The National tribune., 1895-09-05
OLD DAYS IN CAMP.
The I'd Mass. and Its Experiences at Brook
Farm,


memorable as the camp of the Literary Com
munistic Society of Poets, Philosophers and
Historians, founded upon the idea, as some
claimed, that every man should do his share
of manual as well as intellectual labor If he
wished TO eat of the fruits of the earth. The
real reason was, probably, wish for literary
exclusiveness and companionship. Brook
Farm, at West RoXbury, was where Haw-
thorne located his famous - Blithedale no
nance"
The public mind in May, 1861, was excited,
and those of us who went early TO Camp An
drew were in a condition to easily receive i'm
pressions We looked forward with eager
anticipation to the one rapid but brilliant
campaign which we expected TO make an end
ing of the rebellion, and TO the renown which
we each and all expected TO achieve.
1t would seem as if the Governor and the
original leading officers of the regiment, in
procuring this site, had thought that the asso-
citation would, in some sense inspire the regi-
ment with zeal to emulate the grand ideas
and men associated with the spot.
As we sat by our camrfires during those
few weeks Of rigid drill and discipline which
preceded our departure for the seat Of war,
we saw in vision the characters painted there
bv Hawthorne we gathered with affection
about the cottage of Margaret Fuller, and
campfire imagination magnified the suf1erings
and adventures of her eventful life.
We wandered with awe through the halls
of the old farmhouse. where lived the male
members of the old community. and fancy
painted in every pool of the brook which
flows through the meadow the last struggle
which Hawthome's Zenobia made for life
The personnel of the regiment was in
-1-,1.a ff,1
Gordon had distinguished himself on the
fields of Mexico. and was a classmate in the
class Of lsi6 at West Point of both Mcclellan
and Stonewall Jackson.
An interesting Renaissance occurs TO me
at this moment in connection with the latter.
The Sd Mass. regiment covered the retreat Of
the small army of Banks ont Of the Shenan-
dOah Valley one year later. when Stonewall
jackson, with probably five times the forceso
Banks. had succeeded in practically surround
ing the latter's army.
Upward of 100 OF the regiment were capt
ured IN covering the retreat. We were taken
before StOnewall Jackson He asked our
Major. Wilder Dwight. the name of the COM
mander of his regiment which had so well
covered the retreat and lost 10 heavily in its
execution. Dwight replied:
" Your old friend and classlnate, George II.
Gordon
The vacant. far-off look which 50 often
characterized Jackson vanished as il did in
battle, and with flashing ewes he answered:
Yes, classmate, and he was friend,
sir"
Lieut-C George /. Andrews, who after
wards commanded the regiment and later
became Maior-General in the Department
of the Gulf, was of the class of 1851 at West
Point. man whom during the few weeks at
old Brook Farm we regarded rs somewhat
irritable and nervous on dress parade. in drill
and camp discipline but whom later. on the
field Of battle. we found to he one Of the most
gallant coolest, and best regulated Of officers.
BE was afterwards Z. :. Marshal of Boston,
and has Just retired, after 20 years of profess
sorship at West Point. He still looks youth
ful, and long may he live TO enjoy the fruits
and honors 50 well earned.
Mai. Wilder Dwight, graduate of Har-
ward, lawyer who rising in note. is the
man Of whom the old members of the I'd
Mass. can hardly speak with dry ewes. He
fell at Antietam. As a soldier and gentle
man he was a Knight Errant Of the Middle
Ages transplanted into this.
Lucius ManlIus Sargent was the Surgeon
but he was too fiery and ambitious to toe con-
tent with cutting off the limbs Of his own
men, and he soon left the regiment to take
position in the cavalry as leader, where he
=" foremost fighting, fell.
Rev. Alonzo II. Quint, noted then as
preacher, since known IN many fields as a
writer and educator as well. was the Chap
lain. His Sunday sermons were always good.
and were listened to by those of all creeds.
but his greatest work was in the careful at
tention which he always gave to the special
necessities of the men, and the care with
which Inc looked after their mail matter.
Such were the leading members of the
staff Of the I'd Mass. at Camp Andrew All
OF these men were rapidly to achieve a Ma
tional fame
OF the company officers il is impossible TO
do Justice by enumeration without mention
ing all, and space will not permit but when
we look back at Capts. Abbott, Savage
Nudge, Cary, Goodwin, Williams six out of
the original 1O), who were killed upon the
different fields within The first two wears Of
the regiments service, and Of a like propor-
ton Of the Lieutenants, men Of equal stand
ing and renown, the majority Of which Off
Gers were graduates of Harvard College. we
can appreciate that the line officers stood well
up in material 10 the staff Among the Off
GERS not mentioned above was Lieut. 10 ert
G. Shaw, afterward Colonel of the 5sth who
tNA AZ IDlb hdSuci, anu WHO, as the l-Outtl-
erners said, twas buried under LAYER of his
nigger."
There were Thomas Motley, ir, and Henry
J.. Higginson, who left the regiment 10 take
higher commands in the LIST Cav, where they
achieved distinction Underwood. who left
the regiment and rapidly rose TO the rank of
a General commanding brigade and who
afterward served 50 long and honorably as
Surveyor of the Port of Boston; young
Rufus Choate, who gave great promise, but
whose health failed; William Cogswell,
later to be a commander of the regiment and
General OF brigade, always knightly sol
oler, but who lived to achieve fame in civil
lie, whose grave is not yet green, and the
eyes ol whose mOuners are not vet dry-a
skliliul and dashing leader and an uncom-
promising fighter.
We should also mention Russell. Francis
Horton, and many others who were TO achieve
distinction in the ID and in other fields dur
ing the four years to follow.
Although with the regiment in about all
the battles that il fought, was one of the few
OF the original thousand who went out with
the regiment at Camp Andrew who returned
with ii IN July, 1665-the regiment re-enlisted
on the field Mt the end of three wears of sery-
lce--at the age Of IS as First Lieutenant in
command Of Co. /, Of which company Gen.
Underwood went out in command 1t was
called Bloody Eye u of the Bloody Twoth