USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Fitchburg > Fitchburg, Massachusetts, past and present > Part 11
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ernment to keep him confined in one of our forts for a long time, showing that the government also believed them. But the men on both sides will wonder that the man, even after the lapse of half a century, could have the audacity to pub- lish such an article as that was, for both sides know that a more gallant foe was never met in deadly strife. They fought with a desperation worthy a better cause. They were sim- - ply crushed by a superior force, and not many days later saw ship load after ship load of blue coated soldiers landed on the levee at New Orleans and go marching down the street with the band of the gallant old 26th Massachusetts Regiment at the head playing that old tune so familiar thirty or thirty-five years ago, 'Picayune Butler has come to town.' "
IN REBEL PRISONS.
During the war but few comparatively of our citizens were so unfortunate as to be held prisoners in the hands of the rebels. Seven only, as far as we have been able to learn, died victims to the systematic devilish treatment of the rebel authorities. Their names are John H. Prichard, died Jan. 18, 1865, grave identified and numbered 12,475 in the Andersonville cemetery. Charles E. Goodrich died in the "prison pen" at Florence, S. C., in October, 1864. William T. Peabody, died Sept. 1, 1864, his grave in the cemetery at Andersonville, numbered 7,556. Henry K. Hill, buried with the multitude of other unfortunates at Florence, S. C., his grave unnoted and unknown. George P. Cotting went through the horrors of Andersonville, reduced to the point of starvation, and exchanged was too weak to proceed further than Annapolis, and died before his friends could reach him. William H. Hayden, enlisted in the navy, was captured to- gether with the rest of the crew of the "Granite City" while cruising up the bayous of Texas, imprisoned at Galveston, Texas, where all the systematic cruelty of Andersonville, Salisbury, Florence and Belle Isle was practised. He soon fell a victim to disease brought on by the miserable quality of the rations issued to the prisoners, was removed to the hos-
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pital, little better than a slaughter pen, where the "let 'em die policy" was carried out to the fullest extent. After untold suffering he died, Sept. 16, 1864, after an imprisonment of a little more than four months. Cyrus Putnam was taken to Richmond, subjected to the miseries of rebel imprisonment, which, with the neglect of his wounds, soon carried him to ยท his grave.
The horrors of the prison pens of the South have never been, can never be half told. In the case of each of the vic- tims of rebel barbarity here mentioned, death was caused by the slow, deliberate process of starvation, a barbarity that savages would scorn to practise. Miss Clara Barton who was known in the army of the Potomac as the "angel of the battlefield" and whose name is a "household word" in many a soldier's home, visited Andersonville soon after the close of the war, and caused the graves of soldiers buried there to be identified and properly marked. In her report addressed to the people of the United States, she says: "But after this whenever any man, who has lain a prisoner within the stock- ade of Andersonville, would tell you of his sufferings, how he fainted, scorched, drenched, hungered, sickened : was scoffed, scourged, hunted and persecuted ; though the tale be long and twice told, as you would have your own wrongs appreciated, your own woes pitied, your own cries for mercy heard, I charge you listen and believe him. However defi- nitely he may have spoken, know that he has not told you all, however strongly he may have outlined, or deeply he may have colored his picture, know that the reality calls for a better light and a nearer view than you'r clouded, distant gaze will ever get. And your sympathies need not be con- fined to Andersonville while similar horrors glared in the sunny light and spotted the flower girt garden fields of that whole desperate, misguided and bewildered people. Where- ever stretched the form of a Union prisoner, there rose the signal for cruelty and the cry of agony, and there, day by day, grew the skeleton graves of the 'nameless dead.'
"Thousands of our brave fellow-citizens were thus cruelly murdered. As their trials and sufferings were great, so shall
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these memories be precious and a grateful people shall ever hold their names in fond remembrance."
THE ESCAPE.
An account of the adventures of A. A. Simonds and Roland E. Bowen, two soldiers of the 15th Regiment, who escaped from the enemy was written for Mr. Willis' History by Mr. Simonds, who was a native of Fitchburg. The rem- nant of the 15th was captured June 22, 1864. Mr. Simonds and Mr. Bowen were taken to Petersburg, Libby prison and Belle Isle, and were on the way to Andersonville when they made their escape. The first night out they were on the watch to make their escape but no opportunity was offered. The second day the line of prisoners had got well strung out and the head of the column was halted in a road leading through a piece of woods. It being very hot and dusty every man made for the shade. It was planned so as to have a guard about a rod in front and none for several rods in the rear. The two men then slipped into the woods, ran for half a mile or more until they came to a brook where they quenched their thirst and had a good wash ; they rested here a short time and then started for the Blue Ridge of the Alleghany mountains, taking the sun for a guide, travelling northwest as near as they could calculate. The second morning they came suddenly upon a man dressed in gray, with brass buttons upon his jacket and a gun over his shoulder ; as they could not avoid him they walked up to him and were greatly relieved to find he was not a rebel picket but was out hunting squirrels. They travelled nights by taking the North star for a guide. When obliged to get sup- plies of food they were seldom refused. At one house a woman, whose husband was in the rebel army, gave them bread, thinking they were going home on a furlough over the mountain ; a young lady at a large farm house, with two children and a negro servant, gave them half a loaf of bread, a pie, some bacon, and some milk, also a copy of the Rich- mond Examiner. One day they overtook a negro with a
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wooden leg out picking blackberries, who asked them to his house, where his wife cooked them a johnny cake. They rested two hours and the negro went with them a short distance, telling them about the country for several miles. He gave Bowen a canteen, which proved very useful to them, as they did not have to hunt up water so often. He also gave them some meal and pork. Near the close of their journey they narrowly escaped being recaptured. They were nearing Manassas Gap, while passing through an open field and within a few rods of the woods, when looking up they saw a squad of thirteen rebel cavalry men in the road. They ran into the woods, and looking round found the rebels had not seen them. The next day they passed Snicker's Gap : just as they were in the middle of the road two of Mosby's men came around a bend in the road and saw them. While they were running for the woods the rebels put spurs to their horses, sending a pistol shot after them. As the ball whizzed by their heads Mr. Simonds stumbled and fell ; his companion, thinking he was wounded, cried out, "we surrender ;" "no we don't," Mr. Simonds cried, and getting up they ran until out of breath, and then laid down in the bushes. They were not discovered and the next day arrived at Harpers Ferry and were once more among friends. It was twenty-three days after they made their escape before they reached the Union lines. They had travelled four hundred miles, were footsore and weary, but thankful enough to have escaped from the horrors of a rebel prison.
CLOSE OF THE WAR.
The following clear and interesting account of the sur- render of Lee's army was given in a letter from Mr. Frank H. Snow of this place (an agent of the Christian Commis- sion.)
SUNDAY, April, 19, 1865.
The most brilliant page in the military history of our na- tion has been written to-day in characters that shall never be effaced. The Rebel Napoleon has surrendered his entire
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command to the Wellington Grant, and the rebellion is virtu- ally brought to a close. The enthusiasm of our troops to- night knows no bounds. The air is filled with the sound of glad huzzas as the great news spreads like wildfire from regi- ment to regiment. All along the lines hundreds of military bands are discoursing martial music and naught seems lacking to complete the happiness of all. For the first time since the opening of the war, a hundred thousand Union soldiers lie down to rest with the certainty that they will not be summoned to arms before morning. [After describing the movement of the two armies he continues. ] The circle, some six or seven miles in diameter, was now complete. Its circumference con- sisted of a hundred thousand Northern veterans and the Rebel army was in the centre. Three hundred and eighty pieces of artillery were in position, ready to concentrate a fire of an- nihilation upon the Confederate host.
Lee's only alternative was-surrender or death. Under the circumstances he deemed it best to choose the former course. The articles of capitulation were made out by General Grant and signed by General Lee at the house of Wilmer McLean, who, singularly enough, is also the owner of the first Bull Run battle field. The negotiations were completed at twenty minutes to four o'clock this afternoon. At that time the two generals-in-chief came out from the house and rode away, each to his own army. I was so for- tunate as to be within a rod of General Grant when he dis- mounted from his horse. Some traces of satisfaction were visible, even upon his usually inflexible countenance. He filled a tin cup with water from a pail near by and allayed his thirst, then, cutting off a twig from a little bush at his feet, he sat down in General Gibbon's camp chair and be- gan to whittle. In about half a minute he coolly turned to Major General Gibbon and remarked "General, I think we'll begin to go home to-morrow." Gibbon replied with enthusi- asm and the conversation became general.
The whole impression of Grant's character conveyed by his conduct on this remarkable occasion was that of a great military genius whom no reverse could discourage, no victory
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unduly elate, and no obstacles deter from the successful ac- complishment of his plan. Amid the general rejoicings which followed the announcement of the surrender, an inci- dent occurred which deserves to be recorded. When the good news first came in, Mr. G. S. Chase, the agent of the Christian Commission of the Fifth Corps, remarked to Brigadier General Gregory, by whose side he chanced to be standing, that no event in American history demanded more hearty thanksgiving to Almighty God than this glorious ter- mination of the great Rebellion. General Gregory immedi- ately ordered his brigade to be drawn up in solid column, and then those scarred and bronzed veterans, the heroes of a score of battle fields, sung together and with impressive effect, that familiar doxology-"Praise God from whom all blessings flow."
Such was the fitting termination of the bloody scenes which for four years have been enacted on the soil of Virginia. God grant that the sword need never again be drawn in defence of Liberty and Union.
THE FITCHBURG SOLDIERS' MONUMENT.
After the close of the War of the Rebellion, which took place virtually in April, 1865, having continued for more than four years, the people of Fitchburg began agitating the question of the erection of some suitable monument, memo- rial hall, or other structure, dedicated to the memory of our fallen heroes.
April 9, 1866, the town voted to appoint a committee of five to report the names of seven to constitute a committee to take the subject in hand. This committee was L. H. Brad- ford, Ebenezer Torrey, William H. Vose, Amasa Norcross, and George F. Fay, who presented the names of Alvah Crocker, George E. Towne, Captain Eugene T. Miles, L. H. Bradford, Alpheus P. Kimball, Stephen Shepley, and Henry A. Willis, and these gentlemen were constituted the Soldiers' Monument Committee.
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April 9, 1868, it was voted to add to the committee, General John W. Kimball, Colonel Theodore S. Foster and Walter A. Eames. Later on a committee was appointed to investigate and report upon a Memorial Hall, and action re- lating to the monument was suspended. The members of this committee were F. F. Woodward, A. A. Simonds, David H. Merriam, Gardner S. Burbank, Jabez Fisher, George Robbins, E. P. Monroe, Hale W. Page, and Edwin Upton. This committee's adverse report was accepted and the com- mittee discharged. The Monument Committee was then al- lowed to proceed with their plans.
April 28, 1868, the town voted to purchase the property of William W. Comee and Isaac Hartwell lying contiguous to and bounded by Main, Hartwell, Elm and Church streets, for the sum of $40,000. The purchase was made and in the summer of 1871 the lot was graded, fenced and improved, substantially as it now is. October 2, 1871, the plans for a monument were accepted and the committee instructed to carry out the designs and plans at a cost of $25,000. On the fifteenth of November, 1871, the contracts were made with S. A. Wheeler & Son for the construction of the foundation to receive the granite superstructure and the bronze statues ; April 1, 1872, with Martin Milmore of Boston for the execu- tion of the bronze work, including the statues and tablets ; on the eighth of the same month with Messrs. Runels & Davis of Lowell, Mass., to erect the superstructure out of Concord granite. Messrs. Wheeler & Son's contract was completed in May, 1873, Messrs. Runels & Davis' with equal promptness. Messrs. David Damon & Co. of Fitch- burg executed the work of the granite base for the fence and steps at the openings. The iron fence surrounding the inclosure was erected by J. L. Roberts of Boston.
Although the contract for the bronze statues was made with the designer, Mr. Milmore, it is but justice to say that they were made by the Ames Manufacturing Company under the supervision of M. H. Mossman. The four tablets were made by Samuel Hooper & Co. The inscription on the first not only being a tribute from a grateful public to the memory
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of those who fell on the battle field, but equally recognizes the sacrificing services of thousands now in our midst who went out and fought as bravely as did the fallen heroes. The other three are inscribed with the names of one hundred and thirty-five of the citizens of Fitchburg who fell in the War of the Rebellion.
The expenditures which have been made upon the monu- ment and grounds are substantially as follows : The cost of the lot, $40,000 ; granite base for fence. $3.00. ence, $3,000 ; foundation for monument, $2,000 ner-
COURT HOUSE.
CHRIST CHURCHI.
MONUMENT SQUARE.
structure, $9,000; bronze statues and tablets, $15,400; which with the grading and miscellaneous expenditures make the total cost at least $75,000.
By an accident in casting the central or prominent figure, "America," a delay of four months was occasioned, and the dedication was postponed until June, 1874. The seventeenth day was selected, it being the ninety-ninth anni- versary of the battle of Bunker Hill, but circumstances again intervened making further postponement necessary. Finally on June 24, 1874, the dedication took place, a full account of which may be found in the committee's published report in
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the public library. The grounds in the inclosure were after- wards seeded with lawn grasses and the walks finished with paved gutters. Four brass field pieces, secured to Fitchburg from the national government through the efforts of the chairman of the committee, Hon. Alvah Crocker (then mem- ber of the United States congress, ) were mounted, regulation style, and placed on the four corners of the square equi- distant from the base of the monument.
CHAPTER VIII.
ORGANIZATIONS.
EFORE the civil war, for many years, there was in Fitchburg a musical or- ganization known as the Fitchburg Brass Band. The last mention that we can find of this band is in Willis' "Fitch- burg in the Rebellion."
"When the Fitchburg Fusiliers left for the seat of war on the twenty-eighth of June, 1861, they were escorted to the depot by the Old Fusiliers. These veterans presented a very creditable ap- pearance, being accompanied by a portion of the old Fitch- burg Brass Band, composed of the following : Jonathan Farnsworth, Cyrus Thurston, Ebenezer Thurston, Jeremiah Kinsman, Charles Derby, J. K. Gibson, the first three of whom paraded with the company at its first appearance, forty-five years before."
From this time to 1868 there was no regularly organized band in Fitchburg. The present Fitchburg Military Band was born Jan. 4, 1868, when eight gentlemen met in an un- finished room in Belding & Dickinson's new block, and or- ganized "The Musical Club." This club held several meetings, adopted by-laws, and purchased a few instruments, but never appeared before the public. Starting with the club as a nucleus, on March 26, 1868, the Fitchburg Cornet Band was organized with thirty-three members, and George Rich as leader and director. Their first public appearance was with the Fitchburg Fusiliers on May 27, of the same
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year, and during that year they filled thirty-one engage- ments. Mr. Rich left the organization on Jan. 16, 1871, and the band was without a leader until March II, of the same year, when Ira W. Wales of Abington was elected leader, but he only held his position for about one month. On April 19, 1871, owing to some trouble and disagreement among the members, a vote was passed to discharge their leader, disband and close up affairs entirely ; but on the third of May, nine members met together and re-organized, taking the property and paying the debts of the old band. George Rich was again chosen leader and held the position until the last part of the year, when, owing to a general feel- ing of dissatisfaction with the way things were going on, the band narrowly escaped utter extinction, but five of the most plucky members met and determined to keep up the organization if possible. Through the efforts of the members, Mr. Warren S. Russell was secured as leader. January 11, 1872, the band was again re-organized and under his faithful and skilful management attained almost the highest rank among the musical organizations of New England. It was during Mr. Russell's term of service that the name of the band was changed to "The Fitchburg Military Band," which name it has retained to the present time. Mr. Russell was a most estimable man, of rare musi- cal ability, and his death in March, 1884, was a sad blow to the members of the band and to the citizens of Fitchburg as well. At his funeral, March 18, 1884, the floral tributes from many musical organizations in New England, the pres- ence of Mr. D. W. Reeves, always a warm friend of Mr. Russell, with the American Band of Providence, R. I., whose members voluntarily tendered their services for the occasion gratuitously ; the great concourse of citizens and the general suspension of business throughout the city showed better than words the estimation in which he was held.
After Mr. Russell's death the general management of the business of the band was placed in the hands of a committee of five, chosen annually by the active members, from both active and honorary members. In June, 1884, the committee
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A
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FITCHBURG MILITARY BAND.
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were fortunate enough to secure as leader and director Mr. G. A. Patz, formerly leader of Gilmore's celebrated organi- zation in Boston. They have furnished music for the past thirteen years at Lake Pleasant, and filled engagements in many other places. They are also the regimental band of the 6th Regiment, M. V. M. They now furnish music for the new Carnival Club at Cottage City, Martha's Vine- yard. Connected with the band is an orchestra of high standing, which, out of respect to their former director, is known as the Russell Orchestra. The library of the band is very large and complete, containing the works of Donizetti, Meyerbeer, Suppe, Rossini, Lachner, Strauss, Lumbye, Gungl. Wiengarten, and all the noted composers.
There are now more resident musicians in the organiza- tion than ever since the band was first started, and never before was the band in such excellent condition in all re- spects as at the present time.
The officers of the band are: Executive committee-H. I. Wallace, president; C. E. Ware, Jr., secretary ; T. S. Mower. C. A. Dadmun and D. F. Manning ; agent and treasurer, C. A. Dadmun ; agent for honorary members, C. H. Wyman.
Active members : G. A. Patz, conductor ; Tafley Mauch, solo cornet ; Thomas Kivlon, Ist cornet ; J. Keough, 2d cor- net ; I. P. Osgood, 3d cornet ; C. E. Goodwin, piccolo ; D. F. Manning, Eb clarinet ; A. Geoffrion, solo clarinet ; C. E. Webber, Ist clarinet ; A. Da Costa, 2d clarinet ; Fred Clapp, 3d clarinet ; Carl Jasper, oboe ; William Putnam, Ist horn ; A. A. Holt, 2d horn : Fred Latter, 3d horn ; R. N. Davis, baritone : Albert George, solo trombone; A. Maynard, 2d trombone; W. E. Locke, bass trombone : C. A. Dadmun. tuba ; J. B. Rockerfellow, tuba : J. L. Miller, bass drum ; E. B. Roncarti, snare drum ; Edward Weston, cymbals.
The Fitchburg Military Band has become one of the per- manent institutions of the city. It is held in the highest esti- mation by our citizens, and by their generosity it has been possible to keep up the high reputation of the organization.
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THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC.
This organization is composed of honorably discharged soldiers and sailors of the army and navy of the United States, who served during the late Rebellion, uniting to es- tablish a permanent organization of these veterans and comrades-in-arms based upon the principles of fraternity, charity and loyalty. Fraternity : To assist and strengthen those kind and fraternal feelings which bind together the soldiers, sailors and marines who united to suppress the late Rebellion and to perpetu- ate the history and memory of the dead. Charity: To assist such 0 former comrades-in-arms as need help and protection, and to extend GRAND needful aid to the widows and HAN orphans of those who have fallen. Loyalty: To maintain true alle- giance to the United States of America, based upon a paramount respect for and fidelity to its constitution and laws, to discountenance whatever tends to weaken loyalty, incite to insurrection, treason or rebellion, or in any manner impairs the efficiency and permanency of our free institutions ; and to encourage the spread of uni- versal liberty and equal rights and justice to all men.
EDWIN V. SUMNER POST 19, G. A. R.,
of Fitchburg was organized by George M. Woodward, assisted by Adjutant Brown of Post 10, at Room 2 in the American House, Aug. 16, 1867.
The charter members were Eben T. Hayward, Charles H. Foss, T. S. Foster, Gilbert Thompson, T. L. Barker, George E. Goodrich, James May, George B. Proctor, J. Myron Goddard, William H. Wheeler, Henry S. Hitchcock, George F. Merriam, John Sullivan, Calvin A. Bigelow, John
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Kemp, Hiram P. Minott, George L. Lawrence, James Daley, P. Charles Connor, Henry F. Monroe, Samuel W. Harris, Alonzo Parker, and James F. Bartlett.
At the first meeting Charles H. Foss was elected com- mander; T. L. Barker, S. V. C .; E. T. Hayward, J. V. C. ; George E. Goodrich. adjutant, (that office then being elective, and George B. Proctor having the same number of votes on the first ballot : ) George F. Merriam, Q. M. Ad- journed to meet in Wood & Torrey's block. The organization was called an Encampment and not a Post.
The second meeting was held Sept. 2, and all the mem- bers were present.
At the third meeting, a photograph of George B. Taylor was presented as that of the first soldier from Fitchburg to fall, and that hangs to-day over the chair of the J. V. C. September 19, elected as delegates to first Department con- vention, T. L. Barker, E. T. Hayward and Calvin A. Bigelow. November 7, 1867, Charles D. Nash, present department commander, was mustered. May 30, 1868, was . the first celebration of Decoration Day, (Colonel Loring was the orator). At first officers held for only six months. June 25, 1868. Henry A. Willis was elected commander and declined. T. L. Barker was then chosen commander. September 8, 1868. the name E. V. Sumner was adopted for the Post. The design for a seal was adopted at about the same time. March 26, 1869, lecture committee reported re- ceipts from lecture course, $366.00. With this money a sinking fund was created. It was voted to deposit this money in the bank, for charitable purposes only, to be drawn out by unanimous vote of the relief committee, or by vote of the Post. Here was the foundation of that magnificent fund from which has been drawn the means to do their noblest work.
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