eral of the State of New York, offers to certify that I gave my orders properly, and that, under the circumstances, the battle could not have been managed better.

"This I write that the public may not judge me before I have time to be heard. "Captain Haggerty and Major Winthrop, of General Butler's staff, were with me, and advising me to do as I did. General Butler has not intimated to me, as yet, that he blames me at all. In haste, yours,

E. W. PIERCE."

He subsequently confessed his incompetency as an officer by modestly retiring from the brigadier-generalship, and proved his patriotism by serving as a private in the ranks.

The soldiers unquestionably behaved with even more gallantry and firmness than might have been expected from raw troops, indiscreetly exposed to the batteries of a concealed and numerous enemy, and unskilfully managed by incompetent leaders. There were many instances of individual courage, which proved the spirit of the men and their capability, under proper command, of effectively serving the cause which they had so eagerly adopted.

During the retreat, Captain Wilson, of Colonel Carr's regiment of Troy (N. Y.), finding that a six-pounder had been left on the field, about fifty rods from the battery, shouted to his men 'Boys! there's a cannon; we must not leave it behind; we must take it with us." The whole company to a man cried out, "We'll take it ;" and they were immediately marched back to ob

66

tain the piece. They had hardly reached it, when the enemy opened fire upon them, killing one of the brave fellows and wounding two others. The dragropes were detached, but the men tied them to the gun, in the midst of a shower of shot, and with a cheer ran it into the woods bordering the road. Captain Wilson, then, followed by five men, returned once more to the exposed spot to which the enemy's fire was hotly aimed, and securing the caisson, and also the body of poor Greble, who had fallen dead at his post, retired again to the cover of the woods, whence he retreated in safety with his hard-earned trophies. A score of men only, under the command of Lieutenant White, after firing their last charges from their howitzer, were left far in the rear, and being the last to leave the field, kept at bay a squadron of the enemy's cavalry and some infantry during their retreat to the main body.

The young Major Winthrop fell while gallantly urging on the troops, by his example and stirring words, to the attack. A fellow-officer who was with him during the engagement has testified to his spirit. "I made a reconnoissance," he said, "with Major Winthrop about twelve o'clock in the day, and can testify to his bravery and daring. He was very much exhausted, having wanted for sleep, food, and water, and the day had turned out very hot. We stuck our heads out of some underbrush, and instantly there was a perfect shower of balls rained upon us, which compelled us to withdraw a few paces. Major

Winthrop laid himself behind a tree, saying if he could only sleep for five minutes he would be all right. He remarked as he did this, that he was going to see the inside of that intrenchment before he went back to the fortress-his manner being that of cool, ordinary conversation. He continued self-possessed and cool throughout the whole engagement, up to the time when he received his death-wound, which happened by the side of Lieutenant Herringen, Company E, who remained with him and cared for him until life had fled. He was shot in the side."

The enemy found him to be the most conspicuous aim for their fatal shots. Their riflemen from their covers in the pits before the batteries had several times deliberately fired at him, as they declared he was constantly "conspicuous at the head of the advancing Federal troops, loudly cheering them on to the assault."

Theodore Winthrop was born in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1834, and was a descendant of the famous colonial governor of his name. He was possessed of a warm temperament, which gave the impulse to effort, but at the same time of a vagrant fancy, which hindered concentration and led to uncertainty of purpose. Educated at Yale College, and endowed with a natural taste for literature, he at one time aspired to be an author. Again his impulsive character, untutored by the discipline of routine, sought vent for its irregular forces in the adventure of exploration and travel. He crossed the Rocky Mountains to

36

281

California, and again on his return he started with Lieutenant Strain on his bold expedition across the mountains, the jungles, and unnavigable rivers of the Isthmus of Darien. His physical strength, however, proved unequal to the trials of that adventurous exploration, and he returned to New York, his nominal home, to venture upon a new field of labor. He studied and began the practice of law. His errant fancies, however, were not favorable to the steady pursuit of the law, and he met with but little success. One of the fondest of his friends who knew him well, has said that "partly from illhealth, partly from temperament, a dreary sadness overhung his life and dispirited his efforts. Glad of his friends' success, and conscious of the kindred impulse, he still wistfully delayed. Of great industry and restless endeavor, he saw success slide by, and seemed to be waiting in melancholy patience the rising of a happier star. It has risen at last, and shines upon his grave."

On the fall of Sumter, he saw in the war which must ensue a new scope for his adventurous spirit and unemployed energies.

"On the Sunday afternoon after the fall of Sumter he was walking with a friend in the woods upon Staten Island, near his home. No man could have a clearer conception of the significance of that event. An American in the noblest sense, he felt that the time had come in which our liberties could be maintained only in the same way that

He joined, together with his brother, the Seventh Regiment, which was the first to leave New York to go to the defence of the capital. After his regiment was mustered out of the Federal service, young Winthrop was appointed aid-de-camp and military secretary to General Butler, whom he accompanied to Fortress Monroe. He was now fairly embarked for the war. With his natural hopefulness of temper, he was exceedingly sanguine of the success of the Federal arms.

"A few burned villages, a dozen guerrillas hung, one scouring skirmish or battle will pacify," he wrote, "a whole State. Under the discipline and esprit du corps of a regiment or an army the South may fight; but they will not have moral conviction enough to risk

*Harper's Weekly.

their separate lives except in assassinations, and those a few sharp examples will terminate. We heard their threats at Annapolis. We heard also the pitiful plaints of the timid who believed the threats. No; if we are patient and well led, we shall do our work without much massacre."

The equivocal honor of the plan of the expedition to Little Bethel has been claimed for him, and a memorandum with its main details was found among his papers after his death, and published. The fact that to so inexperienced a soldier recourse was had for the plan of the expedition, is a confession of incompetency on the part of his elders and superiors which betokened ill for its

success.

Young Winthrop during his campaign wrote frequently for a Boston magazine, and his spirited account of the march of the Seventh Regiment, and its first experiences in actual warfare, was received with great popular favor. Since his death, several of his stories and two novels written by him have been published, awakening an interest naturally heightened by the heroic death of their patriotic author.