The Washington herald., 1914-02-23
HISTORY BUILDERS.
A Night in Camp with Theodore
Winthrop.
By Dr. =. J. EDWARDS.

~ DE-. y. J.. EDWARDS.
I~oL. EDWARD J. ALLEN. who in
the early SOS blazed a path from
the Missouri River to Oregon and
beyond. and who IN civil war days COM
manded Pennsylvania regiment until
he was severely wounded at Gettysburg.
related to me recently what he called Q
very unusual incident connected with
Theodore Winthrop's famous book,
Canoe and Saddle"
Theodore Winthrop was Of New Haven
birth and was a graduate Of Yale Coli
lege in the late SOS. He was an inti-
mate personal and family friend Of
George William Curtis and II was from
Mr. Curtis home that Winthrop went to
the front early in 1851 as a lieutenant In
the Seventh New York Regiment. He
was killed in the battle Of Big Bethel.
and his funeral in New York was the first
Of the many which took place in that
city Of officers killed in the civil war
Col. Allen said to me: in the early
SOS there was no emigrant road into
what was then the territory Of Upper
Oregon. but is now the state of Washing
ton. i was living there as a pioneer.
There / first men Capt. Mcclellan. who.
ten years later. was in command Of ths
Army Of the Potomac. j was one of thoss
who aided in building a road into thu
"Whulge, which was the name at that
time Of what is now known as the Puget
Sound country. Capt. George Brinton
Mcclellan. with a company OF robust,
hardworking frontiersmen, Iabored in
credibly in these wilds OF the grand for
est Of The cascades doing what would
never have been undertaken except by
those who were enthusiastic in their pur-
pose Of overcoming very stubborn nat.
ural conditions.
Then only twenty-five years Of age, ]
was chosen to command this company.
We went right out into the heart OF ma
ture, climbed the snow peaks crossed
the swift and dangerous streams and PEN
etrated the forests, pushing constantly
ahead.
'one night a hail or call came from
without the circle of our blazing campfire
The call was heard Just at the moment
when our supper was ready for US. Out
OF the depths OF the forest rode a white
man with an Indian boy. who was riding
packhorse. Introduction was mutual
and without exchange OF names, for every
stranger was welcome there.
Hunger was a constant condition there
for the country was wild. But We were
glad to have two more join in our circle.
We heaped the logs upon the fire and the
warmth was keenly enjoyed by the Sc new.
corners.
After a pipe or two We all rolled our.
selves in blankets. excepting my guest.
and myself / discovered speedily that
he was a rare man-One with whom il was
a joy to commune. We chatted together
late in the night and our conversation
took us back to our homes across the
continent
Just before the early dawn we yielded
ourselves to sleep which was deep and
dreamless. In the morning We gave our
guests cordial Godspeed. and the forest
soon closed upon the horses and riders
In 1855. having an hours leisure. !
stepped into a book store on PennsyI-
vania avenue. in Washington. and picked
up volume at random. Upon opening il.
read glorious description of this noun
tain camp OF the rosdmakers and ] rec
ogniZed myself as the boss" sketched
out in that unusual and vital book whose
title was Canoe and Saddle Then for
the first time / learned that my guest
that night was Theodore Winthrop. who
died at Big Bethel in advance Of his
command and whose death. glorious a.
II was. undoubtedly cost the country one
who would have been . great ornament 10
American literature
Tenorrowi Mr.. Edward. will ten
.why Commodore Vanderbilt Went
into RniiroadinE.-
Copyright lslIl .