First Soldier to Die in the Civil War

 

This Site:

Civil War

Civil War Overview

Civil War 1861

Civil War 1862

Civil War 1863

Civil War 1864

Civil War 1865

Civil War Battles

Confederate Generals

Union Generals

Confederate History

Robert E. Lee

Civil War Medicine

Lincoln Assassination

Slavery

Site Search

Civil War Links

 

Civil War Art

Revolutionary War

Mexican War

Republic of Texas

Indians

Winslow Homer

Thomas Nast

Mathew Brady

Western Art

Civil War Gifts

Robert E. Lee Portrait


Civil War Harper's Weekly, June 1, 1861

This Harper's Weekly newspaper features General Butler on the cover. It also has a nice full page illustration of the entire Confederate Cabinet. It also has a nice story on the first Soldier to die in the Civil War, and various other news of the War.

(Scroll Down to See entire page, Newspaper Thumbnails will take you to the page of interest)

 

General Butler

General Butler

Civil War Editorial

Charleston Blockade

Luther Ladd

First Soldier to Die in Civil War

Fort Pulaski

Fort Pulaski

Artillery

Civil War Artillery

Jefferson Davis and the Confederate Cabinet

Confederate Cabinet

Troops in the Patent Office

Troops in the US Patent Office

Albany Armory

The Armory at Albany

St. Louis

Saint Louis Battle

Camp Defiance

Camp Defiance

Slaves in Montgomery

Slaves in Montgomery, Alabama

 

 

 

 

 

 

JUNE 1, 1861.]

HARPER'S WEEKLY.

341

LUTHER C. LADD, A MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEER, KILLED AT BALTIMORE, APRIL 19, 1861.

THE FIRST VICTIM OF THE WAR.

WE publish herewith, from a photograph kindly sent us from Lowell, a PORTRAIT OF THE LATE MR. LADD, who was murdered by the rowdies of Baltimore, on his passage through that city, on 19th April. Our correspondent writes us :

LOWELL, May 16, 1861.

Luther Crawford Ladd was born in Alexandria, New Hampshire, and on the 22d of last December was seven-teen years of age. When the order came to Lowell for troops to be in readiness to march, he enlisted with the City Guards, giving as a reason for choosing this company that he thought it the most likely to be called out; and when the orders came for marching his friends urged him not to go, but his reply was, "I shall go for my stars and stripes any way:" and with a brave heart he left his machinist's tools and shouldered his musket. Although young, 'tis said that he was a lover of historical reading, and was well posted in our national affairs.

Hoping that the inclosed will be of some use to you, I remain, your humble servant,

CHARLES A. KIMBALL.

OUR SOUTHERN PICTURES.

WE publish this week, from sketches by our artist who is traveling with W. H. RUSSELL, Esq., LL.D., Barrister at Law, Correspondent of the London Times, three pictures of Montgomery, Alabama, and a couple of Fort Pulaski, Georgia, which possess remarkable interest at the present time. Our artist writes us as follows respecting them :

MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA, May 8, 1861.

It was about noon on Mayday when we embarked in the charming Florida steamer Tatnall, under the guidance of her veteran commander the gallant " Commodore Tatnall," whom a sense of duty to his native State has severed from the flag to which his bravery has added more than a blaze of glory.

He was attended by a suite of officers and an escort of city notables, many of the former almost beardless youths from Annapolis, or Midshipmen of a year's cruise. We passed down between banks clad in reeds, the fringe of the parapets within which the coy and sprouting rice now woos and now repels the embraces of the river gods. We had hardly scored three leagues when the word was passed for "refreshment without labor," and a charming collation, enlivened by merry chat, absorbed our attention until the anchor dropped within a short pull of Fort Pulaski, when we were rowed ashore, landed at the wharf, and made our way to this admirable defense of the " Queen of Georgia Waters," of which the accompanying sketch will no doubt be of interest.

The interior of the fort was even a more striking contrast to the dilapidated and dismantled glories of Sumter than a wedding is to a wake. Several hundred newly-gathered recruits, under the guidance of officers recently of the United States Army, were learning the noble art of war and fortification. The fort, being tenanted by but a corporal's guard, was not prepared to accommodate these unwonted guests, whose tents were ranged around two sides of the ramparts, and lent a picturesque and holiday costume to the scene, at variance with the martial preparations progressing on the sea-wall and in the casemates beneath.

When the Georgian troops took possession of Pulaski not a gun was mounted, and there were few pieces of artillery. Since, they have received a barbette battery of heavy guns from Virginia and other States, and have mounted them in numbers all around the parapet upon carriages of yellow pine—which are large and strong as one could wish. I am told that this wood, so plentiful here, has never before been adapted to this use. The casemates were all in order, each of which contained a thirty-two pounder and two or three Columbiads.

The guns en barbette, being eight and ten inch Columbiads, are all named. The appellations of a few of which give you : " Beauregard," " Sumter," "Tatnall," "Lawton", " Lane," "Twiggs," "Wigfall," and others. I send sketch of the Columbiad called after the gallant Commadore Tatnall, at the moment Mr. Russell (London Times) was taking with his practiced eye the range of the piece. "'Tis well pointed," said he (it being directed toward the outer channel). The Commodore expressed his determination, in event of an attack, to point the monster dispenser of iron favors with his own hand. Mr. Samuel Ward, of New York, and Major Smith, C.S.A., are the other gents about the gun. Many of my old friends, who have served nearly their term at West Point—some with marked distinction for ability—are here upon duty. A son of General Lane has command of General Columbiad Twiggs, and a son of General Twiggs does the honors for General Lane. I hope that no one will be rude enough to. say any thing— a son of a gun, for instance.,

After an inspection of the fort we were summoned to collation No. 2, in the officers' mess, which was any thing but " short commons," and far jollier than the meagre fare that Major Anderson and his gallant few had to fight upon. The first sharp engagement finished, the ominous pop and crack of "what-you-know" was a signal to fill up. Then the stories, bon met, etc., finished a most delightful visit

to one of the finest forts in the country. It is much larger than Sumter, and in a most perfect state of defense.

We returned to Savannah in the cool of the evening, enjoying en route the glories of a Southern sunset ; and as the boat came to her anchorage—within a couple of cables' length of the yacht Camilla (America), of which Captain Decri is now the fortunate possessor—we could not but regret that so pleasurably a spent day had come to a close.

A word en passant of the Camilla. The Captain is a gentleman of independent fortune, with a most charming wife and family, who with him sail from country to country in the yacht in as comfortable and home-like a manner as one can well conceive of. During a recent run from the Cape de Verdes the little vessel made the distance of seven hundred miles in two days, thus more than retrieving the laurels she lost while in the hands of Commodore Stevens's successor. She won a race at the Plymouth last fall, which emboldened her present proprietor to

challenge all England for a sail, without finding a competitor. The pride of our yacht marine had lain neglected for years, and been suffered to go to decay. But ships, unlike mortals, can have their skeletons clothed in the new beauty of line and strength of skin ; and the Camilla, having undergone this "Frankenstein" process, "now walks the water like a thing of life" again.

Leaving Savannah, we journeyed on to Montgomery, which place just now is the quiet and peaceful capital of the Confederate States of America.

The meetings of Congress are held with closed doors at present, as many subjects of importance must be discussed without fear of what may be said being sent all over the country during the next hour. General Beauregard, also Governor Manning, and many others are in the city. The lady of the President, Mrs. Davis, held a morning levee yesterday (the 7th), which was largely attended by the many good people of this city. Among the strangers Mr. Russell, Mr. Samuel Ward, of New York, and Captain Decri were received with marked attention.

A number of guns were fired as a salute of honor to Tennessee and Arkansas when their secession became known.

I send a sketch of the city (Montgomery), from the opposite bank of the Alabama River, which at this place is perhaps an eighth of a mile in width, with a current of between four and five miles per hour. The Capitol edifice, as you will see, is the crowning object of the landscape, and commands a graceful and extensive prospect of the fertile and wooded scene beneath. I have had a number of pleasant rambles into the neighboring country, which is exceedingly rich and well cultivated. I am told that more than a third of the land last year planted with cotton is now in use for the cultivation of corn, which is already grown to the height of between two and three feet. The wheat will much of it be ready for harvest in a fortnight. Strawberries are nearly gone, and the blackberries are to be had in great abundance. The President is busily engaged, and I am told works eighteen of the twenty-four hours; yet he looks, as usual, in good health. The hotels, when we arrived, were crowded to excess, but the gentlemanly proprietors of the Exchange found room for us. Are not hotels and omnibuses much alike in their never being full? The Exchange is the hotel of the city—the others being one-horse, and in some cases not that.

Tomorrow we shall be en route for New Orleans. I must not omit to mention the recruiting with fife and drum. One day of my sojourn at this place was noisy with the stern entreaties of the drum and the persuasive whistle of the fife (and the next day the same); and weary at length with these appeals, to which I could not respond, I revenged myself for the annoyance by transferring to paper the instruments of torture sans substance.

The truculent darkey in the centre, the punisher of the huge base-drum, I fear will some day become so exasperated with not being able to accomplish his purpose (beating the head of the drum in, of course), that he will rest the object by the side of a house, and making a rush and butt, disappear. When this is to be done I am to be forewarned, when I will forward sketches immediately.

THEO. R. Davis.

THE MILITARY OCCUPATION OF
BALTIMORE.

WE mentioned in our last number that Baltimore had been occupied by the United States forces under General Butler, of the Massachusetts Volunteers. We now publish on pages 344 and 345, from a photograph by Mr. Weaver, of Baltimore, a picture of the ENCAMPMENT OF GENERAL BUTLER'S CORPS D'ARMEE ON FEDERAL HILL, which the troops occupied on 13th inst., having marched through part of the city of Baltimore to that point without molestation. Our artist writes us as follows concerning his picture :

BALTIMORE, May 15, 1861.

Inclosed find photograph of Encampment of United States troops under command of General Butler on Federal Hill, opposite Baltimore City, or just across the Basin. General Butler left the Relay House with 1500 men, and reached here on evening of 13th, and the picture gives them as on the 14th inst. This place of encampment is much higher than the city, and overlooks the some. There is also from the same point a fine view down the river on the city side. The hill is almost perpendicular, and some 75 to 200 feet in height. You will perceive the hill is a peninsula, which runs down to Fort McHenry, which is about one mile below,

PARSON BROWNLOW, OF TENNESSEE.

WE publish herewith a portrait of the famous Parson Brownlow, of Tennessee, who is now, with Senator Andrew Johnson, the leading champion of the Union in that State. The following sketch of Mr. Brownlow's life has been prepared for us by a friend of his.

WILLIAM G. BROWNLOW was born in Wythe County, Virginia, August 5, 1805. His parents were poor, and died when he was about ten years old. They were both Virginians, and his father was a school-mate of General Houston, in Rockbridge County. After the death of his parents he lived with his mother's relations, and was raised to hard labor until he was some eighteen years old, when he served a regular apprenticeship to the trade of a house-carpenter.

His education was imperfect and irregular, even in those branches taught in the common-schools of the country. He entered the Traveling Ministry in 1826, at the regular session of the Holston Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and traveled ten years without intermission, and was a member of the General Conference held in Philadelphia. He was untiring in his energy, and availed himself of the advantages of the Methodist Itinerancy to study and improve his education, which he did in all the English branches.

Mr. Brownlow is about six feet high, and weighs about 175 pounds; has had as fine a constitution as any man ever had. He has no gray hairs in his head, and will pass for a man of thirty-five years. He has had the strongest voice of any man in East Tennessee, where he has resided for the last thirty years, and raised an interesting family. He has been speaking all that time, taking a part in all the controversies of the day. About eighteen months ago his voice failed from an attack of bronchitis, and he put himself under the care of Professor Horace Green, of New York, who performed an operation on his throat, which has almost restored his voice. He now speaks very well for the space of one hour.

He is the author of several books; but the one which has had the largest run is one of over four hundred pages, being a vindication of the Methodist Church against the attacks of Rev. J. R. Graves, in Nashville. Brownlow's work was published by the Southern Methodist Publishing House, and something like 100,000 copies have been circulated in the South and West. It is a work of great severity, but of marked ability.

In 1858 he was engaged in a debate upon the Slavery question, in Philadelphia, with the Rev. Mr. Prym, of New York, in which he defended the institution of Slavery with marked ability, exhibiting a familiar acquaintance with the vexed question in all its bearings. The debate, a volume of some four hundred pages, is for sale by J. B. Lippincott & Co.

He is known throughout the length and breadth of this land as the "Fighting Parson;" but no man is more peaceable, or more highly esteemed by his neighbors. Few men are more charitable, and few, of his means—for he is not rich—give away as much in the course of a year.

He is quite a politician, though he has never been an office-seeker or an office-holder. He commenced his political career in Tennessee in 1828, by espousing the cause of John Quincy Adams as against Andrew Jackson. He has been all his life, as he still is, an ardent Whig, and Clay and Webster were his standards of political orthodoxy. His paper, the Knoxville Whig, which he has edited for twenty-two years, has the largest circulation of any political paper in Tennessee, and exerts a controlling influence in the politics of the State. He is a decided Union man, and battles with equal zeal and ability against the abolitionism of the North and the disunion heresy of the Cotton States. He is now the independent candidate for Governor of Tennessee, which election comes off the first Thursday in August. His friends are numerous and devoted to him, and his enemies are not a few in number, and very bitter.

THE CABINET AT MONTGOMERY.

WE publish on page 340, from photographs made at Washington and at Montgomery, and forwarded to us by our correspondent Mr. Davis, now traveling with W. H. RUSSELL, Esq., LL.D., Barrister at Law, Correspondent of the London Times, a group of portraits of the Cabinet at Montgomery.

The President and Vice-President, Messrs. Davis and Stephens, we have heretofore given ; their portraits and biographies will be found at length in No. 217 of the Weekly. The following sketches will introduce the members of the Southern Cabinet to our readers :

ROBERT TOOMBS, SECRETARY OF STATE.

Hon. Robert Toombs was born in Wilkes county, Georgia, July 2, 1810. Commencing his collegiate life at the University of Georgia, he subsequently went North, and graduated at Union College, Schenectady, New York. In 1836 he served as a captain of volunteers in the Creek war. In the next year he was elected to the Legislature, and since that time has been constantly in public life as representative and United States Senator. In the late movement of Georgia he has been active and potential in the cause of secession. He has been called to a post of great importance—one which will serve to display all his merits as a statesman.

C. S. MEMMINGER, SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY,

There are few men in the South who are more competent, in point of ability and business capacity, to administer the Department of the Treasury under the Government of the Confederate States than Mr. Memminger. Possessed of a high order of intellect, a student, learned and full of resources as an accomplished advocate, he is eminently a man of facts and details.

LEROY POPE WALKER, SECRETARY OF WAR.

Hon. Leroy Pope Walker is a lawyer of Huntsville, Alabama, a native of that county (Madison), and about forty-five years of age. He is the eldest son of the late Major Walker, and one of a family distinguished for talent and influence. Two of his brothers are Hon. Percy Walker, who recently represented the Mobile District in Congress, and Hon. Judge Richard W. Walker, of Florence, chairman of the Alabama delegation in the present Confederate Congress. Hon. L. P. Walker at one time practiced law in South Alabama, and was for several sessions Speaker of the House of Representatives of the State. He has been a consistent Democrat of the State Rights school. For the last ten years he has been located in Huntsville, and has the reputation of being the leading lawyer, and, next to Clay, the leading Democrat of North Alabama. Careful in the preparation of his causes, and clear, concise, logical, and eloquent in presenting them before court, he is said to be an eminently successful practitioner. For the last three years he has been conspicuous in his denunciation of squatter sovereignty. In the Alabama Democratic Convention, which took ground against it, and sent a delegation to Charleston to carry out her instructed opposition, Mr. Walker's influence was marked. He was one of the delegation sent to Charleston, and exerted himself in resisting the compromises offered.

 

JUDAH P. BENJAMIN, ATTORNEY-GENERAL.

The Hon. J. P. Benjamin, of Louisiana, Attorney-General, is distinguished as one of the profoundest jurists and most accomplished advocates in the country. He is of the old line of Whig class of State Rights politicians, and his recent speeches in the United States Senate won for him universal admiration. No selection could have been made for Attorney-General of the Confederate States which would he so generally esteemed appropriate.

 

STEPHEN M. MALLORY, SECRETARY OF THE
NAVY.

Mr. Mallory, the Secretary of the Navy of the Confederate States, was. for many years a Senator of the United States from Florida, and occupied the important post of Chairman of the Committee on Naval Affairs. He took a very active interest in the construction of the new sloops of war, and was largely instrumental in fortifying and improving the harbor of Pensacola—the best in the Gulf. Mr. Mallory's experience will be of service to the Confederates should they ever have a navy.

JOHN H. REAGAN, POSTMASTER-GENERAL.

Mr. Reagan has never been prominent in national politics, though he served some years in Congress. His functions as Postmaster-General in the Seceded States have thus far been a sinecure, as the mails are still carried by the United States.

CORRESPONDENCE.

BIG GUNS. To the Editor of Harper's Weekly :

NEW YORK, April 11, 1861.

IN a recent issue you had an article on " Big Guns," in which you stated the one described was the largest in the world. Please read the inclosed, and oblige

PRAIRIE HOWITZER.

"India was not behind in the weapons of war. The Damask sword-blades of Googerat, Wootz steel, are superior to any thing Europe can boast of, and deemed so excellent in England that they are used entirely for surgical instruments.

"Their cannon are the wonder of all who have seen them. The celebrated ones at Dacca, Moorshedabad, Agra, and Bujapore, were of fifteen, eighteen, twenty-three, and thirty inches' bore, weighing from eleven to forty tons, and throwing shot from four hundred-weight to a ton and a half."—IRELAMD'S Wall Street to Cashmere. p. 523.

WILLIAM G. BROWNLOW, OF TENNESSEE,- [PHOTOGRAPHED BY SMILEY OF KNOXVILLE TENN.]

Luther Ladd
William Brownlow

 

 

site stats

 

Site Copyright 2003-2018 Son of the South. For Questions or comments about this collection,

contact: paul@sonofthesouth.net

privacy policy

Are you Scared and Confused? Read My Snake Story, a story of hope and encouragement, to help you face your fears.