Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-03-30
THE BATTLE HYMN.
Mrs. l4owe's Own Story of the Writ.
ing of Her Famous Sons.

The story of the writing in Wash
ington OF The Battle Hymn OF the
Republic" by Mrs. Julia Ward Howe,
whose death occurred recently, was
heard from her own lips BY Fraleis
Cotton OF Washington, ID. G. He met
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. l appreciated
what she HAD already accomplished in
the first halt century OF her active
life She was at the zenith OF her
marvellous career.
1T was Il beautiful moonlight night
sailed out into the Grand Canal
toward the Adriatic. A couple OF in
timatr friends accompanied us i'm 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
rs what inspired you to write the
Battle Hymn of the Republc"? She
was silent for 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 4 solemn, subdued tone, as If
again she was under the 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 a time
when everything was going wrong on
the national side of that great con-
illct. Our armies were largely in the
hands of incompetent commanders.
Recruiting was slow and public inter-
est chilled by the prevailing lethargy.
PRESIDENT Lincoln. usually so calm and
untiring in his conduct of the war.
was greatly depressed. Indeed, this
depression extended over the whole
land, and conferred fatally in Washing
ton. Mrs Howe was possessed of the
same fearful sensation of dread and
forebodng.
IL was on just such a still moonlit
night as this which now surrounded
us on the Venetian lagoon that Julia
Ward Howe had reached the depths nj
human doubt and fear. and had retired
exhausted hD
windows of her room open, looking or
On the ino"nllt avenue in Washingt~n.
She told us that her mind was SO
purdened with sorrow for her coun-
Try that for hours she LEV not
whether she slept or not lat flnally
vision seemed to envelopdH her 1acul-
ties.
Slowly the vision call it inspira-
ton or revelation ds you will. was
outside and bend herself 1t took
form in prop,.tic words and lines and
verses. till &c could not longer remain
quiet SbJ arose and Went to her
table sliding in the window and
hastily by the light of the moon.
wrot, down the message as she had
recs'ed it. Then she retired to her
be and slept soundly till daylight.
rhen she arose and dressed herself
she was oblivious of 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 !
With scarcely a coz
rection the Battle Hymn of the Re-
public went out to the country
THE national was thrilled with klsI |