The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1861-06-14
Ellsworth as his Friends Know Him
ny JOHN II. HAY.

There has not been an evening since Sum.
ter fell, 50 full of lifo and hope, so rcdolent
Of the eager whispers Of the waiting crowd
Us was last Thursday evening. The town
was murmurous with flying rumors, all hope
full and promising. General Scott was 60
ing to show his hand, and the dandies OF the
Seventh and tho lambs OF the Fire Depart.
ment were to have an opportunity to wear
off tho dust of months idleness. People
talked chccrfully Of Alexandria and Arling.
ton, and invented model campaigns for the
departing regiments, with all the spirited
ignorance and illogical enterprise with
which civilians essay warliko vaticination.
But on Friday morning the tone of feel
ing and conversation was strangely changed.
With the earliest dawn, a ghostly horror Of
floating surmise clouded the town. The ru-
NOR ran rapidly through tho ogamut of shock
ed assertion and reckless contradiction, until
doubt was hunted out Of every resting place,
and We all knew that ellsworth was dead. I"
When that was asccrtained no ono cared
to ask further questions. The details Of the
assassination, the projected dcicnccs. the
march Of the rcgimcuts-which, at any 9TH
or time, would have furnished tho most pal
atablo food to tho jaded ncws-hunters at
Willard's-wcre unnoted and disregarded.
1t seemed enough for one day that wo had
lost the cheering presence Of the brave young
colonel. 1t seemed impertincnt to speak Of
other things.
A sudden gloom fell on the city. A hun
dred banners slipped sadly to half.mast.-
Men walked quietly through the streets, for
getting their business. Soldiers talked low
and earnestly, with clenched hands.
Why was this 30? This public grief
seemed to scorn precedcnts. He was not an
old and honorcd soldier, but boy Of twenty
four who had never seen battle. The
praise of the people naturally follows wealth.;
but Ellsworth had no fortune but his sword,
and his aged parents 1.-Two in the quiet scclu-
sion of a country village in New-York. It
was not tho murmur that arises when q
giant dies. This young hero was only five
feet six from spur to plume. Why should
the people mourn for him?
No man ever possessed in moro eminent
degree the power Of personal fascination.
That faculty which, when exercised upon
masses of men, Hallock styles " the Art Ma
polcon-of winning, lettering, moving, and
commanding the souls of thousands till they
move as one," he enjoyed in measure Of
which the world will for ever remain ignor.
ant. lie exercised an influence almost mes
meric, upon bodies of organized individuals
with whom no was brought in contact. /
have seen him enter an armory where doz-
en- awkward youths were going slcepily
through their manual, and his first order,
sharply given, would open every eye and
straighten every spinc. No matter how Sc
we're the drill, the men never thought Of fa-
tigue. His own indomitable spirit sustain
cd them all.
Besides that his pcrsonale' was very pre-
possessing. There was something cherry
and hopeful about the flash Of his white
teeth when no smiled, his face was always
alert and intelligent, and the honest and sim
cere good fellow looked serenely out of his
handsome eyes. His heavy black curls ncv-
or looked affected or vain. They set of ad-
mirably the firm and statucsque pose Of the
head. And his dress was always in keeping
with the man We knew.
Add to that his youth and fame, his pat
riotsm which no rebuffs could daunt, his
energy, which people began to recognize, the
work he had done, and the work he was ex-
pocted to do. and you have some idea Of tho
reasons that made people deploro victory
that his sacrifice made o thousand times
worse than defeat.
And the people for onco arc right. You
shall not find between the seas man who
can in oil things take his place. In the
hearts Of his friends, and in the ranks ofhis
country's defenders, ho has left void which
is not to be filed.
His life presents few salient points OF ro-
nance or interest. He was at very early
ago thrown upon his own resources, by the
financial revcrses of his father (of whom in
his stricken age lot q generous republic be
mindfuD, and his whole career from his boy
hood to his death is touching drama OF
struggle with circumstances, always strcnu.
Gus and severe, but always stouthcarted.
Very dark would have been the passage
through some scenes of his life in Chicago,
had it not been lit with healthy good hu-
NOR that nothing could repress, an energy
that misfortune was powcrlcss to daunt, and
stainless honor that freed him from even the
temptation Of wrong. In spite Of mean
lodgings and scanty faro the great soul kept
q firm foothold in tho muscular body, and
outside Of the daily toll and privation' the
young student rcvelled in an ideal realm,
not Of selfish indulgence or sordid fame. but
Of use and benefcencc to his fellow.men.
This aim and purpose did not exhaust itseli
in dreams. Hc worked steadily towards it'
realization.
The first fruits of his efforts was the per-
| feet training Of the Chicago zOuavcs. The