Newport, 21 July, 1861.
Dearest James,
— . . . Newport is very pleasant, or
perhaps I should better say, would be very pleasant were it not so far from
you! It is quieter than usual this year, and the gay people are less
extravagant in their display. As for the sea and the sky nothing new is to be
said of them, — they are the same as ever. The hearts of the town's people are
in the war. Nearly two hundred Newporters have gone to it, and Colonel Burnside
is a Newport man. To-day everyone is anxious about the expected battle, — for
the Newport troops are in the advance. I heard a story of the departure of the
company which pleased me. It may not be literally correct, but this is what was
told me. When Governor Sprague received from Washington the answer that his
offer of a regiment was accepted, he at once sent out his requisitions to the
captains of the various companies to assemble with their commands at
Providence. The requisition reached Newport at six in the morning. Captain Tew,
a fisherman, sent word to Providence that he would be there at two o'clock with
fifty men. The news ran through the town, and when the company marched down to
the boat there were not fifty but one hundred and fifty men in the ranks. Mr.
Thayer of the Orthodox Church made a prayer upon the wharf; the whole town was
there, silent and uncovered, but when the boat started the cheers broke out one
after another. The company went without a flag, and it was resolved to send one
to them. In a day or two it was made and sent to Providence, and presented with
a speech and the usual formalities. When Captain Tew took it he said, “I thank
you for this flag. I don't know how to make a speech. Let us pray.” So he made
a prayer ending with words like these, “If we are successful, give us, O Lord,
the spirit of moderation; if we be beaten, help us to stand firm unto death.”
And these are the men who are called names by the Southerners;
who are supposed to be marching with Booty and Beauty on their banners; whom “la
jeunesse doree” of Virginia and South Carolina would hardly touch with the
points of their swords!
How well our Massachusetts First have done! It is a fine
thing that Massachusetts men should again be foremost in the post of danger,
and that Massachusetts blood should be the first shed in the advance of this
great army of Freedom. Can we be too glad to belong to New England, to be her
children, and to be living in these days?
Surely you will write some poem to give expression to the
feeling and thought which is in the souls of the people. You wrote “Italy —
1859”! do write “America — 1861.” . . .
SOURCE: Sara Norton and M. A. DeWolfe Howe, Letters
of Charles Eliot Norton, Volume 1, p. 235-7
No comments:
Post a Comment