The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1867-11-21
From the n. Y. Evening Gazette. ]
Personal Sketches.
George Alfred Townsend

five were disposed to be ill.natured
we should say Mr.. Townsend, judging
from his own statements, had had the
singular fortune to be born in several
States. But we are OmiOble, and,
therefore, sot II down that he was
ushcred into being in Philadelphia,
which is no doubt the fact. lie is
tho son of "a clergyman, and was cd
ucatod at tho Philadelphia High
School, which he left at eighteen for
journalism. lie had been fond of
writing from early boyhood. He had
published in connection with ono of
his sohoolmatOs small volume of
poems in his seventeenth year. The
poems he wrote gave much promise,
aud some of them were very remark.
bic. lilo went upon one of ths daily
papers MS reporter, aud did various,
clever things, which attracted much
attention, but gave him no more than
a local newspaper reputation.
About the time the war broke out
he became weary of Philadelphia, aud
turned his attention to New York, rs
the great centre whore he might make
reputation aud have more fertile
Geld for observation aud imagination,
which he has always been promo to
conIound. lie soon concluded to go
into the army, as correspondent,
aud in the year 1861 made an engage
mcnt with the Herald Good writer's,
for somc mysterious reason, rarely
remain long on tho Herald, (porhaps,
because they are so subordiuatod to
the Journal aud their individuality so
VIII ny supprcsscd) and Mr.. Town.
send was no exception, lie left there
in few months, and obtained posi-
ton on the World. Soon tiriug of
service in tho field, hC wont to Eu.
rope, whore, he says, he locturcd aud
wrote for tho magazines, and had
some extraordinary adventures, es.
peohlly ia London aud Paris
Mr., Townsend, VIZ may herc re.
mark, has such an amiablc aud pleas
ant habit Of rcmanoing about himself
and his experiences that those who
don't know him intimately are often
at loss to distinguish between his
Jest and his seriousness. After ten
or twelve months Of genuine literary
Bohemianism no came homo again
joined tho Army Of the Potomac, and
wrote some very picturesque, interest
ing aud brilliant lottcrs. His style
had improved in breadth, tone aud
aud color during his absence, aud his
description Oc some Of tho closing
scenes Of the war we're copied all over
the country, And as ho published
thom in the World over bis full name,
he became known far and wide. His
account of the battle Of Five Forks
did much toward making Sheridan a
horor and was universally read and
admiFe,k Ills description Of the
grand review Of tho returned soldiers
in Washington written ie conjunction
with Mr.. Richard 7. C6lburu, was tx
cellent also, aud added to. his more
than then rising reputatisw
When Wilkes Booth murdered
President Lincoln, Mr.. Townsend
went 10 Virginia to write up the pur-
suit OF tho assassin, aud did il in a
series oC letters tO'tho World that
have not beoa surpassed for vividuoss
aud richness Of color By any we rc.
member TO Nave road in tho last ten
years. The letteys were afterwards
put an paper oovOrs, aud sold largely,
though the Journalist realized but a
Sw hundred dollars from them in
chat fora. lie also published u vol
ume Of bis var correspondence and