Coreteronitrate.
CHAPLAIN STEWART'S LETTER.
BATTLE FIELD, COAL HARBOR, VA.,
June 6th, 1864. f
DEAR Brio. MEA.us :—Were passing
events merely written of, there would
be but a repetition; a long, sickening,
almost endless detail of bloodshed ; of
killing, of ghastly mutilation on the
human body, from the crown of the
bead to the sole of the foot, not a s i ng l e
part of it that has not often been seen
torn, lacerated, and broken in every
possible manner. Even a sickly public
curiosity may have at length become
sated, sickened, clogged with these
bloody details. Yet of what el's() can
wo write? Cur duties, our daily and
nightly business, are with the dead, the
dying and the tortured sufferer.
And still this 'death struggle is waged
with, if possible, increased earnestness
and fury. No appearance of a ternii
natiop. Each party as apparently ready
for the conflict as when begun in the
Wilderness a month since. Hero we are
in front of an old dilapidated farin and
mansion called Coal .Harbor, some ten
miles east from Richmond, where the
right wing of our army camped in 1862.
—4lere we arc with an unceasing can
nonade and masketry roar—cutting
down trees and bashes, carrying rails
with fragments of demolished houses
and old buildings and piling them up
for defences, digging ditches and throvr
ing up long said parallel ridges of earth,
both as means for assault and modes of
defence against the missiles of - the enemy.
In many places these works are now
pushed up within a stone's throw of the
enemy. Should a soldier on either side
make a fair' exhibition of head or body
by day, ho is pretty sure to have a Min
nie-ball through the same.
WOUNDED REBEL
Raring the second day of the battle
in the Wilderness, and during a lull in
the carnage, I was sitting on Jesse and
resting in a place where the rebel line of
battle had been the previous day. Their
wounded had been generally removed,
while the dead lay thickly scattered in
all directicms and positions. One of
their wounded, which had been either
overlooked or they unable or unwilling
to remove him, lay near a tree where I
stopped. Dismounting, I drew near
him with the familiar salutation;
" Well, friend, how are you getting
along?" Eyeing me with evident sus-:
picion, mingled with some fierceness, he
slowly responded : ." Wall, stranger,
bad enough." "Anything I can do , for
you ?" was inquired. Seeing I was not
about to insult or kill him outright, his
tone and manner became greatly modi
fied while responding: "See here strara
ger ! now in the first place I ought'nt to
have been here." Assuring him thatno
difference of opinion existed respecting
that matter, and that this was not the
time and place to have the matter-dis
cussed and settled, the question was re
peated : " What can be done for you 'I"
" Wan, if I could only be turned over.
Both my thighs seem to be broken, and
lying just in this one way since yester
day, has made me awful tired." Getting
outside of him and bending down, -he
*as directed to put his arms around-me
and help himself as well as he could:
We soon succeeded in getting him
twisted over. " Thar," says he, that's
better, thank ye." "Got any water ?"
"Nary a drop since yesterday!' A little
was poured into his cup from my .can
teen. " Could you eat a cracker ?"
" Got nun." Two were banded him,
- which were eyed with special interest
and -curiosity. By this time his fear
and fierceness were both gone, and his
eyes filled with tears. A living Yankee
had met him, and instead of being in
sulteder killed outright, he was receive
ling at least apparent kindness. " Got a
Ivifo?"-I queried. " Yes, yes, and a
whole lot of children away in North
Carolina; and oh, if I was only with
Mammy now," meaning his wife.
Just then two of our young men came
up, .with an empty stretcher. I hailed
them.and asked if they would not carry
this wounded enemy back to our Hos
pital. " Certainly." And almost as
soon as said, the helpless rebel was lift
ed on the stretcher, and the young men
in motion with it. This was too much
for all the wounded man's stoicism and
animosity. Breaking down altogether,
he commenced crying like a little baby;
and could only exclaim as be was borne
away: Wail, now, this does heat
all." •
The fierceness and animosity infused
into the Southern army by the leaders
of this wicked rebellion, had evidently
led him to expect far different . treat
mini, should he be unfortunate enough
ever to fall into the hands of these
bloody Tanks. When, however, the
arms shall be finally knocked out of the
hands of thesamisguidod men, they will
lei= that both Northern soldiers and
citizens are so widely different from
what they have been led to believe, that
we shall henceforth have not only a
lasting, but a loving peace. The truth
is, you could not induce oar soldiers to
retaliate upon the persons of helpless
enemies. Though meeting them with
all the sternness of death-dealing war,
so long as arms are in their hands, yet
so soon as helpless attheir feet, they be
come to these rebels, tender as to little
children.
LABOR IN FIFILD HOSPITAL
A few days since I was assigned to
duty by the proper authorities, as chap
lain to our Division Hospital, yet with
the understanding that my own Regi
ment could be visited cabh day. This
hospital for seventeen regiments, is
located about two Miles to the rear of
the front line. Here the wounded
from these regiments are brought
back; some able to walk, others on
stretchers and in ambulances. Hero
they have their wounds examined and
dressed and amputations performed, if
found necessary. When the wounded
have accumulated sufficiently, they are
sent to White-House Landing, sixteen
miles distant, in a long train of am
bulances and army wagons.
In our Division (2d Div. 6th Corps)
we have about thirty large tests and
awnings, and the ground beneath these
is not unfrequently entirely covered
with helpless, bleeding, mutilated, ago
nizing sufferers. What scenes Some
are defid ere they can be conveyed to
the Hospital; some die under operation
or while - their
. wounds are being dress
ed; while others linger inpain for hours
or days, ere the relief of death conies.
A large majority are able to be convey,
ed away Northward.
The duties as4gned me for the pre
sent, are to see that the dead are all
buried, with, it possible, suitable relig
ious ceremonies, see to the moral wants
of the sufferers, and held such religious
services as may be , convenient or possi
ble in our condition.
AMONG THE WOUNDED,
FRtDERICKBURG, Saturday Night, I
May 21, 1864.
MY DEAR BRO. MEARS.—I intended,
before this, to have fulfilled my prornise
of giving you a sketch of things as they
appear to one who has been looking
upon these scenes of suffering and sor
row. All the week we have been inces
santly occupied in duties, which have so
pressed upon us, as to leave almost no
moment for quiet thought; least of all
a leisure hour for a letter. I write now
sitting on the floor with a small: book,
upon my knee, and with men talking
on either side, finding it hard to realize
that it is Saturday night. The week
has boon a long weary week of anxiety
and excessive toil, full of sorrowful inci
dent. The agony, the groans and the
sharp cry of dying men, have been al
most perpetually in our ears and before
our eyes; yet thanks to the good hand
of God over us, we feel comparatively
fresh and vigorous, looking forward to
a Sabbath not indeed of quiet and re
pose, ;of worship and of song, ;but of
bustle and noise, and the same ministra
tions which have occupied so many
hours.
On our arrival in Fredericksburg last
Friday afternoon, we at once put our
selves under the orders of the surgeon
in charge of the city, and were by him
detailed to the hospitals of the second
corps, where we should find the wounded
of our Delaware regiments. We selected
the place which seemed most destitute
and in need of help. It was the St.
George's Episcopal choral, - on.' the cor
ner of Princess Ann.. and St. George's
-streets. The building bears marks .of
the battles of Fredericksburg. The
walls are torn with shot and the spire
is pierced with holes, where shot. and
shell have gone in and out. It was-used
by both sides as a signal station, and of
course was made a mark for the cannon
of both union and rebel artillerists. One
of our company to-day-took from the
interior of the clock a piece of shell
which had stopped its working. By
the way, here is an example'of the dif-.
forence between the two people, _North
and . South. I believe. that ' this clock
has not .been running since the former
battle. We :thought it.would be pleas
ant-to hear it tell the hours, and to see
the hands traversing the dial; so one of
our number made it his business to es,
amine and repair it. He found that it
was in order, needing a little oil, and
the piece of spherical case shot to be.
removed. So all day it has -been run
ning, and I have just hoard the pleasant ,
tone of the bell striking nine o'clock at
night.
Every part of this 'building has been
turned to hospital service, The main
audience room and two large texture
rooms are for the wounded ; the room
in the rear of the pulpit is the pperating
room, where amputation and other sur
gical operations are performed. The
room below it, formerly the infant-class
'oom, is our sure room and. the place
PHILADELPHIA, THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 1864.
A. M. STEWART
Ofoourse, our first buSiness waste dress
the wounds,and this - was a long and weary
work. For the first two or three days
there was a great scarcity of surgical
aid. Great battles were in progress,
and every surgeon was needed at, the
front; just enough had been detailed
to attend to the administrativeduties of
the hospitals, the larger portion of the
care of the wounded was necessarily
thrown on the volunteers of the Sani
tary and Christian Commissions. -So,
too, almost all the material used,lint,
bandages, &c., were obtained only.from
the Sanitary Commission, and for .sever
al days, pretty much every thing that
was used to comfort or relieve the suf
ferers came from the same source.
Again and again, and every hoar, we
had reason to- bless God for this great
association. And here lot me pay,a, tri
bute to the devotion and self sacrifices
of the volunteer surgeons. I have in
my mind two, especially, in the hospital
to which I was attached. Dr. Buck,
the celebrated New York surgeon, and
professor in the College of Physicians
and Surgeons, was the chief surgeon in
charge, and was unwearied in the dis:-
charge of his responsible duties, per
forming all the varied - operations with
his well known skill and success, as well
as giving his personal attention to every
case that required it among some three
hundred or four hundred men. Dr.
Parker, a surgeon from .Michigan ; was
in charge of the wards to which we
were assigned, and With skill and kind
ness was always at his post; while one
after another. would fail, overworked
.and sick, and go away. I mention
these men not because they were pecu
liar in their labors, but because they
came .especially under my own eye.
They wore probably a typo of many.
Fredericksburg, while it has been during
these days a scene of agony, has also
been a scene of matchless devotion, and
an exhibition of the purest patriotism
and Christianity. There will be .many
among these three or four hundred vol
unteers who will go home to sick rooms,
and some to their graves on account of
these labours of love. How men can
breathe the inexpressibly dreadful at
mosphere of these rooms, and not be
poisoned, is wonderful. One of our
most experienced army nurses in my
ward tells me that he has been with the
sick and wounded before, and often, but
has never seen anything like this. One
after another, they are falling sick, and
seem to demand attention themselves.
I might deseribe the destitution of
comfort, and our utter and heartsicken
in4 inability to give, at times, the most
simple relief How - our 'heart ached as a
where we prepare our delicacies.
notice in the ceiling a large purple stain;
it will remain there; the surgeons above
have not been careful enough to have
the blood all drip into the box of saw
dust, some of it has gone through the
floor. The church is doing service for
huilltlDity sad the country, better, I
fear, than it has ever done before..
We selected as our especial posts, the
two basement rooms. We found them'
sufficiently full of wounded men when
we first saw them; but the long lines of
ambulances and wagons were, hoUr
after hour, rolling through the streets,
and depositing their mournful freight
at our doors; not all to be borne into
the ward. Now and then a soldier, that
did not groan as they lifted him heavily
on the stretcher, would be carried within'
the gate, but only to lie with covered
face all silent and still, or on the graas
breathing heavily the last breath of a
departing life. Soon, howeVer, the wards.
were fall, and could hold no more; the
floors are covered all over with wounded
men, so thickly that you must stride over
them as you walk, treading.we have
learned to do it now—wi th utmost care,
looking well NOtirp you plant your feot,
lest you shall touch some poor mutilated
limb, or jar the arms of a stretcher,
and have a sharp cry of pain make the
tear start to your oyes, at yourcarelesS
ness.
Of these men I speak carefully, when
I say, perhaps not one of them but is
desperately wounded. There they lie
shot "through every portion of the body,
with wounds that make you stand in
wonder that the man - fives still; through
the eye, out at the temple, through- 7 -
they are almost all through and through .
—the chest, out at the back, through
:the thighs, arms, legs, in every conceiv
able direction; some 'of them have had
•limbs amputated, at the shoulder, high
up on the thighs, b6low the knee. But
I will not describe-them. Words cannot
convey to you 'the scene, least of all,
give you a conception of the pestilential
air, more terrible-than sight or sound,
which fills the rooms. Many of these
festering wounds, (and a gunshot wound
is different from any other,)- have not
been dressed 'for nearly a week, and xis
the bandages are unrolled their condi
tion is terrible, demanding a strong
effort of the will to compel the hands
to do their work.
poor• wagon-jolted body craved some
thing better than the hard floor to lie
on, or when a pale and agonized face
would look up and ask for something on
which to rest the quivering stump of his
amputated limb—but it is past now. Oh
how we fairly cried out for joy when,
in the Sanitary store room, we saw a
bale of blankets and a case of pillows !
How we quickly wrote our requisition
and hastened back like boys over
with them in our arms. You will not
wonder that when we came to a patient
sufferer and asked him to lift his nead,
putting our hand under it to raiseit
from the soiled coat that covered the
'heavy shoes and was his only pillow,
and then slipped a soft pillow that some
gentle hand had made under it, while
the head sank back and the eyes closed
with "Oh how good that is; thank you,
`sir,'—yon will not wonder that our
eyes were clouded for a moment, or that
a choked voice could hardly answer.
Were I to tell it all Your columns would
be toe few.
It is wonderful how these wounded
men live, and it is at times surprising
- how they die; some with wounds ghastly
and horrible, through--or seemingly
through—the head,- and really through
the chest ; live on from day to day, while
others who seem comparatively
. slightly
wounded, sink away.; we. leave them
comparatively comfortable at night, but
find their places vacant in the morning.
I have before me now as ease of wonder
ful tenacity of life, the surgeons seemed
amazed - at it. A rifle ball had plunged
directly in the centre of the chest of a
soldier through the'breast bone, coming
out I think at the tack. Yet' he lived
for more than a week and has but just
died. For a,dayle has lain panting for
breath and dying. In the delirium of
his passing away, his last words were
"Forward, :march, file left ! double
quick 1" and so he joined the great host
Of the dead. W. A.
JOSIAH PARTINGTON.
Died, at "Youngstown, N. Y., on the
11th of February, Rev. Josiah Parting
ton, in the 65th year of his age.
Circumstances beyond the control of
those immediately concerned, have de
layed the above notice, with an obitu
ary. suitable to the death of an aged and.
honored servant of Christ.
Mr. Partington was born in Manches
ter, England, Dec. 25th, 1799. At the
early age of fifteen he became hopefully
converted to God. He acquired an ed
ucation through his own exertions, and
early turned his attention to the Gospel
ministry. Ho preached in several places
in England, and was finally sent as a
missionary to the Isle of Man, where
he remained three years, and returned
to his native place. In 1831, he sailed
for America. Landing at Nev York,
ha immediately repaired to Little York,
(now Toronto) C. W., where he preach
ed one year. He then went to Drum
mondville, C. W., where he was ordained,
and united with the Niagara Presby
tery. He remained there four years,
and in the winter or spring of 1836,
came to Youngstown and preached for
Rev. Mr. Elliot, during a very interest
ing revival. He then preached for the
church at Lewiston, about six months,
when ho received a call from the church
at Knowlesville, N. Y., where he was
installed and remained rthirteen years.
Thence he went to Byron, Gen. Co.,
and after three years labor, removed to
Pelham, C. W. After ibur years he
came to Youngstown, remaining to the
time of his death.
These details have been given with
confidence that they will' be of great in
terest to hundreds, who have been his
parishioners and to his brethren in the
Presbyteries with which he has been
connected. .
As a preacher of the Gospel, Mr. Par
tingtou was distinguished .for fervor,
soundness and earnestness. At times,
when dwelling on the great doctrines of
graco and urging them upon men, one
would be reminded of the words, " The
zeal of the Lord's house bath eaten me
up." And thus honoring God, he was,.
according to the promise, honored of
God, in the fruits of his ministry, and in
the affection and confidence of multi
tudes. Through all his ministry, he de
lighted to dwell on the days of his mis
sionary service in the Isle of Man, and
to narrate some wonderful incidents of
diVine providence there.
As a man., Mr. Partington was dis
tinguished for peculiar friendliness and
for inflexible integrity. His heart was
always open to the suffering, and his
strength and means at their service.
He was proverbially proMpt and punc
tual in . all dealings with men, and in all
calls and duties of the ministry. In this
respect, few men have left so useful an
example behind them. And when call
ed togo up higher, his children mourned
the loss of a faithful friend, and his
partner a faithful, affectionate husband.
There is pleasant assurance that the hu
man verdict in his life was ratified
above, "Well done I" Com.
ARRANGEMENT AND WORKING OF
AN ARMY HOSPITAL.
The public generally are but little in
formed in regard to the organization
and efficiency of the Medical Depart
ment of our Army. The following com
munication, on this subject, from the
Rev. T. H. Robinson, of Harrisburg,
who spent several weeks in the employ
of the Christian Commission, in the
Army of the Potomac, will interest the
readers of your valuable paper. It
is taken from the Ilarris;urg Telegraph.
Dr. De Witt mentioned in the commu
nication, is the son of Rev. Dr. De Witt,
of Harrisburg, associated with the Rev.
Mr. Robinson, as the senior pastor of
the First Presbyterian Church of that
that place :
Fifth Corps—Major General Warren.
First Division—Fifth Corps—Surge on-in
chief, W. R. DeWitt, Jr., M. D.
'First Division—Brigadier General Griffin.
Each division of a corps has its division
hospital, which accompanies the'corps in all
its movements, and is under the direction
of a surgeon-in -chief.
A division is divided into three brigades.
Each of the brigades of a division has a
surgeon-in-chief, who is appointed on the
recommendation of the surgeon-in-chief of
the division. The surgeons of the various
regiments of the brigades, are his assistants
and make their reports to him.
The Ist brigade, fist division, is composed
of ten regiments, with an average of two
surgeons to a regiment. The 2d brigade,
Ist division, has five regiments, two sur
geons to each. The 3d brigade, ist division,
has seven reaiments two surgeons to each
regiment.
Total, twenty-two regiments in the divi
sion and over forty surgeons.
Each regiment has also a hospital steward
and a complement of nurses, one nurse to
ten or twenty men. Each brigade surgeon
has a medical supply wagon or traveling
apothecary shop, and a certain number of
ambulances; also, supply wagons according
to the number of men in the brigade. lie
is provided with a supply of kettles, blan
kets, provisions and the various medical and
sanitary stores needed. These wagons are,
required to be kept full of supplies for every
emergency.
During permanent camp the sick are
taken care of in regimental hospitals, but
on the eve of a campaign the surgeon-in
chief organizes the division hospital and be
comes responsible to the medical director of
the corps for all that occurs in his division.
He first recommends for appointment a
surgeon-in-charge, who takes the general
charge of the hospital and is responsible to
the surgeon-in-chief of the division. An as
sistant surgeon is appointed who is specially
charged with the duty of preparing food and
shelter for the sick and wounded of the di
vision. The entire culinary or kitchen de
partment is under his control. For its sup
ply he drives along with the hospital, beeves
for slaughter, cows for milk, haswagons
laden with delicacies, and necessaries, can
ned fruits, milk, condensed beef for soups,
corn-starch, farina, &c. He is to be ready
with these at any warning.
A surgeon is also appointed a recorder of
the division, whose duty it is to keep an accu
rate record of all who are admitted to the
hospital, taking the name, rank, regiment,
wound, character of it, slight or serious, and
by what kind of missile produced.
When, after a march the hospital is camp s .
ed for the night or to await a battle, the hos
pital tents are pitched in three rows to re
present the three brigades of the division,
each brigade being under the charge of the
surgeon-in-chief of the brigade. The camp
is pitched in the form of a hollow square
the surgeons' tents on-one side, the hospital
tents on another, the kitchen on the third
side, and near by it the provost guard and
the pioneers, and on the fourth side are ar
ranged the hospital wagons. In the centre
of the square under a large tent are placed
the operating tables where amputations are
performed.
In locating a hospital the requisites are—
'l, pure water; 2, wood ; 3, good ground,
dry and of even surface ; also, if possible
near a wood where boughs may be obtained
for beds. In making beds for the sick and
wounded, a layer of pine boughs is first
spread on the ground, upon that the gum
blankets of the soldier, and then the woolen
blankets, using for the pillow anything that
can be obtained. The shelter of hospital
tents for the sick and wounded is much pre
ferred to that of houses, on. the score of
healthiness.
Each brigade of the division has its own
operatina c' table in the centre of the hollow
square. This table is under the charge of
the chief surgeon of the brigade, who is held
responsible for all operations performed.
He has two assistant surgeons, making three
to each table, also a steward to assist and to
keep record of operations and to dispense
medicines to the sick. There are also other
stewards placed in charge of the sanitary
stores and of the medical wagons, who are
ready at all times to fill the prescriptions of
the surgeons. They are required to keep on
hand 1500 rations, stimulants and medicines
enough to run the hospital four or lives days,
even in case of a heavy battle, and though
entirely cut off from supplies.
This division hospital is kept in the rear
of the army from one to four and five miles,
according to circumstances. In addition to
it there is also an outpost hospital,, estab
lished on every field of battle in, time of en
gagement. It is placed as near the fighting
body as may be, in some sheltered spot if
possible, behind a house, tinder a clump of
trees, beside a spring or stream, if possible.
To it wounded men, picked up by the
stretcher-bearers on the field are brought,
the wound examined, temporarily dressed,
hemorrhages of blood stopped, and then
they are placed in ambulances that come up
to this point, and borne back to the division
hospital. Each man is sent to the brigade
to which he belongs, the wound is at once
re-examined, the slight ones - attended to in
tents, the more severe taken to the operat
ing tables. No amputations are allowed on
the field or in out-post hospitals. These
cases are decided in the, division hospitals,
consultations of the surgeons `beina held in
cases of doubt.
In the Ist division hospital of the sth
corps, with which I was permitted to spend
several days on the March from Spottsylvania
C. 11. to the present position of the army,
south of the Pamunky river, I was most
highly gratified and even astonished with
the order and success of its management.
Everything seemed to be complete. -The
wounded were attended to with the greatest
dispatch. The supplies, medical, sanitary
and culinary, were abundant, and provided
upon the shortest notice. The order of the
hospital camp was most adniirable. There
was a full complement of surgeons, of stew
ards, of nurses and of chaplataa, always in
readiness to attend to the wounded. In a
march within half an hour after the train
stopped all the sick and wounded would be
supplied with beef tea or some other nourish
ing food, In case of a ba.tdo,-I was assurocl
by the surgeon that if two hundred wounded
were brought in their arrangements were so
complete, that by eleven or twelve, o'clock
in the evening of the battle all the amputa
tions would be performed, the wounds dres
sed, the wounded fed and put away to rest,
and the camp quieted for a night's sleep. I
looked on with admiration and thankfulness
as I beheld the corps of surgeons in charge
of this Ist division hospital, with their assist
ant surgeons, chaplains, stewards and nurses,
taking such rapid, considerate and success
ful care of the wounded men that were
brought in from the field of battle. The sur
geons-in-chief and in charge, Drs. DeWitt and
Thomas, whose tent I was permitted to shire
most of the time, seem to be most admirably
fitted for their responsible position, and to
be unwearied in attention to their duties.
They are supported by as gentlemanly and
able a body of surgeons as it - has ever been
my privilege to meet. Most of the opera
tions performed in the way of amputations,
which I witnessed, were by Dr. Kerr, of
Allegheny city, and were performed with a
readiness and skill, and, withal, with a ten
der regard to the poor sufferer, such as
elicited my admiration and deep respect.
There are doubtless cases of negligence and
gross inattention to. duty in most of our army
hospitals, and, as a consequence, Unnecessary
suffering and death among our wounded and
brave defenders ; but it is an authenticated
fact that never in the history of wars has so
noble a medical and sanitary record been
given to the world as in connection with the
armies of the republic. Never beforehas the
ratio of mortality been reduced to anything
like-that which is furnished by our armies.
Never before were armies so cared fo,r, nor
wounded and sick men,
and the dead so at
tended as they are this day in the army of
the Union. I can speak only in terms of
highest praise of that hospital with which I
became most familiar while with the army
—the hospital of the Ist division, sth corps
—and if all others are like it, we may rest
assured that our brave men will receive all
the attention and care that men of great
skill and kindness, aided by the resources
of the Government, can afford them.
PARALLEL IN ENGLISH HISTORY TO
'THE COURSE OF OUR STRUGGLE.
As to this war, no one was more -op—
posed to it at the outset than I wee. I
too, though in the interest of the Free
States, would have said, Part in peace;
not seeing, as the people with their
sounder instincts have seen, that be
tween, nations formed by a violent
disruption, and divided by no natural
boundary, there would be no peace,
but perpetual hatred, constant wars,
and standing armies, the scourge of
industry and the rain of freedom. I
thought the task of subjugation hopeless,
suicidal, and therefore criminal. I knew
from history the tremendous strength of
slave Powers, in which the masters are
an army supplied by the slaves with
food. I knew also the vast extent of
the country to be subjugated, and the
difficulties which it presented to an in
vader. I knew that the power of the
slave-owning oligarchy of the South
would enforce a unity in their councils
and actions, which the parties of the free
North would be long in attaining ; and
that though, there was a loyal party in
the South, as the very process of Seces
sion and the voting at the Presidential
election proved, the strong arm of the
oligarch would put down all dissent. I
did not know, for in truth we had never
fairly seen, the power of a great and
united nation, every member of which
was a full citizen, and felt the common
cause to be entirely his own. Yet there
was a precedent in history which might
in some measure have furnished a key
to the probable result. We are all taking
en this occasion nearly the same side
Which we should have taken in our own
civil war in the time of Charles I , ex
cepting perhaps a part of the shop
keepers, who in those days had a strong
conviction, but who in these days have
no very strong convictions, and are led
to take the aide of the South because
they fancy it to be genteel. That, civil
war was marked in its course by nearly
the same vicissitudes alethis. The Com
mons, superior in numbers, in wealth,
and the material of war, fell with over
weening confidence on the Cavaliers.
But the Cavaliers had at first the advan
tage in military spirit and in the habit
of command, while the retainers whom
they brought into the field were better
trained to obey. Edgohill was not un
like Bull's Run. One wing of the Parlia
mentary army galloped off the field
without striking a blow • and Clarendon
declares that, though the- battle begun
on an Autumn afternoon, runaways, and
not only common soldiers, but, officers
of rank, wore in St. Alban's before dark.
Then followed despondency as deep as
the previous self confidence had been
high and boastful. - Overtures were
made to theXing, and Pym and Hemp
den, the "rabid fanatic,V of
.that day,
had great difficulty in preventing a -sur
render. Nor Was treason wanting, in
camp or council, t) complete the parallel.
Still darker days followed ; and when
the King_ sat down Belpre Gloneester,
the friends of " Slavery;.Subordination,
• -
and Government,o •at thatetime. must
have felt as sure of victory as thee did
when General Lee was approachine the
heights of Gettysburg. But our Puri
tan Fathers had the root of greatness in
them; and therefore they were chasten
ed, not crushed, by adversity. Necessity
brought the right men to the front, and
gave the ascendency in °pundit° those
who were fighting for
.a principle, and
who kneW their own minds. The armies,
which at first were filled with tapsters
and serving -men, were recruited from
the yeomen, of - whom, with their small
cstates,there were plenty in Old England;
but who, since the soil of Old Engiand
has become the property of a few wealthy
men, have found another home in the
New. The moderate eornmandera 'who
did not mean to win 'gave way to com
man dere. who did. Treason was trodden
out and disunion quelled. There was
no more boastfulness, no more despon
dency, but stern resolution. The Com
mons measured their work, settled down
to it, and Avon. We deem that struggle
heroic, and feel.a mournful pride in look
ing back on it; hut yen 'baneot be
familiar with its history, if you do not
know that it had its wiCked,its mean,
ever its ridiculous, as well as its heroic
phase ; or think it impossible that. When
removed by the lapse of centuries from
close inspection the_ struggle wh:eli we
are now watching may appear quite
as grand.—{ oldtoin Smith's