New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-05-07
NEW PUBLICATIONS.


crn politicians. In January, 1861, he wrote theme
maintaining that the demands of the Soh'h were
inst and in entire accordance with the principles OF
the Constitution But il was not long before Els
opinions experienced an essential change. On tie
17tb of April he joined the Fourth Battalion OF
Massachusetts, Volunteer Militia. which the week
after accepted the proposal to garrison Fort lnde-
pendcnce ia Boston Harbor. Bartlett went with 1t,
and remained on duty until it returned to Boston
on the 25th of May. He was already seized with
the martial fever. Tie returned to college at the
expiration Of his garrison service. but gave mnch
time thcnceforth drills, parades, and other mill
tary exercises. On the goth of June, ailudins 10 a
report that an order had come Tor ten more Iegi-
ments he expresses hope that the report was 'lue'
The faithful and intelligent manner IN whieh nc
had performed the duty of a soldier at Fort lnue-
pendence had become the subject of remark, espe-
cially from the writer of this memoir VINO was an
officer of the battalion. Upon the formation of the
Doth Regiment of Massachusetts, Volunteers, in July,
Mr.. Palfrey received the commission Of Lieutenant
Colonel and offered Bartlett the position of Captain.
He at once accepted the appointment, and on the
9th of July set out upon his first recruiting eXped-
ton. On the 4th of September the regiment lett
the State, passing through New-IOrk, Philadelphia,
and Baltimore to Washington, and soon after took
m its quarters on the Potomac thrty-slX miles
from the Capital.
On October 81. 1861 wrongly put down in the
memoir as 1862 lie engaged in the battle of BAH
Bluff where he first experienced the sensation OF
the whizzing of bullets. In describing the scene IN
q letter to his mother, he writes: 81 had read so
much about being under fire and flying bullets that
was curious to experience it. had fair chance.
An old German soldier told me that he had been in
a good many battles but that he never saw such
concentrated fire before They fired beautifully,
too their balls all coming low, within from one to
four feet of the ground. The men now began to
drop around me; most of them were lying down IN
the first of 1T, being ordered to keep IN reserve
Those that were lying down, if they fitted their foot
or head it was struck One poor fellow near me
was struck in the hip while lying fiat, and rose TO
90 TO the rear, when another struck him on the
head and knocked him over. / felt that if l was
going to be hit, l should be, whether stood up or
lay down, so l stood up and walked around among
the men, stepping over them and talking to them
in a joking way, to take away their thoughts from
the bullets, and keep them more self-posseSsed. l
was surprised at first at my own cOOlness | never
felt better. although l expected of course that
should feel the lead every second, and was Won
dering where it would take me-" On account of the
losses incurred at Balls Bluff, Captain Bartlett be-
came the acting second officer of the regiment and
continued in this capacity during the whole of the
following six months, the period of his stay with
the regiment in the field.
While filing this post he proved himself fully
equal to the arduous responsibilities imposed upon
him by the fortune of war. His services to the com
mand were simply invaluable. While his classmates
IN college were still undergraduates he had made
himself most efficient and accomplished second Off
Ger of a regiment in the field Always alert, always
Jealous he kept cheerfully at work. He took great
interest in tactics was proficient in the school of
the battalion, and brought his regiment under adj
mirable drill. His imposing stature fine carriage,
excellent Workmanship, and powerful voice made
him appear to great advantage On the Oath of
April, 1862, while accommodating The enemy
in front of Yorktown, he received a wound
from sharpshOoters rifle which cost him his
leg He was carried to the rear very soon after
receiving the wound and amputation was performed
at once. His fine, slender figure had by this time
filed out to DO a magnificent specimen of manly
yigor and it was a sad sight to see it so manned.
After remaining in Baltimore for several weeks, he
went home to Massachusetts, and, though his suffer
ings were constant he rapidly recovered his strength
and was able to take much enjoyment in the society
of his friends He went to the classday of his class
at Harvard, received his degree at Commencement,
and was treated with admiring attention and cor
diality wherever he went
In September he accepted an offer with some re-
luctance to take command of Camp Briggs at Pitts
field, Mass, where regiment of volunteers was
then assembling. 1t here that he first met the
lady whom he married at the end of the war, aud
here he made his home for most of the years that
he lived to after the peace. The favorable i'm
preston which he at once made was deepened as
officers and men came to know him more. His
NJ al
reserve, which was quite new thing to the average
American volunteer. The way in winch lie drilled
the men in the manual, without crutches. and
going through each motion with the musket
himself, was very remarkable. A member of the
command writing when the sight was a frequent
occurrence says: at is treat to see that man 60
through the manual of arms. He puts such finish,
such a vim to every motion. For two hours at
time he will stand that remaining leg till half OF
us believe he had any need of the one buried
ut Yorktown, but it was only superfuous member
or mere ornament If the Colonel II will call
him such needs rest he takes it as a part of the
exercise so we cannot tell which is manual of arms
and which rest. The cords Of that right leg must
stand out like great whip-lashes. There is uiH
about all this Ii is this quiet, intense determination,
this fxedness of will, that makes US desire Colonel
Bartlett with but one leg for our commander, over
any other man with the 1ull complement OF llinDS'
On the 2Sth of November he proceeded with the reg
iment of which he was now colonel, to New-York and
in the following month to Camp Banks on Long Is
land In January, 1868, the regiment sailed for
New-Orleans, and on its arrival, at once moved up
the river to CanotOn. The next month it was
transferred to Baton Rouge, where it remained in
encampnent till the 14th of March, when it started
on its way toward Port Hudson. This movement
was not attended with much fighting, and the
troops soon returned to Baton Rouge. In the month
of July he sailed for NewYOTk with his regiment,
whose term of service had expired and after it was
mustered out he accepted the coOnelcy OF the 57th
Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers, which was
enlisted for three years. for the duration of the