " Latest by submarine cable ! The
Duke of Cambridge's cows broke into the
Queen's garden last night and destroyed her
cabbages." For about two hours those in the
secret enjoyed the spectacle of people gathered
in knots about the streets, discussing the latest
intelligence from Europe, and the great wonders
the magnetic telegraph had wrought.
True to his ancestry, George was a staunch
Democrat in politics, and though educated in a
rank Republican town, his political faith was un-
shaken by his environment. His political activi-
ties began at the age of seventeen, when he made
himself quite popular with his party in Hamilton
as a stump speaker for Buchanan and Brecken-
ridge. The success of the Democracy in that
campaign was the occasion of a Democratic fes-
tival in celebration of the victory, given at the
Eagle Hotel at Hamilton, on which occasion
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 15
Arrowsmith was called out and made a speech
which was received with great favor anl specially
complimented in the next issue of the Democratic
Union. About this time a letter written to his
brother Stephen indicates his lively interest in
the political campaign. " Everything reminds
me of the old times in Trenton (he lived in Tren-
ton, N. J., while his father was State Treasurer
from 1843 to 1845) when I used to get 'licked'
so by the Whig boys of Mr. Minses's school.
There is a Buchanan club in the village and I
frequently go to their room to read the papers ;
but I wish you would send me the Washington
Union every week. That will be easier than to
write a letter and I will take it as a propitious
omen that you are all well. It will be quite a
curiosity here where abolitionism and black re-
publicanism run rampant." In the same year,
1856, George was an occasional writer for the
newspapers of his own county. In the issue
of the New Jersey Standard of May ist, 1856,
there appears an article written by him entitled
"Cromwell and Bonaparte," and signed " Scrip-
tor." It evidences the remarkable maturity of
his intellect at the period of his seventeenth
birthday.
In the Ionian Literary Society George took
a high rank as a writer and orator, and all its
principal honors were bestowed upon him. He
16 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
filled successively the offices of Critic, Vice Pres-
ident and President. At its public meeting in
his senior year he delivered the valedictory ora-
tion. The following complimentary notice of
one of his orations before a public meeting of
the society appeared in the Hamilton Republican-.
" The next oration, Subject : ' Excess of Polit-
ical Freedom,' reflected high honor upon the
genius of its composer. In the production of
this speech, Mr. Arrowsmith not only honored
himself with the reputation of one of the best
writers in the University, but manifested ability
as an orator that will confidently defy competi-
tion. The grace of his style, the easy flow of
his expressive diction, the palmy fulness of his
periods, combined with the spicy, piquant
quaintness of humor that so appropriately and
unostensibly insinuated itself in the composition,
lent a telling effect to his effort. Mr. Arrow-
smith is destined to leave his own mark on the
political future of his country."
It used to be a custom in Hamilton for the
youths of the village to celebrate the Fourth of
July by a ceremony distinctively Young Ameri-
can. After a parade on horseback by a hundred
or more young men fantastically dressed and
masked, they would draw up in the park
around a platform to listen to speeches. Among
the pleasant reminiscences of my college life
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL A.RROWSMITH. 17
was an occasion in 1857 when George was a
participant in a celebration of this character and
one of the orators of the day. His personality
disguised, his argument was in keeping with his
appearance, very grotesque. Referring to the
question of prohibition, he suggested three
methods of reform. The first, which he thought
would be popular with the reformers, was for
they themselves to drink up all the liquor, so
that none would be left for the anti-reformers.
The second was to petition the legislature to
pass a law forbidding the use of intoxicating
beverages by every citizen, excepting members
of the legislature. Such a bill, he thought
would be popular with the members of the
legislature and sure to pass. The third was a
gradual reduction of the strength of liquors by
dilution with water until it came to be adminis-
tered in such homoeopathic doses that it could
do no mischief. The last was sure to be popular
with the whiskey venders. The question of
slavery, then the exciting topic of the country,
also received his attention. " Are we all," he
said, " to be made nigger slaves to the South ?
Is that old monster slavery to rear its black and
grizzly form over the fair North and vomit up
pollution over the verdant hills and people of
New York ? No ! Let us rather say in the lan-
guage of the immortal Webster in reply to De-
18 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
mosthenes Liberty and Death Henry Ward
Beecher forever Sharp's rifles, inevitable and
let her burn I repeat it, sir let her burn.
Fellow citizens, my feelings overcome me when
I touch upon such a subject. When I see re-
publicanism trodden under foot and scorned
the pathfinder of freedom and salt river defeated
in a National election, I am prompted to seize
the American Eagle by the tail feathers and
twist him round the head of the Government
until by the flapping of his wings there is not a
quill left large enough to make a pen for a
pettifogging lawyer."
There is more, but this will do to show that
as a boy of eighteen, he was not a sleepy one.
The Mu chapter of t'he Delta Kappa Epsilon
Fraternity of Madison University was organized
in 1856. Arrowsmith was one of its founders.
It had existed hardly two years when the faculty
determined to uproot it, upon the ground that
the existence of a Greek letter society in the
college was inimical to its prosperity. About
one-half of its members promptly yielded to the
pressure of the faculty and withdrew from the
society. The remainder by standing firmer
succeeded in effecting a compromise and saving
the chapter. Arrowsmith was one of the latter.
His loyalty to the fraternity was intense. He
clung to its memory while he lived and died in
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 19
battle wearing its emblem near his heart. It
may be of interest to add that the Delta Kappa
Epsilon Fraternity is no longer proscribed at
Madison (now Colgate), but flourishes with the
favor of the college authorities. Tetnpora mu-
tant ur, etc.
In his Junior year he became a subject of the
Divine grace and united with the Hamilton
Baptist Church. He had always yielded a
reverential attention to religious matters. Be-
fore his conversion he would welcome to his
room the class prayer meeting, and would open
the exercises by reading a chapter from the
Bible. "The fact of his conversion," said Dr.
Lockwood at his funeral, "he communicated to
his parents in a way so joyous and artless as
showed that he had become really a child of the
Kingdom of God. As near as I can remember
his words addressed first to his mother are:
' Dear Mother, I am going to bed, but first I
must sit down to write you some good news. I
trust I have found the Saviour. O, what a
change ! Dear Father, I feel now that I have a
great Friend above who will help me to carry
out your good advice to me.' " Fully three years
afterward in a letter addressed to his brother,
referring to the conversion of the latter, " Be as-
sured," he says, " that the intelligence was very
gratifying to me. One thing is certain, you have
20 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
never done a nobler or more important thing in
your life than that which you mention, transact-
ing business for eternity. Your determination
has greatly pleased me as it will all your true
friends. Your step, as you say, ought not to
deprive you of any real pleasure. Who in the
world has more reason to be happy than he who
has a friend in the all-powerful and ever-present
Being who rules the world ? The Christian is
the only person in the world who may be said
really to fear nothing."
In the year 1858, after the destruction by in-
cendiaries of the Quarantine Hospital on Staten
Island, there was a strong public sentiment
manifested by the New York press in favor of
reestablishing the hospital on the Jersey shore at
Sandy Hook. This stirred up an indignant op-
position in New Jersey, and especially in Mon-
mouth County, whose rich and fertile lands and
prosperous summer resorts would be seriously
prejudiced by the location of a pest-house upon
its shores. George's pen was active in denuncia-
tion of the scheme, furnishing articles which ap-
peared in the New York Times and the Trenton
True American. These articles were copied and
circulated widely throughout the State and were
regarded with much favor as a clear and effective
presentation of the case from New Jersey's
standpoint.
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 21
George was graduated in the class of 1859 at
the #ge of twenty years. The Republican in its
account of the Commencement exercises thus
commented upon his Commencement oration:
" Mr. George Arrowsmith was the next speaker
and with the deliberation and ease seldom ob-
servable on Commencement occasions, proceeded
to discuss in eloquent and perspicuous language,
the popular subject, ' National Institutions.'
For racy and unique style, terse and vigorous
thought, and finish of illustration, this oration
was a superior production, and Mr. Arrowsmith's
effort was a triumphant one, excelled by none of
the day, and won for him many laurels, as well
as a shower of bouquets thrown to him on retir-
ing from the stage."
Among his classmates whom I now recall were
Hon. Enos Clarke, Henry A. Cordo, D.D., Way-
land Hoyt, D.D., Hon. William A. Lewis, Egbert
R. Middlebrook, Esq., Daniel E. Pope, Esq.,
Thomas Edgar Stillman, Esq., and George M.
Stone, D.D.
LAW STUDENT AND TUTOR
"TOURING his college life he was frequently
^"^ disturbed by the thought that he was en-
joying comparatively an easy life, spending the
money which his brother and father at home
were working hard to earn; and in letters to his
brother he referred to it occasionally, expressing
a wish that he too could be making a living.
He intended at the close of his collegiate course
to study law. This he saw would involve further
expense to his father. Moved by these con-
siderations, he conceived the idea of teaching in
Hamilton, in conjunction with the pursuit of his
legal studies. Accordingly, on June ipth, 1859,
he wrote his father from Hamilton that the
position of tutor in the Grammar School had
been tendered him by an almost unanimous vote
of the faculty, announcing his disposition to
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 23
accept it and his reasons, and asking his father's
views and advice upon the subject. P. P.
Brown, Jr., the principal of the Grammar School
connected with the University, a warm friend,
wrote to his father about the same time stating:
" It gives me great pleasure to announce to you
that the faculty of the University with great
cordiality, unanimously voted to-day to recom-
mend your son George to the board of the Uni-
versity, to be appointed assistant teacher in the
Grammar School, commencing in October with
the next academic year. The different members
of the faculty expressed themselves as highly
pleased with his scholarship and manly deport-
ment and had no doubt of his success in his new
position."
George accepted the position tendered him and
in October, 1859, entered upon his duties. At
the same time he entered the law office of Hon.
Charles Mason, a Judge of the Supreme Court,
and the leading lawyer of Madison County,
under whose direction he pursued his legal
studies. Thus is explained how he came to
study law and afterwards to be admitted to the
bar in New York rather than in New Jersey,
the State of his nativity, where his success could
have been promoted by the aid of influential
relatives and friends. It was a matter of con-
venience rather than choice, for he was a Jersey-
34 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
man at heart,-though he had formed many strong
friendships and pleasant associations in the place
of his adopted home. Two years later in a
letter addressed to the writer, who was then a
law student in Trenton, New Jersey, after ex-
pressing regrets that he too could not be study-
ing in the same State, he says, " but my divinity
that shapes my end has seemed to decree other-
wise ; " and again he says in the same letter, " I
do wish I could come to Trenton, and if it were
not for losing all I have done in this State I
should think about it."
For three or four years before his enlistment
he was a frequent contributor to the Union, a
Democratic paper of Hamilton, furnishing many
spicy and incisive articles of a partisan nature.
This led to a personal difficulty in March, 1860,
with the editor of the opposition paper, who was
Thomas L. James, afterwards Postmaster of New
York, and later Postmaster-General in the cabi-
net of President Garfield. Malevolence, how-
ever, could find no place in the heart of either.
Forgiveness quickly interceded and amicable re-
lations were restored.
About the year 1860 or '61, a road contro-
versy occurred between George's father, Major
Arrowsmith, and some of his neighbors, in
which an altercation arose between George and
Henry S. Little, Esq., the lawyer for the appli-
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 25
cants. It has been reported that George on
this occasion actually assaulted Mr. Little,
which is not true. As the affair excited much
interest, and erroneous impressions still prevail
as to how far George lost the control of his
temper on this occasion, Senator Little at my
request furnished me with an account of it as
follows :
" Your request for information in regard to
the road case in which George Arrowsmith and
I had some altercation is before me. So many
incidents had escaped me that I delayed answer-
ing you until I could see Senator Hendrickson,
who was one of my clients in the matter. Yes-
terday I dined with him and refreshed my mem-
ory by his. He and the Major were close friends,
politically and otherwise. In this case they were
wide apart, as were many farmers on the line of
the new road. The road ended in the Middle-
town and Keyport road, I believe, near the mill,
and was the continuation of a road that extended
up through the Senator's property, and enabled
the farmers in that section to go down to the
shore for fish and other purposes, and went shy
of the Major's mill. He opposed it with his ac-
customed skill and, as you know, was a most
formidable adversary. At that time road cases
were fought under a black flag, no quarter
being given or asked. The Major had many
26 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
roads that converged to his mill this one did
not ; and posted by the Senator and others, I
made a hot fight, doubtless said things exasper-
ating enough to stir as cool a man as the Major,
and more than enough to anger his young and
gallant son. We must have had a good case for
the surveyors laid the road. This finally mad-
dened George and he violently denounced me,
and probably but for the interference of his
friends would have assaulted me. I never
blamed him ; on the contrary, respected him all
the more for defending his old father. I have
no doubt I was in fault for not using more mod-
eration. After there was time for cooling we
were just as good friends as before. That was
saying not a little, for I was a warm admirer of
his. His patriotism had stood as mine had
against adverse surrounding influences. You
may remember the peace meeting that well nigh
led to bloodshed at Middletown. Most of the
Democrats of influence had signed a call for a
meeting to denounce the administration and
declare for peac**. I refused to sign it and so
far as it could be done was read out of the
party. So you see there was a bond of union
between us. I do not know after writing so
much that I have aided you in the slightest to
anything that may be useful."
Senator Little, holding the affirmative of the
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL, ARROWSMITH. 87
case, had the right of re^ply. As he says, he
doubtless said things exasperating enough a
statement no one will controvert who is at all
familiar with Mr. Little's sarcasm and the free-
dom with which he was wont to use it. When
he had finished, George arose to reply. Mr. Lit-
tle objected. This application of the "gag law,"
as George considered it, is probably what stirred
his anger more than anything else, and led to
the violent denunciation of his opponent. As
his most intimate friends know, George was
possessed of a tranquil demeanor not easily dis-
turbed. The circumstances mentioned only
show that he could be aggressively impetuous
for cause. It was not a weakness. On the bat-
tle field a like impetuosity of temperament won
for him the appellation of the "Young Lion."
Senator Little's reference to the famous or in-
famous Middletown peace meeting recalls vivid-
ly the distinction between the two kinds of
Democrats of those times. One carried the flag
and kept step to the music of the Union. The
other was quite indifferent to both flag and
Union, and loyal only to party. George was of
the former class, as subsequent pages will illus-
trate.
HIS PATRIOTISM KINDLED.
T X April, 1861, George passed his legal exam-
ination and was duly licensed as a member
of the New York bar. About this time occurred
the assault on Fort Sumter. Excited crowds
of citizens nightly gathered around the village
post-office, impatiently awaiting the distribution
of the mails with the latest news from Charles-
ton Harbor. On one of these occasions a rebel
sympathizer, hearing the announcement that the
National flag was actually assaulted, suffered
his enthusiasm to elope with his judgment by
an open avowal of a wish that the South might
succeed, adding that he for one was ready to
fight with them. George was present, and in-
stantly mounting a box, called for the man who
had uttered the treasonable sentiment, demand-
ng a retraction. A retraction not forthcoming,
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 29
he denounced him as a vile traitor in terms of
bitter wrath and indignation until the man
quailed under his fiery invective and slunk out
of view. "No man," he said, "could insult the
national emblem in his presence without his in-
dignant protest." His patriotism kindling as
he proceeded, he proclaimed he was willing
then and there to enlist as a soldier in the Union
cause, and appealing to the crowd he asked,
"How many will go with me?" There were
numerous responses. In a few hours fifty men
had signed the muster-roll. On Monday, April
29th, these assembled at their rendezvous, and
organizing under the name of the Union
Guards, unanimously selected George Arrow-
smith as their Captain. The Republican of Ham-
ilton, in a magnanimous spirit, forgetting past
differences, commended the selection in the fol-
lowing generous terms of approval : "The ex-
cellence of the selection is not to be disputed.
Captain Arrowsmith is a young man of high
character and fine abilities. He will be every
inch a soldier, as he is a scholar, and if the op-
portunity offers, the Hamilton Volunteers under
his lead will attain all the honor and glory to
which, we are led to believe, their aspirations
reach."
They prepared at once for their departure to
Utica to join Colonel Christian's regiment, then
30 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
forming. It was a solemn day for Hamilton.
Business was entirely suspended. The weather
was delightful, and the village was thronged
with people. There were many aching hearts
and tearful eyes. Fifty of the noblest, bravest
and best young men of Hamilton leaving their
homes and kindred to confront the dangers of
war ! At eleven o'clock the procession formed
under the direction of three leading citizens of
the town, acting as Marshals. These were
Lieutenant Colonel H. G. Beardsley, Senator
John J. Foote and James Putman. The order
was as follows : First, Band ; second, Volun-
teers, under command of Captain George Arrow-
smith ; third, Clergy and Professors of Madison
University; fourth, Ladies ; fifth, Citizens.
After parading the principal streets, they assem-
bled in front of the hotel, where a fervent and
affecting prayer was offered by the Rev. W. A.
Brooks, after which, on behalf of the ladies of
Hamilton, David J. Mitchell, Esq , an eminent
lawyer then of Syracuse, but formerly of Ham-
ilton, who had done great service by his war
speeches in arousing the public enthusiasm, pre-
sented the company with a beautiful silk banner
in a stirring and eloquent speech, which was re-
sponded to by Captain Arrowsmith with due
acknowledgments for himself and company.
After a presentation to Captain Arrowsmith of
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 31
an elegant revolver and a like presentation to
two other officers, by different citizens, the vol-
unteers entered vehicles, and "amidst a perfect
tempest of cheers and waving of handkerchiefs,"
started for Utica. The report of the occasion
says there were uttered many a " God speed
you," and many a tear trickled down the cheeks
of those who had loved ones among the patriots,
as they moved away.
ENROLLMENT AS A SOLDIER.
journey of twenty-nine miles was a
series of ovations. Arriving at Utica they
were quartered in the City Hall, where they
partook of a supper provided for them. The
next morning they were sworn in, and being
now enrolled, they proceeded to the election of
officers, George Arrowsmith being chosen Cap-
tain as at the informal election of the day be-
fore. The company was soon filled up to the
requisite number of men and joined the Twenty
sixth Regiment, New York Volunteers, recruited
in the vicinity of Utica, and received the desig-
nation of Company D. The regiment proceeded
to the military post at Elmira, where it remained
two months in barracks, and improved its time
in drilling and parading.
Shortly after the arrival of the regiment at
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 33
Elmira, Captain Arrowsmith addressed the
ladies of Hamilton the following letter, acknowl-
edging in grateful terms the receipt of their
gifts, consisting of four barrels of numerous
luxuries in the form of eatables and clothing :
ELMIRA, N. Y., May i;th, 1861.
To the Ladies of Hamilton :
Your gift was received yesterday, and received
with a good round of cheers, I assure you. Just
previous to their arrival, we received the kind
letter which you sent us, and I read it to the
company assembled around the stove in the
rough barracks, eager to hear anything from
those at home whose sympathy they are con-
fident of participating in.
In three or four instances since we left Hamil-
ton, have we found it necessary to throw to the
breeze the beautiful banner which you presented
us, to keep the company together. Your letter,
followed so closely by four barrels full of solid
" sympathy," will do more to keep the peace
and preserve order for three or four days, than
so many barrels of "army regulations " would.
The butter and shirts were acceptable especially.
" The rations " do not include butter, and the
latter on account of the delay of the military
departments in getting our uniforms, were ab-
36 JJEUTENANT-COLONEL, ARROWSMITH.
Captain Arrowsmith found his duties as com-
mandant too engrossing to afford time to corre-
spond with all his friends individually, and to
make one letter answer for many he sent a com-
munication to the Utica Herald from time to time
over the signature of Aliquis. These letters are
interesting as a part of the history of his regi-
ment and of his army life. Under date of June
9th, 1861, he writes from the Elmira Barracks
as follows :
ELMIRA, BARRACKS No. 3, June 9, 1861.
To the Editor of the Utica Morning Herald:
Since my last letter the regiment has been
unusually busy in drilling and parading, and
also unusually zealous in view of so">n being or-
dered off. On Thursday afternoon we received
intelligence that a party of Uticans, with the
colors, were on their way to Elmira. This was
very welcome news, I assure you. On Friday
morning squads of men from the companies
scattered in all directions to bring in evergreens
and bouquets to decorate the barracks, in which
work there was quite a spirit of emulation. In
an hour or two the appearance of the camp was
wonderfully changed. Rows of cedar trees sud-
denly appeared before the barracks, the flag-
staffs ornamented with wreaths and bouquets,
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. '37
and all sorts of mottoes and decorations were
fixed on the neighboring buildings some of the
men solemnly declared " it was a regular Fourth
of July." At eleven o'clock the regiment was
drawn into line for the presentation of colors,
which were soon exposed to view amid a mur-
mur of admiration. Judge Smith, of Oneida
County, made the presentation speech, which
was characterized by his usual ability and vi-
vacity. It was heard in silence by the immense
crowd of spectators who on foot and in carriages
were pressing around the lines. Colonel Chris-
tian received the colors before the regiment, and
replied with military brevity the few words
with which he intrusted to them that flag will
not soon be forgotten by the regiment. A very
large crowd of citizens, townsmen and towns-
women, as I before said, witnessed the presenta-
tion of the flag, and the troops were gratified to
notice that the Female College for the first time
had come in procession upon its grounds to wit-
ness the parade.
The colors were presented by Mr. William H.
Lewis of your city, whose arrival in town was
a source of great joy among his numerous
friends in the regiment. Mr. Lewis and Judge
Smith have been " lionized " among the men
ever since the ceremony. Aft^r the presenta-
tion the whole regiment marched to the resi-
3S LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
dence of Mrs. Maxwell, at whose commodious
mansion the Colonel has his rooms, and the
colors were there left while the procession
returned. I cannot, by the way, mention the
name of Mrs. Maxwell without also mention-
ing that she has proved herself, ever since
we have been here, a true friend to the regi-
ment, and never has the private or officer
been turned from her door when she could fur-
nish anything to supply his wants or suit his
convenience.
On Friday afternoon also we received our ac-
coutrements, canteens, knapsacks, haversacks,
belts, ammunition boxes, tents, camp kettles,
which gave the camp an appearance still more
military but still no caps or underclothes !
What culpable delay ! The day closed with a
parade down through the town accompanied by
our Utica friends.
There never has been a better feeling in the
regiment since its stay at Elmira than there is
at present. There is a crowd of spectators
every afternoon to witness our battalion drills .
this afternoon several hundred. Our Utica
friends, ladies and all, have been on the grounds
a great part of the time since they arrived,
and yesterday Mr. Long got them up a din-
ner for all in the officers' mess room. I took
a little pains to notice the kind of fare which
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 89
he provided, and found it as follows : Beef
soup, roast beef, boiled beef, mashed potatoes,
pickled tongue, rice pudding, French " co-
quettes," with tea and the usual fixings. Mr.
Long did not at all give them an opportunity to
test "the hardships of camp life."
To-morrow morning we suppose most of our
guests will start for Utica.
Still waiting for orders ! ALIQUIS.
Before the Twenty-sixth Regiment had left
Elmira, Arrowsmith acquired an enviable repu-
tation as an officer. A visitor to the camp
writes under date of June nth, 1861, that he
found Captain Arrowsmith and his Company
pleasantly situated. "The Captain," he states,
"is highly spoken of by his fellow-officers, and is
an especial favorite of those in superior com-
mand. His company is looking as well and is
under as good drill as any in the regiment.
Colonel Christian says there is no better officer
in the regiment."
The day before leaving Elmira for Washing-
ton George writes as follows :
ELMIRA, BARRACKS No. 3, June 19, 1861.
To the Editor of the Utica Morning Herald:
I trust I am now writing my last letter from
Elmira. It is stale news to you, probably, th a
38 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
dence of Mrs. Maxwell, at whose commodious
mansion the Colonel has his rooms, and the
colors were there left while the procession
returned. I cannot, by the way, mention the
name of Mrs. Maxwell without also mention-
ing that she has proved herself, ever since
we have been here, a true friend to the regi-
ment, and never has the private or officer
been turned from her door when she could fur-
nish anything to supply his wants or suit his
convenience.
On Friday afternoon also we received our ac-
coutrements, canteens, knapsacks, haversacks,
belts, ammunition boxes, tents, camp kettles,
which gave the camp an appearance still more
military but still no caps or underclothes !
What culpable delay ! The day closed with a
parade down through the town accompanied by
our Utica friends.
There never has been a better feeling in the
regiment since its stay at Elmira than there is
at present. There is a crowd of spectators
every afternoon to witness our battalion drills .
this afternoon several hundred. Our Utica
friends, ladies and all, have been on the grounds
a great part of the time since they arrived,
and yesterday Mr. Long got them up a din-
ner for all in the officers' mess room. I took
a little pains to notice the kind of fare which
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 89
he provided, and found it as follows : Beef
soup, roast beef, boiled beef, mashed potatoes,
pickled tongue, rice pudding, French "co-
quettes," with tea and the usual fixings. Mr.
Long did not at all give them an opportunity to
test " the hardships of camp life."
To-morrow morning we suppose most of our
guests will start for Utica.
Still waiting for orders ! ALIQUIS.
Before the Twenty-sixth Regiment had left
Elmira, Arrowsmith acquired an enviable repu-
tation as an officer. A visitor to the camp
writes under date of June nth, 1861, that he
found Captain Arrowsmith and his Company
pleasantly situated. "The Captain," he states,
"is highly spoken of by his fellow-officers, and is
an especial favorite of those in superior com-
mand. His company is looking as well and is
under as good drill as any in the regiment.
Colonel Christian says there is no better officer
in the regiment."
The day before leaving Elmira for Washing-
ton George writes as follows :
ELMIRA, BARRACKS No. 3, June 19, 1861.
To the Editor of the Utica Morning Herald:
I trust I am now writing my last letter from
Elmira. It is stale news to you, probably, th a
40 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSM1TH.
last Friday it was announced by the Colonel
that we were to march to Washington yester-
day. Those who were sick at heart from "hope
long deferred," suddenly brightened up, but
those who had the measles and mumps, and
such unromantic and unwarlike diseases, did
not recover so easily. So for this reason, and
because we would have to go in freight cars on
Tuesday, we deferred our departure until next
Friday.
When the above announcement was made to
the regiment in line, there followed the wildest
and most picturesque scene that I ever wit-
nessed. As if in accordance with a premeditat-
ed plan, the men immediately hung their caps
on their bayonets and broke into companies,
which marched around the grounds in all direc-
tions, amid the wildest screaming and huzzas.
This intelligence has also had the effect to sepa-
rate the chaff from the wheat, and there have
been some, but very few, desertions. Many
have absented themselves from duty, but have
returned after seeing their friends, or transact-
ing such important business as visiting wives,
etc. Last Sunday night the men were unusually
uneasy, and just before dark fourteen of them,
with their side arms, ran the guard at once, and
were pursued by several of the picket guard.
After dark the report came to the camp that
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 41
they were pursued by the guard in a large wood,
but refused to be taken. The Colonel immedi-
ately despatched a captain and twenty men to
bring them in, who duly tore their clothes, tum-
bled over rocks, and fell in the mud in the
search, with military promptness, but in vain.
When the captain wished to coHect them to re-
turn home, several shots were fired as signals,
which had the effect to bring out the surgeons
toward the forest with the grim prospect of hav-
ing some fine subjects. Such are some of the in-
cidents of the camp. The fourteen delinquents,
however, have all been taken or have returned.
For the last week the regiment has used as a
drilling ground a large field above the barracks,
where there is ample space for all battalion
movements, and I assure you drilling has been
carried on as much as the physical powers of
soldiers could sanction. The men take an
especial interest in street firing, with a view to
Baltimore, I expect, for it is now well settled
that we are to start on Friday morning, with
three days' provisions and fifteen thousand
rounds of cartridges. Our caps and shoes are
now all provided, and the former make a great
improvement in the appearance of the regiment.
To-night they made a second parade down the
town and were lustily applauded by the other
regiments as they passed their barracks. One
42 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
of the evening papers in town contains the fol-
lowing paragraph :
"This afternoon Colonel Christian, of the
Twenty-sixth Regiment, was unexpectedly pre-
sented with a splendid charger by Mr. W. H.
Lewis, on the part of the citizens of Utica. The
presentation was made suddenly and with but
little ceremony, but the soldiers gave three hearty
cheers as the Colonel-mounted the horse and rode
along the line's. A good present well bestowed."
Both officers and men in this regiment feel
very grateful to the ladies of Utica and vicinity
for the interest they have taken in our welfare,
displayed as it has been, in the liberal donations
which we have received. You cannot imagine
the moral effect, aside from the substantial bene-
fit, of the boxes of clothing which your Utica
ladies have from time to time sent to us. Im-
posed upon by clothing contractors, and really
neglected by the State government, our pay
delayed on account of Albany technicalities,
these donations have often revived the droop-
ing spirits of the men the mere idea that some
one was interested in them. The ladies of Utica
will long be remembered with pleasure by the
Twenty-sixth Regiment.
To-morrow we are ordered to pack up and
have everything in readiness to move.
ALIQUIS.
EN ROUTE FOR WASHINGTON.
Thursday, June 2oth, the regiment start-
ed for Washington. The following letter
is descriptive of the trip :
MERIDIAN HEIGHTS, WASHINGTON, )
June 27th, 1861. }
To the Editor of the Utica Morning Herald:
Excuse my tardiness in writing, but the con-
fusion consequent upon our moving from El-
mira and the inconveniences of camp life have
hitherto discouraged me. However, I have now
reconciled myself to circumstances, and am sit-
ting on the ground, writing on a box of car-
tridges with a dull lead pencil.
Our trip from Elmira was very pleasant in
the main, though as we got more and more
toward the South we began to find some pretty
44 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
warm weather. We started with ninet' en cars
and two locomotives, and did not change trains
until we arrived at Baltimore. At Williamsport
the regiment received a fine ovation, were pa-
raded through the streets, entertained by the
ladies in the finest picnic style that reminded us
all of the old Sabbath-school celebrations ere
our country had let slip the dogs of war every
man received a cigar after the collation, and
amid loud cheering the heavy train bearing the
regiment slowly moved from the town. It ap-
peared as though every inhabitant in the town
was down at the depot to see us off, and thus all
along the road did the best of feeling seem to
be manifested towards the volunteers. We rode
all night, made no stop at Harrisburg, and in
the gray of the morning passed a guide board
with " The State Line " upon it. Then did your
correspondent cautiously protrude his head
from the car window, realizing that he was now
"down South" saw no vile secessionist aiming
at it became very bold and cried "hurrah !"
saw no man that looked like Jefferson Davis's
portrait, so I did not fire my musket ; pickets
all along the road to Baltimore, encamped
along beautiful streams, guarding the bridges
and whiling away the long summer days in
shooting at a target.
The scenery along the road from Harrisburg
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 45
to Baltimore is very picturesque, and the trip
was thus rendered quite pleasant and interest-
ing. No secession flags were seen, but we were
greeted with Union demonstrations as we passed
along. Finally we arrive at Baltimore, after
loading at the last station. There are crowds
of people along the streets, but with the excep-
tion of a few dubious remarks and hisses, there
are no symptoms of disturbance. The troops
march through in grim silence, replying to no
question, and not. allowed to receive refresh-
ments or water from the crowd, though in the
broiling sun. Two or three that drank water
proffered by men in the crowd were afterwards
very sick and afflicted with sore mouths, and
it is thought their abstaining from Baltimore
water was very fortunate. The inhabitants that
followed us to the depot, however, seemed to be
all true to the Union. Our stay in Baltimore
was very short, for the Washington train started
as soon as the regiment got on board. We ar-
rived in Washington, having passed on our way
several camps and the celebrated Relay House.
By the time we arrived at the station near the
Capitol, we were considerably worn out, having
had little or no sleep in the cars the night be-
fore, and having exhausted most of the two
days' provisions which we took from Elmira.
The men now saw their error in packing so
46 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
many articles in their knapsacks, for I assure
you every pound counted in the oppressive heat
and the broiling sun of Washington. On alight-
ing from the train we found we had to march to
Meridian Heights, a hill about three miles from
the city. Some of the men fainted and fell out
on the march up, overcome with heat and fa-
tigue, but the men from the camps which we
passed on the way up encouraged the boys,
helped them carry their muskets and baggage,
and in various ways expressed the sympathy of
brother soldiers. The men have recovered from
this fatigue, and are healthier on the whole than
they were in Elmira. The night we arrived our
tents had to be erected, and as it was getting
late, many slept in the open air but we were
sufficiently fatigued to sleep almost anywhere.
Our ground, called Camp VanValkenburgh, is
finely suited for parading purposes, but is badly
supplied with water. All the wells around here
which we use are constantly guarded, as some
have been poisoned by the Virginians.
We are now drawing our rations, but in the
confusion attendant upon getting this military
machinery fairly at work we frequently take
some long fasts, just long enough to make us
relish the pork, bread and coffee when we get
it. We are, however, getting along better and
better every day.
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 47
In our tents we of course sleep generally on
the "ground floor," with knapsacks, valises or
stumps for pillows, and happy are they who
have waterproof blankets to lie upon. Our
tents are rather j-carce and rather small, and not
infrequently we see feet and legs protruding
from under the canvas, which, in case of a
shower are vigorously hauled in. In lack of the
usual conveniences, bayonets serve for forks and
candlesticks, brush houses for kitchens, have-
locks for handkerchiefs, ammunition boxes for
seats and tables ; while at times there are vague
rumors that shoes and boots will have to be
used to make soup and jerked beef of. It is a
novel life, but we have every confidence that our
Quartermaster will make it as agreeable as pos-
sible.
Our captains are to-day engaged in making
out our new pay rolls, and we understand that
they will be immediately responded to. We are
also encouraged to hear that we are sure to be
newly uniformed and armed in a few days.
We have been alarmed and under arms twice
already. Last Friday night a sentinel of the
Thirty-eighth, New York Volunteers, fired his
piece, and ten of our regiments were instantly
drawn in line of battle. A company of flying
artillery also started from the city. Last night,
also, some cannonading along the river orca-
48 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
sioned a "long roll" in all quarters, and all the
regiments in the vicinity were under arms. In
neither case was there any occasion for the
alarm, but scouting parties of the federal regi-
ments frequently run into the pickets of their
own friends and occasion a general alarm, but
nevertheless we are obliged to hold ourselves in
readiness for action. Right on our flank lies
the Thirty-eighth ; in a field about two hun-
dred yards from us lies the Eighteenth, and just
beyond them in a large grove is the Fourteenth,
and a number of other New York regiments
scattered all around in the vicinity.
I cannot, like a regular Washington corre-
spondent, tell all about the strange sights, for
I've had no chance to see anything but the out-
side of the Capitol as yet at present I'd like to
see a good, comfortable hotel.
ALIQUIS.
Occasionally Captain Arrowsmith found op-
portunity to run up to the city of Washington.
The capital was a new place to him and he saw
much to interest him, especially in the way of
politicians and other celebrities. " Here," says
Eli Perkins, " he made my room his head-
quarters where on my return I frequently found
him installed with a bevy of officers. You know
George did love a good story with a fine point.
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 49
How he used to read Artemus Ward to me !"
On his return from Washington he writes his
brother under date of July 8th, 1861:
" In the reading rooms of Willard's Hotel I find
a great deal to interest me. I saw there last
night J. C. Breckenridge, N. P. Willis, Secretary
Cameron, Thurlow Weed, Colonel Bartlett,
Donnelly, of Wise-Donnelly letter notoriety,
and in fact army and naval officers, politicians
and congressmen by the hundred. * * * *
We aVe sworn in- the United States service only
till the twenty-first of August, when I suppose
we will return home. I have learned consider-
able of military service, and if I ever go into it
again, I shall strike for a field office. I suppose
I might get a lieutenancy in the regular army,,
which I would like firs.t rate. I am going to look
around a little with a view to that while I am
here."
He writes of a want of tent accommodations,
there being but one tent for five persons, and
proceeds: "We sleep on the ground with water-
proof blankets under us to keep off the damp-
ness. These were given to our company by the
Hamilton ladies, who have an organized society
to attend to our wants. Our victuals consist of
pork, bacon, beef, coffee, beans, rice and bread,
which are weighed out, so much to each man.
This is cooked and eaten in the open air. The
50 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
men cook their own food in little frames, with
seven iron kettles and stew pans. We get plenty
to eat, 'such as it is, and it is good enough what
there is of it.' Once when I first arrived I went
twenty-four hours without eating anything, but
it was more to keep the men from complaining
than because I could not get it, for the officers
can generally get along pretty well. There is
always more or less confusion when we move
from one place to another, and sometimes lack of
provisions, but usually there is plenty. I stand
it very well now, never was hardier, and have
learned to eat pork and drink raw coffee. The
men do their washing in a beautiful stream near
the camp, in which they go in squads. My
waiter does mine, of course, the whole object
being merely to get them clean, starching and
ironing being out of the question. We have two
battalion drills every day, one in the morning
and the other in the evening. Sometimes the
whole regiment fires ball cartridges at once in
the side of a hill by way of exercise. The
muskets carry ounce balls about the size of a
common marble, which trim the limbs from the
trees in front of us finely, I assure you. Some
of the farmers around are Union men, and some
secessionists, but the latter are compelled to
keep very quiet. We are very careful as to the
politics of the pedlars of whom we buy eatables.
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 51
One of my company was poisoned coming
through Baltimore, and hasn't been well since.
The country looks just like Jersey in nearly
every respect, and the days are not much warmer
than a good hot Jersey day."
BATTLE OF BULL RUN.
SUNDAY, July 2ist, the Twenty-sixth
Regiment left Washington about noon
and marched to Alexandria, where it arrived
about two o'clock. Here it waited until night
for a train to transport it to Bull Run, where
the battle was going on. July 23d Aliquis
writes from Shooter's Hill, near Alexandria,
Virginia, as follows :
SHOOTER'S HILL, VA., July 23, 1861.
To the Editor of the Utica Morning Herald:
Still another step towards a battle and still a
more lively realization of real soldiering. We
left Washington on Sunday about noon, leaving
the sick to guard our camp, and arrived at
Alexandria about two o'clock, where we had to
wait a great while to get a train which could
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 53
transport us to the scene of action whither we
were marching. Alexandria is indeed a desolate
town. Grass grows in the streets, business ap-
pears suspended, men look dismal and unhappy,
and everything reminds of war. The Marshal
House is continually crowded with soldiers tear-
ing up staircases, floors, etc., to get pieces of
wood with Ellsworth's blood on, which, by the
way, must have flowed in great abundance in
the young man's veins, if I may judge from the
numerous specimens I have seen. While wait-
ing at Alexandria, we continually heard heavy
cannonading from the south, but night came on,
and we finally lay down to sleep in a field near
the depot, in the open air. Soon, however, we
were called up and put on a train, the tops and
platforms crowded wherever a man could stick
on, and we started towards Fairfax. Aliquis
lay on top of a car, next to the locomotive,
gravely winking occasionally, as the cinders flew
in his eyes, and now and then "dreaming the
happy hours away," when the train suddenly
stopped at a station just this side of Fairfax,
called Springfield. There a picket was thrown
out ahead, and we were stopped a while, during
which we received the astounding intelligence
that our forces were signally defeated, and we
were ordered to fall back immediately to Alex-
andria. When we got back we found Colonel
54 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
Kerrigan's regiment in the field which we had
occupied, so we took an adjoining one and slept
till morning, notwithstanding it had now begun
to rain. When we awoke, trains crowded with
retreating troops were coming hurriedly in, and
the roads were crowded with stragglers from all
sorts of regiments, in a weary and disorderly
retreat. Our regiment now commenced its
march up towards Fort Ellsworth, to cover their
retreat so that they might rally behind us. And
here a grotesque but most disheartening scene
met our eyes men from New Jersey, New York,
Pennsylvania, Maine, all mixed up together, foot-
sore and ragged, in no order, and apparently
under no officers. All parts of the North were
represented in the rout Zouaves, with their
gay uniforms torn, dirty and blood-soiled,
soldiers without shoes, some without guns or
knapsacks ; others, more determined, carrying
away three or four of each ; some without eyes,
some without ears and others with various flesh
wounds, riding, limping or running such was
the picturesque procession which went along
the road all yesterday forenoon. As they met
us, they told us of the deadly fire of the batteries,
told us to turn around immediately, and of the
manner in which the rebels bayoneted all our
wounded on the field, and such not very encour-
ging details. Others cheered us, and hoped
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 55
" we'd give 'em Jesse," etc. We finally went to
Fort Ellsworth and entered it, where we thought
the cannon, the abatis, the ditch and the ram-
parts looked very welcome after the accounts
given us. Well, as the Dutchman said, we did
not stop there, but went over beyond and
bivouacked in a grove, where in a cold rain,
without tents, we made sort of a cold breakfast.
We expected an attack all day yesterday, and it
was all we could do to keep the muskets dry.
Abowt noon the companies began to go off in
search of better quarters. Aliquis and his com-
pany got into a deserted dwelling house, where
with good fire-places and fences we managed to
get comfortably dry. We put on extra pickets
in the night, as it was reported that an immense
force was approaching, and there is some danger
of being pushed off into the Potomac. I really
think the rebel General is very foolish if he does
not attack us to-day. Most of our regiments
are completely demoralized, and are crossing
the river in crowds. The New York Twenty-
sixth, Seventeenth, and some others, I think, are
entitled to great credit for their present stand,
as the majority are completely panic stricken.
A Pennsylvania regiment near us is to day hur-
riedly packing up to return home, their time
having expired, which is not extremely encour-
aging either. The storm has now ceased, and
56 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
the morning is beautiful. Our ideas of the
enemy are all conjectural, and we know not
what to-day will bring forth. I hope, however,
when I write again to give you better news.
Among the consoling features of our soldier-
ing is the good feeling among our troops. The
Captain of Company D was lately presented
with an elegant sword, a portable camp bed, a
camp stool, and other articles, by the members
of his company. ALIQUIS.
The discouraging effect of the battle of Bull
Run upon our troops and their want of con-
dence in the ability of their commanders is re-
flected in the following letter :
SHOOTER'S HILL, VA.. July 23, noon, 1861.
To the Editor of the Utica Morning Herald :
In my last I gave you our impressions of our
present state, as we had them this morning.
Now our situation seems no better, and our
regiment must shift for themselves. General
McDowell we know nothing of ; some say he yet
has a force with him to the south of us, others
that he is now at Arlington House completely
helpless ; others that he is in Washington. One
thing is certain : the few troops this side of the
river have no head that amounts to anything,
and rely solely on our Colonel Christian. There
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 57
are only about 4,000 men that can be relied on
this side of the Potomac. We are on the outposts,
along the Leesburg and Fairfax turnpikes, about
eight miles from the " Long Bridge " to Wash-
ington. We are hourly expecting an attack, in
which we shall hold out as long as we can, and
if compelled to retreat will fall back to the Long
Bridge. If unable to cross that, we will there
make a desperate stand on the banks of the river.
I have no confidence in any General or Colonel
near, here but Christian. He yesterday recom-
mended the occupying of certain hills near here,
which has been done. As it is now, we have to
rely upon ourselves, and we only hope our
Colonel may be made a Brigadier-General, as
is much talked of, and then we might indeed
be more secure. Regiments are continually
crossing to Washington, instead of crossing
from there here as it should be. I can count
from my present position three or four camps
entirely deserted. We have a Captain detailed
every day to command the pickets, which are
scouring the woods two or three miles towards
Fairfax.
The New York Herald's account of the battle
is a most egregious burlesque. If his reporter
had seen the disorderly rout that I have, he
would not have made so glaring a heading to
his column. Part of the regiments that he men-
58 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
tions were not at all in the action any more than
we were. As for us, we were ordered there and
then ordered back after the rout had begun.
There is nothing to hinder 15,000 rebels from
encamping right opposite Washington this morn-
ing, and we understand they have 170,000 be-
tween here and Richmond. As I said before,
there are only five or six regiments here that are
reliable the others are breaking up and scatter-
ing, some to their homes, and some to Washing-
ton. I hope General Scott will soon restore
order, for in him we have all confidence, and
also in our Colonel ; beyond that deponent saith
nothing. We are to-day occupying some of the
camps that have been, as I should think, basely
deserted; but their tents are very acceptable.
ALIQUIS.
July 24, 1861. Still there is no further ad-
vance of either army. There was no disturbance
last night, though we were called out once into
line by a "long roll" in some of the regiments
on our left. Yesterday afternoon scouts were sent
out around to ascertain our true state. Our regi-
ment daily sends about fifty men some distance
up the Fairfax road as a picket, and yesterday
afternoon the Thirty-second New York Regi-
ment came up and encamped just in the rear of
them. Near a Theological Seminary, on our
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 59
right, is the Fifteenth, under McLeod Murphy.
In Fort Ellsworth, which is about a quarter of a
mile from us, is Colonel Lansing with his Seven-
teenth, and also with a Massachusetts regiment
near him. Some others are also down on the
flats, but a great many of the camps there are
deserted. Last evening in the moonlight, the
woods in which we at first stopped, were entirely
cut down by our regiment, so as to expose the
Leesburg road to the guns of Fort Ellsworth.
Colonel Lansing also tore down a cemetery wall
near the fort, so as to use his guns to the best
advantage. Major Jennings, who had been sent
off by the Colonel on extra duty, returned
yesterday afternoon. We find, by the way, that
they have not forgotten us over in Washington.
About four o'clock yesterday afternoon we saw
a body of cavalry come up the road escorting a
carriage containing four persons President
Lincoln, William H. Seward, General McDowell,
and our Adjutant, David Smith. The latter es-
corted them to Colonel Christian's headquarters,
where they remained for some time.
Colonel Christian occupies a large brick house
owned by a Major Smoot, now a Confederate
Major. Company B also is quartered in a por-
tion of it. Company A is in a house near our
bivouac ground ; Company D in a large frame
house off on the right ; Company G in a house
60 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
on the left, used for a hospital ; the other com-
panies occupy tents which were deserted by a
Pennsylvania regiment. It is on a beautiful
bluff where we are encamped, with a fine view
of the Potomac, while Washington with its large
buildings presents a splendid appearance in the
distance.
The defeat of McDowell is now known to be
much less than was at first supposed. Stragglers
are coming in even yet, and I suppose the regi-
ments are speedily re-organizing over the river.
I can see this morning the glitter of bayonets
down along this side of the Potomac, as if a
regiment was moving from the Long Bridge to
Alexandria. I suppose a large army will soon
be gathered here again.
No more at present. I am now about to start
with a picket guard up the Fairfax road to
Clouds Mills. The officers and men are all out
watching a balloon, which has just gone up
from Washington. ALJQUIS.
CAMP AND PICKET.
T TNDP;R date of July 26th, 1861, Captain Ar-
rowsmith writes his brother from Shoot-
er's Hill, Va., a letter which indicates a better
feeling and a return of confidence among the
troops :
Dear Brother:
I have with my regiment crossed over into
Virginia. As you said in a letter (which I re-
ceived last night) that you received the Utica
Herald regularly, there's no need of writing such
minute details in my letters home. We are still
quartered on Shooter's Hill, mostly in tents, but
I marched my company into an unoccupied
dwelling house, owned by a man now in the
rebel army. It is a fine, large house, and its
fireplaces and cupboards come very handily for
our use. We sleep around on the floors in all
62 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
sorts of positions. Half the houses around here
have been thus deserted.
The first day or so after the battle this regi-
ment was in a "ticklish" situation. The time
of many regiments had expired and they hur-
riedly crossed the river, while others, panic
stricken, followed them in a disorderly manner,
leaving their tents still standing. It was gener-
ally believed that a large force of rebels were
approaching. At one time there were only
about four thousand left here. Now, however,
they are returning a large force is collecting
batteries are being erected groves and forests
are cut down to give free scope to the cannon,
and desolation as usual betokens the presence
of a large army. Last Wednesday the Colonel
sent me off with a company of thirty-two picked
men as a picket guard about five miles towards
Fairfax, for the purpose of first giving the alarm
in case of a night attack. The place was called
Clouds Mills and it was the place where Ells-
worth's Zouaves carried on the flour business
perhaps you saw a sketch of it in a pictorial
paper. There we had a barricade of barrels
filled with sand and piled up in the road, with a
mill on our right and a high hill on the left.
We took three rebel dragoons fine-looking fel-
lows and gave them over to the General in
command. They had a flag of truce, which was
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 63
considered a mere subterfuge, and they are yet
detained as spies. In the afternoon a boy came
down to the barricade and said a party of rebel
cavalry had carried off his father, who was a
Union man. I rather suspected the boy, but
nevertheless took ten men and proceeded with
great caution about two and a half miles in
the country. Finding by inquiry of negroes
that I was getting within the rebel lines, and
hearing that no such man as was claimed resid-
ed there, I turned back, and guess pretty luck-
ily, for that night some rebel cavalry came with-
in a mile of our barricade. I remained at the
mill till Thursday noon, living on the neighbors,
who were all secessionists, but very accommoda
ting. I boarded with a farmer who had two sons
in the Southern army, and who had had a
brother killed in the last battle. His wife, how-
ever, put no arsenic in the hoe-cakes, and we
used to smokt pipes together in the grove by
his house. This is a queer state of things, after
all.
I don't know that I ever told you of the fine
present the boys of my company gave me a
gilt-mounted sword worth twenty-five dollars,
a camp bed that will fold up in a carpet bag,
worth six dollars ; a camp stool, one dollar ; and
two pairs of white military gloves, three dollars.
I got a stray horse the other day off at the mill
64 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
and he is around in camp now. A great many
of the soldiers go around here and there on
stray horses which they have picked up.
Where we are now encamped we are within the
range of Fort Ellsworth ; so to-morrow we are
to move farther up in the country, in another
range of hills. Where we are now is a beatiful
place. From my window I can see the Potomac
and the Capitol of Washington away off in the
distance also Alexandria, which now is liter-
ally being deserted. I don't believe there'll be
a general engagement again very soon, for I
learn that the Southern army after all is cut up
much worse than ours. Lincoln, Seward and
General McDowell came up to our camp the day
before yesterday, escorted by a troop of cavalry,
and called upon the Colonel. I have seen him
now several times attended two receptions
when in Washington and got introduced to
"Abe" and "Mrs. Abe," the latter of whom is
far the best looking.
I understand that General McClellan is here
now to command the Army of the Potomac. I
have much more confidence in him than in Mc-
Dowell, for we are all of the impression that we
can beat the rebels two to one, on a fair field
and with prudent officers. GEORGE.
George, from the time of his enlistment, ap-
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 60
plied himself diligently to the work of master-
ing military tactics and had become quite pro-
ficient in the art. He was also a very popular
officer, both with his subordinates and his asso-
ciates in arms. An officer of his Company in a
letter to a friend thus wrote :
" Captain Arrowsmith is the idol of his sol-
diers. The influence he wields as an officer is
remarkable. There is not a man of them but
would cheerfully follow him into the very jaws
of death. He seldom has occasion to adminis-
ter a rebuke. An order of his when once under-
stood he is never compelled to repeat, but has
the pleasure of seeing it executed with the ut-
most alacrity."
THE TENTED FIELD.
A N ordinary history of the late war is replete
^^ with information concerning the move-
ments and operations of armies, as supplied by'
corps, division and brigade commanders; but
how little is written from the standpoint of the
subordinate officer, or the private ! George's
letters are valuable and instructive in this par-
ticular, as a relation not only of the daily occur-
rences and the minutiic of camp life which en-
gross the attention of the humble soldier, but
also as presenting views of the military situation
as he sees it.
In the following interesting communications
are presented further pen pictures of life on the
tented field :
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 67
CAMP MAXWELL, VA., August 4th, 1861.
To the Editor of the Utica Morning Herald:
My letters, you will observe, like everything
else pertaining to camp, are very irregular.
Food in camp is irregular with a moving regi-
ment, both as regards quantity and quality.
Sometimes, when shifting our position, we have
long fasts, which are not particularly conducive
to a prayerful mood ; at other times, potatoes,
peaches, chickens, onions, beets, etc., mysteri-
ously appear and disappear around the camp
fires. "A moment seen, then gone forever."
We do not, as a regiment, generally make a
practice of foraging ; but then, if we did not do
it a little, Kerrigan's regiment, which is near us,
would get more than their " rations." Cattle
are very rarely disturbed, though, it is true,
horses are occasionally impressed into the ser-
vice of their country, while a misanthropic mule
may sometimes be seen sedately carrying two
or three volunteers around on his back. Sleep-
ing is also irregular, and in all sorts of places,
from the finest of bedrooms down to the open
air, in a rain, with the boots of a neighbor for a
pillow. Tents are fine apartments though, ex-
cept during a heavy rain, when the ground floor
is apt to be quite damp, especially if on a low,
marshy spot.
68 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
Since I wrote last we have been newly uni-
formed, and have laid aside the old colorless
clothes which the men have so long worn under
protest. Of course this gave an entirely new
appearance to the regiment, which looked as if
it had just been "shedding." One fellow, much
fatigued after a long march, awoke from a long
sleep that afternoon and saw what seemed a lot
of strangers about. Loquitur, rubbing his eyes,
" Wh-what regiment's this? Where's the Twen-
ty-sixth ? Did you see which way they went?"
We were inspected by a regular officer last Fri-
day, who is going through all the regiments
along the river.
The greatest confidence is felt in all quarters
in the ability and tact of General McClellan, and
his untiring activity imparts a vigor to every
department of the army. The forests are still
being levelled, entrenchments thrown up and
batteries erected. The Northern "mud sills"
are making havoc in the " sacred soil " generally,
enough, at least, to embitter the feelings of even
that part of " the chivalry " who were the best
inclined towards the North. I think the ideas
of the Northern press with reference to South-
ern sentiment are very erroneous. Around here
the inhabitants seem to be all secessionists, but of
course they are not forward in ventilating their
politics, especially when they are certain that
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 69
it will tell upon their hen-roosts and orchards.
A young farmer boy can scarcely be found any-
where around here ; all, as I suppose, being off
with the army. The rebel army is made of good
material. The Black Horse Cavalry, especially,
were made up almost wholly of men of culture
and fortune, and I've heard the greatest mortifi-
cation expressed by Virginians that they should
have been cut to pieces by the New York Fire-
menthe aristocracy by the sans culottes. These
Zouaves, by the way, are the " lions " among the
troops about here. Their officers are all either
dead or good for nothing, and they warm all
over recounting their adventures and showing
their trophies from the Bull Run battle. The
Zouaves, Kerrigan's, the Mozart, McCunn's, Mc-
Leod Murphy's and Lansing's are the regiments
whose camps are nearest our own.
Mr. Owen J. Lewis of your city was visiting
through our camp yesterday, surrounded, as
you may well imagine, by crowds of old ac-
quaintances asking for news from Utica. A
man in civilian's dress is quite a curiosity now,
and we stare at him with as much interest as
we used to have in a military company, when we
delighted to follow them barefooted through
the streets for miles, to the great disgust of all
school teachers. Mr. Lewis started this morn-
ing on a trip to Fortress Monroe.
70 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
Colonel Kerrigan was heard to pay Colonel
Christian and our regiment quite a compliment
the other day. He remarked that it was the
best-drilled volunteer regiment he had yet seen.
It is now Sunday night ; warm, oh, how warm,
but beautiful ! Grim-looking war ships are
lying silently in the river between here and
Washington. The Chaplain is holding religious
services at one end of the camp, with the band
putting in " Old Hundred " and " Coronation "
occasionally. From another part may be heard
soldiers chanting " Dixie," celebrating the virtues
of the " Female Smuggler," or bewailing the un-
timely death of " Gentle Annie." It is half-past
nine, and time that these noises stopped also it's
time my light was put out. ALIQUIS.
There was what was called the " three months
trouble " about this time. Men who had enlist-
ed for three months and their time expiring,
insisted upon going home and refused to do
duty, for which cause there were several arrests.
They were assured that as recruiting progressed
those anxious to go home might do so, but the
necessity for their services was imperative for
the time being, and they wert required by the
Government to report for duty to the Adjutant-
General of the United States Army at the ex-
piration of their term of service.
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 71
A little later the Colonel of the Twenty-sixth
New York Regiment called about him his officers
and stated that he desired none to remain ex-
cept such as were prepared to serve the full two
years. Upon this fourteen officers tendered
their resignations, which were at once accepted
and their successors from among those who
were " in for the war " selected.
The next letter is from Camp Maxwell,
Virginia, under date of August yth, 1861:
To the Editor of the Utica Morning Herald :
We were aroused again last night by two
couriers from General McClellan, who ordered
us to assemble, with the rest of the brigade, im-
mediately along the Leesburg road. This was
a little after midnight, and we lay out until
morning, but got into no engagement. We
could hear the rumbling of their artillery
wagons, however, and it is known that some part
of the rebel army is not far distant. These in-
fantry regiments in an alarm in the night turn
out very quietly, and, as they have no lights, a
person might be not more than fifty yards from
the camp and not know that a man was astir.
If we are attacked here a battery will be sent
across to Washington, in apprehension, I sup-
pose, of feigned attacks. This lying out in case
72 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.,
of alarm is what the boys call "going out to
pasture," and it isn't very pleasing when they
are obliged to sleep in the wet grass all night,
and then return to camp in the morning without
any engagement.
The following order was read on parade, last
evening, by the Colonel :
His Excellency, the President of the United States, de-
siring the further service of the Twenty-Sixth Regiment,
New York State Volunteers, and having made requisi-
tion upon the Governor of this State, therefore, Colonel
Christian is hereby directed, on the expiration of the
term for which such regiment was mustered into the
service of the United States, (August 2ist, 1861), to
report with his command to the Adjutant-General of
the United States Army, for duty under the order of
the United States Government for the remainder of the
term of enlistment of the regiment into the service of the
State of New York.
By order of the Commander-in-Chief,
D. CAMPBELL,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
This occasions a great deal of disappointment
among the men, many of whom had made
arrangements to go to their homes after the
twenty-first of August. The Colonel, however,
says that as recruiting progresses those very
anxious to go home may gradually all get a dis-
charge, as he will use his exertions for that ob-
ject at the War Department. He believes that
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL AEROWSMITH. 73
the war at most will not last a year, and is
determined himself at all events to see its close
in the service.
The following changes have occurred in the
officer roll of the Twenty-Sixth Regiment, and
we much regret that those resigned now are
leaving us. The appointments, which have been
made from among the most trustworthy and re-
liable men in the regiment, have been confirmed
by Governor Morgan, and the new officers will
enter upon the discharge of their duties imme-
diately. The resignations were assented to by
General McDowell, and the officers resigning dis-
charged from the service of the United States :
William K. Bacon, Adjutant, vice David
Smith, Jr., resigned.
Ensign Gilbert A. Hay, Lieutenant of Com-
pany A, vice William A. Mercer, resigned.
Sergeant-Major John T. Kingsbury, Ensign of
Company A, vice Hay, promoted.
Lieutenant Norman W. Palmer, Captain of
Company E, vice Antoine Brendle, resigned.
Ensign H. D. Barnett, Lieutenant of Company
B, vice Norman W. Palmer, promoted.
Sergeant William J. Harlow, Ensign of Com-
pany B, vice Barnett, promoted.
Sergeant William C. Gardner, Lieutenant of
Company D, vice William P. West, promoted.
Lieutenant E. R. P. Shurly, of Company G,
74 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
Captain of Company C, vice John H. Fairbanks,
resigned.
Sergeant Hugh Leonard, Ensign of Company
D, vice Richard Hall, resigned.
Sergeant Charles B. Coventry, Lieutenant of
Company E, vice Oliver W. Sheldon, resigned.
Corporal Charles Smith, Ensign of Company
E, vice James VanVleck, resigned.
Corporal William Cone, Lieutenant of Com-
pany F, vice Rufus D. Patten, resigned.
Private John Williams, Ensign of Company F,
vice John Bevine, resigned.
Ensign Frank L. Binder, Lieutenant of Com-
pany G, vice E. R. P. Shurly, promoted.
Frank Lee, Ensign of Company G, vice
Binder, promoted.
Lieutenant William P. West, Captain of Com-
pany I, vice John H. Palmer, resigned.
Corporal Alonzo Thompson, Lieutenant of
Company I, vice Henry J. Flint, resigned.
Charles S. Johnson, Ensign of Company I,
vice John W. Kinney, resigned.
Ensign Emmet Harder, Lieutenant of Com-
pany K, vice Charles F. Baragar, resigned.
Sergeant Albert D. Lynch, Ensign of Com-
pany K, vice Harder, promoted.
ALIQUIS.
(The officers as above appointed have been
duly commissioned by Governor Morgan.)
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 75
August i8th, 1861, we find the Twenty-sixth
at Alexandria again, and Aliquis writes as fol-
lows :
ALEXANDRIA, August i8th, 1861.
To the Editor of the Utica Morning Herald :
We have again moved our camp, in order to
join the brigade to which we have been annexed
General Heintzelman's. We have thus lost
the beautiful grounds and the splendid scenery
of our former location ; but we are glad to find
ourselves in a brigade where affairs will be con-
ducted with more system. This moving a regi-
ment after it gets well settled down, is a great
nuisance, and makes much confusion for a short
time. If we only had some women to scold the
teamsters, it would be as good as an ordinary
May Day. The army drivers use only one line
to their four horses, and this occasions the use
of quite a variety of terms to their horses, which
increases to a most hideous jargon whenever
about a dozen teamsters get tangled up in a
stumpy field. All the camp articles are thrown
into these large wagons in beautiful confusion.
Through the opening in the rear of the wagons
may be seen a musket, a man's leg, a knapsack
and a camp pail. Two -men march with each
wagon to guard it, and away they go, the regi-
ment just ahead of them. Well, when we get
76 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
to the new ground, the wagons are unloaded in
the rain, (for it is always as sure to rain when
we ' move " as it is when a Sabbath-school gets
up a picnic) then the companies go to work
putting up their tents, and after the usual
amount of shouting and quarrelling, things
finally settle down into the old order. Enter-
prising men then make a variety of fire-places
in the ground, into which some very luxurious
individual may place a joint of stove pipe. Per-
haps the same pampered person that revels amid
these conveniences may get some boards off
from a fence and put a floor in his tent to sleep
upon ; but most of us live like plain volunteers.
I suppose it is very novel and pleasant around
in York state for your military companies to
" camp out " about a week in nice weather, with
buffalo robes and champagne, and stand guard,
watching in great suspicion for the approach
of an enemy from a neighboring corn field.
But "camping out" loses its novelty after a
few months, and standing guard becomes a
stern reality when it is known that Jackson's
brothers can't be broken of their very impolite
habit of shooting our pickets. Every one of
these volunteers whom the Northern citizens
encouraged to go to war for their country, and
whom you cheered and told to shoot Jeff Davis,
and whom you gave five dollars and advised
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARKOWSMITH. 77
not to get killed, ole feller though they never
get into a pitched battle, are nevertheless enti-
tled to great credit for the instances of self-
denial in their lives as soldiers. The volunteers
are now the only force the country can rely
upon. The regular army is now only a fossil
relic of something that once was of some im-
portance. Now it is only of use as a police
force, for which it is usually employed. Colonel
Christian had occasion the other day to ex-
press nearly these same opinions to a regular
captain, and he "owned the corn," expressing
his preference for the volunteers. Strange to
say, political favoritism is exhibited as much
as ever in the army appointments. Young sons
of rich politicians, who bid fair to be good
for nothing else, can usually be lieutenants in
the army. In the style of fighting which this
war brings out, men will have to act as indi-
viduals very often with the lines broken, and
the personal identity of the men ought not to
be swallowed up in the regiment, as is too much
the result of the intellect-deadening drill in the
regular army. Hurrah for the volunteer !
Our brigade is composed of four regiments,
the Sixteenth, Twenty-sixth and Twenty-seventh
New York, and the Fifth Maine. General
Heintzleman is quite unwell, and is at Washing-
ton, while Colonel Davis is at present in com-
78 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
mand. Colonel Christian is the second in rank.
Our situation is to the extreme south of the
Army of the Potomac, and our pickets extend
nearly down to Mount Vernon. The regiments
in the brigade take turns sending out pickets,
and the companies in the regiment take turns
going. Three of our companies have gone out
to-day with two field pieces. Before we left our
old camp our pickets out by Bailey's Cross
Roads had a sort of skirmish with some rebel
horsemen. We lost no men, but as near as we
could learn from the inhabitants around there,
and what our men themselves saw, six of the
enemy were unhorsed. I met an old school-
mate at the Provost Marshal's, the other day,
under arrest as a spy. He was very glad to see
me, and in talking over old times we forgot
that it was our duy to cut each other's throats.
His name is John Bradley ; he lives in Alex-
andria, and is a secessionist. " Sich is life."
ALIQUIS.
DESTRUCTION OF A BRIDGE.
/CAPTAIN ARROWSMITH and his company
V* 1 acting under orders take an active part in
the destruction of the bridge over Hunting Run
to prevent its use by the enemy and the capture
of Alexandria. A description of this affair is
contained in a communication to the Utica Herald
from Alexandria under date of August i8th, 1861,
but not from the pen of Aliquis, as follows :
HEADQUARTERS 26TH N. Y. VOLUNTEERS, )
ALEXANDRIA, VA., August i8th. \
To the Editor of the Utica Morning Herald:
A brief description of two nights' duty and the
destruction of the bridge over Hunting Run
will no doubt be interesting to you.
OUR SITUATION.
A mile or two below Alexandria a great bay
80 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
sets back from the Potomac into the western
shore ; on the north it bends around a promon-
tory until it edges upon the suburbs of the city,
while upon the south are high and wooded lands,
threaded by a score of roads leading to the
enemy's camp only a few miles distant. The
Mount Vernon road which crosses this important
bridge intersects all these roads.
The bridge was nearly half a mile in length,
consisting of a causeway from either shore sev-
eral rods in length, connected by a substantial
oaken structure, and crossed the Run about one
mile from the Potomac.
A sluggish stream winds through the meadows
at the base of the hills, emptying into the Run
about two miles from the river. This stream
and the Run are known as "Hunting Run."
They form the dividing line of the two great
armies on the south of our position.
The camps of the Sixteenth, Twenty-sixth and
Twenty-seventh New York Volunteers and Fifth
Maine, are located in the meadow, just upon the
northern edge of these waters.
ONE NIGHT'S DUTY.
Last Sunday the Colonel sent three companies
across the bridge, conducted by Captains Jen-
nings, West and Blackwell ; these companies
separated on the opposite side, each taking
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 81
different roads, and proceeding from four to six
miles toward the enemy, threw out their pickets
and remained till next morning.
About two o'clock in the morning they faintly
heard voices apparently giving commands in
the distance. Captain Jennings cautiously ap-
proached a mile beyond, and plainly heard the
deadened tramp of a large column of infantry.
It was late in the day of Monday when the
companies came back to camp. The Colonel,
upon hearing their report, immediately mounted
his horse and, accompanied by" Lieutenant-
Colonel Richardson and Major Jennings, went
to the bridge, and to their surprise found it
guarded by only nine men of the Twenty-seventh
New York Regiment. Proceeding to the head-
quarters of General Franklin, Colonel Christian
reported the case, and asked permission to be-
come responsible for the security of the road
against any approach of the enemy ; for this
duty it was determined to send a company.
A NIGHT IN THE RAIN.
Captain Arrowsmith, upon his request, was
assigned this duty. Adjutant Bacon also ac-
companied them as a volunteer. The night was
one of the most dismal I ever saw ; the rain fell
in torrents. The men were obliged to stand
along the bridge, exposed to the full vigor of
82 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
the storm while the fearless Captain and our
promising young Adjutant occasionally crossed
toward the hills and listened for an expected
approach. Red and yellow rockets were re-
peatedly thrown from the camps of the enemy,
which marked a chain of regiments from the
river for several miles towards Manassas. In
the morning the company returned to camp,
and, notwithstanding their sleepless night, as
usual went through the duties of the day.
THE DESTRUCTION OF THE BRIDGE.
In the edge of last evening, by invitation of
Col6nel Christian, I accompanied him for the
first time to the bridge. We then called on
Colonel Davies (at present commanding this
Brigade), to whom the Colonel plainly stated
the negligence in allowing the bridge to remain
how easily with a howitzer the enemy could
sweep our infantry from it and remarked that
we were carrying on the war as though we
would not inconvenience the enemy, injure his
property, or hurt any of them, and proposed
that we take the responsibility of destroying the
bridge. The Colonel's assent being given, two
companies, one of the Twenty-sixth and the
other of the Twenty-seventh, proceeded to the
work, and this morning saw but a few forlorn
timbers where yesterday stood a noble structure.
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 83
Thus war compels the destruction in a day of
many works which have cost months of labor ;
but in destroying this bridge we cut off 6ne of
the most feasible approaches of the enemy upon
Alexandria.
Adjutant William Kirkland Bacon referred to
in the above letter was a warm friend of Captain
Arrowsmith. He was only nineteen years of
age, and had left Hamilton College to enroll
himself as a private in defence of his country.
He is described as the soul of honor and pos-
sessed of an unsullied personal purity. He dis-
tinguished himself by his bravery upon a num-
ber of battle-fields, receiving a grievous wound
at Manassas, and falling mortally wounded at
the battle of Fredericksburgh.
In a private letter to his parents, Adjutant
Bacon writes concerning the guarding of the
bridge over Hunting Run where he served with
Captain Arrowsmith as follows :
" Four or five days ago I accompanied Captain
Arrowsmith, with part of his men and a number
from Company C, in charge of Ensign Neill, to
guard a bridge which crosses Hunting Run and
connects Alexandria with the Mount Vernon
road. The night was dark and stormy, and the
rain fell in torrents. Before morning I was
84 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
drenched to the skin, and my comrades fared no
better. My revolver and sword became wet,
and the next day were so rusty that it took
several hours to clean them. I do not think the
Captain and myself, who are quite intimate
friends, thought very much at the time of the
importance of the mission on which we were
sent. We sat together, and talked about all the
old times at home, and contrasted our condition
at the time with the pleasant, cheerful firesides
there, where we could easily enjoy the greatest
comfort and luxury in the world. How foolish,
we thought, would we be considered if we should
even run out for a few moments in the rain at
home. Here, however, we were doing what was
rendering our country some little service. If
the secessionists had obtained possession of the
bridge, they could have taken Alexandria with-
out a blow, and, it might be, have caused another
such disastrous rout as that at Bull's Run. We
had really the distinguished honor of volunteer-
ing to protect (with our lives if need be) one of
the most important outposts of the Federal
army. When one sees how much the country
needs his services at this crisis, can he, with
any degree of self-satisfaction, consent to return
home, however much he would love to see once
more those whom he has left behind ? For my
own part, sooner than leave the service of my
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 85
country, to which I am indebted for the bless-
ings of freedom and almost unbounded liberty,
I would consent to die the worst of deaths. Our
country is now passing through a most terribly
trying ordeal, but I hope she will come out puri-
fied by the test. God is on our side, and with
His help we will forever crush out the hydra-
headed monster of secession; and, I hope, settle,
once and for all, the question so often agitated
of slavery.
" We will probably remain here for about a
month longer, and then advance towards Manas-
sas. The great army, thousands of which are
now pouring into Washington daily, will soon
be ready to take the places of the regiments
now stationed here and all along this side of the
Potomac. It may be that the rebels, anticipat-
ing our advance, will make a counter movement,
and attempt to force our lines back upon Wash-
ington, or further if possible. This, however, I
do not think will be done, for, if accounts are
true, the rebel army is in a far worse state
of demoralization than ours. The payment of
troops in scrip and corporation currency such
as we used to call ' shinplasters ' must be suf-
ficient of itself to cause complaint and dissatis-
faction. It is said, too, that as the Confederate
election must soon take place, Davis, Lee and
Beauregard are at ' sword's points.' This would
86 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL AREOWSMITH.
not be very unnatural, for three men as am-
bitious as they are never pull well together."
The following extract is from a letter of
George to his father, dated September ist, 1861,
from Alexandria, Camp Vernon, expressing his
desire not to miss any work :
"This brigade is the extreme left of the army
here. I'm picketing and scouting and have been
down on the Washington estates and in view of
Mount Vernon.
" It seems to me that summer has passed very
quickly; to-day, is the first of autumn. What
fighting there is to be done will have to be done
up before January I suppose. If we go into
winter quarters then I'll come home on furlough
right away, but at present I'm afraid that I'd
just, miss all the work if I should leave now.
We are daily expecting an engagement and we
are confident as to the result. We see balloons,
rockets and fires in the rebel camp nearly every
night. I went the other night so near them
with some pickets that we beat up a ' long roll '
in their camp which we could hear distinctly.
"I'm now 'color captain,' that is, occupy the
position in line just to the right of the centre.
I am well and hard at work."
A DESCRIPTION OF ALEXANDRIA.
" I ^HE following bright letter contains among
other things a flash-light picture of Alex-
andria :
ALEXANDRIA, VA., September 3d, 1861.
To the Editor of the Utica Morning Herald :
Alexandria is an old-looking town to a North-
erner. An old-looking place it is, and in this
the Virginians take great pride, and they speak
of the reputation it had as a shipping port in
the Revolution. There is the old engine house
of the Friendship Company, to which one
George Washington, of Mount Vernon, once be-
longed. Here is the road along which Braddock
proceeded on his ill-fated expedition. But one
needs some such recollections to divert his at-
tention, for it abounds in unpleasant odors of
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
all descriptions. Every corner we turn there
appears to be a new smell, and even the drug
stores present their unfavorable side to the pas-
senger. There is only one thing worse in Alex-
andria than its odor, and that is its pavements.
If a new geographer should come on its streets,
and not know it was intentionally paved, he
would term it a "very rough and rocky region,
and only visited by travelers with great risks."
But Alexandria was really paved, a part of it
during the Revolutionary War, and there have
been no essential repairs since. It is, however,
called by the natives " a right smart chance of a
town." It abounds in negroes, drug stores,
confectioneries, mosquitoes, and at present, sol-
diers. The military police seem as omnipresent,
I suppose, as those of Paris ferreting out spies,
searching buildings for concealed arms, arrest-
ing disorderly soldiers, and confining gentlemen
who venture around too much without a pass,
sending them to the Provost Marshal's, very
red and indignant, between two muskets. The
"slave pen," once the scene of the liveliest trade
in Alexandria, is now used as a military prison.
Courts Martial are now a fixed institution in the
town, and it is very interesting to attend them
and witness the examination of suspected citi-
zens, spies, and deserters. The Seventeenth
New York Regiment is now occupying and
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 89
guarding the town; Fort Ellsworth, which they
formerly held, being now manned by a strong
body of sailors.
Out by Bailey's Cross Roads, both armies are
at work night and day, throwing up intrench-
ments right in sight of each other. Over a
thousand men on each side are continually
wielding the pickaxe and spade, preparing, I
suppose, for a battle near Washington, which is
inevitably to decide the contest. There is occa-
sionally a shot exchanged just by way of recog-
nition to officers who visit the works on horse-
back. Colonel Christian, accompanied by other
officers, frequently rides out" to view the progress
of the intrenchments.
Big time among the boys yesterday. Found
three "feminine" ambrotypes in the bottom of
a box of clothing that had never before been
overhauled ; startling effect upon the personal
appearance of the troops from these ambrotypes ;
thanks to the fair unknown who have furnished
these "three episodes," as Ward would call
them.
Our regiment now have the black army hats
of the style of the seventeenth century, with
plumes and ornaments. If the men were only
waist deep in the water, they would pass very
well for the " Landing of the Pilgrims." The
volunteer force is gradually becoming uniform
90 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
in its dress, a thing which the Bull Run experi-
ence shows to be most desirable.
I have been much disappointed with the cli-
mate of Virginia. For the last three weeks there
has been but little warm weather, and the nights
are indeed quite cold. Those who came South
illy provided with clothing have made a great
mistake, and it is probably these deluded per-
sons that we hear practising "double quick " up
and down the company streets towards morning.
The two years' excitement has all subsided,
and the daily expectation of a battle absorbs
everything else. " Give us something to do,"
the men say, " and we will stay cheerfully as
long as necessary." There is every probability
that the old regiments will have something to
do in the autumn campaign, for it will doubtless
be the policy of the General to leave the lately
formed regiments to protect Washington. You
may rest assured that this regiment is none the
less eager for service, and no less patriotic on
account of the crisis through which this, in com-
mon with many others, has passed. Leave a
wide margin for exaggeration in estimating the
reliability of news from Washington, for it is
verily a city of sensations. We are really
obliged to look in the New York papers to get
the news from the army, and in fact, they get up
incidents so much better, and tell of feats so
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 91
much more gallant and escapes so much more
miraculous than we hear of here, that it is very
pleasant to get information through that channel.
I heard it rumored last night that General Mc-
Dowell was arrested for treason.
ALIQUIS.
A reason for the inactivity complained of in
the last letter was the fact that the Twenty-sixth
Regiment was too well disciplined to be spared
from ^he force reserved for the protection of
Washington, though the Colonel and other
officers had made strenuous efforts to be allowed
to join the advancing army. They were not
idle, however. They built and occupied Fort
Lyon, then one of the strongest fortifications of
the kind in Virginia.
BEAUTIFUL CAMP MARY.
regiment's camp is now moved to a
more comfortable place, near the bank of
the Potomac, where Aliquis discusses various
regimental matters.
CAMP MARY, September i2th, 1861.
To the Editor of the Utica Morning Herald :
Again we have moved, and this time to a
beautiful piece of ground to which Colonel
Christian has given the name that heads this
letter. It is over Hunting Run, where we have
moved, which carries us still more to the left
of the Grand Army of the Potomac the left
regiment in the left Brigade. We are now
under the command of General Slocum, an offi-
cer of whom we all have the highest ideas. Let-
ters to the regiment, however, still occasionally
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 93
come directed to Colonel McCunn or General
Heintzleman's Brigade, an error which corre-
spondents should take care to correct. Our
Brigade is to be posted behind a line of intrench-
ments, and nearly our whole force is working
on them every day; we already have a fine rifle
pit in our front. Our regiment came up yester-
day afternoon, and last night was the only one
on this side of the river. In the evening some
picket firing off in front of us kept us on the
alert for a while ; nothing serious, however, oc-
curred, though it is reported to-day that some
of the Maine boys were captured. To-day the
rest of the Brigade have been moving up, to-
gether with a company of dragoons, and Cap-
tain Thompson's battery, so that affairs now
look a little more sociable. We now really are
finely situated, and we have taken great care to
make the camp comfortable. An unoccupied
house near by was taken down to make floors to
the tents, the fences in the neighborhood being
rather defective. Captain Palmer has charge
of a squad of men daily employed in making a
log building for the convenience of the guard,
facetiously called " Fort Palmer." Yesterday
afternoon we heard the skirmish up at the other
end of the line, of which you have of course
heard, but reported fighting is now so common
a topic that it creates but little interest.
94 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
Picketing is a favorite duty with the men and
officers of the regiment. There is a most solemn
stillness along the roads that lead from Alex-
andria down into the country, and you may
travel miles and see scarcely a living being, and
hear only the chirping of insects or the singing
of birds. I lay out all night not long since, on
a hill a,t the outposts of the Federal lines. I
never saw a more beautiful landscape. As the
moon rose up slowly and made the still Potomac
appear as a flare of light, the stillness had a
drowsy effect upon us all. I lay, thinking of the
prospect of a fight, when five horsemen, armed
to the teeth, suddenly rode up to my comrade
and myself, and ordered us to surrender. Know-
ing the danger of grasping my musket, I did
not make the attempt, but rising suddenly, I
seized the leader by the throat " Look here,
you thunderin' fool, if you don't sleep a little
more quiet, you'll get punched in the eye ! " I'll
never forgive Jim for spoiling that heroic dream.
Mortimer Thompson, " Doesticks," has been
rusticating in our regiment for two or three
weeks, and is an " honorary member " of the
Colonel's staff. He is continually scouring over
the country, going out with the pickets, etc., and
seems to be in love with soldiering.
The three months' question has now "gone
glimmering in the dream of things that were,"
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 95
and the regiment is running like clockwork. I
am obliged to inform you that no men were shot
for insubordination, at the risk, however, of
spoiling the effect of some fine newspaper para-
graphs. Our Adjutant proves himself a very
active and able officer, and has become very
popular in the regiment. The Colonel and the
company officers are continually in receipt of
letters from mothers, wives and fathers of
soldiers soliciting discharges and furloughs for
them. They seem to have a sort of vague idea
that the officers can just summarily send the
men home in a " Depart, go in peace " style. At
most, all the Colonel can do is to make applica-
tion for the discharges, which he knows very
well would never be granted, unless in cases of
marked physical debility. To give every letter
received due attention, would require the in-
dividual efforts of every officer in the regiment,
for a discharge has to be " lobbied " through
like a bill in the Legislature. Besides these ap-
plications, there are innumerable applications
for officers' positions. Young John Smith or
sofne one has just got his education ; his father
Mr. Smith or some one, a man of high respect-
ability, wishes him to fight for the honor of his
country's flag, but at the same time does not
wholly undervalue the "loaves and fishes."
Young John is described as not being altogether
96 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
inexperienced in military, having been fourth
corporal in the Tenth Wide Awakes, and has
witnessed several encampments of the Smithville
Blues, therefore an application is made that
Smith may have an office, that eventually he
may become General McSmlth perhaps. Our
regiment has in its non-commissioned officers
and privates ample material for good officers,
and it is really unjust to them that strangers'
claims should be preferred to the claims of those
whose previous stations and course of duty
render them eligible to the positions. This is
the principle which the Colonel evidently aims
to observe in the selection of his officers.
Our regiment now numbers eight hundred and
thirty men, and some recruits we learn are now
on their way here. We have had comparatively
little sickness amongst us, and no deaths by dis-
ease that I am aware of. Our band from Roch-
ester has been discharged, and that seems to
leave a vacant place in the regiment. But really
a brass band, like an elephant, is a cumbersome
sort of luxury to keep. They are not expected
to fight, and yet a base drum for instance is not
a handy thing to move with when cavalry are in
pursuit. We have occasionally to suffer some
loss from disability and a committee sits every
Monday in Alexandria to receive applications for
discharges. ALIQUIS.
A VISIT TO MOUNT VERNON.
next contribution from the pen of Ali-
A quis contains a charming description of
his visit to Mount Vernon.
CAMP MARY, September igth, 1861.
To the Editor of the Utica Morning Herald :
Since my last letter, I have visited Mount
Vernon, and have "done" all the sights and
wonders of that place. This place is not now
occupied by rebels, but is occasionally visited
by scouting parties of both sides. We enter the
Mount Vernon farm long before we get to the
mansion itself, which is surrounded by quite
large forests. The farm, as originally held by
the General, consisted of 7,600 acres now owned
by a large number of persons, mostly of North-
ern birth from New York and New Jersey.
98 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
The residence of Washington was indeed most
beautiful. Nature here is profuse in her gifts,
and the finest taste was exhibited in the plan
and the decorations of the place everything
ample and spacious, and no. doubt these mag-
nificent surroundings have had their influence
in preserving in Washington that noble love of
nature and humanity for which he was so noted.
Well, my friend and I come up to the mansion
and are escorted by a lady of the Association,
who informs us that we are requested to leave
our muskets at the house while we go about the
grounds. We take a suspicious look about us,
and with a ghastly smile consent to let the lady
keep our guns ; not, however, without some
reluctance. We then, after taking another
cautious look around us, proceed to weep duly
over the tomb of Washington, taking the pre-
caution, however, to assure ourselves that it is
not the ice house, which much resembles it, and
which we understand is sometimes "lingered
over" with much sadness by foreign tourists.
The tomb is really in a sad condition, and rank
weeds are intruding themselves through the iron
grate that forms the door. There are near the
tomb monuments of other members of the family,
among them that of Judge Bushrod Washington.
The out-houses around the grounds are about
twenty-five in number, and not one but that had
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 99
the appearance of being constructed with a view
to ornament as well as utility. After parading
around the grounds very grandly, and imagining
ourselves General Washington taking a walk
before breakfast, we proceed to view the main
house, which is much larger than I supposed.
The first thing that strikes us is the key of the
Bastile, hanging in a case on the wall. After
informing another visitor that the Bastile was
not a smoke house and that this was not the key
of the smoke house, we pass through the ample
rooms and see the old pictures, the holsters, the
saddles, the surveyor's tripod, and finally the
harpsichord made in Cheapside, London, which
we essay to play upon, to the great amusement
of " Mount Vernon's Association." We then ex-
press a wish to go up stairs, but are forbidden
by the attendant, who informs us that the upper
story is occupied by the ladies, so we are denied
the pleasure of seeing the antique specimens
there congregated.
I returned from Mount Vernon, hardly able
to realize that I had been there hardly able to
realize that one was obliged to visit the tomb of
our country's founder and Father, armed against
a treason participated in by descendants of his
own family hardly able to realize that Wash-
ington's remains lie in the neutral ground be-
tween two mighty armies, each claiming to as-
100 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWS1DTH.
semble in defense of the principles for which he
labored.
The enemy now seem to be most near us in
the direction of Fairfax. The Colonel, the Ad-
jutant and Captain Palmer, with four dragoons,
rode out yesterday until they saw an encamp-
ment of them and some artillery, over beyond
Bush Hill. While the party were there, General
McClellan, at Fort Taylor, ordered some shells
to be thrown at the enemy, which exploded not
far from them. The enemy, the Colonel says,
responded in defiance with a field piece.
General McClellan comes around visiting the
camps occasionally, and seems to be particularly
interested in strengthening the left flank of the
army. He was in our camp last Tuesday, and
he, in company with Colonels Christian and
Bartlett, visited the pickets and outposts of our
brigade. Those acquainted with him report
him to be a sociable, modest man, much addicted
to joking and smoking, but of fine sensibilities.
We are daily expecting to have our muskets
exchanged for the Springfield rifles. Probably
in a general engagement, a musket would be
preferable to a rifle, as they become clogged less
easily, and may be fired with greater rapidity ;
but for scouting or skirmishing, rifles are far
superior. Since I last wrote, one of our men has
been very badly wounded, having been shot
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL, ARROWSMITH. 101
while wandering beyond our pickets on the
Richmond road. Two men rose from behind a
log, and coolly firing at him ran away them-
selves, not daring to approach him after he was
lying on the ground. This barbarous custom of
shooting outposts does not seem to abate much,
and they hunt each other like Indians. At one
point the rebel pickets are on one side of a peach
orchard and ours on the other ; so that between
the two, the fruit does not get much stolen. At
another point, the federal troops occupy a church
in the day time, and the rebels at night ; and
they both keep their hours with remarkable
precision.
The fort upon which we are at work every
day will be by far the largest on this side of the
river, and will cover several acres of ground. It
is on a fine hill, commanding a view of Fort
Ellsworth, Fort Taylor, and a rebel post on
Mason's Hill. About two thousand men are at
work with the picks and spades every day.
ALIQUIS.
SKIRMISH AT POHICH CHURCH.
T AM indebted to Mr. Stephen V. Arrowsmith
for the following account of a skirmish, in
which two companies commanded by Captain
Arrowsmith were engaged at a place called
Pohich Church, where after a rough march of
eight miles before daylight he surprises the
enemy at daybreak and captures what was most
desirable at that immediate juncture an invit-
ing breakfast.
" At the skirmish of Pohich Church, he was
the officer in command, and conducted two
companies of his regiment over a new coun-
try for a distance of seven or eight miles to sur-
prise, and if possible, capture a company of
rebel cavalry who were quartered in the church
and who were robbing and plundering the Union
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 103
farmers in the vicinity. On approaching the
church, they found one of the rebel pickets,
who was posted at some distance from the
church, in order to guard against surprise. As
soon as he could see by the imperfect light (for
it was just at "daybreak in the morning), that
the approaching body were Unionists, he im-
mediately rode in and gave the alarm to his
companions, who were just in the act of sitting
down to enjoy their warm breakfast of the best
and most substantial fare that the neighbor-
ing rich farms could produce. The surprise
was complete. The alarm was given the bugle
sounded 'To Horse!' and they immediately
mounted their horses and stood in readiness to
resist an attack.
" George drew his men up in line and gave
the command ' Fire ! ' when several of the rebels
were seen to roll from their horses, and the rest
retreated across a field and dismounted behind
a fence, where they fired several ineffectual
volleys and fled. George, in the meantime,
marched his men into the church, where they
took possession of the still untouched and invit-
ing breakfast and refreshed themselves after
their long and tiresome march."
A WAR CAMP IN AUTUMN.
"I^HE season is now well advanced. The
nights are getting cold, and fires are blaz-
ing in the evening, amid the festivities of camp
life. The bracing air revives the spirits of the
soldiers and they are eager for a great army
movement. The following letters are descrip-
tive of an autumn war camp :
CAMP FRANKLIN, VA., October isth, 1861.
To the Editor of the Utica Morning Herald :
The organization of divisions has again com-
pelled us to move, so that I now almost regard
myself a second Wandering Jew. We now seem
to be situated right in the center of the army,
near the Fairfax Seminary have but little
picketing to do, and no picking on intrench-
ments, and the latter, I assure you, is regarded
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 105
as no privation. Another brigade is now at
work finishing Fort Lyon, and ours has again
resumed drilling.
The nights are now getting very cold, and
every stitch of clothing available is put into use.
You may realize what I mean by taking a single
blanket and sleeping out on the piazza, some
night any one who wishes to try it. Yet a
great many soldiers in the army now are unable
to get that single blanket even, though the
department at Washington is evidently making
great efforts to supply them. Overcoats are
also very scarce in some of the regiments ; but I
understand there is soon to be an abundant sup-
ply of them. Comfortable camp fires are now
made in the evening, and the bracing air seems
to put the men around them in the best of spirits.
In one direction I hear there is a lively quadrille,
and a fiddler, with a vivid imagination, calling
out, " Ladies change ! " and " Ladies to the
right ! " with the utmost gravity. A great many
in the regiment have fixed fire places in their
tents, in the following manner : A trench is
dug, four or five feet long, one end within and
the other outside the tent. This is covered with
stones or bricks, and a piece of pipe or a barrel
connects with the opening outside, to carry off
the smoke. At the inner opening a fire is made,
which heats up a tent very well, and very rarely
106 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
turns any smoke on the inside unless, of course,
an old hat or a board is found to be placed over
the pipe outside. This is fine weather now for a
great movement of some kind, and we suppose
one is soon to be made. Last Saturday every
one expected a battle ; the rebels had made a
sudden advance, but they made as sudden a
withdrawal immediately afterward.
Most of the officers of this regiment on last
fast day made a resolution to abstain from the
use of all intoxicating liquors, which is at least
one ''forward movement" made. While at work
on the fort, a gill of whiskey was dealt out to
each man every day, which sometimes proved
ruinous to all discipline and order. However,
that is now all stopped. As a general thing
there is but very little drunkenness to be seen
through the army, considering the circum-
stances.
In obedience to orders recently issued, many
horses and other valuable property which had
been taken from the " Secesh " by our officers
and men have been given up to headquarters,
and some have thereby returned to their owners.
Much of this sort of property, however, has been
sold to the government in Washington, or ship-
ped north. It seems to me to be the very worst
feature of war the deleterious influence it must
have on the morals of a people, for the- distinc
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 107
tion between military pillaging and stealing is
often very fine and subtle. Those families just
between the two armies have really a dangerous
and harassed life. They endeavor, of course, to
take a neutral course, which only subjects them
to occasional marauds from both parties, and
sometimes skirmishes around their dwellings.
Many wealthy families have been driven to very
coarse living, owing to the stoppage of com-
munication with the towns, and begin to realize
the folly of Virginia in making her soil the bat-
tle ground. There is many an aristocratic family
here who are secessionists, I believe, just for the
sake of keeping their reputation as F. F. V.'s.
Many of these, by the way, own dilapidated,
worn out old farms, and manage to keep up
a sort of Turveydrop gentility only by selling
negroes. However- scarce the cash or shabby
the servants, there must be a fine dwelling-house
with a spacious door-yard and very showy en-
trance. Here these hospitable Virginians sit and
muse on the antiquity and respectability of their
families, and show their visitors their household
relics. I have seen at least a dozen pianos, each
of which was the first ever brought into Virginia,
and numerous clocks which had once belonged
to George Washington. I think the old General
must have had a way of giving furniture to all
of his acquaintances, instead of locks of hair,
108 LIEUTENAXT-COLONEL AKROWSMITH.
when he was getting old, by the souvenirs I find.
The Virginia gentleman is very hospitable, and
if you'll only praise his horses, and not tamper
with his negroes, he'll treat you finely, without
asking your politics. At present his situation
makes him very politic, and he treats officers of
both armies out of the same bottle, and often
the same day. So much for our " Secesh " ac-
quaintances in Virginia. A broken-winded bu-
glei is now making night hideous, by way of
informing us that it is time the lights were out
so here goes ! ALIQUIS.
Four days later he writes to his brother from
the same place : " It is now nearly midnight
and it is raining very hard, but I have now got
fixed so that the weather does not bother me.
I have a ' contraband ' whom I got out beyond
the pickets a very faithful fellow, who has
made a rude floor to my tent, and a kind of bed
for me under which he sleeps contentedly. Be-
sides the 'contraband' and the bed, the furni-
ture of my tent consists of a trunk, a large box
for company clothing, a stand, a fine armed chair
which I got from the officer's quarters out at
Pohich church in a foray which we made against
the rebels a box of tobacco, and sundry small
articles. We have moved again since I last
wrote and are no longer on the left flank, but
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 109
near the centre of the army a situation requir-
ing not so much vigilance as the other. We are
in Slocum's brigade and General Franklin's divis-
ion, which you may as well notice in directing
your letters. Kearney's New Jersey brigade is
not far from us and they have an excellent repu-
tation. I saw Captain Mount, of Freehold, the
other day in Alexandria where his company is
performing guard duty. Our brigade has now
of course got through working on Fort Lyon
and has gone to drilling again. This afternoon I
watched a balloon reconnoissance by some aero-
naut, who came down just before dark near our
camp."
CAMP FRANKLIN, VA., Nov. roth, 1861.
To the Editor of the Utica Morning Herald :
Camp life is now dull, most excruciatingly
dull. Where we are now situated we feel about
as secure as we did at Elmira, and have almost
forgotten what we came here for the chief ob-
ject of the campaign being, in appearance, to
keep warm. All who have any good pretext are
endeavoring to get leaves of absence, and some
successfully. As for me, my wife and children
are so provokingly healthy, and my appetite so,
wofully good, that I am obliged to remain here,
disgusted with the general inactivity, and won-
dering what will turn up next.
110 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
I notice that the ladies of the North are al-
ready responding to the numerous calls for
blankets with a renewed liberality. The little
town of Taberg, for instance, with not over five
hundred vcrters, has sent Company E two im-
mense boxes of useful clothing, consisting chiefly
of blankets and socks. The former were parti-
cularly acceptable, but not more so than a large
number of bottles containing "hospital stores,"
known in times of peace as elderberry wine and
brandy. The above large donation was, I learn,
made by the ladies of Taberg and vicinity,
under the auspices of a Mrs. Ingersoll of the
above place. I was enthusiastically informed
of this by Lieutenant Coventry, Charles Beach
and Frank Ingersoll of Company E, whose
happy faces were only equalled by my own,
when I, being in the hospital, had inspected the
aforesaid "stores." But there was also " a epi-
sode," as Ward says, at my tent, followed by
several more " episodes." I refer to blankets,
bedticks, etc., which some unknown lady friends
have sent me. I havn't heard a reveille since.
The box from Mrs. Rockwell and her friends, I
understand, is now in the express office. The
patriotism of these ladies is only equalled by
that of those who, remembering us that are sick,
sent on the " hospital stores."
Colonel Christian arrived in camp yesterday,
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. Ill
having just returned from a two days' leave of
absence in New York city. It is strongly
suspected that he has been perpetrating mar-
riage, but no court-martial has yet been con-
vened on the subject. It is earnestly hoped that
no such deleterious example should be held up
before our volunteers, nevertheless rumor says
that he has really taken the " oath of allegiance
to the Union," and been duly "sworn into the
service."
Seven companies of our regiment have to-day
just returned from the outposts, where they have
been picketing for the last four days, some of
them at Annandale. Some of the Twenty-third
regiment were cut off while they were out, but
ours were not seriously disturbed.
Since I last wrote, we have changed the situa-
tion of our camp merely to get out of the mud,
into which we were fast sinking in our old place.
The weather is still rather cool and rainy, and
sometimes very heavy frosts are found in the
morning. Many of the men now have little
stoves in the tents, which are much better than
our fancy fire-places, which have contracted a
habit of smoking.
Last Wednesday we were again paid off.
This of course drew near the camp a long line
of passing wagons, which appeared like a
Hebrew funeral, old women with baskets and
112 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
boys with pails, all sorts of sharks selling to the
soldiers very poor specimens of everything at
very high prices. Some, however, send nearly
all their wages home. ALIQUIS.
November i3th, 1861, another letter from
Camp Franklin to his brother is as follows :
" We are doing nothing much but drill and
have no unusual excitement. Our commissions
have just come and I am sorry to find that I'm
not entitled to the place of Color-Captain, which
I have been holding, and must go into the left
wing. I find my commission dates fifth in order
instead of third, as I had supposed. But it
don't make much difference. Tom [his brother]
and Captain Charley [a cousin] were over to
see me about a week ago, and I since have made
them a visit near Fort Corcoran. Tom is Com-
missary Sergeant the same as ever, a favorite
with all and with the privilege of going every-
where he pleases says he is sure of a commis-
sion, etc., and is well and hearty rides a
splendid horse and gets up in style. Charley
has the prospect of being a Major before long,
he tells me. On my way over there I saw Jim
Story, who is a Corporal and was sick in the
hospital, and George Bowne, who seems to have
grown a great deal. Tom lent me a cavalry
horse to come back with."
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARKOWSMITH. 113
Of course these extracts from private letters
were never intended for publication, but after
an elapse of thirty years I am sure they will be
read with interest and gratification by his old
friends and comrades.
THE CHAPLAIN ARRIVES.
"TOURING the summer the regiment was with-
^^^ out any adequate religious aid or in-
struction, and it was not until the month of
October, 1861, that their excellent chaplain, Rev.
Dr. D. W. Bristol, received his appointment
and went on to the regiment. His influence, it
is stated, was most happy and beneficial. The
following extract is from a letter of Dr. Bris-
tol, dated November 22d, 1861 :
" Notwithstanding our difficulties, we have
formed regimental church of some fifteen mem-
bers. We lay aside our denominational pecul-
iarities for the time being, and covenant to keep
each other in the religious life. Several wan-
derers have returned to the great Master, and
one, we trust, has been converted. We have also
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL .ARROWSMITH. 115
organized a temperance society, which numbers,
I judge, somewhere about eighty members. Our
beginning, we think, taking into account all the
circumstances, is a good one and encouraging."
A SOLDIER S THANKSGIVING.
T N the following, Aliquis indicates why Gen-
erals Smith and Jones can enjoy a military
review so much more than the men in the ranks,
and then proceeds to draw upon his poetic im-
agination for a Thanksgiving dinner.
CAMP FRANKLIN, VA., November 24th, 1861.
To the Editor of the Utica Morning Herald :
Since I last wrote, I have been out on picket.
This in cold weather is not so uncomfortable a
duty as might at first be imagined, as nearly all
the pickets are cantoned in deserted houses.
Ours are nearly all stationed out at Annandale,
where they are not much disturbed, except in
their imaginations, perhaps, by some rebel artil-
lery practising occasionally. On the day of the
great review, last Wednesday, they kept up a
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 117
constant cannonading; with what object I know
not, perhaps by way of defiance. Our regiment
was sent out on picket duty then, because we
had "no new clothes to go to the show in ; " for
Generals, you must know, like to see nice
parades, to revive, I suppose, the recollections
of boyish Fourths and " trainin's "; so I cannot
tell you much about the great review, but I shall
have to content myself with imagining. There
were innumerable white gloves, epaulettes and
brass buttons the Generals were very dignified
and paternal the mounted officers very serene
and fearless on their horses, spurring them for-
ward on the ranks and then curbing them back-
ward on the brass bands the line officers very
responsible and alarrningly straight in the back
the men in the ranks tired and sullen, and the
brass bands very enduring to the end. The im-
mense procession marched around the field, and
then Generals Smith and Jones saluted each
other and rode home, wondering, I suppose,
why the men never seem to enjoy these reviews.
The Twenty-sixth, I suppose, will be allowed to
go to the next great parade, as we have just got
a splendid new suit of clothes, overcoats and
pants of dark blue cloth, and very neat forage
caps. You are already aware that we have
Sauer's brass band back again, which, with the
drum-corps, facetiously called "boiler-makers,"
118 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
furnish us with an abundance of music. Every
regiment in our brigade now has its brass band,
so that one may be heard playing nearly any
hour in the day.
Dr Bristol, our Chaplain, is laboring assidu-
ously for the welfare of the men, and he has
formed a temperance organization, which is
gradually gaining in strength. It has been in-
correctly stated that Colonel Christian was the
President of this society. This was indeed
proffered him, but he declined accepting it, as
his military duties, he believed, would not al-
low him to take the leadership in any collat-
eral organization, though, of course, willing, as
much as possible, to promote the cause of tem-
perance.
Well, the day is nigh at hand when the sov-
erign people of New York are to return thanks
to Divine Providence for the good digestive
organs with which they are gifted, and test
them accordingly. As this day approaches, I
am thereat much affected ; for in the poultry
line, I am conscious that they'll " miss me at
home, yes, they'll miss me." I assure you many
a Northern soldier thinks of his home in these
times ; of the old family gatherings ; the great
gastronomical exhibitions, concluding with a
grand display of molasses candy in the evening.
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 119
Oft in the stilly night,
Ere slumber's chain hath bound me,
The thoughts of poultry bring the light
Of other days around me
Thanksgiving feasts of childhood's years,
The words of cheer then spoken
And then to think I'm penned up here,
And all the hen-roosts played out long ago,
And my hopes of getting a furlough completely
broken.
When I remember all
The turkeys -flocked together,
I've seen around me in the Fall,
Up North, in just this weather,
I feel like one who treads alone
Some dining-room deserted,
Whose lights are fled, whose garlands dead,
And seein' he's got there too late,
Every darned joint of poultry has long since
departed.
The Fifth Maine Regiment, whose camp ad-
joins ours, have just received twenty cases of
turkeys from their native State, with which to
do the honors of Thanksgiving day. I wouldn't
like to be invited over there ! Oh. no, not a bit
of it. It ain't my style ! (As Ward says, the
above should be understood as irony.)
Many blankets have been received here lately
from private sources, which have greatly in-
creased the comfort of the men, and many a
120 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
grateful expression have I heard used when were
received the liberal contribution from the ladies
of Utica and Hamilton; quite a variety of cloth-
ing has been sent through me to men in this
regiment, for which thanks to all, the known
and the unknown.
More vigorous measures for the apprehension
of deserters are, I understand, to be now taken
by the government. Many are instigated to
desert by secessionists in Alexandria, some of
whom are now already ferreted out and arrested,
as I learn to-day. Some have decamped from
the Twenty-sixth since pay-day, and they will
be retaken, I suppose, if possible.
Money is very plentiful around Alexandria
and Washington, and peddling of all kinds is
very profitable. After a pay-day, when about
twenty-five or thirty thousand dollars is distrib-
uted through a regiment, it is astonishing to
see with what reckless freedom money is ex-
pended. Alexandria is now thronged with Jews
and Yankees vying with the native citizens as to
who shall carry off the greatest amount of army
gold. Fancy stores and saloons are continually
crowded, and finely dressed, polite gentlemen
are keeping lucrative "club-rooms," more accu-
rately, " gambling hells." Rabid secessionists
are fast getting wealthy off of the Union army,
and pocketing the new, hard gold with " 1861 "
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 121
stamped on it. Still, I suppose, it can't be
helped, while we remain here. It is the uni-
versal wish that we may very soon go further
south. ALIQUIS.
A letter to his brother Stephen on January nth,
1862, is addressed from Acquia Creek, Virginia.
He writes: "I went out on another raid night
before last and came back last night about ten
miles out. Nothing important resulted from it,
but the march back was the worst one I ever
was on. A cold rain was falling. The road was
mostly through the woods, and the soil of clay.
The mud was knee-deep nearly all the way,
and so dark no one man could see the other.
I've just enough of the ' raid business ' for the
present. We had a very dull holiday week.
Your skating frolic would have been all I could
ask for. I, too, have had a letter from Tom.
Soon as the Colonel gets back I shall make an
effort to visit him. He lies about ten miles
from here. Still in our comfortable quarters,
with rumors of a move towards Warrenton, but
nothing definite. Sigel has returned, and we
are all ready. Where is the Twenty-ninth New
Jersey? I'd like to know where to find them."
A week later, from the same place, he again
addresses his brother:
" No letter from home this week. The Colonel
122 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
has returned, and I am relieved from much of
my responsibilty. About a third of our line
officers have been compelled -to resign from dis-
ability, either mental or physical, so we're having
a little revolution among us. To-night we're
making an attempt to catch a ' secesh ' that's
aiding our men to desert. We have had about
six desertions within a week. We've got a stool
pigeon out to-night for him to practise on. We
have been expecting to move daily for about a
week, and we now expect to be ordered off to-
morrow. In what direction no one knows. The
weather is fine yet, and the nights beautiful. I
occasionally pass my evenings with a family
near here a son, a major in secessia, but very
pleasant. My love to all. GEORGE."
FORT LYON.
February 5th, 1862, he is again back at
Fort Lyon. He writes: " I was employed
for twelve days as judge advocate on a general
court martial, which, by the way, is a very labor-
ious position. I, however, got $1.25 extra a day
while I was thus at work, and was relieved from
all other duty, which was the bright side of the
picture. We have had the ' allotment rules ' in
circulation through the camp I suppose you
have heard of them and I have directed twenty-
five dollars a month of my pay hereafter to be
sent to father, and I hope generally to make
some additions by letter to this. I have not seen
George Bowne since I was home ; his company,
I learn, has gone over the river, and is I do not
know where."
March 4th, 1862, he writes to Stephen from
124 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
Fort Lyon. He states: "We have had some ter-
rible hurricanes and a great deal of rain, which
has made tent life rather disagreeable, but I
have weathered it all and kept my health. One
of our company died about two weeks ago, the
first since we have been in the service. I had
the body embalmed and sent home to Utica last
week. I haven't seen Tom in about a month,
and he was well and happy then, and Charley
was a major. I don't think now there is much
chance of being sent away, but everything seems
to indicate a movement of some kind here. Mc-
Clellan's command now seems to be the only
corps that is inactive, and I suppose its turn
must soon come now. We are now attached to
Heintzelman's division. We occasionally have
some fine weather here now, but as a general
thing high winds prevail. These hurricanes, if
they don't blow down our tents and leave us
suddenly out-doors, always twist the stove-pipes
around so, that fire is a nuisance, and cooking
out of the question. On such occasions we're
obliged to eat 'what's left.' About two weeks
ago we had a gale which tore trees and over-
turned houses, and even baggage wagons, but I
suppose we shall soon have some fine weather.
Well, Stevey, write and tell me the news and
don't wait for me. If anything happens to me,
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 125
or we make any movement, I shall write as soon
as feasible."
Thus, beset by " hurricanes " and the lesser
annoyances of "twisted stove-pipes," he con-
soles himself with the hope of finer weather in
the future. One of Captain Arrowsmith's vir-
tues was his happy disposition and cheerful con-
tentment with his surroundings, let them be
what they would. He was never finding fault
with anybody or anything. If he had reason to
believe that his company would be made the
color company, of the first in rank, he still ac-
cepts it for the best when he finds it is other-
wise ; though in politics of a party that is op-
posed to the war, no word escapes him disparag-
ing to the government or its policy. Whatever
may have been the shortcomings of a superior
officer, and sometimes they were certainly con-
spicuous, he never refers to them. Though
longing for an advance and the stirring events
of an aggressive campaign, he is not impatient
of inactivity. He is a true soldier, and accepts
with philosophical equanimity every condition
by which he is confronted.
On March 28th, 1862, he writes to his brother
from Fort Lyon, Virginia :
" I suppose you have been anxious lately to
know whether or not we have gone off on the
126 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSM1TH.
expedition which embarked from Alexandria
lately. You see by this, however, that I am in
the same place, and may have to remain here
yet some time. We are having splendid weather
such as you have in May when you are planting,
etc. To-day I took a long tramp over the coun-
try, but did not see much, though, but desolation.
The New Jersey cavalry is yet near us, having
been left to do scouting duty around the left
flank of the army. I saw George Bowne last
Sunday and he was looking very well and hearty.
I am not able to ascertain whether Tom's regi-
ment went off with the expedition or not, and
havn't scan him in some time. I send enclosed
a portrait of our Surgeon, a good friend of mine
in the regiment. I am still well and hearty.
"Your affectionate brother, GEORGE."
ALONG THE RAPPAHANNOCK.
A FTER a break of several months, he re-
sumes his letters to the Utica Herald.
CAMP RICKETTS, May i2th, 1862.
To the Editor of the Utica Morning Herald:
"Once more unto the breach, dear friends."
The only way I can justify the above quotation,
which I feel really conscientious about, is by re-
minding you of the great breach there has been
of late in the correspondence of your humble
servant, the undersigned. Our camp above-
mentioned is named after our present Brigadier-
General, and is not suggestive of any particular
disease prevailing in camp, as might at first ap-
pear.
After lying in a torpid state near Fort Lyon
all winter, we finally moved out of our haunts
128 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
about two weeks ago, and at present we infest
the forests along the Rappahannock. The mov-
ing of the regiment infused new life into all ;
even the subscriber girded up his loins, paid
some of his debts, disguised himself in a collar,
and commenced the present letter.
The Twenty-sixth is at present in a brigade
commanded by General James B. Ricketts, form-
erly captain of a regular battery which was cap-
tured at Bull Run, when its commander, above
referred to, was wounded and taken prisoner.
He is said to be a genuine fighting man. As we
are the senior regiment of the brigade we occupy
the right in line of battle. The regiments bri-
gaded with us are the Ninety-fourth New York,
the Eighty-eighth and Ninetieth Pennsylvania.
The greatest part of McDowell's army still lies
on the Falmouth side of the river, one brigade
only on the Fredericksburg side, though com-
munication is free to and fro now by the pon-
toon bridge lately thrown across. The rebels
have a force a short distance from the city, and
still use the railroad that runs to Richmond.
Fredericksburg is a city that presents quite an
ancient appearance, as, indeed, it is an old town,
having before the war some pretentions to busi-
ness activity. The country around is finely
adapted to raising corn and wheat, and immense
fields of the latter are growing thriftily, unin-
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 129
jured by the army, as waste and marauding are
now the subject of very strict martial rules.
Except when the land, after being run out, has
been given over to scrub-oak and puny growth
of pines, the country here presents a beautiful
appearance green plats sloping down towards
the Rappahannock, which rolls peacefully along,
with only the burned bridges and destroyed
shipping to remind us of the war. Over in the
city the places of business are mostly closed, and
it presents a sombre aspect, with little groups
of citizens lazily talking at the corners of the
streets, the omnipresent sentinel, and a few
ladies for whom you must step out into the
street, as chivalry and their crinoline seem to
entitle them to all the sidewalk.
You find one public-house open the Planter's
Hotel the proprietor of which is a very quiet
man, who never seems to meddle with either
politics or victuals, and the guest is annoyed
very little with either. Here you may get some
bacon, bread and butter, and tea, facetiously
called a dinner, for fifty cents ; but you must
make your own change when you pay for it, or
you will receive in return perhaps a corporation
shinplaster, or a Confederate States of America
postage stamp, with a one-eyed picture of Jeff.
Davis on it. I think some visiting cards or rail-
road checks might make an excellent circulating
130 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
medium here now, for almost anything in the
shape of a bill will pass. Even the F. F. V.'s do
not have many of the luxuries of the table at
present. Whiskey is almost unknown in Fred-
ericksburg, and appears only in saddened recol-
lections. Bacon and corn bread are the articles
of food mostly in use here, with some tobacco
and a little abuse of the Northerners by way of
dessert. The political leaders around have told
me some pretty tough stories about us " Yan-
kees," which I think they did not believe them-
selves. Sometime since I was seriously asked
by a lady in a rural district if the Yankee soldiers
really did make a practice of murdering the
children in the South, so as to eventually crush
the rebellion in this manner. Upon my inform-
ing her of the delight with which we participate
in the above refreshing diversion, I think she
really believed me, until my "silvery laugh"
gave her to understand that it was a "goak."
But the farmers here already begin to find that
a Northern army is not so bad a master after all.
The Southern pickets are stationed not far
from the city, and skirmishes with them are
of frequent occurrence, though it is generally
believed that no very large force lies in front of
us. What is proposed to be done with our corps
it is impossible to say, but I suppose we shall
push on soon. The railroad bridges between
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 131
here and Acquia Creek, that were burned by the
rebels on their retreat, are now nearly recon-
structed, and we shall soon have easy communi-
cation with Washington; and so we may expect
a rush of merchants to this place, bringing with
them all the benefits and evils of Northern en-
terprise.
Our regiment endured the winter with but
little loss. We have had some tiresome marches
since we came out of our quarters, yet our aggre-
gate is yet eight hundred and "forty men, which
is larger, I understand, than that of any other
New York regiment with the exception of the
Forty-fourth, alias the Ellsworth regiment. The
General this morning told the Colonel that we
might hold ourselves prepared to act as skir-
mishers at the first opportunity, so that alto-
gether we are well satisfied with ourselves and
in the best of spirits. Were it not that compli-
ments paid to regiments were so stereotyped,
and belong peculiarly to the " mutual admira-
tion society," I would repeat some paid us since
our arrival in this corps. We are at present
using the little shelter tents, which are trans-
ported from place to place on the backs of the
men ; but in this mild weather we are taking
the fortunes of campaigning quite comfortably.
Camp inconveniences have, however, obliged
me to violate a rule of press etiquette in the
132 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
form of my manuscript, which I beg you will
excuse
Yours truly, ALIQUIS.
CAMP RICKETTS, May 24th, 1862.
To the Editor of the Utica Morning Herald :
I fortunately have better conveniences for
writing than I had when I sent you my last. 1
have mounted a steel pen en barbette on a pine
stick, and am writing in a position which com-
bines the po'sture of a Turk with the grace
of the " What-is-it." We're having splendid
weather now cool and refreshing in the morn-
ing, but quite warm about noon, bringing out
snakes of various sizes and hue, to bask along
the edge of the roads where we are encamped.
These unprincipled reptiles will sometimes even
" vex the drowsy ear of night " with their rust-
lings among the leaves right around our tents.
One of our officers, a few nights ago, was dis-
covered in an undress uniform, making some
very agile movements by a fire in front of his
tent, in such a way that many supposed he was
practising the " Indian War Dance." It was
soon ascertained, however, that he was merely
poking up a snake that had been sharing his
hospitality, while he was asleep, by entering his
tent and occupying a part of his blanket. Don't
understand, for a moment, that we're afraid of
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITIT. 133
snakes. By no means; but then, such proceed-
ings are unmilitary, to -say the least, towards an
officer. Near this place is a stream called " Rat-
tlesnake Creek." I don't care (?) but then I wish
they'd give places more euphonious names.
All the country around here, if divided up in
smaller farms, and worked by some good North-
ern "mud-sills," could be brought under the
finest cultivation. As it is, some of it is very
productive, and will produce almost anything.
Adjoining our camp is a wheat field, containing,
I should think, about seventy-five acres. Its
rank growth is undisturbed by the soldiery, for
no one is allowed to walk through it, which cer-
tainly no soldier that had ever been a farmer's
boy could have the heart to do. Most of the
men who were left behind here, by the Southern
army, I think, are the " first families of Vir-
ginia" that is, I think, they were the first men
that ever emigrated here, and have been here
ever since. Very few young, able-bodied men
are to be found, and these all have their stories
to relate of their perilous escapes from the
Southern cavalry.
About half a mile from our camp is General
Ricketts's headquarters a fine mansion, with
its owner, a rank secessionist, still occupying a
part of it. A flag-staff and flag appear in the
yard now, to the evident disgust of the rebel
184 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
host, who lately called it a dishrag, in the hear-
ing of a sentry there. It requires all the patience
that our men are possessed of to restrain from
acts of violence, when some protected traitor
thus speaks of the flag and cause for which
they are periling their lives. But, I suppose, it
is all for the best.
Mrs. Ricketts is still with her husband ; and
as she rides around the brigade with him, she is
vociferously cheered by the men, of whom she
is the idol. Her romantic journey to Richmond,
to join her husband in his painful imprisonment,
already belongs to history, and is the theme of
abler pens than mine. Her tale of the Rich-
mond prisons, bringing to light the character of
many of the most prominent Southern generals
and Northern patriots, is of the most thrilling
interest, and throws far in the shade the narra-
tive of the Baroness Reidesel as a matter of his-
torical romance. Soldiers of this corps, who
were then prisoners of war, are now frequently
seen at headquarters, returning thanks for her
kindness towards them in those hours of suffer-
ing ; and letters, expressive of gratitude, are
coming to her almost daily.
General Ricketts is now in command of a fine
brigade, who all hope, some day, to aid him to
enter Richmond in triumph.
General Shield's division arrived here last
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 135
night, very footsore and weary. Our corps is
now complete, and we are expecting orders to
march almost hourly, as we are held in constant
readiness. Our division was paraded this after-
noon before President Lincoln and Secretary
Stanton, with the requisite amount of gilt, white
gloves, music and cheering. The President was
quite a curiosity to our secesh neighbors, who, I
suppose, expected to see him in his shirt sleeves
with an axe on his shoulders. We regard Lin-
coln's visit to this corps as the forerunner of an
immediate advance.
Our division is commanded by General Ord,
of Drainesville notoriety, an officer of high re-
pute, who, it is said, will take the right of the
corps in the advance. He rides a restless bay
horse, which, like the famous cork-leg in the
song, seems determined never to stop. This
animal has a peculiar way of sideling up against
fences and switching his tail in the faces of " the
staff" and backing into the crowd, and making
himself generally "around." Why am I so par-
ticular in describing this horse ? Because you
know an officer more by his horse than his
"general orders," and I know of no better way
of giving an impression of the nervous, grim,
old Son of Mars who rides him.
Fredericksburg is beginning to look more
lively. Mr. Hunt of New York, alias Farini,
136 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
the tight-rope walker, has opened the Shaks-
peare House, which, if I was a "penny-a-liner,"
I should say was so named because it was the
birthplace of the great English poet, but as it is,
I shall not venture it. Some fine stores are
opened, and the necessaries of life, beef, beer,
billiards, etc., are available. The railroad bridge
across the Rappahannock is guarded with the
greatest strictness, and the destruction of it
would be the cause of great delay. My next I
hope to write in a different camp.
ALIQUIS.
TALKS WITH PRISONERS.
A FORCED march from Fredericksburg in
'^^ the hope of surprising Stonewall Jackson,
brings the brigade to Front Royal, near the
Shenandoah river, from which place comes the
next letter.
FRONT ROYAL, VA., June i3th, 1862.
To the Editor of the Utica Morning Herald:
This morning we received a mail, for the first
time in two weeks, and a very large mail it was,
being escorted into camp in a baggage wagon.
I went to work immediately to read my pile of
papers, but have stopped in disgust as I got
them mixed up somehow and found myself read-
ing regimental autobiographies over three or
four times, getting a vague idea that all the
Oneida County volunteers had been killed,
138 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
wounded or deified in McClellan's army. But
all honor to the soldiers of Central New York.
We received the record of their noble exploits
in the late battles with a feeling of pride, and
only regret that we could not have shared their
fortunes in the grand army of McClellan.
Since I last wrote we have undergone some
severe privations, though we have been guilty
of no serious "breach of peace" under our
sweet-tempered General McDowell. The pros-
pect of entrapping Jackson sustained us on a
forced march from Fredericksburg. At Front
Royal we were much chagrined to find that we
had arrived too late, and were booked for a
bivouac in a cold rain storm, without either
blankets, overcoats or tents. Worse than all,
we in the advance crossed the Shenandoah and
were cut off from our supplies by the destruc-
tion of both bridges, and the fierceness of the
torrent prevented all intercourse; and still the
rain kept falling, falling, for three days and
nights, and yet scarcely anything to eat. How-
ever we not only fasted but preyed upon the
live stock in the vicinity, the excessive use of
which has caused some sickness since. Finally
the storm ceases, and after various experiments,
resulting in the death of two men, a rope ferry
is constructed, and we recross the river. It was
"sic transit" however with many of us, though
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 139
a few days' rest since has brought the regiment
to its former state of health and buoyancy.
Our pickets took many of Jackson's stragglers
prisoners while over the river, with whom I had
a good opportunity to converse, as I had also
with those confined in the buildings in the vil-
lage. They all pretend to be sanguine in the
belief that the confederacy is sure to succeed,
and that the Northern army can never entirely
conquer Virginia. They do not appear to claim
that the Southern soldier is in any way superior
to the Northerner, and the " one Confederate to
five Federal" idea, of which we heard so much
at the opening of the war, is entirely exploded.
They rely, however, on the dogged resolution to
fight to the last, their knowledge of the country
and the mountain roads, and their superior ad-
vantages for obtaining and giving information of
our movements which a war in their own coun-
try affords them. I am informed that the citi-
zens boast of violating the oath of allegiance,
and regard it as a standing joke. Strange to
say, in their devotion to treason the men appear
not to " fear God " nor the ladies to " regard
man." The other day when I went to see the
captives in turn, I found numbers of ladies there
distributing food and bouquets among them,
and eyeing me askance with a malicious criti-
cism that made me feel much as I did years ago,
140 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
when I first went into company with a long-tailed
coat. I was tempted to turn my coat wrong
side out, take a chew of tobacco, and pass for a
" secesh " myself ; but I didn't the pie was all
distributed there, anyway.
I had quite a little political conversation with
one fellow, a complete gentleman, and of much
intelligence; yet even he had some odd ideas of
the North, and complained that the manufac-
tures and railroads and internal improvements
of the loyal States were the result of favor shown
them by the Federal government to the detri-
ment of the South. I tried to undeceive him,
but unsatisfactorily to myself. The fact is, the
"Union feeling in the South," and the deception
of the masses by the secession leaders are hardly
worth, I think, the attention that they elicit
from Northern politicians. The bayonet is the
most successful persuader. You remember when
we were school boys we could always perceive
much more clearly how naughty it was to play
truant after being soundly thrashed for it.
The wounded from two of Shield's Brigades
were brought into Front Royal to-day in a long
train of army wagons. They present a pitiful
sight, but most of them will recover. Though
jolted along over rough roads in these heavy
vehicles, hardly a groan ever escapes their lips,
and they bear their sufferings with the most
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 141
heroic fortitude. But do not believe all that you
read of rebel barbarities to wounded soldiers.
Those of the First Maryland Regiment that we
found quartered in houses around here tell no
such stories. In the heat of action, when the
brain is frenzied with the excitement of battle,
these are possibilities, but when the firing is
over, the soldier, in contemplating a wounded
enemy, is seldom governed by his ideas of State
rights or the Missouri compromise.
I wish we could always have as fine a mail as
that of to-day. I say unto you all, write. Any-
thing in the form of a note is acceptable, and I
would even read a - letter from Gerrit Smith or
Giddings, if it was addressed to me now. Our
friends and creditors must not wait for their
epistles to be always promptly answered, as
camp inconveniences often defeat our best in-
tentions. Not unfrequently our only means of
getting a letter to the office is through the "un-
derground express," superintended by Richards,
the active correspondent of the Telegraph. All
ye who failed to "knit stockings" for the volun-
teers during the winter, redeem yourselves by
writing letters to them this summer.
ALIQUIS.
June i5th, 1862, writing from Centreville, Vir-
ginia, to his brother he says : " I am writing in
142 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
the Quartermaster's office, as we have formed
no regular camp, but are out in the field in the
sun. We have been on the move for three days,
marching about fifteen miles a day. It is very
warm, dusty and disagreeable. It seems a good
part of the army is coming here, and I expect
we shall have another Bull Run. We shall go
into it with good spirits at least, and God may
grant us a victory the third time, though the
enemy has doubtless the largest army again. I
am in command and would rather like a battle
in some respects under the circumstances. Still
it may run along so for weeks yet."
" The move for three days " above referred to
was from Front Royal to Centerville, a distance
of about forty-five miles. Captain Arrowsmith's
expectation of another battle of Bull Run in this
vicinity was very soon to be literally verified.
ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL.
JUNE 25th, 1862, he writes from Manassas
Junction, Virginia, to his father announcing
an important event in his career, as follows: "I
was chosen to-day by our new Brigadier-General
Tower, to act as his Assistant Adjutant-General,
and have been very busy with him all the even-
ing. I have some prospects of being confirmed
in the position, which I sincerely hope for, as it
would increase my pay considerably, though not
my rank, and also make me a mounted officer ;
but it's all uncertain yet. I am well and vigor-
ous."
A few weeks afterwards, on August iQth, 1862,
he received his commission, signed by Edwin M.
Stanton, Secretary of War, with orders to report
144 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
in person for orders to Brigadier-General Z. B.
Tower.*
General Z. B. Tower was assigned to the com-
mand of the second brigade, second division,
third corps, of the army of Virginia, about the
last of June, 1862. General Ricketts, the division
commander, recommended to General Tower,
Captain Arrowsmith for the position of Assistant
Adjutant-General, as an intelligent, educated,
soldierly officer of good repute in his regiment,
and the best-fitted person of his age in the bri-
gade for this important place on the staff. Upon
his appointment he became a permanent mem-
ber of General Tower's military family, and his
chief assistant. Having served since the begin-
ning of the war, his experience was very valuable
to him.
June 28th, 1862, installed in his new position,
he writes his brother from Manassas Junction,
Virginia :
" I have better conveniences for writing now,
since I have been on the General's staff, as I
have a large tent with a desk and a bed in it all
to myself. As I mess with the General, who is
quite an epicure, I live about as well now as I
ever did in my life, and this eating with silver
knives and forks scarcely seems like soldiering at
* Appendix, Note C.
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 145
all. However, when we get to marching it will
not be so lovely again. I have a horse, etc., fur-
nished by the government, and altogether I have
a pretty comfortable time of it. I don't know
how long I shall act in this capacity, but prob-
ably some time. I had a telegraph dispatch
this afternoon from Tom, who wished to meet
me in Washington this evening. It was impos-
sible for me to comply with his request, as the
most rigid orders are in force with reference to
leaves of absence." * * * *
A SUMMER RESORT ENCAMPMENT.
A BOUT the middle of July Captain Arrow-
^*" smith is with his brigade at Warrenton,
near the Warrenton Springs, which we will learn
about in the next letter.
WARRENTON, VA., July i4th, 1862.
To the Editor of the Utica Morning Herald :
During the hot weather, and lately, we have
been sojourning at the celebrated summer resort
of Warrenton, occasionally taking a trip to the
Sulphur Springs for the sake of health. War-
renton is decidedly one of the finest towns I
ever saw, with fine mansions, flanked by lovely
gardens, and streets well shaded. This was a
favorite resort of Washingtonians in the warm
weather, and the register-book of the Warren
Green House would be a great treasure in the
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 147
eyes of an autograph collector. Like all other
watering places, Warrenton was remarkable for
the sparing manner in which the frequenters
thereof used water as a beverage. Here the Con-
gressional Representatives of Southern chivalry
used to assemble, and probably plot the destruc-
tion of the Union over chivalrous drinks of
whiskey. From this place did the gay visitors
start afternoons to go to the Springs to taste
some of the water, feeling, at the same time, with
remorse, that the habit of drinking water was
growing upon them, and winding its coils around
them. The favorite mode of getting to th.e
Springs was in an " extra " stage, driven by
one William Smith, who, in time, became better
known as "Extra Billy Smith," and drove him-
self not only into a fortune, but into a political
station. Then, when he got into the nice, big
house, with the double iron fence in front that
now graces Warrenton, the sobriquet stuck to
him still, as if saying to the traveler: "Billy
Smiths may be numerous; but here, sir, is some-
thing a little extra." Well, Billy is now in Rich-
mond, helping to kill the Yankee invaders; but
in front of Billy's mansion in Warrenton may be
seen a sentry, in blue uniform, protecting Billy's
property from the inroads of the "mud-sills."
In view of the above service rendered, Billy's
wife and daughters tolerate the sentry.
148 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
General Tower has his headquarters at the
residence of another Smith (ordinary quality),
who is one of the editors of the Richmond
Enquirer, and is quite generally known through
Virginia. Among some old books and papers in
the house, I find some sketches and descriptions
of persons and places in the country, made dur-
ing the travels of one Mrs. Anne Royall, who,
notwithstanding the disregard which she con-
stantly shows to religion and English grammar,
gives some exceedingly minute descriptions. I
am informed this female Willis once conducted
a sort of paper in Washington, and treated the
public to accurate descriptions of all celebrities.
With those who patronized her "all the men
were brave, and all the women were beautiful ; "
but, alas, for those who refused to yield to the
blackmail imposed. Among the families men-
tioned in Warrenton by Mrs. Royall is that of
the Lee, which being descended neither from
Pocahontas nor Washington, is, of course, in the
lineal stock of "Light Horse Harry" of the
Revolution. The female who now supports the
dignity of the Lee family owns a farm which
supplies the soldiers with much fruit and forage.
Altogether, this is a fine country and provender
is abundant ; but I could have forgiven the na-
tives for a great deal of their treasonable con-
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 149
duct, if they had only left a little larger supply
of ice for us.
The Warren Green Hotel in the town is now
taken for a hospital, for which it is finely adapt-
ed, and will afford good accommodations for the
sick of the whole army here. This is a step in
the right direction, for so far from being of any
sanitary use before being taken, there had not
been a bar properly kept in it for months. The
regiments around here are in good state gener-
ally speaking as regards health, the Twenty-
sixth New York especially. After a march, or a
change of location and water, a great many will
always be a little unwell, but no serious epidem-
ics are prevailing. Major Jennings has been
quite unwell for the last few days, but is steadily
recovering.
Our mails still come in a very irregular man-
ner, but I assure you they are eagerly received.
There seems but very little system and certainty
in the matter, and I would caution all those
who are indebted to me to refrain from sending
money to me in any very large sum through
this medium. A breach of this rigid rule might
occasion it to come into the hands of some un-
principled robber who would squander it in an
unprofitable manner.
We quite frequently see Richmond papers in
town, and it is strongly suspected that a regular
150 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
mail is received and sent here. It is possible it
may be so, as there has been no severity shown
as yet by the government towards spies, and
they run but little risk. This is really the most
civil war ever heard of. Out at Front Royal,
Bell Boyd boasts and jokes of her participation
in Colonel Kennedy's defeat in the very face of
the Generals, and laughs pleasantly at the idea
of being arrested. To check this system of
espionage some one should be hung some guilty
person should be the example if possible ; but
one thing is certain, some one should be pendant
for the good of the Union.
I have just received, by the way, the Utica
papers, and get much more warlike enthusiasm
from reading of the determination of Central
New York to send still more troops into the
service than in witnessing the dull routine of
this army of occupation. It seems as though the
strong and persevering effort made in Utica can
not be a failure, with such a man proposed for
commander as Captain Pease.
No man can be without the gratitude of his
fellows that volunteers at the present crisis. In
the army now in the field doubtless some have
enlisted for ambition, for adventure, for money,
some perhaps because they didn't get married
when they wanted to, and some because they
did ; but the great novelty of the war is now
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 151
over, .and no one can doubt, I think, the motives
of those who will meet the last earnest call for
troops, to fill up the gaps in the army made by
disease and by the bullet.
I know not what will be done with us here,
but suppose we shall push on towards Gordons-
ville. Generals Banks and Sigel were both in
Warrenton a few nights ago. McDowell I have
not seen for weeks, and I guess that it is only
at " Willard's " that he is visible to the naked
eye. Nor has Pope yet made his appearance.
General Ricketts and General Tower are, how-
ever, constantly with their commands, and hard
at work keeping everything in readiness for
marching orders. One hundred and forty rounds
of cartridges are always kept on hand, and the
baggage trains in order, but still we are in statu
quo, and I might add ante bellum.
ALIQUIS.
NEW DUTIES.
T^ROM Waterloo, Virginia, August 4th, 1862,
in a letter to his brother Stephen, he
writes :
" I believe I must tell you something of the life
and duties of an Assistant Adjutant-General (an
awkward title, by the way). Well, I have to issue
and keep on file all general and special orders
and circulars, transact all the business corre-
spondence of the General and keep on file all
letters received and sent, make out all the week-
ly and monthly returns of the brigade, make
all details, keep the countersigns and signals in
my possession and issue them daily on the field,
act as aid-de-camp to the General, transmit or-
ders and direct the columns. Three or four
hours' work in the day, though, generally does
all my business, though it's quite confining. I
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 153
have bought a magnificent horse, for which I've
paid what will appear a pretty steep price to
you, two hundred dollars. However, I would
not sell him for that now. He is a large sorrel
horse, rather showy, a good jumper, eight years
old and sound. I've now had him about a
month. By the way, I have a clerk allowed me,
and an orderly to take care of my horse, besides
my waiter, whom (the latter) I have to pay my-
self, as usual. So I've told you now pretty much
all about my present status. I was offered, not
long since, a lieutenant-colonelcy in one of the
New York regiments, that has not yet scarcely
begun to make any show, but I refused it, as I
saw they would expect me to work about and
spend money for the rest; and then, I reflected,
that being green the regiment would always be
kept in the background, which I'm tired of. I'm
well, have plenty to eat, and generally a good
place to sleep, which is saying considerable for
a soldier. I wish I could be home awhile in the
market season, though. We move in the night,
I'm told. Good night ! "
" P. S. Marching orders come."
CEDAR MOUNTAIN.
battle of Cedar Mountain was fought on
the ninth of August, 1862. It was Banks
against Ewell, each with about eight thousand
men. For awhile the fight was in favor of the
national troops, but rebel reinforcements coming
up, Banks retreated before the enemy. Pope
was only a few miles away; he hurried up and
checked the pursuit. Arrowsmith was with
Ricketts's division of Pope's forces. His brigade
saw the main part of the fight, but was engaged
only in the last of it. Captain Arrowsmith ac-
quitted himself so well as to earn favor from
General Tower. He thus speaks of the battle
in a letter to his brother from Mitchell Station,
dated August i7th, 1862: "Our brigade was
not in the main part of the fight at all, though
we had a good sight of it. We were on the
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 155
right of Ricketts's division, which you know
came up in time to check the rebels after they
had begun to drive Banks. When we came on
the ground, Banks's exhausted troops passed to
the rear of us and all was quiet for some time.
About midnight they came up about two or three
hundred yards from us and commenced shelling
us. Two of our batteries commenced at them
so sharply that in about half an hour they com-
pletely silenced them, having killed nearly all
their horses and made great havoc generally.
This was all of the fight that we were really in.
Our division lost one hundred and six, killed and
wounded. Since the battle General Tower has
nominated me to the Secretary of War for con-
firmation in my position, at which I am much
delighted. No time to write more. Good-by ! "
SECOND BULL RUN.
"ENGAGEMENTS at Rappahannock, Thor-
^ oughfare Gap and Second Bull Run (or
Groveton) quickly followed. The two former
were essentially artillery engagements. In the
last-named battle Captain Arrowsmith was in the
thickest of the fight, and regardless of danger,
discharged his duties with great efficiency. His
brigade was the first thrown into the action by
General Ricketts. General Towejr was in com-
mand and led the advance. Fairly enveloped
by the advancing enemy, the loss of men was
very severe, infantry upon three sides of them
pouring in its deadly volleys, and artillery firing
upon them from a hill close by. Captain Ar-
rowsmith's duties covered a large area, trans-
mitting orders from one point to another, and
directing columns. His slouch hat, straight
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 157
black hair, swarthy face and erect figure made
him a conspicuous object, dashing on horseback
in every direction, inspiring by his example the
courage of the Union soldiers and a target for
the enemy's sharpshooters. General Tower fell
wounded seriously while gallantly leading his
brigade. " Captain George Arrowsmith," wrote
a correspondent of the New York Tribune, " for-
merly of the Twenty-sixth New York, but pro-
moted by General Tower as Assistant Adjutant-
General of his brigade for gallantry, showed
great bravery on the field. His praise is in the
mouth of every one. At one time he is said to
have taken General Schenck for a major, and im-
mediately rode up and led two regiments into
the fight, amid a shower of grape and canister."
Fessendon, a brother officer on General Tower's
staff, was killed. The loss of the brigade was
terribly severe. Captain Arrowsmith's escape
without a wound was almost miraculous. One
bullet passed through his hair, another struck his
sword scabbard, and a third had buried itself in
the folds of his blanket, which he discovered at
the close of the fight. It was here he won for
himself the sobriquet of "the young lion." A
hastily written letter to his father dated Septem-
ber ist, 1862, from Centreville, Virginia, briefly
refers to the battle. " Our brigade got into a
terrible fight in the battle of the day before yes-
158 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
terday. We found ourselves in a trap where
there was infantry on three sides and artillery
firing on us from a hill. The brigade has lost be-
tween five hundred and one thousand men. I
write this to inform you that I'm not hurt. Gen-
eral Tower was wounded and was sent to Wash-
ington yesterday. Fessendon, of the staff, was
shot dead. The closest shave I made was a bul-
let through my hair, though one hit my sword
scabbard, and when I lay down for the night, a
ball dropped out of my blanket, that I had kept
folded on the front of my saddle. Will never
get in a worse place. Very busy."
After three weeks of almost incessant fighting
with the army of General Pope, marching and
countermarching from Cedar Mountain back
across the Rappahannock., thence to Thorough-
fare Gap, thence to Manassas ; back to Cen-
treville, and thence to Chantilly, where the gal-
lant Kearney of New Jersey fell, his physical
powers were reduced to a degree that he was
unable to withstand a shock sustained by a fall
of his horse, and upon the recommendation of
General Tower, who lay seriously wounded in
Washington, he accepted a leave of absence for
the purpose of recruiting his weakened frame.
The following is the letter of General Tower,
requesting a furlough for Captain Arrovvsmith :
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 159
WASHINGTON, September i5th, 1862.
To General Cullom :
If you can do so consistently I wish you would
give my Adjutant-General a leave to go home.
I have no doubt that it will hasten his recovery
and return to duty. He is an officer of the true
stamp and mettle and will doubtless return the
instant he is able to resume his duties. For the
past two months he has continued on duty when
most officers would have reported sick, and has
done active field duty when it was very painful
for him to sit upon his horse, so anxious was he
to be at his post of duty and danger. Now it is
best that he should try to effect his recovery be-
fore the injury becomes more difficult to cure.
I therefore ask this indulgence for him.
With respect, your most obedient,
Z. B. TOWER,
Brig. Gen. Bvt.
Owing to his wounds, General Tower was
compelled to give up the command of the Second
Brigade, which ended Captain Arrowsmith's
service upon his staff.
Under date of September 4th, 1862, we find
Captain Arrowsmith at Brown's Hotel in Wash-
ington, from which place he addresses his brother
Stephen, as follows : " I wrote a day or two ago
informing you that I was safe, but as I had to
160 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
send it by the ' underground railroad,' to avoid
Halleck's order, I feared lest possibly it might
be intercepted. I have been in the battles of
Rappahannock, Thoroughfare Gap, and Satur-
day's battle of Bull Run. In the latter our bri-
gade, through a blunder, was badly cut to pieces.
General Tower was badly wounded, and is now
at Willard's. Fessendon was killed. I escaped
unhurt, but was reported to be killed, and my
Washington friends are all much surprised to
see me. I woke up the morning after the fight
and found myself quite a hero on a small scale.
Colonel Christian did not go into the fight.
Poor Leonard, second lieutenant of my old com-
pany, was shot dead. Our brigade is now over
the other side of Munsen's hill, about five miles
from Washington. I am staying in Washington
a day or two by the doctor's advice, to cure up a
slight injury I received from my horse falling on
me during the battle. Tell me, are you drafted ?
Tom is well. I have had no mail for about two
weeks, and I have a lot of letters somewhere, I
expect. When I came into town this morning,
I had not changed my clothes in three weeks,
and was as ragged and dirty as a beggar. For-
tunately, I had money enough to make a trans-
formation. My love to all."
TRIBUTE FROM GENERAL TOWER.
/^ENERAL TOWER is still living, residing
^* at Cohassettj Mass., and in a kindly letter
of recent date to Stephen V. Arrowsmith, he
thus refers to the service of Captain Arrowsmith
upon his staff: "During the two months that
the brigade was under my command, whether in
camp, on the march or engaged in battle, Cap-
tain Arrowsmith, with professional pride and
untiring devotion, met all the requirements of
his position as Assistant Adjutant-General, to
my entire satisfaction. Now, after the lapse of
so many years, I am glad to have the oppor-
tunity to bear testimony to his marked soldierly
qualities, his coolness, self-command and gal-
lantry of action, which made him one of the
most promising of the young officers of my
command. General Pope's campaign involved
162 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
the advance of his army to the Rapidan in the
vicinity of which, after the battle of Cedar
Mountain, its several corps were concentrated
the subsequent falling back north of the Rappa-
hannock before General Lee's advance holding
that river as a line of defence beyond Waterloo
bridge for many days, thus delaying the enemy's
progress and giving time for a portion of the
Peninsula forces to unite with General Pope's
army the affairs of Bristoe Station and Thor-
oughfare Gap, the battles of August 29th and
3oth at Groveton, and the partial engagement
of September ist at Chantilly the last two
weeks of this campaign, with its marches and
countermarches by day and night, through rain
and over mud roads, or under the intense heat of
an August sun, in a malarious district and with
frequent conflicts with the enemy, were a severe
test of the physical endurance of the command
and rapidly diminished its numbers by exhaus-
tion and disease, incident to overwork and ex-
posure. Such a campaign might well shake the
resolution of soldiers, unaccustomed by long ser-
vice to like hardships, so that those who stood
bravely to their colors from the beginning to the
end of the campaign, deserve and should receive
the highest commendation for their fortitude and
courage, though they were eventually forced
LIEUTENANT-COLOXEL ARROWSJHTH. 163
back, overmatched by an enemy elated by recent
successes on another field.
" It is my recollection that Captain Arrow-
smith throughout these trying services never
yielded to overwork of any kind, and was never
absent for a day from his post of duty, but was
actively efficient unto the end, and on every bat-
tle field he evinced the cool gallantry to which
I have already given my testimony.
" Having been severely wounded in the battle
of August 3oth, I was compelled to give up the
command of the Second Brigade and part with
my staff officers, to whom I had become much
attached during their short but eventful service
and association with me. Not one of those
three officers who were so constantly by my side
during the campaign, and all sat at the same
table with me, survived the war. The brigade
sergeant, Abraham Cox, died at Lookout Mount-
ain ; Lieutenant Samuel Fessendon, my aid, a
gallant youth, fell mortally wounded in the bat-
tle of Groveton; and your brother, having served
on many battle fields, was killed at Gettysburg.
I heard of his death with pain and sorrow, for
he was a valued friend, a man of worth and a
sterling soldier. I am, very truly yours,
"Z. B TOWER,
"Bvt. Maj. Geril, U. S. Army."
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL.
TN JUNE, 1862, Melville D. Landon (Eli Per-
kins), a Washington correspondent of the
press, wrote to State Senator John J. Foote, a
leading Republican of Hamilton, New York,
suggesting Captain Arrowsmith for promotion
to a field office in a New York regiment then
about to be organized. Just prior to the out-
break of the rebellion Senator Foote's mind had
not been free from prejudice toward Arrow-
smith, due perhaps to his youthful partisanship
as manifested by racy communications to the
local Democratic paper ; but these prejudices,
Senator Foote acknowledged in his reply to Mr.
Landon, were dispelled by Arrowsmith's manly
and patriotic course at the outbreak of the war,
when he came out boldly for his country and
enlisted in its service, while very many of his
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 165
party were semi-secessionists. This letter is re-
plete with the evidences of kind feeling. It
states that Captain Arrowsmith " is a good offi-
cer in every respect," "a brave and loyal man."
" You may do as you think best in regard to ex-
pressing to him my opinion. If I can help him
at any time it will afford me great pleasure to
do so, for two reasons. The first because I con-
sider him worthy, and secondly, because it
would afford me an opportunity to demonstrate
my regard for him." This letter was forwarded
by Mr. Landon to Captain Arrowsmith, with a
request that he write to Senator Foote. Cap-
tain Arrowsmith did so and there followed cor-
respondence between them which shows that
notwithstanding past differences, Senator Foote
had come to entertain towards Captain Arrow-
smith a very kindly feeling and a high regard.
The Senator answers him that he is very grate-
ful for the opportunity offered for mutual ex-
planations, and adds : " If my feeling of dis-
like for you had not been dissipated while we
were at Mr. Greenley's (a boarding-house at
Hamilton), your noble course at the breaking
out of the war was such as would have dispelled
all such feelings. I take pride in the fact that I
was first to suggest you for captain, and I have
never seen reason to regret it. You at once
rose above party feeling that existed at that time,
166 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
and consecrated yourself to the service of your
country, and ever since I have been anxious for
your promotion." Senator Foote then refers to
the fact that a movement has commenced in his
senatorial district, comprising the counties of
Madison and Cortland, for the organization of
a regiment to help make up the new levy, and
that he had suggested his name for Colonel or
Lieutenant-Colonel; and he adds: "It takes
well, but there is a difficulty to be encountered.
Professor Brown, of Madison University, wants
a position as a field officer, and it would be im-
possible to get a place for both, as both would
be regarded as hailing from Hamilton." Pro-
fessor Brown was a brilliant scholar, well known
in Madison county and had many friends ; he
was a man of energetic character, full of patri-
otic zeal, and had devoted himself industriously
to the work of soliciting recruits for the new
regiment, addressing public meetings every
night throughout the district. He was princi-
pal of the Grammar School connected with the
University, and Arrowsmith had been associated
with him, first as pupil and then as his assistant.
Their personal relations were of the most friend-
ly character and there could be no rivalry be-
tween them There was mutual correspondence,
which resulted in Captain Arrowsmith positive-
ly refusing to accept the colonelcy of a regi-
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 167
ment over Brown, his old friend and his senior
in years. By the latter part of August, Brown
had succeeded in enlisting eight hundred men
for his regiment, and Jiis appointment to the
Colonelcy was assured. There was much rivalry
between the counties comprising the district for
the honor of filling the other regimental offices.
Senator Foote was one of the State Senatorial
Committee for the organization of regiments in
his district, which gave him considerable influ-
ence both at home and with Governor Morgan,
who was the appointing power. He arranged a
plan by which the objection to appointing the
two highest regimental officers from the same
place lost its force. This plan contemplated re-
serving the office of Lieutenant-Colonel to be
filled by a man of experience from the army.
Then, instead of dividing the other regimental
offices equally between Madison and Cortland
Counties, he would magnanimously grant to
Cortland whatever it asked. With this arrange-
ment in view, an invitation was extended to the
committee from Cortland County to meet Sena-
tor Foote at his office in Hamilton the evening
of August 23d, 1862. Judge Mason and Pro-
fessor Brown were also present by invitation.
The proposition was made by Senator Foote in
accordance with the plan stated. It was har-
moniously accepted. The office of Lieutenant-
168 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
Colonel was to be left vacant and to be filled from
the army. This being settled, Senator Foote
then presented the name of Captain Arrowsmith
as an experienced officer in the army, and a
native and resident of New Jersey, although a
graduate of Madison University and a law stu-
dent with Judge Mason in Hamilton up to the
time of his enlistment. Senator Foote wrote,
"It took first-rate." He then called on Judge
Mason for an expression of his views, which
the Judge of course fully gave, accompanied by
a reading of recommendations from the army.
Colonel Brown was on hand, who heartily sec-
onded the proposition.
Thus, by the direction of Senator Foote, it
was fully arranged to organize the One Hundred
and Fifty-seventh Regiment, New York State
Volunteers, with a vacancy in the office of Lieu-
tenant-Colonel, and with the understanding that
an invitation was then to be given to Captain
Arrowsmith to accept the position. There were
some underhanded attempts afterwards at Al-
bany to get another person appointed, but this
was readily defeated by Senator Foote and Judge
Mason through Governor Morgan.
As soon as it was known that Captain Arrow-
smith was to be the Lieutenant-Colonel and
Professor Brown the Colonel, there was much
dissatisfaction expressed in the district because
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 169
Arrowsmith could not be Colonel. There was
the highest respect for both, but Arrowsmith
had earned a reputation in the field while Brown
was inexperienced. Senator Foote writing to
Captain Arrowsmith stated that he " saw Gov-
ernor Morgan and he would have given you a
commission as Colonel of the regiment if I had
said so, but you were not here to consult and so
I did not say the word." Judge Mason in a
letter written to Captain Arrowsmith's father
stated, " He should have been appointed the
Colonel, and so Governor Morgan said, after he
read the high testimonials from the army, but
George was in the field and the regiment was
half filled, and they must have a Colonel then."*
Senator Foote now, under date of September
2zd, 1862, wrote to Captain Arrowsmith telling
him all that had been done, and urging him to
accept the position. Arrowsmith had previously
written him referring to the order of the War
Department forbidding army officers leaving
their positions for the purpose of accepting
offices in new regiments. Senator Foote wrote
in reply : " I was aware of this and so was
Governor Morgan, and he mentioned it as an
objection, but we pressed you over that, believ-
ing you would manage some way to get excused
* Appendix, Note D.
170 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
so as to accept the place. We thought that if
they would not allow you to leave the field now,
that you would be allowed to do so as soon as
this regiment got away and in the army. The
fact is, we have not allowed any obstacle to get
into your way. Now I hope you will not relin-
quish the idea of accepting this post."
Events show that he did accept it, though he
was being urged about the same time for the
colonelcy of the Twenty-sixth New York Volun-
teers, in place of Colonel Christian, who had re-
signed. Adjutant Bacon was one of his earnest
advocates for the last-named place ; and Gover-
nor Parker of New Jersey, urged by prominent
citizens of that State, had given assurances that
he would appoint him to the colonelcy of a New
Jersey regiment when a favorable opportunity
offered.
Enough is written to show that the Lieutenant-
Colonelcy came to Captain Arrowsmith upon the
merit of his reputation as a man and a soldier,
without his leaving the field, and without an
effort in his own behalf. He was commissioned
by Governor Morgan of New York, September
i6th, 1862, with rank from August 23d, 1862.
On the twenty -fifth of September the One
Hundred and Fifty-seventh Regiment left New
York for its encampment at Centreville, Virginia,
near Washington.
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 171
On the twenty-sixth of October following, we
find Lieutenant-Colonel Arrowsmith at Wash-
ington, where he is waiting for the acceptance
of his resignation as Assistant Adjutant-General,
almost well and quite anxious to get out with the
regiment. "Adjutant Bacon," he writes, "has
returned from Utica and is here at Brown's
Hotel. He says his father is. urging my claims
with Governor Morgan as Colonel of the Twenty-
sixth, though I'm quite indifferent whether he
succeeds or not, as the regiment's time will be
out next May."
November 3d, 1862, George writes his brother
Stephen from Washington. * * * * " I find
my regiment has got up to their ears among the
Dutchmen, in Sigel's corps, Carl Schurtz's divi-
sion, and Colonel Schimmelfenning's (or some
such name) brigade. I don't particularly fancy
this arrangement altogether. I havn't seen the
Twenty-ninth yet, as it requires quite a long
horseback ride to do it."
The One Hundred and Fifty-seventh Regi-
ment appears to have been the only " Yankee
Regiment," as it was called, in the division, the
entire corps being largely made up of Germans
and known as the German corps. It was a pe-
culiar position. An American regiment serving
its country in a German army. If it achieved
victory, to the Germans belonged the glory. If
172 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
it suffered defeat there was precious little con-
solation in the thought that the shame was the
Germans. If George was not particularly
pleased with this assignment of his regiment, as
several sportive references to the matter in his
correspondence would seem to indicate, it was
perfectly natural. But he found no fault with
it. He accepted the situation as one of the acci-
dents of war, and here as elsewhere he knew
only his duty as a soldier.
A PLEASING RECEPTION.
T IEUTENANT-COLONEL Arrowsmith had
not yet seen the regiment of which he was
Lieutenant-Colonel. It had now been in camp
nearly two months, and there began to be a good
deal of anxiety manifested as to when their
Lieutenant-Colonel was coming, and what he
was like. They knew him by reputation as a
man who had had experience in the army and
had been under fire. This was more than could
be said of anybody else in the regiment, and of
course there was curiosity to meet him and have
him with them. About the middle of November
he joined the regiment at New Baltimore.
A writer in the Canastota Herald of the date
of July i8th, 1875, thus describes the impression
made by the young officer as he approached the
regiment for the first time : " What a scanning
174 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
that young, black-eyed, black-haired officer in
slouched hat received as he came down the hill
at New Baltimore to attend the dress parade.
It was early in November, when the pinching
frosts and chilling winds of Dixey were telling
in dampening effect upon the mirth and romance
of camp life. ' Is that our Lieutenant-Colonel ?'
says one, after the parade was dismissed. ' He
does look like a bully boy," says another. 'See
that long cavalry sword he carries ; that looks
as though it had seen service,' remarks another.
And so was Colonel Arrowsmith discussed, but
always with a decided bias in his favor. For
who could see aught but welcome in his pleas-
ant face, and deny him the same welcome from
a thousand hearts.
" It was at once apparent to the eyes of his
men that Colonel Brown had found in Colonel
Arrowsmith a counsellor as well as a companion
in arms ; while Colonel Arrowsmith, from his
long experience in active service, seemed to re-
ciprocate such consideration by becoming mod-
esty towards his superior. The men, too, soon
found that instead of another 'high dig' to lift
their hats to simply, a man had come who
sought only their best interests and advancement
in the ways of a soldier, for he seemed to feel
that his surest way to honor lay in a proper at-
tention to the general welfare of the men of his
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 175
regiment. On the march, if he held the com-
mand, he sought the easiest part of the road,
found the best water and the coolest shade pos-
sible for them ; when a sharp bend in the route
occurred he cut across lots to save distance,
and rested just as long and often as allowed by
his superiors. Who could not like such a man ?
In camp, when on drill under the Lieutenant-
Colonel, the men under such guidance moved
with vigor and alacrity, and in excellent trim re-
turned to their quarters thankful for the experi-
ence and skill of such an able officer."
November i6th, 1862, he writes to his brother
Stephen : * * * * " I've rather enjoyed
starting campaigning again, so far. General
Schurtz seems to be a very fine, affable man, and
hardly a foreigner, but our brigade commander
is Dutch enough for all practical purposes.
Our regiment is under excellent discipline and
my associates very pleasant, gentlemanly fel-
lows. So I start again in very good spirits for
another campaign. * * * * We are ordered
to march in the morning, but I don't know in
what direction, but I think the movement in-
clines towards Fredericksburg. I find it is much
easier to be Lieutenant-Colonel than it was on
the staff, as then I had nearly everything to do,
now almost nothing. We are having beautiful
176 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
autumn weather, with a fine bracing air, just
right for military operations. I find myself
pretty well acquainted with the country, and en-
joy visiting the scenes of my old hardships and
battles."
WASHINGTON IN 1862.
T T NDER date of November 24th, 1862, Aliquis
^ addresses the Utica Herald from Centre-
ville, Virginia, which is his last letter to that
journal, affording us a glimpse of the metropolis
in the days of the Rebellion.
CENTRE VILLE, VA., November 24th.
To the Editor of the Utica Morning Herald:
A few days since I saw in some journal that
the Utica Herald, on account of the increased
expense of publishing newspapers, had been re-
duced in size. I noticed since, however, that
your paper has risen, like the Phoenix from its
own ashes, and appears as a fine, double sheet.
Blessed be newspapers ! No matter if the news
items do sometimes draw very heavily upon the
imagination. " We pays our money and we takes
178 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
our choice," should be our consolation, when we
are at a loss which to consider as miscellany,
Sylvanus Cobb's tale, or the telegraphic column.
I am now in Sigel's Corps, Schurtz's Division,
and Schimmelfenning's Brigade. The names,
you perceive, are all Italian and " breathe of the
sweet South." We have been solemnly informed
through the Washington papers several times
that we have been cut to pieces and driven back to
Alexandria, but in the language of the lamented
Webster, " we ain't dead yet," having seen noth-
ing calculated to produce death, with the excep-
tion of commissary's whiskey, since I have been
here.
We have been marching and countermarching
about this part of Virginia for a few days, I
suppose for the purpose of covering the recent
movement towards Fredericksburg. By a re-
cent order, Sigel's Corps is made the reserve
of the grand army, whose duty I presume it will
be to protect a place called Washington, the
guarding of which has caused nearly every
movement of our armies to miscarry, and has
cost the country much more than it was ever
worth. I will give you a description of it.
The city of Washington, aside from the public
buildings, consists of four hotels, Pennsylvania
Avenue, Grover's Theater, and Gautier's saloon.
The rest of the place is a succession of country
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 179
villages, with low, illy-planned houses, with
small negroes leaning on the piazzas. It is a
capital place to spend a fortune, being abun-
dantly supplied with extortioners, hackmen, bar-
keepers and Jews. The best places to get rid of
money are Joe Hall's gambling saloon and Wil-
lard's Hotel, though these places have many as-
piring rivals. There are no particular social
distinctions in Washington, but there is a sort
of barber-shop and bar-room sociability in which
every one who wears good clothes may partici-
pate. You hardly ever meet any one who is an
actual resident of Washington. These crowds
that you meet are all men away from home, and
hence unsettled, anxious, reckless, seeking for
positions, for contracts, for a living without
working, for the necessary bread without the
usual amount of perspiration required in the an-
tediluvian sentence. You must not be surprised
at meeting any old acquaintance in Washington.
Your friend Jones or Smith, who greets you so
cordially around home, shakes hands with you
as a matter of course in Washington, but he ex-
cuses himself and hurries on, as he is expecting
to meet some one of more influence at the De-
partments. No one is interested in what does
not concern himself, and sensations and riots
are uncommon. When it was expected the city
would be taken by the confederates, there was
180 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
no great concern, the billiard balls were clicking
all day, and the theatres crowded at night.
From nine o'clock in the morning till three
o'clock in the afternoon crowds are jostling
around the Departments, the offensive party.
The defensive is sustained by cool, indifferent
clerks and ushers. Business is business with
them, and unless the applicant claims relation-
ship with some one in the establishment he is
conscientiously excluded.
The rural visitor in the city, if he has not be-
fore been accustomed to this mixed society of
clerks, gamblers, officers, fortune hunters and
Congressmen, seems relieved by a breath of
fresh, home air again, when he returns from this
city, Washington, the Political Metropolis, and
ex-officio the Metropolis of Corruption.
So much for the city of magnificent distances.
But still " I'd have no objections to seeing it a
little longer," as the culprit on the scaffold re-
plied to the priest when told that " life was all
a fleeting show." Centreville is about as deso-
late a looking place as can well be imagined,
and the country having been crossed and re-
crossed by armies on both sides, every available
field has before been occupied as a camping
ground. The usual traces of an army are visible
on all sides ; all sorts of filth and garbage, in
which fevers are lurking ; recumbent horses,
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 181
very fat and plump, but on the whole, looking
as though they might be dead or something of
that sort. No serious epidemics are as yet pre-
vailing, however, yet it is to be hoped that our
winter quarters will not be taken at this place.
Notwithstanding what is felt and said on the
subject of a winter campaign, it is evident to all
-who have had any military experience in this
climate, that if Richmond is not taken within a
month, the state of the roads will check all
active operations in the field. With Richmond
as a new base it might be different, but from our
present base it requires a pretty energetic Gen-
eral to give an army three meals a day at the
best of times and under the most favorable cir-
cumstances.
I have not seen the Twenty-sixth in some
time. By some of your army correspondence, I
notice their chaplain has again joined them.
The splendid body of men that languished in
otium cum dignitatc at Fort Lyon one year ago,
speculating on the chances of seeing active serv-
ice, has in a series of campaigns been trans-
formed into a small band of veterans. As the
old organizations dwindle and disappear in the
discharge of their duty, new ones are rushing in
to fill their places, to have, I suppose, the same
experience. ALIQUIS.
A REMINISCENT LETTER.
*T^HE Lieutenant-Colonel being now installed
in his new position, addresses the writer
the following reminiscent letter :
CENTREVILLE, VIRGINIA, Nov. a8th, 1862.
Dear Chum :
In camp, near Centreville, very comfortable
tent. Pleasant though cool weather. Regi-
ment out firing at a target. I'm lonely and
rather blue ; my horse has got the hoof-rot, and
cannot be used. I am a little unwell yet and
off duty; I am out of reading matter and must
write letters. In commencing a letter to you,
old times come up before me. What strange
things a few years bring to pass ! The Brown
that we used to designate as "Long Brown " in
distinction from other Browns of no less marked
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 183
peculiarities, is Colonel of a regiment, and I
Lieutenant-Colonel. An old Madison student,
Day; the ex-editor of the Republican, Waldron ;
and Judd Powers, are privates in the regiment.
Sam Wickwire, formerly known as " Gumbo,"
is a Second Lieutenant. Last summer when on
the staff I was visited by a Sergeant, who turned
out to be Palmer, who graduated when I did
he that of old first tasted of war in an encounter
with George Eaton, one night when the " rust
was rung" at Madison. Ford, of your class,
was a Commanding Sergeant in my brigade last
summer. The other day I met Moses H. Bliss,
D. K. E., a private in the Forty-fourth New
York Volunteers. Maclntyre, Curtis, and Mrs.
Haskell's sons are dead. Carl Schurtz, the ora-
tor, is our General here, and other Dutchmen of
whom we probably bought lager beer three
years ago, are my compeers in other regiments.
War, like misery, makes strange bedfellows; as
you remarked in one of your productions of
yore, " a bundle of negations and inconsist-
encies." Our lines have truly fallen in Dutch
places, we being the only Yankee regiment in
the Division. " Yankee," I suppose by the way,
should have its usual prefix, D n Yankee.
Custom has made it all one word among our
secesh opponents, " Damnedyankees." I like
General Schurtz very well, though I am not so
184 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
enthusiastic over our Brigadier Schimmelfen-
ning, whose name, as Ward would say, is " pyure
Spanish." But, per contra, as the Dutch always
look out for enough food to eat, and whiskey
to drink, we are well taken care of, and "fare
sumptuously every day on purple and fine
linen," which is a quotation, sir, a quotation !
I find that P. P. makes a first-rate Colonel, and
is very pleasant to be associated with. Even
war produces some change in him ! He does
not swear yet, but occasionally says he wants to,
and drinks nothing as yet stronger than wine,
but he smokes excessively. The Major is one
of the jolliest fellows I ever knew. This regi-
ment has seen no fighting yet, and we have been
aroused by no midnight attacks except the diar-
rhea. I don't think myself we shall see any till
spring, as we shall have to go into winter quar-
ters, I expect, about New Year's. Then I should
like you to give me a visit and I'll try to make
it pleasant for you as long as you wish to stay.
* * * * I saw Rem. Taylor, L. C., in Wash-
ington about a month ago. I hear very favora-
bly of your business prospects, and with pleas-
ure advise you to "go in boots." Send me a
Standard occasionally.
A letter of November 3oth, 1862, to his brother
Stephen from Centreville, Virginia, describes
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 185
how he fares with his new command. * * *
" We have been here at Centreville about two
weeks and have our quarters fixed very comfort-
ably. Colonel and myself have one walled tent
between us; as good on the whole as I had it
last winter, though really we are not yet in win-
ter quarters. We have plenty of eatables, and
on the whole have nothing to complain of. I
have had bad luck with my horse, though. He
has been having hoof-rot, but is getting nearly
well now. My health is capital, and I weigh one
hundred and sixty-nine pounds. A perfect mon-
ster ! There is no immediate prospect of a fight
just here, and in fact the whole game seems to
be blocked for some reason."
PERSONAL INCIDENTS.
Acquia Creek, Virginia, he writes
to his brother under date of December
3oth, 1862, some interesting personal incidents :
* * * "We are still in our old camp here
and nothing remarkable has occurred. I was
sent off with a detachment of two hundred men
last Saturday night to Dumfries to reinfofce
Colonel Kennedy there. The night was so dark
I could sometimes hardly see my horse's head,
and in the morning entered Dumfries, but about
an hour too late to find the rebels. After stay-
ing there one night we came home again, having
met with no casualties. One good joke: in the
morning we stopped to eat breakfast near a
farm house. The inmates of the house supposed
we were Southerners and fed our horses and us
with great liberality, and when we left expressed
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 187
a hope that we'd catch some of the deuced Yan-
kees soon. They also said that some more of
of ' our folks ' (the rebels) had been there about
an hour before. We carried out the joke, and I
don't know as they've yet found out their mis-
take, but I think it's highly probable that they
have.
"I understand that my friend Bacon, adjutant
of the Twenty-sixth, has died from wounds re-
ceived at Fredericksburg. This makes me feel
very sad. Both Fessendon and Bacon were very
intimate friends and I feel their loss very keenly.
Bacon was only twenty years of age, and had
just recovered from a wound received at Bull
Run. What a useless slaughter that affair was !
' I couldn't possibly come home for the holi-
days, as the Colonel himself wished to be away,
but could not get leave. But if I ever see a
chance I'll come, you may be sure. I suppose
you've had a first rate time, skating, etc. A
happy New Year to all ! "
February ist, 1863, finds him at Hartward
Church, Virginia. The next day he receives a
furlough and visits Washington and his home in
New Jersey. Afterward, his furlough is extended
to the 2ist, and February 24th he is back to his
regiment at Stafford Court House, Virginia.
March yth, 1863, still at Stafford Court House,
188 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
he writes to Stephen : " Our fine weather has
left us and mud is again upon us. One month
more will end it, though, I suppose. We have
had some days that really seemed like spring,
and I heard some bluebirds singing in the sun-
shine. We are in the pine timber now and the
smell of the smoke as the March wind blows it
in my face reminds me forcibly of burning brush
for a new watermelon patch.
" No, you needn't try to tell me anything about
mud. I've seen the roads so that it's almost
impossible to get along on horseback. I haven't
seen Mr. Pearse yet; nor Tom; nor the Twenty-
ninth. You see, I'm unfortunately among these
Dutchmen. Tell mother my red flannel shirts
are much coveted. They are the warmest things
I ever wore."
VISIT TO THE TWENTY-NINTH.
TV /["ARCH i5th, from the same place, he ad-
dresses Stephen, giving an account of his
interesting visit to the Twenty-ninth New Jer-
sey. * * * * j took a trip over to the
left of the army last week a ride and a rough
one of about fifteen miles. I called for Tom,
but he was off on leave of absence, so I went
to the Twenty-ninth New Jersey, where I saw
many acquaintances. Rem was sick ; Davison,
I thought, was a pretty fine fellow. I guess
they'll all be glad enough when their time is
out, from what I could observe. Every one
seems to have grown fat in the service. They
are very comfortably fixed. I then went to the
Twenty-sixth New York, now reduced to about
two hundred and fifty men, but it was quite sad
to miss the old faces in so many instances. I
190 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
had a great time recalling old times, etc., and
then a tedious trip home. My horse essays to
jump a wide ditch. The mud is slippery where
he lands, he slips back into it, and I go over his
head, and we're both disgusted with each other.
When I got back to camp I found the Colonel
had gone off on a leave of absence so I'm in
command again for ten days."
March 22d, 1863, writing his brother from
Stafford Court House, Virginia, referring to an
application made to him through his brother by
an acquaintance for an appointment, he states :
" For every vacancy that occurs here there are a
dozen waiting to step in, and there is always the
deuce of a mess whenever it is done. I should
feel just so if the Colonel should resign and
some other Lieutenant-Colonel should be put
over me. What company is he in ? The Ninth
is now nowhere near us, but when I once see it
again, I'll take occasion to speak a good word
for him with his officers. You see, Stevey, that
is the best I can do for him without doing in-
justice to those with whom I am constantly as-
sociated. Are you acquainted with Captain
Hendrickson of the Ninth? He lay wounded
at Fredericksburg in the same bed with my
friend Bacon when he died."
The following extract from a letter written by
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 191
a prominent and influential citizen in Madison
County under date of February 23d, 1863, to
Lieutenant-Colonel Arrowsmith, voiced the gen-
eral sentiment of the district from which the
One Hundred and Fifty-seventh was recruited :
" Friend Arrowsmith, you stand well with
your regiment. Every man I have seen speaks
of you in the highest terms. They think you
have some regard for them that you can sym-
pathize with them, and they not only like you
but they love you. I hope you will cultivate that
feeling and I hope the time is not distant when
for some good reason Lieutenant-Colonel Arrow-
smith will be the Colonel of the One Hundred
and Fifty-seventh and that the One Hundred
and Fifty-seventh will then number full one
thousand effective men. I do not wish anything
bad of any other person in order to give you
that place, but if necessary in order for you to
get it, I hope others will be promoted or detailed
to some other duty equally congenial with their
feelings. Your Hamilton friends manifest at
least as much interest in your success as in any
who have gone from Hamilton. Yes, through-
out Madison County there is entire satisfaction
in regard to Lieutenant-Colonel Arrowsmith
and there has always been a strong feeling that
he be made Colonel."
192 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
March 29th, still at Stafford Court House,
Virginia, with his regiment. Sunday, April igth,
a letter from camp, One Hundred and Fifty-
seventh New York State Volunteers, closes with
the remark, " I must go to meeting. We have
a first-rate chaplain now."
April 26th, 1863, from Stafford Court House,
Virginia, he again writes his brother * * * *
" I'm writing in quite a hurry, as we are ordered
to move to-morrow morning early and we have
been here so long that we have accumulated a
great deal of luggage to be taken care of. You
never know, you are aware, how many things
we have till we come to move. I don't know
which way we are going, but I suppose to open
some manoeuvre, though in what direction I
know not, so don't expect letters so regularly
after this."
CHANCELLORSVILLE.
r l^ HE move referred to and which he supposed
was only a manoeuvre, was the beginning
of the important movement under Hooker to-
wards Chancellorsville. The next day, April
2;th, the Eleventh Corps, to which belonged the
One Hundred and Fifty-seventh Regiment, un-
der General Howard, moved up the left bank of
the Rappahannock to Kelly's ford, where it
crossed without opposition. Thence it moved
toward Chancellorsville, in light marching or-
der, encumbered with little artillery or baggage,
the ammunition being carried by mules, and be-
fore the night of the thirtieth they had reached
Chancellorsville. May ist, Hooker's defensive
line of battle was formed in shape of the letter
C, fronting south. Howard's Corps was on the
right and was not only weakly posted but was
194 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
considered a weak corps, probably on account
of the raw material that composed it ; but as
the enemy were wholly on the Federal left, its
position was unwisely thought to be safe. A
cavalry reconnoissance of the enemy disclosed
the exposed situation of Howard's Corps and
Lee resolved to attack it. Jackson moved at
daybreak of May 2d ; by three o'clock in the
afternoon he had moved by forest roads around
the Union army, a circuit of fifteen miles, to a
point within six miles from where he started
and two miles to the west of Howard's position.
Scouts creeping through the woods discovered
the Union intrenchments unguarded. There
was no suspicion of an enemy. The arms were
stacked, the men preparing their dinner. At
five o'clock herds of deer, scared from their
bushy retreats, came rushing over the lines. In
a few minutes Jackson burst upon them through
the woods. The regiments upon whom the
shock first fell scattered without firing a shot,
and the corps broke in disorder and fled. The
pursuit was checked in one quarter by General
Pleasanton with cavalry and artillery ; and in
another by General Hooker, who, after vainly
trying to check the fugitives, some of whom
were shot down by his staff, caused Berry's Di-
vision to pass straight through the flying crowd
and pour into the woods a fire of artillery which
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROW'SMITH. 195
brought the pursuers to a stand. It was here
that Jackson lost his life by the fire of his own
men.
On Sunday morning, May 3d, Howard's Corps
was on the extreme left of Hooker's line, where
no attack was looked for, and it took no further
part in the action. On Tuesday night, the
Union army recrosses the Rappahannock. Of
the five thousand Union soldiers missing in that
action, two thousand were from Howard's Corps.
The rout of the Eleventh Corps was owing to
an overweening confidence in the safety of its
position, on the extreme right of the Union
army, while the enemy, being wholly on the
Federal left, the possibility of an attack was
deemed too remote to be entertained, and in
consequence no pickets were posted. This was
an inexcusable neglect, especially in view of the
fact that at one time during the day, Jackson's
long column at one point where his line of
march led him over a high hill, was seen by the
Federal outposts. It was moving southward as
though in full retreat towards Richmond. Still
the movement might be meant for an attack
upon Howard's position, and he was directed to
be upon the alert, and also to throw out pickets
on his front a precaution the neglect of which
is unexplained.
Notwithstanding the surprise of the attack
196 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL AKROWSMITH.
and the great confusion of the flight, the One
Hundred and Fifty-seventh Regiment, though
in action for the first time, acquitted itself with
credit. Its excellent discipline enabled it to
form very quickly, and it stood its ground until
ordered to retreat, when it retreated in good
order, occasionally halting to check the pursuit
of the enemy by a well-directed volley. Night
was coming on, and seeing that they were pur-
sued by only a small detachment, they halted
and charged on the enemy, taking some prison-
ers. Then it was dark, and they were alone in
a great forest. Selecting a road that led towards
the firing of the battle, bearing their wounded
with them, they finally brought up at Hooker's
headquarters, where they found General Schim-
melfenning rallying the Germans. Here they
were publicly thanked by the commanding Gen-
erals.
Colonel Arrowsmith, from the beginning to
the end, was at his post of duty, and by his
coolness and intrepidity, inspired his regiment
with the valor of veterans. It was reported as
the verdict of his officers and men, that by his
superior tact and gallant dash, he saved his
regiment from annihilation. Its loss was one
hundred and seven men. In the report of the
action it was highly complimented by the Gen-
eral in command for its good conduct.
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 197
Just ten days after leaving Stafford Court
House the One Hundred and Fifty-seventh is
back there again in its old camp. It has seen
stirring times during its short absence, and the
first opportunity is now afforded for the Lieu-
tenant-Colonel to write home announcing his
safety and the result of " the raid across the
river." It is as follows :
STAFFORD COURT HOUSE, VA.,
May yth, 1863.
Dear Stevey :
All safe and sound yet. I take the pains to tell
you of it, for so many rumors are afloat about
our corps. We were in the raid across the river,
and our corps was badly whipped by being sur-
prised by a sudden attack on our rear while we
were carelessly at supper. I'll tell you more
when I'm not so sleepy, for there is a great deal
to tell. Your brother, GEORGE.
In accordance with his promise in the last let-
ter to tell more, he writes his brother on May
nth from the same camp, which is not only a
valuable contribution to the history of the part
taken by the One Hundred and Fifty-seventh
in the battle of Chancellorsville, but a full and
complete vindication of its honor, courage and
soldierly discipline under the most trying cir-
cumstances.
HONOR FOR THE I57TH.
u T SUPPOSE you have been informed
through the public press of our move-
ments in the crossing of the Rappahannock of
how 'the Eleventh Corps disgraced itself' and
no longer 'fights mit Sigel ' but 'runs mit
Howard.' This in short was owing to three
causes First, miserable generalship ; second,
miserable fighting ; third, having no newspaper
reporters.
"We left this camp on Monday and marched
to Kelly's ford,* built a bridge in the nijrht,
drove away the enemy's pickets and crossed
over. In the morning, marched towards the
Rapidan, skirmishing with the enemy's cavalry.
Surprised about one hundred rebels building a
bridge at the Rapidan and captured them. Our
footmen crossed in the night on the timbers,
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 199
our horsemen fording the river and getting
pretty wet. A terrible rain in the night. Thence
to Chancellorsville where we begin to find the
enemy in the woods. We occupy the extreme
right in a wooded country. Friday afternoon
and evening we have some outpost fighting.
Saturday our brigadier is very particular with
his pickets and reconnoitres continually, skirmish-
ing all the day long. But there is one place in
our rear, in another division, where there are no
pickets and messengers are sent to report it to
General Howard. He says we do not need any
there, that the attack will be in front. The skir-
mishing continues all day and attracts but little
attention. About five o'clock we are carelessly
eating supper. The division that had no pickets
was suddenly attacked Devins's Division com-
pletely bewildered as the rebels came from the
woods right upon their rear. Then they broke.
Their battery, pointed exactly in the wrong
direction, was captured. The artillery horses,
cut loose, ran frantic through the rear line, in-
creasing the confusion. Then some of our Ger-
man regiments did break shamefully at finding
the rebels in their rear and their own officers
killed. We changed front then and resisted the
advance. The Germans fell back and left us
alone. The General who was yet with us then
ordered us to fall back firing, as the enemy had
200 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
then got on both our flanks. Then back we
went, occasionally facing about and giving a
volley. As we retreated we got into a woods
The General left us for another part of the field
and no other regiment was around us. Night
was now coming on. General Slocum now en-
gaged the enemy so that only a small detach-
ment pursued us through the forest. As soon
as we found this out, we halted and charged on
them, driving them back and taking four prison-
ers. Then we were left alone and the question
was which way to go. It was dark, we had no
compass and it was a matter of some importance
which army we should come upon. The battle
was still going on and we took a wood road and
went towards the firing, taking our wounded
with us. We had the good luck to come near
Hooker's headquarters, where we found Schim-
melfenning rallying the Germans. Here the
generals publicly thanked the field officers and
the regiment generally. So this is the second
time I have had the luck to gain credit in a de-
feat, but there isn't much consolation in it. Our
regiment is much honored in the corps, but
we're all in disgrace together and I wish we
were clear of the Dutch. The Dutch are blam-
ing Howard for his negligence and he blames
the Germans for breaking. They are both right.
We are out of the quarrel and they both praise
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 201
us. To make matters worse the newspaper re-
porters in the employ of Hooker and Howard
have laid the whole blame on the troops, but that
will come all right in time. The upshot of the
whole was, the Eleventh Corps was shamefully
beaten ; the One Hundred and Fifty-seventh
has derived credit from it though with the loss
of one hundred and seven men. I was not
scratched. Colonel Brown was very slightly in-
jured on the arm by a spent shot. On Sunday,
Monday and Tuesday the battles were successes,
but the original plan was foiled and the whole
army safely re-crossed the river, and we were
out from under fire again. The slaughter among
the rebels I've no doubt was terrible. Howard
is much blamed for his negligence. Instead of
our flank being reinforced, one brigade was sent
during the day to strengthen Sickles."
Captain George L. Warner, of Cortland, New
York, is one of the few surviving officers of the
One Hundred and Fifty-seventh Regiment. He
is now secretary of the regimental association,
and he has kindly favored me with a letter con-
taining some of his recollections of Lieutenant-
Colonel Arrowsmith and the One Hundred and
Fifty-seventh at Chancellorsville, from which I
make a few extracts that may be of interest.
* * * * i we u remember the battle of
202 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
Chancellorsville. I was First Lieutenant in a
company at that time, and saw Arrowsmith in
the hottest part of the fight. I can answer for
his coolness under fire, inspiring confidence
among the officers and men by his example.
On the first day at Chancellorsville we were in
column en masse, facing south, when we were
struck by Jackson on the right flank. We im-
mediately fell in. Our right rested on a thick
grove, and we started to face the advancing
enemy. The underbrush was so thick that we
had to move by the flank, in a wood road, and
the brush on either side was so thick that it was
impossible to get away from the lane, when we
were met first with one or two wounded horses,
that jumped right into the ranks. You can im-
agine the result. This was followed up by minie
bullets. We retreated back to the clearing,
where we had been all day, and made a stand,
firing several volleys into the advancing column,
by which we held them till the main body came
up; they having the woods and we the open
field and within rifle range, the advantage was
all on their side. We again fell back, and when
they came out of the woods, we made another
stand and gave the enemy some punishment.
We here lost several men. Then we fell back
to the Chancellorsville house, and the lines were
formed. Arrowsmith was always at his post of
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 203
duty. I do not think that there was ever the
slightest misunderstanding between the Colonel,
Lieutenant-Colonel and Major. They always
pulled together, and throughout the One Hun-
dred and Fifty-seventh there were never any
dissensions. I attribute this in a great measure
to the influence of Lieutenant-Colonel Arrow-
smith. If Major Carmichael were living he
could tell you a great deal more than I can, for
he was with him most of the time, but he died
two years ago; also Captain Coffin, who died
several years since ; and there are but two of
the original captains living, Frank Place of
Cortland, and L. F. Briggs of Eaton, Madison
County, New York, who was at Gettysburg, and
left on the field badly wounded. I was pro-
moted to the captaincy in the latter part of
1864. As lieutenant I did not have much social
intercourse with the field officers, but I was
always received by Colonel Arrowsmith with
the same cordiality as though I had been an
officer of equal rank, which was one of his pe-
culiar characteristics. It was equally so with
the enlisted men, and I never heard an unkind
word from any member of the One Hundred
and Fifty-seventh, officer or private, concerning
Colonel Arrowsmith."
May 1 7th, from camp near Brooks Station,
Virginia, the Lieutenant -Colonel writes that
204 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
they have moved their camp for sanitary reasons,
about a mile from their former camp, in a splen-
did place. "What a beautiful Sunday!" he
writes. " The birds singing and the sun shin-
ing." He speaks of a visit to his brother Tom,
who had returned from a raid, and who had
given him one of his horses to keep for him,
which he was glad to do. During the last week,
he states, he has been acting as president of a
Court Martial. Referring to the rout of the
Eleventh Corps, he says: "Nothing new. Time
and truth are working a little in favor of the
Eleventh Corps, but truth will never help some
regiments in it. We have the assurance from
the Generals that ours will be most favorably
mentioned in the reports, so on that we rest."
May 24th, writing from the same place, he
says : " We have a splendid camp, adorned with
evergreens like an ice cream garden. The
Colonel is off on a ten-days' leave, and I am in
command. The indications are that we shall
do nothing for some time, at least. The pickets
are reduced and we're taking our ease. Schurtz
has his wife here."
Another letter from the same place, under
date of May 3ist, 1863, his mind recurs to the
defeat of the Eleventh Corps. * * * " You
will perceive that there is now a more rational
opinion afloat with regard to the Eleventh Corps.
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 205
I must confess the corps didn't do to suit me,
for it was the duty of the corps to remain there
and die under the circumstances. Still, out of
justice to the many that fell there, the eighty-
three from my own regiment, a wholesale con-
demnation is hardly fair. We had the misfor-
tune to occupy the critical position under a
corps general, who never before commanded a
corps, and a commander-in-chief who never be-
fore commanded an army. I think some other
corps might have stood there fifteen minutes
longer, only that, for Jackson's whole army was
upon us. The Germans also would not have
acted so under Sigel." * * *
THE INVASION OF THE NORTH
*T^HE results of the battles of Fredericksburg
and Chancellorsville inspired the most
sanguine hopes at Richmond, and it was re-
solved to renew the invasion of the North upon
a scale that would enable the South to conquer
peace and dictate its terms. Early in June Lee's
army began its northward march, moving down
the valley of the Shenandoah westward of the
Blue Ridge Mountains. The Union army fol-
lowed in a parallel direction on the opposite side
of the Blue Ridge.
On the twenty-first of June the One Hundred
and Fifty-seventh was at Goose Creek, Virginia,
about six miles south of Leesburg. Here our
Lieutenant-Colonel writes to his brother: "We
are in a bivouac along the stream about six
miles from Leesburg, but we do not expect to
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 207
stay here long. I hear some fighting now in
the direction of Aldie. Pleasanton's cavalry, I
guess. I went on a scout over in Maryland last
week, with one cavalryman, swimming our
horses over the Potomac. We had a first-rate
time, but were arrested by our own cavalry as
spies over the river. We got back all safe yes-
terday afternoon. I saw the Twenty-ninth just
before they started. I think they had better
come back again. All well, and right."
On the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth of June
the confederate army crossed the Potomac,
near the battle field of Antietam, and pressed
on towards Chambersburg in Pennsylvania.
On the twenty-sixth Hooker crossed the Poto-
mac at Edwards Ferry, and moved towards
Frederick City. The next day Hooker resigned
the command of the army, and General Meade
was appointed in his stead. Howard retained
the command of the Eleventh Corps. A por-
tion of Lee's army had reached Carlisle, Pa.,
and was preparing to move on Harrisburg, but
the news that Meade had crossed the Potomac,
and was advancing northward, compelled him
to change his plans and move towards Gettys-
burg. On the twenty-eighth of June a portion
of Hooker's corps, including the One Hundred
and Fifty-seventh New York, had reached Mid-
208 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
dletown, Maryland. From this point the Lieu-
tenant-Colonel writes his last letter home. It
is addressed as usual to "Dear Stevey " and
was written on Sunday, just three days before
the battle, but it was not received by his brother
until after the melancholy news of his death.
In it he writes :
" Well, we are in Maryland. In as fine a coun-
try as I ever saw in my life like Pleasant Val-
ley quite re/reshing abundance of everything
nearly all Union people stars and stripes
hanging out all over hotels open no robbing
on the one side, and no bushwhacking on the
other; quite a pleasant change for the army, but
quite bad for the country generally. Middle-
town is a nice place, about like Middletown
Point, and the people are nearly all Unionists,
so it is very pleasant. I have been a little un-
well for a day or two, and have been staying at
a private house, but am all right again now, and
expect to return to camp to-morrow. Write
soon."
How rejoiced must have been these worn and
travel-stained troops, after two years of cam-
paigning upon the battle-scarred fields of Vir-
ginia, hot and smoking amid the desolations of
war, to find themselves surrounded by green
pastures and fields of bending grain. Loud
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 209
and long must have been their cheers and their
songs, as the Union-loving citizens of Maryland
greeted them with the emblems of loyalty from
every housetop and window, and spread before
them the richest bounties of their generous hos-
pitality. As the Lieutenant-Colonel expresses
it, there was no bushwhacking, no robbing, now,
for the boys in blue, for the first time, were
campaigning among their friends.
THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG.
the night of June 3oth, General Howard's
Corps was supporting the First, and lay
at Emmetsburg, ten miles south of Gettysburg,
with orders to march up and keep within sup-
porting distance of the First Corps. On the
morning of the first of July it left Emmetsburg
and marched to Gettysburg. On the way the)'
caught the sound of artillery firing. It was the
First Corps engaging the enemy. Lieutenant-
Colonel Arrowsmith had not fully recovered
from his illness at Middletown, but he felt able
to ride his horse. Dr. H. C. Hendrick, the
regimental surgeon, rode by his side. Hear-
ing heavy cannonading Arrowsmith remarked,
" There will be warm work to-day, Doctor."
The doctor replied : " You must not go into the
fight, Colonel; you are not strong enough." As
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 211
they proceeded, Colonel Arrowsmith talked
freely and spoke of the trepidation usually ex-
perienced upon going into battle the first time.
" I have gotten over all that," said he. " I have
come to feel that the bullet is not moulded
which is to kill me."*
The regiment reached Gettysburg about noon,
much fatigued with a rapid march on a mid-
summer day. An order is given to double-quick
march. They take to the sidewalks. Captain
Dilger's First Ohio Battery, which was behind,
sweeps by them on a swift gallop, its cannoniers
bouncing high in their seats as the wheels re-
volve rapidly over obstructions in the roadway.
The men of the One Hundred and Fifty-seventh
swing their hats in the air with loud cheers for
the First Ohio Battery. They know each other,
for they were together at Chancellorsville.
They pass through the town to a point a few
hundred yards north of it, where three roads
come together. The Mummasburg road branch-
ing to the northwest; the Carlisle road to the
north, and the Harrisburg road to the northeast.
In the double triangle thus formed the Eleventh
Corps took its position facing northward, the
One Hundred and Fifty-seventh Regiment being
posted in a field on the right of the First Corps,
* Appendix, Note E.
212 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
with the Mummasburg road on its left and the
Carlisle road on its right, while the First Ohio
Battery was immediately in its front. The shell
from the guns of the enemy flew over the bat-
tery and fell in the regiment, doing much in-
jury, and on account of the horses becoming
restless, Colonel Brown and Lieutenant-Colonel
Arrowsmith dismounted and sent their animals
to the rear. The first shot from the Ohio Bat-
tery flew over the confederate battery. At this
the rebels were jubilant and yelled in derision.
Captain Dilger now sighted the gun himself and
fired it. The shot dismounted a rebel gun and
killed the horses. Captain Dilger tried it a sec-
ond time, sighting and firing the gun. No ef-
fect being visible with the naked eye, Colonel
Brown, who was near, asked " What effect, Cap-
tain Dilger ? " Captain, after looking through
his glass, replied, " I have spiked a gun for them,
plugging it at the muzzle." In the first move-
ment of the regiment on the left of the field two
hundred rebels came in and surrendered them-
selves as prisoners. Once, under fire, while ex-
ecuting a manoeuvre, the regiment fell into con-
fusion, from which there seemed to be difficulty
in extricating it. Then was heard the stento-
rian voice of the Lieutenant-Colonel conveying
the right order at the right moment, which im-
mediately relieved the embarrassment. A sur-
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 218
vivor of the regiment relating the incident says,
" Oh, how glad we were to hear that voice, for
then we knew that our beloved Lieutenant-
Colonel, who had been ill, was with us."*
During the forenoon, the First Corps had
more than held its own, driving the enemy and
capturing many prisoners. About ten o'clock
rebel reinforcements began to arrive. Rodes
and Early had come up by a rapid march.
Rodeo's Division entered the fight about noon.
The First Corps, now greatly outnumbered and
hard pressed, was about giving way on its right.
It was at this juncture the Eleventh Corps ar-
rived. By their support the tide of battle was
stayed. It was now two o'clock. Early's Divi-
sion then advanced, forming in front of Schurtz's
Division.
It was impossible for the First Corps and two
divisions of the Eleventh Corps, comprising not
more than eighteen thousand men, to stand long
before forty thousand of Heath, Fender, Rodes
and Early. General Howard wisely recognizing
this fact, before any order of retreat had been
given, directed the withdrawal of the heavy ar-
tillery to Cemetery Hill, and so disposed of
Steinwehr's Division that it could support our
retiring men.
* Appendix, Note F.
DEATH OF ARROWSMITH.
"C* ARLY'S Division now entered the fight.
The Federal line was sorely pressed. It
took the form of a crescent, its extreme points
being drawn in towards the town, while the cen-
tre, which was the position of the One Hundred
and Fifty-seventh, was in danger of being cut
off altogether by the confederate attack upon
both flanks. The enemy was seen advancing
toward the town by the right flank, driving the
Second Brigade. General Schimmelfenning or-
dered the regiment to move over to the right to
check their advance. It proceeded to execute
the order and moved up to within fifty yards of
the enemy. The attack was made. Colonel
Arrowsmith was on the right of the line. His
voice was heard above the din of the battle, en-
couraging the men and directing their fire. The
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 215
regiment was in an exposed place and suffering
fearful slaughter by the enemy's fire upon both
flanks. After fighting a short time Colonel Ar-
rowsmith fell, struck by a rifle ball in the fore-
head. A general retreat had been ordered, but
the aide bearing the order had his horse shot
under him and it did not reach the brigade
promptly. It came at last and the regiment re-
treated. The following letter from Colonel
Brown, written twenty-four days after the battle,
but Hitherto unpublished, was intended to give
to the public the particulars concerning Colonel
Arrowsmith's death:
WASHINGTON, D. C, July 27th, 1863.
Mr. Editor;
As several incorrect reports have been made
with reference to the death of Lieutenant-
Colonel Arrowsmith, I thought it would be grat-
ifying to his friends to know all the particulars
just as they are. The morning of the day on
which the battle occurred, the regiment marched
from Emmetsburg, a distance of ten miles,
reaching Gettysburg very much worried. The
greatly superior numbers against which the First
Corps were contending made it necessary for
the Eleventh to be thrown promptly forward.
Without stopping for rest we were moved
through the town upon the double quick and
216 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARBOWSMITH.
placed in position behind Dilger's Battery,
which was soon engaged by three batteries of
the enemy. While lying there the numerous
shot and shell thrown among us rendered our
horses so unmanageable we both dismounted
and sent them to the rear. After the rebel bat-
teries had been silenced the whole brigade was
thrown forward. Soon after reaching the posi-
tion assigned us I was ordered by General
Schimmelfenning to move over some distance to
the right and attack the enemy, who were then
driving the Second Brigade of our Division.
This order I proceeded at once to execute. In
order to get my regiment into position to do ef-
fective service, I found it necessary to move up
to within fifty yards of the enemy, who by the
time I reached my position had placed a whole
brigade in line to resist my attack. The attack
was made, Colonel Arrowsmith occupying his
proper position on the right, encouraging his
men and faithfully and gallantly doing his whole
duty, while I gave my attention to the centre
and left. We had been fighting but a short
time, when, upon looking to the right, I discov-
ered that the Lieutenant-Colonel was missing.
I moved at once to the right and found him
lying upon his back, badly wounded in the head,
breathing slowly and heavily, and evidently in-
sensible. As my presence along the line was
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 217
more necessary that he had fallen, I could stop
but a moment, and returned to my position.
The men were falling rapidly and the enemy's
line was taking the form of a semi-circle, evi-
dently with the design of surrounding us, at the
same time concentrating the fire of their whole
brigade upon my rapidly diminishing numbers.
An enfilading fire from a battery upon our left
was also doing fearful execution. I had looked
around several times to see if some support
would not be sent, or an order for retreat.
Neither came. The last time I looked I saw
one of General Schimmelfenning's aides about
half way across the field, taking the saddle off
his horse and running back, and I learned from
some of my wounded men who fell before we
reached our position, that the same aide came
out a short distance and hallooed to me to re-
treat. I, however, heard no order. Seeing that
we were likely to be all shot down or taken
prisoners, I ordered a retreat. From the wound-
ed left on the field I learned that the Lieutenant-
Colonel died shortly after the retreat. An at-
tempt was made to bring him off, but the prox-
imity of the enemy and the hot firing prevented.
Lieutenant-Colonel Arrowsmith died, as every
true soldier would wish to die, at his post, gal-
lantly fighting for his country. A brave man, a
skillful officer, possessing a keen sense of honor,
218 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
generous to a fault, bound to him by a long per-
sonal attachment formed and ripened in the
various relations of teachers and pupils, asso-
ciate teachers and fellow officers, I mourn his
loss as that of a brother, and offer to the family
and friends of the lamented hero my warmest
and tenderest sympathy.
I am, sir, with great respect,
Your obedient servant,
P. P. BROWN, JR.,
Col. i^th N. Y. Vols.
I am indebted to Lieutenant-Colonel Frank
Place of Cortland, New York, for another ac-
count of Colonel Arrowsmith's death and of the
part of the One Hundred and Fifty-seventh in
the first day's battle of Gettysburg. Lieuten-
ant-Colonel Place was the senior captain in the
regiment at that time and a warm personal
friend of Colonel Arrowsmith. He writes
* * * "Our corps (Eleventh) came up from
Emmetsburg at about noon, passed through the
town and took position on the right of the First
Corps, my own regiment deploying into the
field east of the Mummasburg road and just op-
posite the Pennsylvania College. We were soon
moved further east as far as the Carlisle road,
and there supported the battery belonging to
our brigade. After an hour or so the battery
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 219
and my regiment were ordered forward, towards
the hill between these two roads, the battery
was withdrawn and my regiment continued to
advance. Soon it was discovered that the ene-
my were advancing towards the town by our
right flank. We were ordered by the Colonel
to ' change front forward on first company,' all
the while under fire apparently on both flanks.
It was while this movement was being executed
or just after that Lieutenant-Colonel Arrow-
smith received the fatal shot. He was near the
right of the line. I think that he never stirred
after he fell. I was within ten feet of him when
he fell. I was the Senior Captain in the regi-
ment and was in my place, but having the com-
mand of my men, I could render him no assist-
ance. My recollection is that orders to retreat
very soon reached us and we left the field.
" My First Lieutenant, J. A. Coffin, was wound-
ed and left upon the field. He recovered after
a while and found Colonel Arrowsmith's body,
and took from his person his D. K. E. badge.
Coffin and I were both captured and spent nine
months together in Libby Prison. I was then ex-
changed and Coffin stayed nearly a year longer.
I believe that the Lieutenant-Colonel's badge
was sent to his brother.
" The field officers dismounted before going
into this fight. Colonel Brown was in com-
230 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
mand. Colonel Arrowsmith was in his place
and in the line of duty when killed. No braver
or cooler man ever breathed. ' Why were we in
such an exposed position ? ' We were ordered
to advance, and receiving no order to retire, we
kept advancing. The General sent an aide with
orders for us to retreat, but his horse was shot
under him and he was delayed in giving us the
order. In the meantime Colonel Brown, seeing
the advance of rebel troops along the Carlisle
road, ordered us to change front. Then receiv-
ing orders to retreat, we did retreat.
" Now I have given you briefly an account of
Colonel Arrowsmith's death, etc. A captain in
command of his company has all he can do in
that line. He has no time to take in the whole
plan of battle, and hence I may not be able to
give all that transpired, but I have done this as
faithfully as I can. There are many things I
might say with regard to Colonel Arrowsmith's
character, if my pen were adequate. Let me
say that no officer of the One Hundred and
Fifty-seventh Regiment enjoyed the confidence
and respect of the men in a greater degree than
did Lieutenant Colonel George Arrowsmith."
The field officers of the One Hundred and
Fifty-seventh Regiment on the morning of the
first of July, 1863, Colonel Place states, were as
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARKOWSMITH. 221
follows: P. P. Brown, Jr., colonel, command-
ing; George Arrowsmith, lieutenant - colonel ;
J. C. Carmichael, major on the staff of General
Schurtz. After the death of Colonel Arrow-
smith, Major Carmichael was promoted to the
vacant Lieutenant-Colonelcy and Captain Place
was commissioned major early in 1865. Colonel
Brown resigned to take a command in General
Hancock's veteran corps. Lieutenant-Colonel
Carmichael was commissioned colonel and Major
Place was commissioned lieutenant-colonel of
the One Hundred and Fifty-seventh Regiment,
but neither of the last two were ever mustered
into the rank to which they had been commis-
sioned.
"When the regiment reached town," says
Colonel Place, " we found the east portion of
the village already in possession of the confed-
erate troops and pressing close on the west.
Many were captured in the town. General
Schimmelfenning, commanding the brigade,
concealed himself in a woodpile and remained
there until the evacuation on the morning of the
fourth day."
That portion of the First and Eleventh Corps
which escaped, made a stand on Cemetery Hill.
Meade's army got into position that night from
Gulp's Hill to Round Top, and the next day the
222 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
battle began on more equal terms, with the re-
sult that the world knows.
The One Hundred and Fifty-seventh Regi-
ment was almost annihilated. Its loss was as
follows : Killed four officers and twenty-three
enlisted men ; wounded eight officers and one
hundred and fifty-eight enlisted men ; captured
six officers and one hundred and eight enlisted
men. Aggregate of killed, wounded and cap-
tured, three hundred and seven, out of about
three hundred and fifty with which it entered
the battle.*
Lieutenant Coffin, the wounded officer who
went to the assistance of Colonel Arrowsmith
after he fell, besides the Delta Kappa Epsilon
badge, took possession of some other articles of
property found upon his person and which he
knew would be cherished as relics of the dying
hero. Among these were his revolver, his
shoulder straps, and a little book stained with
his blood entitled, " A Memorial of Adjutant
Bacon," which on a fly-leaf bore the following
inscription: "To my esteemed friend, Lieutenant-
Colonel George Arrowsmith, a beloved associate
and companion in arms of my brave and loyal
son, this memorial of him is presented by the
author, June, 1863." These he sacredly guarded
* Appendix, Note G.
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 223
during his captivity, until opportunity was found
to forward them to the parents of the deceased.
One of the shoulder straps had been cut by a
rifle ball in the battle, causing a slight abrasion
of the shoulder, evidencing the terrific character
of the enemy's fire ; but before Lieutenant
Coffin had secured these relics, a wounded pri-
vate had taken the ring from Colonel Arrow-
smith's finger, and his purse from his pocket,
containing about one hundred and sixty dollars.
As the field was in the possession of the enemy,
he saw no harm in taking this property from the
dead officer, as they were sure to be taken and
confiscated by the enemy. The harm lay in
the criminal appropriation of the property thus
secured. The wounded culprit found his way
to a Newark military hospital. He gave the
empty purse to a fellow soldier, with the remark,
" If you knew who it belonged to you would
prize it." He also exhibited the ring upon his
finger, remarking that "he thought a great deal
of it, for it belonged to the best man in his regi-
ment." These facts having been reported, earn-
est efforts were made to obtain the property.
Finally, by the effective exertions of Marcus L.
Ward, afterwards Governor of New Jersey, a
confession was extorted from the criminal. The
money he had spent, with the exception of about
seventy-five dollars, which was restored, and the
224 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
ring, though it had been given away, was re-
covered.
The sword presented to Lieutenant-Colonel
Arrowsmith by his men when he was Captain of
Company D, Twenty-sixth New York Regiment,
has a history. At his promotion, having no fur-
ther personal use for it, he loaned it to his friend ,
Byron S. Fitch, Second Lieutenant Company
C, One Hundred and Fifty-seventh New York
Volunteers, who carried it in the battle of
Gettysburg. When he saw the certainty of his
capture by the enemy, he buried it in an ash-heap
in the street at Gettysburg. He was captured,
but succeeded in escaping before the evacuation
of the town. After the retreat of the confeder-
ates, he returned to the ash-heap and recovered
the hidden treasure.
Upon receiving the sorrowful news of his
brother's decease, Dr. Joseph E. Arrowsmith
hastened to the scene of the late conflict. Arriv-
ing at Baltimore on the Fourth of July, he was
subjected to much delay and difficulty in reach-
ing Gettysburg, as all lines of travel were sub-
ordinated to military authority, and transporta-
tion to civilians was denied. He did not reach
the battle ground until late the following week,
whence he proceeded to the hospital of the
Eleventh Army Corps, two miles south of Gettys-
burg, to obtain information respecting the place
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 225
of burial of his brother. Of this visit the New
York Herald related the following incident in an
obituary notice of the deceased :
" A touching incident which occurred well
illustrates the estimation in which the deceased
was held by officers and men. It was in the
hospital of the Eleventh Army Corps, about two
miles south of Gettysburg. The surgeons were
working hard with the wounded, many of whom
had been four or five days awaiting surgical aid.
Of course they were anxiously looking for re-
lief. A private of the One Hundred and Fifty-
seventh New York, after so long waiting, had
now reached his turn, and was just going to
be laid on the operator's table. Hearing that
friends of his late Lieutenant-Colonel were in-
quiring where the body fell and was buried, he
at once volunteered to go and show them. Of
course the offer of the noble hearted man was
not accepted. Instantly Captain Adams, who
had just been taken off the operator's table,
where he had had a ball extracted, which, after a
circuitous route, had lodged under the shoulder
blade, tendered his services to point out the
place. And in this condition he went."
The body was exhumed, and decomposition
had progressed to an extent that rendered neces-
226 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL AEROWSMITH.
sary a metallic coffin. The supply of these in
Gettysburg and Baltimore was unequal to the
demand. The doctor was compelled to go back
to New York for the purpose of procuring one ;
and then returning, he caused the remains to be
forwarded to Middletown, New Jersey.
FUNERAL OBSEQUIES.
" I ^HE funeral obsequies were held in the Bap-
tist Church of Middletown, on Sunday,
July 26th, 1863, at half-past three o'clock. The
weather was propitious, and the assembled
throng was so great that but a small part could
find accommodation within the church edifice.
The Brigade Board of Monmouth and Ocean
Counties was present in full uniform without
side arms. An impressive sermon was delivered
by the Rev. David B. Stout,* and an obituary
notice, rendering tribute to the exalted character
of the deceased, was read by the Rev. Dr.
Samuel Lockwood. After the service the re-
mains were interred at Fair View cemetery in
Middletown township. Quite extended obituary
* Appendix, Note A.
238 LIEUTEXANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
notices of a highly eulogistic character appeared
in the newspapers of Madison, Cortland, and
Chemung Counties of New York, and Monmouth
County, New Jersey ; also in the daily papers of
New York City, Washington and Philadelphia.
Resolutions of condolence and respect were
adopted by the Brigade Board of Monmouth
and Ocean Counties,* and by the Class of '59 of
Madison University,f of which the deceased was
a member, at the Commencement following his
death. In commemoration of his virtues and
noble deeds a monument of Quincy granite was
erected over his remains. It bears the following
inscription :
LT. COL. GEORGE ARROWSMITH,
ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-SEVENTH NEW YORK
VOLUNTEERS.
He bore a distinguished part in several severe engage-
ments, and fell at Gettysburg gallantly leading his Regi-
ment, July ist, 1863, aged 24 years, 2 months, 13 days.
Erected by his numerous friends in token of his personal
worth, patriotic devotion, and distinguished bravery.
The devoted regiment and his college asso-
ciates made generous contributions towards its
expense as a tribute of their love.
* Appendix, Note H. t Note I.
TRIBUTE FROM COLONEL PLACE.
PUNCTILIOUS in all that appertained to
military discipline and etiquette in the
line of duty, he could meet the humblest private
soldier at other times on terms of equality. He
was in no sense a martinet. He was modest
without being weak, conscious of his personality
and power, without being arrogant and obtru-
sive.
" I soon learned that there were ties which
bound me to him other than those of a common
humanity or loyalty to the flag we had both
sworn to defend ; that we were members of the
same college fraternity. To us twain fraternity,
charity and loyalty had a twofold meaning.
" He possessed all the qualities of a thorough
disciplinarian, and held the line officers to a
strict accountability for their conduct in the
230 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSM1TH.
presence of their men in all the minor duties of
camp, bivouac, or drill. He never publicly re-
proved an officer, but sought the retirement of
his tent to administer a rebuke for any un-
soldierly conduct. The peculiar bond between
him and myself above referred to did not in the
least exempt me from receiving deserved re-
proof. He thoroughly believed in the potent
influence of example upon the rank and file set
by those in authority over them. This principle
he exemplified at all times, and in all places. It
is an historical fact that at Chancellorsville our
army was surprised. The enemy made their
attack from the direction not contemplated, and
hence we were in no position to repel.
" The result was a defeat. This was the first
general engagement in which my regiment had
participated. The attack came suddenly and
with overpowering effect, yet I can confidently
assert that it was largely through Colonel Arrow-
smith's coolness and self-possession that we re-
treated from that ill-fated field in so good order
and with so little loss of life. Our next general
engagement was at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania,
July ist, 1863. Here Colonel Arrowsmith dis-
played the same courageous qualities that dis-
tinguished him at Chancellorsville. He died as
he would have chosen to die if so willed, with
his face towards the foe. Thus he filled the full
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 231
measure of devotion to his country, by the sac-
rifice not only of the hopes and aspirations of the
cultured and refined gentleman, but of life it-
self."
Colonel Place addressed the Arrowsmith Post
as follows :
"Comrades of Arrowsmith Post, Department of New
Jersey, Grand Army of the Republic :
" You acted wisely when you decided upon
the name of your Post. The name of George
Arrowsmith is enshrined in the hearts of his sur-
viving comrades. No words of mine can add
lustre to his renown. I can only exhort you to
emulate his patriotic devotion to the cause of
your country's welfare and prosperity."
CONCLUSION.
T^HUS lived and died Lieutenant - Colonel
George Arrowsmith at the early age of
twenty-four years. While full maturity of char-
acter had not been attained, yet there was ex-
hibited a sound and vigorous growth, beautiful
in its symmetry, and towering in its aspirations.
Though falling in the springtime of life, he did
not live in vain. The principle for which he
grasped his sword was vindicated. The rebellion
was crushed and constitutional liberty was pre-
served. It was he in common with other brave
hearts and strong arms who accomplished this
great result. He lived long enough to share in
the glorious work and to render brilliantly con-
spicuous the virtues of his noble character.
He gave his all to his country, cultivated
talents, alluring prospects in civil pursuits, a
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 233
young life ; as a patriot he could have done no
more. Of his courage I need not speak. It is
attested by heroic deeds on several battle-fields,
which are at once his monuments and his eu-
logies.
In manhood he was the soul of honor, with an
innate contempt for whatever was mean or in-
triguing. He possessed a high sense of duty
which characterized his whole life, a steady pur-
pose to do what he believed to be right. He
honored his father and mother, and in the sacred
precincts of his own home he was the light and
joy of their hearts.
There was no gulf between him and others of
less favored position. He had no snobbish pride
or silly vanity. Here he was the idol of the
volunteer soldier. He possessed a dignity in
bearing and a gravity in repose, but when ap-
proached his genial salutation relieved all un-
certainty. He was proud, but it was the honor-
able pride born of true nobility of character.
He was ambitious, but it was the laudable am-
bition to excel in good works and deeds.
In conversation and social intercourse he was
refined and courteous. A coarse or profane ex-
pression never fell from his lips. It was a strong
point made in one of the testimonials presented
to Governor Morgan recommending his pro-
234 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL AKROWSMITH.
motion, that he was an officer who never used
profane language.
His knowledge of history and general English
literature was extensive. He had a good mem-
ory, keen perceptions and a pleasant vein of
humor. To these he united gifts of soul that
enabled him to bind to his heart all who knew
him with bands of steel.
His patriotism was not the enthusiasm of the
hour to be chilled by the first reverse or defeat.
It was a settled determination, a firm conviction,
that underlying the contest was a great moral
principle. Scenes of peril, of exposure, of ex-
ertion, he encountered without a murmur. Nor
did he entertain a thought of terminating his
military career before the end of the war. To
the advice of a friend that he should limit his
term of service, his reply was that " as long as
the war lasts, I will serve my country."
His natural qualities were conspicuously mani-
fested in his army life. From the patient and
painstaking student he became a thorough in-
structor and tactician in camp. From a genial
companion in society he passed as the type of
good fellowship by the camp-fire. His gentle
and sympathetic nature endeared him to the
victims of pain and suffering. Favored with a
strong physical organization, he could endure
hardships without exhaustion. Possessed of
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH. 235
great moral pride, he was a lion in danger, and
his natural impetuosity made him a thunderbolt
in battle.
It is idle to speculate upon what he might have
been had his life been spared. We accept him
with admiration and gratitude for what he was.
Enlisting as a mere boy, without rank, he was
at once unanimously chosen by his fellow volun-
teers as the commandant of the company. In
one year, for merit, he was promoted to the office
of Assistant Adjutant-General upon the staff
of General Tower, upon the recommendation
of the Division Commander, General Ricketts.
Without leaving the army, he was elevated to the
field office of Lieutenant-Colonel by the Gov-
ernor of New York, who was thus prompted by
the fame of the soldier, and was only restrained
from appointing him Colonel by his generous
refusal to accept the position over a friend. On
the eve of Gettysburg his comrades urged his
higher promotion, with flattering testimonials
from persons of distinguished military rank, but
here was ended his rising career. It was an
honorable death, and his epitaph is briefly writ-
ten : a sterling soldier, a true patriot, and a
brave man.
APPENDIX.
NOTE A.
A sermon by the Rev. David B. Stout on the occasion
of the funeral of the late Lieutenant-Colonel George Ar-
rowsmith. Text, II Samuel, chapter xix, verse 2. "And
the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all
the people."
It is a fact attested by universal experience, that by
sympathy a man may receive into his own affectionate
feelings a measure of the distress of his friend, and that
his friend does find himself relieved in the same pro-
portion as the other has entered into his grief. From
the language of the text I would call your attention to
the duty of Christian sympathy toward the bereaved.
There is in the heart of man a generous sympathy for
man. By sympathy is meant fellow-feeling the quality
of being affected by feelings similar to those of another.
By observing the operations of our own minds, we shall
discover the existence of this principle, and become con-
vinced that it is a distinct element of human nature.
238 APPENDIX.
A smile upon the countenance of a friend excites one
upon our own. The depiction of sorrow and deep dejec-
tion upon the visage of a fellow being, measurably pro-
duces to some extent similar feelings in our own hearts.
If we are present on occasions of peculiar joy to our
friends, we, by the sympathy of our nature, partake of
that joy. No one with a full knowledge of the circum-
stances could have witnessed the countenance of the
venerable patriarch brightening with a beam of joy, as
he listened to the narration of his sons, late from Egypt,
and lifted up his eyes and saw the wagons sent for his
accommodation, and heard him in the exuberance of
paternal joy exclaim, " It is enough, Joseph, my son, is
yet alive, I will go and see him before I die," without
having felt the movings of inward sympathy and a thrill
of sadness. Our grief is also excised by witnessing the
grief of others. Visit the dwelling of a respected ac-
quaintance; enter the apartment where with esteemed
friends and a beloved family you have been accustomed
to spend the social hour. Beside the farthermost wall of
that apartment, fix your eyes upon the concealed form of
one whom conjugal and paternal fidelity the day previ-
ous had employed in the active duties of life. Approach,
withdraw the covering which conceals the well-known
features of your friend, still unchanged, and perfect in
their form, save that the eye has gathered dimness, and
closed itself upon the world forever, and the livid hue has
given place to a death-like paleness. With the disclosure
of those familiar features, listen to th"e sobs of the new
made widow and orphan children. Witness the deep
and irrepressible agony of a bereaved heart, venting it-
self in a flood of tears, and the sympathies of your
nature will be awakened and you will heave an involun-
tary sigh, and drop a spontaneous tear.
APPENDIX. 239
This element of our nature is an endowment of crea-
tive wisdom and goodness; it subserves valuable pur-
poses and aids in the performance of essential duties;
it is adapted to the social nature of man, and is promo-
tive of the social virtues; it awakens in the different
members of the human family a reciprocal interest in
each other's welfare, chastened by pure religion; it "re-
joices with those who rejoice, and weeps with those who
weep;" it fosters kindness, generosity and benevolence,
but is pained to witness suffering in any form, and un-
happy as it listens to the tale of war; it is aroused into
vigorous action by unexpected and disastrous events, by
which* aggravated suffering is produced, and the lives of
our fellow beings lost. The text expresses its language
on such an occasion. In the fortunes of war David's son
had fallen, and though the circumstances of his rebellion
and his death were such as would seem to destroy the
exercise of sympathy, yet the event has fully proven that
the parental relation rises superior to all others; for as
the men of Judah marched out of the gate of the city of
Mahamin, in companies of hundreds and of thousands,
led by their Commander Joab, David stood by the gate
and said, " Deal gently with the young man, even with
Absalom." And all the people heard when the King gave
all the captains charge concerning Absalom. How strong
is the bond of parental affection ! David, by the skill
and valor of his troops, had gained a complete victory;
nothing could be more seasonable or important. It
crushed the wide-spread rebellion and reduced his sub-
jects to allegiance. But behold the King ! All suspense,
sitting between the two gates waiting for intelligence.
Two messengers run to announce the victory. The first
said " all is well." Which was saying the victory is ours !
our foes are subdued ! That was very important. But
240 APPENDIX.
another inquiry lying deep down in his anxious spirit,
breaks forth from his lips. " Is the young man Absalom
safe ?" This was a question too great for the moral cour-
age of the messenger, and he evades it.
The second messenger has now arrived. "Tidings,
my Lord, the King, for the Lord hath avenged thee this
day of all them that rose up against thee." But his heart
is still bursting with anxiety for a reply to his unanswered
question, hence he repeats it. " Is the young man Ab-
salom safe?" And Cushi said, "The enemies of my
Lord, the King, and all that rise against thee to do thee
hurt, be as that young man is." Nothing could have
been more wise or delicate than the manner in which the
truth was insinuated ! But like a sword, it pierced
through David's soul and the King was much moved,
and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept;
and as he went, thus he said, " O my son Absalom ! My
son, my son Absalom ! would God I had died for thee.
() Absalom, my son, my son ! "
David stood in a double relation; he was not only a
King, but a father; and though Absalom had been an un-
dutiful child, still he was a child; and for a child to be
cut off, not only in the midst of his days, but in the midst
of his sins, was painful in the extreme. Excuse or con-
demn David for his conduct on this occasion, the event
is the same; "And the victory that day was turned into
mourning unto all the people."
Secondly this is true, to a certain extent, of every
national victory. When two large armies are drawn up
in battle array, with all their improved appliances of death
and slaughter, to use the language of Scripture, "The
land mourns." Fields are ravaged, fences destroyed,
houses demolished, women and children fly. Mournful
is the infliction of pain, while thousands are agonizing
APPENDIX. 241
together upon the gory field, where they often lie for
hours or even days, with their wounds undressed and
bleeding, exposed to the martial tramp of an infuriated
foe. Mournful is the loss of limbs. How we feel when
a neighbor by disease or accident, is compelled to submit
to a single amputation. How many subjects for amputa-
tion are furnished by a single victory ! How many, after
enduring the most excruciating sufferings, are maimed
and rendered helpless and miserable the remainder of
their days. Mournful is the loss of life, for wher; is the
human being who is not of importance to some one?
How many a poor widow, whose name will never be an-
nounced in the public papers, is now weeping over a hus-
band she will see no more ! How many an orphan is
now crying " My father ! O my father ! " but that father
sleeps on the gory field of death, and will never again
caress the loved ones he has left behind. O, how many
fathers are this day saying, " Would God I had died for
thee, O my son ! "
Mournful, above all, is the loss of souls ! We are far
from supposing that all warfare is unlawful, and that a
good man cannot be a soldier. Who has not read the
life of Colonel Gardiner, slain in battle at Prestonpans?
Was there ever a mind more purely and ardently pious?
A man may ascend to heaven from the field of battle, but
the moral state of our armies is too well known to be a
secret ! At any time the generality of those who com-
pose them are not prepared to die. How dreadfully af-
fecting then, is it, to think of so many of our fellow
creatures being cut off in a moment, and sent with all
their sins upon them, to appear before the Judge of all?
So many ways is victory turned into mourning.
Memorable in the annals of history will be the victory
at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Who can deny that its
242 APPENDIX.
unexampled suffering has spread a gloom over our whole
country, and excited a deep and heartfelt sympathy for
the unfortunate victims and their bereaved friends ?
By it, the hearts of many parents, brothers, sisters,
companions and friends, have been filled with sadness.
Religious, literary, and other associations have sustained
a severe loss; and neighborhoods, towns, and the country
at large, have been bereaved. The scenes of that event
have made a thrilling appeal to the sympathies of this
community.
They have shrouded in mourning a respected family
in our midst, and to them cast a fearful pall over the joys
of earth. They have removed forever from our sight an
acquaintance and esteemed friend, whose early years
were passed among us; who had often been a worshipper
in this sanctuary; whose voice has often mingled with
this choir, in the praise of God; one whose excellent
qualities had secured for him the confidence and warm
attachment of friends and relatives, and the respect of all
who knew him.
Yes, among the thousands who fell upon that field of
slaughter and death was Lieutenant-Colonel George Ar-
rowsmith. By this afflictive and painful dispensation,
not only have relatives been bereaved, but an extensive
circle of acquaintances, who valued his friendship, en-
joyed his society, respected his worth and entertained
high expectations of his future usefulness, have been
filled with unaffected sorrow. This affliction addresses it-
self to all who have been personal friends of the deceased.
Strong are the ties of affection and friendship. From the
stroke that sunders those ties, the heart recoils in untold
agony. We hear of the death of an acquaintance and are
sad. But when we know that a friend whom we loved
and esteemed, and whose society and counsels we highly
APPENDIX. 243
prized, is no more, a tide of sorrow o'erflows our hearts;
but most of all, are we affected by b$ing relatives of the
deceased. The common parent of mankind has estab-
lished the endearing relation of kindred, from which
spring the warmest, deepest and purest affections known
on earth. Others have their attachments, but not like
those who are bound together by the strong ties of con-
sanguinity. The distress occasioned to survivors by
the stroke of death is proportionate to the strength and
ardor of their affections ! We, who are only acquaint-
ances of the departed, are filled with sadness at the tid-
ings ,of his melancholy fate, but of the sorrows of his af-
flicted and bereaved relatives, parents, brothers and sis-
ters, we can have no adequate conception. The depths of
their hearts are stirred; the fountains of their sympathies
are broken up.
Among the most endearing relations of human life is
that of parent and child; their affections are reciprocal;
that of a parent, for wise purposes, is doubtless the
stronger. The child weeps at the loss of the parent, but
at the loss of the child the parent is filled with irrepressi-
ble and oftentimes inconsolable grief. The general in-
fanticide in Bethlehem, which occurred under the reign of
Herod, is symbolically represented by a paroxysm of ma-
ternal anguish; in Rama there was heard a loud lamenta-
tion and weeping and great mourning; when the patriarch
Jacob felt the sadness of such a bereavement, in vain did
his sons rise up to comfort him. He refused to be com-
forted and said, " I will go down to the grave to my son
in mourning." The poignancy of grief with which King
David mourned for an undutiful son, who died in an at-
tempt against his father's life, we have already mentioned.
I will not mock the feelings of bereaved parents and rel-
atives by attempting to give a description of their sor-
244 APPENDIX.
rows. Should I make the attempt, the most expressive
language I could employ, would do injustice to my
theme. These sorrows can be known only to the Om-
nipresent God, and the hearts that feel them.
Again the agreeableness of departed friends is another
circumstance which heightens the pain of bereavement.
One reason of David's distress at the death of his friend
Jonathan, is expressed in the words, "Very pleasant
hast thou been to me." Valuable and agreeable qualities
in our friends, endear them to our hearts and render
our separation more painful. Those who were acquainted
with the departed know him to have been a kind friend
and an agreeable associate ; possessed of more than ordi-
nary natural abilities, a highly cultivated mind united
with his practical good sense, acute discernment, sound
judgment, and Christian morality. These, like a beau-
tiful constellation, shed their mild radiance around and
won for him the respect and love of a wide circle of
friends and acquaintances, who had indulged the hope
that his future might be honorable, happy and exten-
sively useful to his fellow men.
No more on the shores of time we shall meet our friend.
We have often met him and exchanged our cordial greet-
ings, we have loved his society, valued his friendship;
but never again shall we enjoy them here. For the last
time has he visited his native home! We sympathize
with the Elders and Christians at Ephesus, who wept
and fell on Paul's neck, sorrowing most of all for the
words which he spake unto them ! That they should see
his face no more !
Lamented friend and brother, thine earthly race is
run. Thy mortal course is finished. Thy sun has fallen
before it reached its meridian altitude. Thy warfare is
accomplished. Thy tears are wiped away. Thou hast
APPENDIX. 245
entered that world where wars shall never come, and
" Where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary
are at rest." We bid thee farewell ! But thy memory
embalmed in the tears and affections of weeping kindred
and sorrowing friends shall still live.
To soothe the sorrows of this mournful event let us re-
flect: First that it occurred under the immediate super-
vision of an All Wise Providence. Jehovah sits at the
helm of the universe, controlling all its vast affairs in
infinite wisdom and benevolence. He is able to bring
good out of evil. He causeth the wrath of man to praise
Him, and the remainder He restrains. He extends His
care and providence to the minutest particulars affecting
our interest. " Even the hairs of our head are all num-
bered," and " Not a sparrow falleth to the ground with-
out His notice." Much less did this event occur without
His knowledge and permission. The human agency may
have been exceedingly culpable, as in the Saviour's cruci-
fixion, yet the Almighty Ruler of the world has ordained
it in His beneficence and love. We call this an untimely
death. True, it was death in the morning of life, yet it
is timely ! The time and mode are of Divine selection.
The Great Shepherd of Israel, at the time and in the way
He sees fit, calls His sheep away from earthly storms and
tempests, to His glorious fold on high. Why should we
repine? He hath done all things well.
Second Although we would neither eulogize the dead,
nor anticipate the decisions of the final day, yet may
we not cherish and express the humble hope that our
friend died a Christian ? A subject of experimental and
practical Godliness? If so, his eulogy is written in the
word of God. " Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord
from hence forth. Yea, saith the Spirit, for they rest
346 APPENDIX.
from their labor, and their works do follow them." "Say
ye to the righteous, it shall be well with him."
For twenty-six days has his ransomed spirit been an
associate of angels, and the "Spirits of the just made
perfect," in rendering ascriptions of praise to our incar-
nate, yet Crucified Redeemer, in far more exalted strains
than mortals ever knew; while the unspeakable glories
of the heavenly world have been unfolding to his enrap-
tured vision. How the laurels of earth wither to the eyes
of such a company! Could we hold intercourse with the
eternal world, a whisper from the spirit land would
say to us, "Weep not for me." "The Saviour has passed
through the portals before me, and the lamp of His love
was my guide through the gloom."
Third Itshows us the supreme value of religion. How
plainly are we taught the vanity of all earthly good!
How loudly admonished to seek a heavenly treasure!
Nay, were the sea one crysolite, the earth one golden
ball, and diamonds all the stars of night, religion is
worth them all. In loudest accents this Providence
warns us to be in constant readiness to meet death. It
is a direct appeal to all who are unfurnished and unpre-
pared for the coming world. With strong emphasis, it
rebukes the spirit of procrastination, by which some
would put off the concerns of the soul. To the afflicted
family I would say, tender and endearing were the rela-
tions you sustained to the deceased. You had given him
a large place in the affections of your hearts. He was
worth all that you bestowed upon him. By his sudden
and appalling death you are filled with grief and mourn-
ing. To feel the ties of nature sundered, is painful in the
extreme. Your happy circle is broken. Your ranks are
invaded, and some of you feel that earth is stripped of
its joy. In your present affliction, receive our sympathies.
APPENDIX. 247
We mingle our tears with yours. The great Physician
can heal your broken bones and bind up your bleeding
hearts. To Him we commend you. Let faith lift her
eye to the resurrection of the just, where you may be en-
abled to say to the Master, " Here am I, and the children
which Thou hast given me." God grant you resigna-
tion to His holy will.
NOTE B.
HAMILTON VOLUNTEER AID ASSOCIATION, CORRESPONDENCE
OF "THE REPUBLICAN."
/
The ladies of Hamilton met on Friday evening, May
3ist, at the house of Mr. Adon Smith, to form themselves
into an organization for the purpose of providing com-
forts for the volunteers sent from Hamilton and adjoin-
ing towns to fight for the Stars and Stripes. The notice
not having been generally extended, the number present
was not as large as desirable, but those present were
earnest to be at work. Mrs. M. S. Platt was made chair-
man and the society organized under the name of the
".Hamilton Volunteer Aid Association." Mrs. Charles
Mason was unanimously elected president ; Mrs. A. M.
Beebe, vice-president ; Miss Annette Foote, treasurer ;
and Miss D. W. Waters, secretary. It was resolved,
after a discussion of the needs of the soldiers, to appro-
priate the funds first collected to the procuring of have-
locks for Company D. It was further resolved, that the
ladies of adjoining towns be invited to join the associa-
tion and cooperate with the ladies of Hamilton. The fol-
lowing officers were then chosen : As soliciting commit-
tee, Mrs. G. W. Eaton, Mrs. Lewis Wickwire ; for have-
locks, Mrs. Bancroft, Miss Mary Manchester, Mrs. Wells
24b APPENDIX.
Russell ; for sponge cases and towels, Mrs. John J. Foote,
Mrs. M. Harmon ; for sewing kits, Miss M. A. Hastings,
Miss V. M. Case ; for miscellaneous articles, Mrs. Frank
Bonney, Miss C. Hyde. Mrs. Mason then read some pro-
ceedings of the Chenango Volunteer Association, and an
interesting letter from Captain Arrowsmith, acknowledg-
ing the receipt of the provisions and clothing lately sent
the volunteers. Mr. Miner kindly offered his parlors as
a place of meeting, and the association adjourned to meet
at the Wickwire House on Thursday, June 6th, at two
o'clock, P. M., for the purpose of working for the volun-
teers, and making plans for future operations.
NOTE C.
WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, August igth, 1862.
Sir:
You are hereby informed that the President of the
United States has appointed you Assistant Adjutant-Gen-
eral of Volunteers, with the rank of Captain, in the serv-
ice of the United States, to rank as such from the nine-
teenth day of August, one thousand eight hundred and
sixty-two. Should the Senate, at their next session, ad-
vise and consent thereto, you will be commissioned ac-
cordingly.
Immediately on receipt hereof, please to communicate
to this Department, through the Adjutant-General's office,
your acceptance or non-acceptance of said appointment ;
and, with your letter of acceptance, return to the Adju-
tant-General of the Army the oath herewith enclosed,
properly filled up, subscribed and attested, reporting at
the same time your age, residence when appointed, and
the state in which you were born.
APPENDIX. 249
Should you accept, you will at once report, in person,
for orders, to Brigadier-General Z. B. Tower, U. S. Vol-
unteers.
EDWIN M. STANTON,
Secretary of War.
CAPTAIN GEORGE ARROWSMITH,
Asst. Adjt. Genl. Voh.
NOTE D.
Extract from a letter of Hon. Charles Mason, L. L. D.,
of the Supreme Court of New York, to Thomas Arrow-
smfth, Esq., dated December 3oth, 1863.
" You will pardon me in saying that the death of your
son George was to me and my family the severest casu-
alty of this terrible war. He was possessed of a noble and
generous spirit, brave in danger, cool and composed in
the midst of battle. He held most unbounded control
over his men. This was so whether in camp or field, he
always possessed their confidence and esteem. He was
a remarkably good judge of human nature for one so
young as he was, and would assuredly have acquired
distinction in his chosen profession had he not gone into
the army. I remonstrated against his going at the time
he first enlisted, but he said he was already pledged to
lead the company then in process of formation and he
could not back down.
"I was one who went to Albany and presented to Gov-
ernor Morgan an application for hisappointment-as Lieu-
tenant-Colonel. The high commendation he received
from officers of the army with whom he was associated in
battle, as to his ability and military capacity to command
either a regiment or brigade, induced the Governor to
appoint him over other meritorious applicants for the
250 APPENDIX.
position. He should have been appointed the Colonel,
and so Governor Morgan said, but George was in the field
and the regiment was half filled, and they must have a
Colonel then."
NOTE E.
This conversation was told to the writer by Surgeon
H. C. Hendrick of McGrawville, New York.
NOTE F.
These incidents were related to the writer by Captain
G. T. VanHoesen of Cortland, New York, who served in
the One Hundred and Fifty-seventh Regiment, New
York State Volunteers, at Gettysburg.
NOTE G.
These figures are from official reports, and include a
loss sustained by the remnant of the regiment in a fight
on Gulp's Hill, the evening of the second day's battle at
Gettysburg.
NOTE H.
MEETING OF THE BRIGADE BOARD. FROM THE " MONMOUTH
DEMOCRAT."
The Brigade Board of the Monmouth and Ocean Bri-
gade met at the court-house in Freehold on Monday last
at ten o'clock, A. M., and was called to order by General
Haight.
Present, Brigadier-General Haight, Lieutenant-Colonel
Green, Major Corlies, Major Green, Major Yard, Captain
Forman, Captain Conover, Captain Hyer.
Captain Forman desired to call the attention of the
APPENDIX. 251
Board to the death of Lieutenant-Colonel George Arrow-
smith, of the One Hundred and Fifty-seventh New York
Volunteers, a native of this county and a son of Major
Thomas Arrowsmith, who was killed while gallantly
leading his regiment on the outskirts of the town of Get-
tysburg during the recent battle at that place. Captain
Forman pronounced a high eulogy on the character of
Lieutenant-Colonel Arrowsmith. He said there are few
who leave a nobler record. While acting as Assistant
Adjutant-General at Second Bull Run his name was
brought permanently before the country. He deemed it
proper for the Board to take some action in the matter
expressive of their sentiments and to perpetuate the
memory of the gallant dead.
Major Corlies moved that a committee of three be ap-
pointed to draft resolutions expressive of the sentiment of
the board, relative to the death of Lieutenant-Colonel
Arrowsmith, which was adopted, and General Haight,
Major Conover and Captain Forman were appointed said
committee.
The following resolutions in relation to the death of the
above-named gallant young officer were reported by the
committee and adopted :
WHEREAS, The Brigade Board of the Monmouth and
Ocean Brigade, New Jersey Militia, have learned with
deep regret that Lieutenant-Colonel George Arrow-
smith, of the One Hundred and Fifty-seventh New
York Volunteers, was killed while gallantly leading his
regiment in the sanguinary conflict at Gettysburg on
the third of July, in his efforts to expel the rebel
armed force from the soil of Pennsylvania, and in de-
fense of constitutional liberty; therefore,
Resolved, That we bow with contrite hearts to this dis-
252 APPENDIX.
position of an overruling Providence, who in this sad af-
fliction has again sent a solemn admonition to warn us
that in the midst of life we are in death;
Resolved, That we recognize in the short and brilliant
career of Colonel Arrowsmith his patriotic endeavors to
restore to its wonted peace and unity our distracted and
unhappy country. Second Bull Run testifies to his ac-
tivity in movement his vigilance and reliability in dan-
ger ; Chancellorsville furnishes the indisputable evidence
of the living purpose that directed his movements, and
the unconquerable spirit that enabled him to undergo
the hardships and fatigues of battle; while Gettysburg
proves unflinching courage and determined bravery,
from the active part he took in the drama enacted there.
Resolved, That in the death we are called upon to
mourn, the military arm of the country has lost the serv-
ices of a brave and accomplished officer, the cause of
constitutional government a bold and determined defend-
er, one who was willing to shed his blood in its defense;
Resolved, That this Board deeply sympathize with the
aged and esteemed parents and afflicted family of the de-
ceased in their bereavement, and as an evidence of re-
spect for the memory of the noble dead, this Board will
attend his funeral in the Baptist church in the village of
Middletown on Sunday, the nineteenth inst., at three
P. M.
Resolved, That copies of these resolutions be sent to the
family of the deceased and published in the county
papers. Signed,
CHARLES HAIGHT,
FRANCIS CORLIES,
WILLIAM B. FORMAN,
Committee.
APPENDIX. 253
NOTE I.
THE LATE LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ARROWSMITH.
The class of "59 of Madison University met at Ham-
ilton, New York, the day and date hereafter given, and
had its first reunion while attending the commencement
of its Alma Mater, at which time the following preamble
and resolutions were unanimously adopted :
WHEREAS, our beloved classmate, George Arrowsmith,
Lieutenant-Colonel of the One Hundred and Fifty-
seventh, New York State Volunteers, fell at Gettysburg
July 3d, 1863, while nobly leading his regiment against
the enemy; and
WHEREAS, the occasion of our first class reunion affords
us the first opportunity of expressing'our estimate alike
of himself and of his early and noble fate; therefore
Resolved. That as a class we feel ourselves to have been
peculiarly honored by the voluntary offering upon the
nation's altar of a life so precious and valuable. While
we miss him to-day, not as we do others, who, though
absent, still live and work on earth, but as one we shall
see here no more, we yet experience a mournful pleasure
in transferring his name from the list of living class-
mates to that immortal scroll on which are inscribed the
names of those who have laid down their lives for Liber-
ty, God and their country;
Resolved, That in the sacrifice of his life, our class has
lost one who united with distinguished originality of
mind, a heart generous in its impulses, tenacious in its
friendships and courageous in its instincts, all which
invested him with the surest promises of success in what-
ever profession of life he might have chosen;
Resolved, That while we embalm his memory in our
hearts' most sacred place, deeply conscious of our irre-
354 APPENDIX.
parable loss, we yet regard his identification with the
cause of the nation in its second great struggle for na-
tionality, and his subsequent death, as acts performed in
our behalf, and we embrace this occasion to reassert our
devotion to our country, and bind ourselves more closely
upon the altar whereon his fresh young manhood was so
heroically sacrificed, assured that he died not in vain, and
that all familiar with his career must be stimulated to
like noble endeavors;
Resolved, That in this first sundering of the golden
chain of our class relations we are not unmindful of the
desolation which has fallen upon his endeared home and
parents, and that we hereby avail ourselves of the first
opportunity given us as a class to tender the bereaved
home circle of our lamented classmate our profound and
heartfelt sympathy in this painful and sad bereavement;
Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be given to
the parents of the deceased, and that the same be pub-
lished in the Hamilton Republican, the Utica Morning
Herald, and the New Jersey Standard.
GEORGE M. STONE,
ENOS CLARKE,
Committee on Resolutions.
Hamilton, August ijth, 1863.
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