Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1910-11-05
HOW JULIA ward Howe
wrote BATTLE HYMN
MRS. HOWE'S OWN STORY OF IN
SEPARATION OF WONDER
Full POEM.
Charles GurIey, Tribune's Correspond
ent at Washington Tells the Story
in the Authors Own Words.

in the Authors Own Words.
Charles l.. Gurley, the Tribune
good friend at Washington, sends
copy Of the Star, with an interesting
account of the oratory Of the Battle
Hymn of the Republic" by Julia Ware
Howe, recently deceased. All lovers Of
this stirring poem will enjoy the FOL
lowing article from the Star:
| The story of the writing in Wash
ington of 1.-The Battle Hymn OF the
Republic" by Mrs. Julia Ward Howe
whose death occurred Monday, was
heard from her own lips by Francis
Cotton of this city. He met Mrs. Howe
while he was on duty as United States
consul at Venice. Speaking OF her
he said:
More than two score years ago |
first met Mrs. Howe in Venice. She
lived near the consulate, so we often
met. | greatly admired that wonder
full woman for her strong personality
and brilliant intellect. appreciated
what she had already accomplished
in the first half century of her active
life. She was at the zenith of her mar
velous career.
1T was on a beautiful moonlight
night in Venice that Julia Ward Howe
and | sailed out into the Grand canal
toward the Adriatic. A couple of in
innate friends accompanied us in the
gondola. The inspiration of the sur
roundings suggested many interesting
subjects of conversation, and We were
all only too pleased to listen to Mrs.
Howe.
"Suddenly some one speaking low
said: Mrs. Howe, won't you please
tell us what inspired you to write the
Battle Hymn of the Republic?'' She
was silent for a time, as if her mind
and soul were wandering away, far
away, across sea and land to the spot
where the wonderful revelation had
come to her. Then she told us the
story in a solemn, subdued tone, as if
again she was under influence of that
spell when, years before, she stood
in the Presence to receive that
sacred message known ever since as
THE Battle Hymn of the Republic"
Her story in brief was this. During
the war of the rebellion Mrs. Howe
was staying in Washington at time
when everything was going wrong on
the national side of that great conflict.
Our armies were largely in the hands
Of incompetent commanders. Recruit
ing was SLOW and public interest
chilled by the prevailing lethargy.
President Lincoln, usually so calm and
untiring in his conduct of war, was
greatly depressed. Indeed this depres-
sion extended over the whole land and
ceptered fatally in Washington. Mrs.
Howe was possessed Of the same fear.
full sensation of dread and forebod-
ing
1t was on just such still moon
lit night as this which now surround
ed us on the Venetion lagoon that
Julia Ward Howe had reached the
depths Of human doubt and fear, and
had retired exhausted to her couch,
leaving the windows of her room open,
looking out on the moonlit avenue in
Washington.
She told us that her mind was so
burdened with sorrow for her country
that for hours she knew not whether
she slept or not, but finally a vision
seemed to envelop all her faculties.
Slowly the vision, call it inspira
ton or revelation, as you will, was
outside and beyond herself. 1t took
form in prophetic words and lines and
verses, till she could not longer re-
main quiet. She arose and went to her
table standing in the window, and
hastily, by the light of the moon, wrote
down the message as she had received
it. Then she retired to her bed and
slept soundly till daylight. When she
arose and dressed herself she was
oblivious to what had passed in her
hours of slumber. Passing from her
room, Mrs. Howe saw some writing on
her table, which she took up and read
She told us that she was as much
surprised as possible in reading these
verses in her own handwriting. With
scarcely correction the Battle
Hymn of the Republic" went out to
the country.
THE nation was thrilled with this
wonderful hymn, which so awakened
and encouraged the people that it was
sung from coast to coast.
1T stirred up such frenzy of pa
triotism that young men by the thou
sand fell into line and marched to the
'front.' while the veterans of the field
caught up the refrain and sang it to
battle and victory.
1.-The Battle Hymn of the Repub-
lic,' measured by the fierce enthu-
siam it created, was equal to thousands
of soldiers armed and inspired to