Sunday, January 11, 2015

Colonel Charles Russell Lowell to Josephine Shaw, Sunday, May 24, 1863 – 6:30 p.m.

Sunday, 24th May, 6.30 P. M.

I have probably quoted twenty times that motto of one of the Fathers, — In necessariis, unitas; in non-necessariis, libertas; in omnibus, caritas — “In essentials, unity; — in non-essentials, freedom; in all things, love.” I like it, — it is more for opinions than for actions or habits, but it is good to bear in mind in society and in affairs, and I think that, written over every young fireside and read by the light of real love, it would smooth many differences.

Sometime this summer at your open window, you should read the “Seven Lamps of Architecture,” — they are lamps to live by as well as to build by.

About the Regiment, — did I tell you I had a regimental drill on Friday P. M. and another at 7½ this morning, really very successful? I should wish you here to see one, only to the outsider there is little visible but a cloud of dust. The men are getting on so well in squadron drill that to-morrow I shall commence with the “individual drill” for the morning, squadron drill three afternoons, and regimental drill two afternoons and Sunday morning. The training of the horse, and the teaching of the trooper to ride, you see, which ought to come first, come last in our method of raising cavalry regiments, — we must do the best we can, however. That expression brings me to my visit to Stanton. He commenced by asking after the regiment, and why I had not been to see him, — told me that he expected a great deal from it; that he would do anything and everything I wanted to make it an “Ironsides” regiment (I do not know what that means, but I told him I would do all I could to make it a good regiment). He said he knew it (sic), and added that he was away from Washington when that affair in Boston occurred, or he should have written me a personal letter of thanks.1 I spoke of bringing up my companies from Gloucester Point, — he said it should be done, that I should drill them here, should have all my requisitions filled by preference, and when I said I was ready, he would send the regiment where it should meet the enemy, and would give it the post of honour (I quote his exact words, — it remains to be seen whether he will be able to act up to them, — of course I told him that was all I wanted). When I got up to go, I happened to mention the Fifty-Fourth, and stopped a few minutes to tell him what a success it had been. He seemed very much pleased, and said he did not know why Governor Andrew preferred Port Royal to Newberne; but if the Governor thought that was the best field for them, he wanted to give them the best chance, and had ordered them there accordingly. I tell you of this visit for your benefit, so far as it relates to Rob; for my benefit, so far as it relates to me.
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1 Edwin M. Stanton, the vigorous and patriotic Secretary of War, had probably met Lowell, when he came, sent by General McClellan, to present to the President the sheaf of Rebel battle-flags captured at Antietam. He had heard from Governor Andrew and Mr. Forbes of Lowell's prompt quelling of the mutiny of the bounty-jumpers in Boston, as well as of the daring and intelligence shown in the conduct of his squadron of United States Cavalry in the Peninsula

SOURCE: Edward Waldo Emerson, Life and Letters of Charles Russell Lowell, p. 244-6

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