 |
| Sarah and Annie Cutler |
The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe had enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years, with large increase of freedom.No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. Done at the city of Washington, this third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-eighth.Abraham Lincoln
This short visit is remembered as an oasis in the desert of my military life. The weather was delightful, and that dreamy haze, called Indian summer, was upon the hills and valleys of Southern Ohio. For four days, a young couple, oblivious to all others, wandered over the hills or drove on the beautiful roads. Owing to the exigencies of the military service, this four days was all the opportunity we had for meeting until our wedding.
In making a third effort to secure a leave of absence, I went in person to corps headquarters. My application had the usual "urgent" endorsements which plaintively appealed that I should be granted the favor. General John Newton, now best known as the man who blew up Hell Gate, looked my paper over and I saw no hope in his eye. "Colonel," said he, "you give no reason for this application!" "What's the use of giving a reason! " said I, "sickness or death in the family, or business complications are rejected as reasons in the orders." "Yes," said the General. "Have you any other reason?" "I have," said I, "I want very much to see my girl." "All right, Colonel, you have stated a reason not forbidden in the orders, and I will endorse that you have 'a good and sufficient reason.'" I got all I asked, ten days leave of absence to visit Ohio. General Newton made two friends by this level-headed, official action.
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
We had an interesting visitor in camp to-day. He was an old school Virginia gentleman, of one of their patrician families. The old gentleman was a pattern of method and precision in his manners, and there was the urbanity and consideration for others of the true gentlemen of the real old stock. He said that he had been an officer in the 'War of 1812'--that he had General Washington's own pistols. He was well acquainted with President Madison and President Monroe, and edified us with anecdotes and illustrations of the men of his day and generation. His visit was much enjoyed by all. The old gentleman was carried away by talking, and he said: "I am eighty years of age. My grandfather was a Virginia gentleman; my great grandfather was a Frenchman, and, begging your indulgence to an old man, I thank God that to-day I stand as they would in this struggle." Said I: "My dear Sir, your enthusiasm is worthy of imitation by us who are younger, but your cause is no older in your family than ours is in mine. My ancestors came to New England when yours came to Virginia, and they flourished in Massachusetts, and I thank God I live in the day to fight for their principles." Said the old gentleman: "I always did admire a full blown Yankee."
You can hardly know how comfortable and homelike it seems to-night to get up my wall tent. Since the eighth of this month, I have had nothing over me except the slab cover of the pig-pen at Centreville. To-night the regiment is in camp. It is said that a council of war was held at Gainesville yesterday, and as a result we came here. Just at supper time last night we got our marching orders, and it was midnight before we had accomplished our journey of five miles. It was a night of Egyptian darkness. The column of troops would hitch up two rods and stop fifteen minutes, and then hitch up a rod and a half and stop half an hour. It is always so, marching after artillery over a stony road and rough hills. I often fall asleep on my horse, but whenever the troops ahead start, she starts, and she is in no more danger of losing our regiment than a hound is of losing a fox. We have a magnificent place here. We are encamped among the Bull Run Mountains, west of Thoroughfare Gap. I climbed this morning to the top of the highest peak and enjoyed the scenery. You will be astonished at our dinner to-day. Roast turkey! Honey! Graham biscuit! It is an epoch, such a dinner in this day of hard tack plain, hard tack fried, hard tack soaked, hard tack crumbled and stewed, or hard tack otherwise compounded with salt pork as the sole staff of life. . . .
Heights of Centreville, Va. After continuous marching night and day, we have outrun the enemy and this afternoon our army is going into position along these heights. We have escaped fighting ourselves, but every day we have heard the thunder of the enemy's guns, pursuing the rear. As I write this letter, the air is full of the noise of battle. We think it is the second corps, and that the battle is near Manassas Junction.
Rufus wrote to his fiancé, Mary Beman Gates, on September 3:
My application for leave of absence was disapproved by our brand-new Brigadier General Rice, at division headquarters, which made me pretty mad, and I went up to see him. The result of our interview was, that he said if I would make another application, he would approve it, and so I started another paper grinding through the mill.
A disappointed Rufus wrote again to Mary on September 12:
General Meade refused to grant my leave of absence. Colonel Bragg endorsees it: 'Lieutenant Colonel Dawes has neither asked nor received indulgences to relieve him from duty. I earnestly recommend the granting of the application.' General Rice, the division commander, endorsed: 'This appears to be such a case, that if the exigencies of the service will permit, I earnestly recommend that the application be granted.' The corp commander, General John Newton, approved the application, but General Meade refused to grant the leave of absence, and returned the paper endorsed: 'The Commanding General declines to grant leaves of absence at the present time, for private considerations.'
 |
| Field Glasses used during the Civil War |
 |
| Sarah Julia and Annie Cutler |
 |
| The Massacre at Lawrence, Kansas |
