The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-06-08
WAS FIRST SOLDIER
KILLED IN WAR

e. w H." contributes the following
to the Boston Transcript OF Tuesday:
/ Inc hrSt man who falls in a cause
II ne be OF that rank that is not be-
low the dignity Of history. is sure OF a
nNed place in its annals. Strictly
speaking. the first 10 die for the Union
was the unfortunate gunner OF Fort
sumter, killed while firing a salute TO
the nag that was about to come down
put ne as not slain by the enemy. but
~ lhe premature discharge OF the gun
/ ne was serving. Colonel Ellsworth was
KlIIeu by Confederate sympathizer.
Jackson, the landlord Of the Marshall
House, Alexandria. Ellsworth had at
tracted the attention of the country
before the war by the Zouave com
a revelation TO American tacticians.
Every body had heard of Ellsworth and
every BODY was prepared TO expect for
MN prhliant career. He was a
StllklnS hEure. young, handsome, with
some INNS Gramatic about his ways.
His Dramatic Taking on.
The circumstances Of his sudden TAX
ing OF were dramatic also. His regf-
menL the New York Fire ZouaVes was
part OF the force which was sent across
tne Iotomac on May "a. 1861, TO occupy
Alexandria. There were no Confeder-
ateS IN any force i'm Alexandria, but
there were plenty OF scceSsionists. one
OF these. Jackson, the proprietor of the
Marshall House, kept the Confederate
flag flying after the Union troops en-
tered the city. At later stage of the
war a Sergeants party would have
oeen sent TO remove the obnoxious
1 B.
tary ways. Colonel Ellsworth. takin.
a few soldiers with him. assembled 10
the roof OF the hotel, removed the Com
LeOefdJe uaS, and was proceeding
downstairs with IL in his arms when
I lc Was met by jackson. who shot him
dead. Ellsworth Tell without lu.srni-Ls
/ ms mold OF the flag; jackson was in
stantlN killed by Frank T.. Brownell
one OF the soldiers with Ellsworth
Ellsworth and jackson lay dead to-
Sethtr on the narrow landing in the
halfway of that dinEN hotel The spot
ior Years afterwards had "a ghastly at
traction TO thousands OF Visitors to
made by EllswOrth's blood.
Whether Ellsworth was anything
more than wonderfully expert drill
master no one can ever know, but he
was mourned by the Union as if a
proved great leader had fallen. He
was the subject OF patriotic verses
one poem that was sung in the schools
set TO a popular air told how
Down in the Patriot army
BY PotOmacs side
Fighting in the cause OF freedom
Gallant Ellsworth died"
Children Sang His Praise.
thousands of school children sang
this verse and its sequel bidding free
men not to sheathe their swords while
remained in arms a traitor on Column
bla shore. a whole crop of legends
sprung up around Ellsworth's name.
one told, in explanation of his per-
sonally hauling down the flag. that
Virginia breezes from the White
House, and that Ellsworth, in the
spirit of knight of old. had prom
!Sed her 10 lay it at her feet. OF this
story il may be observed that if Mrs
Lincoln could from the White House
see the flag in Alexandria. she had
the most remarkable powers of vision
ever Nouchsafed to mortal. Ii is pos
sibie that il was some Confederate
Tag near Arlington which attracted
her attention, for Alexandria is al
least six miles distant from Washing
ton. Brownell. the slayer of Jackson.
though he did no more than any other
soldier would have done, was made a
lieutenant in the regular army. a pro-
motion that speaks now for the hYs-
terra of time. The ZouaVe idea did
not Tong survive Ellsworth. Many reg
iments early in the war were dressed
as ZouaVes, but the uniform and the
drill yielded To the requirements of
the service and they were assimilated
10 other organizations. The baggy
trousers and jackets were superseded
by garments of the ordinary army
type and the ZOuaVe dress was re
manded to the small boys of patriotic
families.
Designed to Arouse Enthusiasm.
The movement in which Ellsworth S
ZouaVes bore their share was under
taken. by General ScOtt's order. sim
ply 10 ciedT the 'front.' OF the Union
forces, and to keep their enthusiasm
at high level They had felt that
they were cooped up in Washington
by the Confederates on the other side
of the river. In reality the Confeder-
ates had but small bodies of scouts i'm
and around Arlington and Alexandria
and these retreated at the first signs
of the Union advance If they lin
@ered at all ii was but to exchange
shots with the vanguard of the in
Naders of the sacred soil of Virginia
one report had it that there was some
Skirmlshing in the outskirts of Alex
andria. but the fighting was of the
most trivial description. if fighting
there was. The patriotic North was
hungry for victories. 1t would not be
content with the military explanation
that the sole purpose of the advance
INTO virginia was to seize positions
covering Washington on the south.
Rumors Of battles came thick and
FAST on the oath and 25th of May.
Each report Of a terrible combat at