The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-13
THE MURDER OF ELLSWORTH
Killing Of the Young ZOuaVe Colonel
at Alexandria by Jackson in 81.
How Jackson Was Instantly Slain by Frank
Z, BrOWnell-A Thrilling Renaissance
Of the Early Days Of the Rebellion.

at his car factory. on North Broadway. "the an
nouncement of the appointment of Miss Amelia
Jackson, the other day, to a position in the Pat
ent Office at Washington recalls the tragic Incl
| dent of Col Elmer E. Elsworths death at the
hands of that young lady's father, ia the Mar
| shall House, at Alexandria, Va, in the early
days of the war. A mistake has been made,
however, in attributing to me the honor Of
avenging Colonel Ellsworth's death. Jackson.
| the slayer Of Colonel Ellsworth, was killed by
my brother, Lieut.. Frank p Brownell. who
| now lives at Detroit, He is on the retired
army list. Frank was the eldest child of the
family. He was only twenty years old when he
ran away from our home in Troy, n Y. early in
the spring of 1861, to join the army was but
a school boy then, yet well remember mothers
tear-staned face and the cloud Of care OF fathers
| brow one cold February morning when brother
| Franks room was found empty. Inquiry elected
the information that he had left for New York
| city the night previous. Father followed on the
first train that day. He found the boy enrolled
| among the Ellsworth Zouaves. He pleaded with
him to return to his grief stricken mother and to
his little brothers and sisters weeping for him at
| home in Troy. Frank obdurate. Then
| father told him he would insist on his parental
| rights and force him out of the army as a minor
livery WE'LL said the boy soldier, IL you
| are determined on it, will go home with YOU
| But in few months will be twenty-one. and
| then you will find me as determined to serve my
country as ever
| "Of course, can only tell you the incidents
| connected with the tragic death Of Colonel Els
| worth, from my recollection Of my brothers
| story. Brother Frank was never much given
| to detailing his army career, and l never
| heard him speak of the Alexandria affair, ex
| cept on one occasion, since the war, and that
| was one evening when we were together about
| three years ago.
"But first let me say something Of Col.
| Elmer E. Ellsworth and his regiment Ellis
worth was but little over twenty-three years old
| when he met his death at the Marshall House,
| in Alexandria. He was a native Of the
| town of Mechauicsville, twelve miles from
| Troy. He had nothing but a common
| school education. When mere boy
he went to New York city, where he obtained
work and labored hard in his leisure hours to fit
| himself to enter West Point Having no inAu-
entail friends, he failed to get cadetship After
| about four years in New York, he went TO Chi
| cago. He was then about twenty years old. My
| brother Frank has his diary, given him by the
| dead officers parents. The diary shows how
| deeply the young man was imbued with the mil
| itary spirit. He seemed to have had a PRESENT.
ment of the great struggle that was soon to con-
| vulse the Nation. It was during those days that
| he formed his famous company of the
| Ellsworth Zouaves. My recollection is that
| he became connected while in Chicago
| with the Adjutant-generals Office of Illinois
| His company was composed of young men Of
| his own age He inspired them with the same
| love of military glory that burned in his own
breast. During the day each of the young
| zouaves worked at his vocation, for. like their
captain, they were not rich in the worlds goods.
At night they drilled several hours in their arm
| ory and there they slept This was during the
| time they were preparing for their celebrated
| tour Of the Northern cities That tour took place
| in the stormy days of go. Every city the hand
some Ellsworth and his dashing zouaves visited
wa IN 70 q Of cieSn
| the brilliant evolutions and marv elous drill of
| the company l remember when they came to
Troy, the whole town went wild over them.
| Business was suspended, stores were closed, and
| merchants and clerks repaired to the field where
| they were camped, to witness their drilling.
| 1T Is my firm conviction, as 1 look back on
| those times, that there was method in this
memorable tour of the young captain Of the
| Zouaves. ] believe he saw that the war was
coming. He felt that the people of the North
| were not prepared; that they were apathetc;
| that something must be done to arouse in them
| the military spirit of the men of rs So he
| raised his splendid company drilled it perfectly
and then marched it through the Northern cities
| for the purpose of kindling the s!umbering fires
| of patriotism in the breasts of the people. / am
| convinced the young soldier realized in part the
result at which he aimed. The original Els
| worth Zouaves, after their return to Chicago
| from this triumphal tour, we're disb&nded. At
any rate Ellsworth went East very early in the
| spring of 1861. i know he was poor and
| stranger to the people of New York
| Whether he was armed with letters from
| influential men in Illinois, cannot say. He
| was sort of protege of Abraham Lincoln be-
| fore he was elected President. and the latter
| may have helped the young man with written
| recommendations to those in high places in New
! York His talents, energy and inGomitable will
| did the rest. He raised, equipped and armed a
regiment of nearly l. 200 men in New York city in
| o few days, when other colonies were weeks and
months In getting their complement of men.
L.
| him by New York militia officers. The very
day he embarked his zouaves board the
steamer which was to carry them to Philade-
phia on their way to Washington, an order vas
put in Colonel Ellsworth's hands directing him
to march his men back to camp. lie appealed
| to General Wool, then in command at New York,
whom he met near the docks, ard asked him
what he must do about it.
go on said the old General. They need
just such men as yours at Washington. will
stand between You and all responsibility
washington, when Ellsworth's regiment ar
rived was vast military Babel 1t was full
of undisc;plined men, camp followers, and ad
venturers of every character, and depredationS
and acts of outlawry were frequent. The Ellis
worth Zouaves were recruited mainly from the
| fire boys of New York. They full of spirit
wild and rOlhcksome There had been time
to discipline them Many of the depredations
that were committed in Washington in the early
| days of 81 were attributed to them Their
! young commander felt these aspersions keenly
| he went In person to President Lincoln and be-
sought him to let his command form the advance
of the movement then ordered into Virginia
The President refused, giving as his reason the
| extreme youth of the commander and the fear
| that he would not be able to control the wild in
| subordinate men under him when they got iato
hostile territory
"Then Ellsworth spoke up and said: Mr. Pres
ident, IL, on this march, my men shall be guilty
of any act that will reflect disgrace ON them. or
discredit to myself, 1 pledge you ny word of
honor they shall be mustered out Of service and
merged into other commands
Lincoln granted Elsworth's request to let mis-
| regiment be the vanguard of the army of the
United States in its first advance on Richmond
AS an incident Of the stay of the Ellsworth Zou-
ayes in Washington, l will mention that they
| were quartered in the basement of the Capitol
| One night Wizards Hotel caught fire. The Zou-