New-York tribune., 1873-06-20
THE WAR LAUREATE.

| CAREER OF HENRY HOWARD BROWNELL.
HIS EARLY IFE-UNFRoHTABLENEss OF HIS LIT
ERARY woRKs-A ROMANTIC ACQUAINTANCE
WITH ADMIRAL FARRAGUT-THE POEMS OF THE
wAR-HIs PERSONAL QUALITIES.
iFRoM AZ OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT or THE TRIBUNE.
Hartford, Conn, June 7.-One day in the
Autumn Of 1851 quietly dressed. unassumng gentle
man dropped into the Office or evening newspaper in
Hartford with little manuscript communication upon
some local matter CHANGING at 1t carcessy, the busy
editor said:
"Namc, II YOU pleascw
BrOwncM"
"ResidenceW
East Hartford"
Running his eye manuscript the editor said
"a right" adding 20 the stranger, who was about 70
depart. " Are you related to rhe war Laureate'
"Niy name IS II. H. Brownell" said the stranger with
a sme. sprnging TO his feet, the editor cordially
greeted the retiring poet who lived so quietly and mod
esty in the OF his country homo that a this very
day but few people OF the adjacent city which honors
his memory can claim 70 have known him, though his
home was but two miles from its center.
Henry Howard BrOwneu was born at Providence,
r L. Feb G. 1870 On both sides paernal ami maternal
his ancestry such as would gladden. the heart OF Dr.
Holmes, by marking him his pet Brahmin Caste
Of New England" Hisfather Pardon BrowneI. was OF
one " the Oldest New England families, and lineally
descended on the female side from the famous Capt.
Benz. Church. who successfully commanded the New
England troops in "Kins Philips War" The mother
OF the poet was Of the equally celebrated De Wolf fam
y whom history and legend carry back into French
and German story.
Henry was of family OF SIX brothers and sisters
all or whom have displayed marked qualities, among
which have been Independence of thought, poetical
talent, and great f0nduess FOR travel aud adventure
or family but two brothers survye one Clarence,
died on the White Nile while searching for It's
I'LL TTnr.mH
was very young the family removed 10 East Hartford,
Conn, which was thenceforward his home, though he
spent many of his Summers at Bristol, Rhode
Island. Educated at East Hartford and Hart
ford, the lad early showed great preoooity in
learning reading Milton and Homer at the age
OF SIX years, walking two miles daily 10 the
house of a neigbor 20 read in translation the Had In
the strict reality OF which De firm believer. At iG
he went 20 New York clerk but m less than year
returned and entered Washington lnow Trinity College
80 Hartford. After graduation, he taught school for
wear at Mobile Aabama little dreaming that years later
De should participate m great naval battle Ia the
beautiful bay OF that city and and therein The subject OF
lis greatest poem-'The Bay Fight
HIS FIRST LITERARY PROJECTIONS
Returning 10 Hartford, he studied law with the Hon
Chas Chapman. and admitted 70 practice but law
was less 20 hi taste than literature. although FOR
while be was law partner Of his brother Charles, he
never pad much attention the profession The re-
maricr of his life mainly devoted 10 study aud the
pursuit 0f general learning, with occasional literary pro
duciions. he never married. but gave himself up
thrdgn life 20 the OF hs mother for whom he had
uR,t devoted and merited Affection His first volume
P..ms 10y II. Il. Brownen," published by the
Apsistlus. IN 1877, and did not prove remu-
neriive. In fact his literary work never
brought him any rich pecuniary rewards
ever rhc War lyrics" published IN the zenith Of his
fame barely paying expenses, although U was generally
conceded 20 confirm lIs title OF the Var Laureate,
ar.- given him by oliver Wendell Holmes on
the publication of "Tle Bay Fight" For his
abraham Lincoln published in The Aaanhe
MgtGB soon after the Prazdent5 death. he
received but sl2J. Between the publication OF
his volume of poems lsl7 and the first edition ot war
Lytgcs III lsl wrote two three subscription books
for Hartford publishing houses. Tie first Of these The
Peoples Book of Ancient and Modern history pup
sed in ISL t is sad netted the publisher 100000 be-
side the copyright which the same gentlemen later sold
for SO0O0 though the author realized but htle II was
the succes OF hs volume that led % the general intro
ducfiou OF subscription book publishing m Hartford an
interest which Of the most houIlsus ID INC
CITY In 1881 Brlwnell wrote for the same pubusAT
hc Pioneers and Heroes OF the New World and later
assisted his brother Charles 70 edit similar work on
the Indian Races OF North and South America In
1855. he published a small pamphlet OF poems
"Ephcmera.'
During these years he had ngul-ad in travel in his
ou country and Cuba partly FOR prsura and partly Co
benefit his somewhat delicate health but from 1855 TO
ls5J he remained quietly 90 home studying Alrd and
writing much but publishing nothing. most ardent
hatcr OF oppression every form, he was early an
,birDui,r and the rising wIrcond that IN 1850 began
t1 over,hadow the land led him 10 give vent % his
sentiments in print and during TINT yadr aud early IN
is he wrote several arc.es-prOse and poetr-'or the
Hartford papers, which attracted much attention oy
tIlcir earrestuess and force From the time OF the
ar.HrHH .nF IfN u
ana anxiety for the preservation Of the Union and
downfall OF slavery were unnouudod, aud poem after
n9eu of rulu. force and rerUe poured from lls pen
4 POEM wEITTES ~ BATTLE
Probably Bis best poem mp 10 this d1Ce -slI was IAe
River Fight" Before thr publication OK THIS poem us u
whole the author had published yersncauOu oI Admiral
Frr,gut terse General orders issued lust before Che
aon which resulted in the capture Of the forts at the
mouth oi the Mississippi ana OF the City OF New-ol-
ieous An almost literal translation OF the AdmlraPs
ORDER il was yet so striking as poem that Wleu IL e.I
under the eve OF Farragur as an anonymous contIDu-
ton 20 The Hlrtf0rd Eoeaing Press he requested MS
wife 10 write 10 the editor 10 learn the authors name
In her note Mrs. Farragut said that her husband Aau
beep touched % tears by the verses Tie authors name
b~in, been furnished correspondence sprang mp be-
veen the sailor and the poet which led TO an offer TO
,, latter Of place on the Admiral personal staff As
be had long been anxious % enter the service tAs oeF
was eagerly accepted, aud Browne Joined the Admiral
with the rank or Masters Mate, from which he was
soon advanced upon the Admiral's recommendation to
tte grade OF Euseu and the duties OF private secre-
t,rv In this capacity he sailed with Farragut I'll after
TIC victory Of Mobile Bay
During his term OF service. BE- was IN several naval
engagements the most memorable pf when was the
bat,e Of Mobile Bay, which eventually resulted IN tAe
taking OF Mobile and gave the world our poets nnest
production-proDahy the finest description Of naval
hattie ever written" The Bay Fight" This poem was
literally written in the smoke OF battle as the author
wrote many Of the notes and entire stanZa OF the
poem while Oh the deck OF the flagship Hartford dur
r thn encngement with The grand Old Admlra lashed