not the patient nurse that binds up the wounds, and ministers to the dying; the benefactors of mankind, it seems, amounts to precious little compared to the Napoleons of destruction. War is a kind of school for half-civilized men. It picks up

the rural clod, arrays him in a bright uniform, places him in the close crowded camp, where for the first time he mingles with men of the world and daily the ignorant lout becomes more and more of a cosmopolitan; he sees something of the world that is all new to him; is the butt end of practical jokes that fairly send him spinning along the highway of education-real education; and mayhap he is fired by what he sees with a great ambition and he becomes a phenomenal man-slayer and then the band begins to play "See the conquering hero comes. And to crown all, on walls of palace and hovel may be seen flaming chromos, with this adorable creature riding at the head of the shouting multitude that strew the road with flowers. When he has whipped all creation what is more natural than that all creation should crown and adore him? The uniform is the soldier's open sesame to glory.

One of the greatest industries of the race has been that of cultivating and encouraging excellence in the art of human slaughter. Teaching youths to sigh for the glorious day when they can trig themselves out in a uniform and in lock-step march to the dreadful, ear-splitting fife and snare drum. Even our great government, "of the people, for the people and by the people," has provided for military schools, where a scholarship is a great prize in the lottery of life.

We talk about our civilization, our churches and our universal schools, but we think evidently most earnestly about war and its fadeless glories. The fact is war is barbarous-brutal in inception and unspeakably cruel in execution; it is the pollution of life and steeps the very soul in filth. Physical bravery is not the highest possible order that man can reach. Man can hardly hope to regain the old Spartan standard of stoicism and indifference to pain and death. In fact the bravest army that ever went out to slay in the matter of simple courage has never equaled any ordinary cocking-main, or a prize dog fight. Only death-bravery can be with the order of animal life incapable of reflection. Man alone may possess a moral courage sublime, and there is little else in life in the way of courage that counts for aught. Tɔ a man of even tolerable intelligence the ridiculous attitude of the leading nations of the old world, that have simply made themselves vast military encampments, each one under the horrid pretext that he is simply preparing himself to guard against the invasion of his neighbors, would be comical were it not all quite so serious to the poor, overburdened people. There men and women are encouraged to breed children for powder food; educate all boys for the army, and when at the proper age, without any other ceremony, every young man is a soldier. Many of the young men to-day of Germany have come to this country and are good and industrious citizens who have fled from Fatherland to escape the military service; they have, however, left millions behind-all could not flee-and the great boast now among the nations of that kind is the number and efficiency of their respective armies. Their emperors, czars, kings, queens and princelings are the scabs of civilization-nothing more than night birds and bloodsucking vampires; a large contingent of them imbeciles and madmen-all scrofulous mentally and physically, and their great standing armies are eating up the unpaid-for substance of the people, and millions and millions are starving. Russia, the great military empire, is exploiting to-day the greatest famine among its people that the world has ever known. More than 20,000,000 are perishing of famine, and apparently but one man in all that great empire has strength of mind enough to realize the cause of this awful condition of the people. The anarchist with his fuse says it is all the cruel czar's fault and is ready to throw at him his bomb; the American minister to that country thinks it is the thoughtless improvidence of the people and the failure of crops, while Tolstoi tells the truth, namely-taxed to death. In 1848 the failure of the potato crop in Ireland and the famine and starvation following were universally esteemed as cause

and effect, and Americans were then, as they are now, sending to Russia ships filled with corn. As usual the most of this charity fell into the hands of the undeserving -the same as is now going on in Russia-but to the little portion that found its way to those for whom it was given, it was the boon of life. The fact is in Russia to-day, as in Ireland in 1848, there was food and plenty in store, but the people had not the wherewith to purchase. They had been simply taxed out of their earnings until they had nothing to eat and nothing to buy with. Bad governments in this age alone can produce the starving millions of its people. It is only the fault of the people ever that they suffer, in so far as they tolerate and uphold their vile and rotten governments. Governments can only ruin their people by the power of the tax machine, and this is nearly always done in the name of protecting their empires and peoples from the invasions of their neighboring nations. War, actual or anticipated, is the one pretext for taxing to death the people. It has been so in all time. Here is the secret of the decay and death of nations. Taxing to kill the hated foreigner when they inevitably kill their own subjects in the end.

The cause that brought the fearful baptism of blood and fire to our nation certainly can not now be even intelligently discussed. Even the facts of record, the simple annals, are mostly yet matters of grave dispute. One of President Lincoln's wittiest jokes was that by which he proved that Jeff Davis had 3,000,000 of men under arms. He said he knew there were in the Union army 1,000,000 soldiers in the field; that the official reports of his commanders invariably observed that the enemy had three to one in every engagement; therefore, if he had 1,000,000 Davis must have 3,000,000.

As gleaned from official records of both sides-records that are not absolutely, but substantially correct-the following summary may be kept in mind by the students of American history when they study the chapter of our Civil war:

The seceding States in 1861 had, in round numbers, a population of 8,000,000, about 4,000,000 of which were slaves. The non-seceding States had a population of 24,000,000. This gave the Union side about three to one of the whole population. The confederate States had a seaboard from the Potomac to the mouth of the Rio Grande in Texas, and, having no navy, they were exposed as much to attacks by sea as by land.

During the war 600 confederate vessels stood sentinel along the confederate coast. The South had neither navy yards nor shops for the manufacture. of cannon and small arms, and in the first battles her soldiers were often armed with shot-guns. There were enlisted in the federal army during the war 2,778,304 soldiers, which was about twelve per cent. of her population; while, according to federal statistics, the enrollment in the confederate army was 690,000, which was about seventeen per cent. of the population. The confederates, on the estimates made by Gen. Wright, agent for the collection of confederate statistics, deny that they ever had 690,000 enrolled, as the Army of the Confederacy, "absent and present," was as follows for each year: January, 1862, 318,011; January, 1863, 465,584; January, 1864, 472,781; January, 1865, 439,675. (Vol. IV, "Battles and Leaders," p. 768.)

Taking the federal enlistment at 2,778,304, and the number of federals on the pay roll May 1, 1865, at 1,000,516, there would be about thirty-seven per cent. of the enlistment present. This would give on the same basis about 222,000 confederates under arms. This would preserve the ratio of 600,000 to 2,778,304 enlistments, and the general ratio of population, 8,000,000 to 24,000,000. The difference between the confederate reports of January 1, 1865–439,675-and the number paroled after the surrender--174,000-is accounted for by the heavy losses of the confederates by death and desertion between January 1, 1865, and the date of parole.

The first gun was fired April 12, 1861; the last April 9, 1865, three days less than four years from the rising of the curtain on the greatest tragedy in the tide of time and ringing it down; putting out the lights, and dismissing to their homes the

The "boys" from the
Never were such wide-

2,000,000 of sun-burned and the battle-scarred actors. North had fattened many a new-made Southern graveyard. spread angry passions so deeply stirred before; never was such a mad, pell-mell rush into the very jaws of death. The fires of discord blazed athwart the heavens and aching hearts gathered around the hearthstones of millions of homes; then came the sad, but too late, reflections of the joys of peace.

The life of a generation has come and gone since the hour that Fort Sumter was fired on, and the results to the two contending sections as now developed are curious figures to study. The North is now represented in the pension rolls by considerably more than 800,000 applicants for government bounty; the South had nothing to give as pensions to a soul. The destruction of slavery has been the greatest boon that it was possible for the South to receive. The rapid development of communities, States, factories, railroads and splendid cities in those States is the most amazing fact in our history. From smoking ruins and utter desolation has risen the most marvelous progress ever witnessed. The sons and daughters, reared in wealth, and lolling out a butterfly existence upon the proceeds of slave labor, found themselves confronted with the solemn problem of struggling with bare hands for existence. And, not wasting a moment in idle despair, they went to work, and with a most wonderful self-reliance have carved their paths to extraordinary prosperity, and the end is not yet. The next hundred years can give no token yet of the strides of those once rebellious States, who in a mad hour staked all upon a cast of the die and lost all. The land that was fertilized with blood and ashes is now the blooming garden; and the people, whose good finally came from such ill winds, are happy in the enforced knowledge that the abolition of slavery and the preservation of the Union, the two very things that sent them headlong in their folly, are the supreme blessings they now enjoy. And further, those living, if any, who were instrumental in precipitating a war for a separation of the Union, fully realize now they could have had no calamity befall them at all equal to that of success in their dreadful enterprise.

In many respects our Civil war has had no parallel in all history:

Its vastness.

Its duration.

Its number of indecisive battles.

The loss of life.

Its money cost.

The ebb and flow of victory and defeat.

These are the surface facts. The broken hearts, ruined homes, the wide-spread demoralization among the people, are mostly the unknown quantities now.

When the proclamation of the president was issued calling for 75,000 troops to defend the national capital and suppress the Rebellion, the patriotism of the people in Luzerne county found vent otherwise than in words. Several military companies at once offered their services to the government. The Wyoming Light Dragoons, the Wyoming Yagers (a German company), the Jackson Rifles (a company of Irishmen) and the White Haven Yagers were among the earliest to depart in response to the call. The recruiting of other companies for future exigencies was immediately commenced, and it was at once evident that, whatever had been the previous differences of opinion among the people in this country, when the time for action came patriotism triumphed over every other feeling; and here as elsewhere in the loyal North people of all parties vied with each other in their efforts to promote measures for the defence of the country in its hour of peril.

The first war meeting was held at the courthouse in Wilkes-Barre, on Friday, April 26, 1861. At this meeting Hon. H. B. Wright presided, and patriotic speeches made by several of the most prominent citizens. There were no politics here then for men to wrangle over. One universal purpose prevailed. "Go to war!"

180

was the watch cry and men stepped up to the enrolling officer in squads, platoons, companies, regiments and brigades.

Eighth Regiment was organized for the three months' service. D, F, G were from this county. Hoyt and Brisbane had been commanders, was filled by new recruits and became A company of cavalry at Wilkes-Barre, Capts. Companies C, Company C. Company F had been an artillery company of the same place, under Capt. Emley, who became colonel of the regiment. organization known as the Wyoming Yagers; this joined with a Pittston company. Company G had been an The companies proceeded at once to Camp Curtin, where the regiment was organized on April 22, 1861, seven days after the president's proclamation calling for 75,000 men was issued. to the vicinity of Chambersburg, where it was attached to the Third brigade, First On the day of its organization the regiment was ordered division. June 7 it went to Greenville, and soon afterward to the vicinity of Williamsport, where it was posted to guard the forts of the Potomac. While here Lieut.

Col. Bowman crossed the river alone to reconnoitre, and was made prisoner by rebel scouts. Soon after the Union forces advanced into Virginia. Two companies of this regiment were detailed as an escort for Capt. Doubleday's battery on its march to Martinsburg. On July 6 the regiment joined the brigade at Martinsburg; on the 17th it participated in a flank movement toward Charleston, and was stationed at Keyes Ford during the night of the 20th. It returned about this time,

via Harper's Ferry and Hagerstown, to Harrisburg, where it was disbanded.

The field and staff officers of the regiment were: A. H. Emley, Wilkes-Barre, colonel; Samuel Bowman, Wilkes-Barre, lieutenant colonel; Joseph Phillips, Pittston, major; Joseph Wright, Wilkes-Barre, adjutant; B. Dilley, quartermaster; Benjamin H. Throop, surgeon; H. Carey Parry, assistant surgeon; T. P. Hunt, chaplain. Company C.-Officers: William Brisbane, captain; Joseph Wright, first lieutenant; John B. Conyngham, second lieutenant; Lyman R. Nicholson, first sergeant; William J. Fell, second sergeant; Beriah S. Bowers, third sergeant; William C. Rohn, fourth sergeant; Treat B. Camp, first corporal; Samuel B. Hibler, second corporal; Albert M. Bailey, third corporal; Edwin S. Osborne, fourth corporal; Thomas J. Schleppy and Joseph W. Collings, musicians.

Company D.-Officers: Jacob Bertels, captain; Richard Fitzgerald, first lieutenant; Patrick Lenihan, second lieutenant; Michael Reily, first sergeant; John C. Reily, second sergeant; Michael Giligan, third sergeant; Joseph P. Byrne, fourth sergeant; Daniel McBride, first corporal; Daniel Shoolin, second corporal; Thomas Devaney, third corporal; John Ryan, fourth corporal; Bartholomew Lynch and John Batterton, musicians.

Company F.-Officers: Edwin W. Finch, captain; Butler Dilley, Isaiah M. Leach, lieutenants; Alpheus C. Montague, Charles B. Metzgar, Charles B. Stout; Oliver A. Parsons, sergeants; Benjamin F. Louder, John J. McDermott, William K. Rowntree and Paschal L. Hooner, corporals.

Company G.-Officers: George N. Richard, captain; John N. Treffeisen and Gustavus E. Hahn, lieutenants; George W. Smith, Joseph Harold, Christopher Walther, Jacob Goeby, sergeants; Christian Treffeisen, Andreas Haussan, Henry Katzenbacher, John Marr, corporals.

Eleventh Regiment, ninety days, organized April 26, 1861. May 27 it was ordered to guard the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore railroad. June 18 went

to Baltimore, thence to Chambersburg and to Hagerstown. July 2 crossed the
Potomac at Williamsport, and was in the battle of Falling Water, where three men
of Company E (James Morgan, Daniel R. Stiles and Nelson Headen) were wounded.
Then went to Martinsburg and Bunker Hill, and on July 17 to Charlestown.
term of their enlistment was about to expire, Gen. Patterson had the Eleventh paraded
and requested the men to remain some days beyond this term.
As the
signify their willingness to do so by bringing their arms to a shoulder at the word.
He asked them to

When the order was given every musket was shouldered. By arrangement the regiment was re-mustered for three years after its muster out and allowed to retain its number.

Colonel,

The field and staff officers of the Eleventh regiment were as follows: Phaon Jarrett; lieutenant-colonel, Richard Coulter; major, William D. Earnest; adjutant, F. Asbury Awl; quartermaster, William H. Hay; surgeon, William T. Babb; assistant surgeon, H. B. Buchler.

Company E of this regiment was recruited at Pittston; mustered in April 21,

1861.

Officers: John B. Johnson, captain; John B. Fish, first lieutenant; Thomas De Ketta, second lieutenant; William E. Sees, first sergeant; Samuel Hodgdon, second sergeant; William C. Blair, third sergeant; Francis C. Woodhouse, fourth sergeant; Jacob Fell, first corporal; George Cleaver, second corporal; Cornelius Vanscoy, third corporal; Charles F. Stewart, fourth corporal.

The Fifteenth Regiment was organized at Camp Curtin May 1, 1861. May 9 the regiment went to Camp Johnston, near Lancaster, where the men were well drilled and disciplined. June 3 they moved to near Chambersburg, and were assigned to Gen. Negley's brigade of Gen. Keim's division. June 16 the regiment with its brigade marched to the vicinity of Hagerstown. On July 2 it crossed the Potomac with the army and Negley's brigade, which followed a road that diverged from the main line of march, threw forward Company I with a company from another regiment as skirmishers. These suddenly came upon a battalion of Ashby's cavalry, disguised as Union troops, and before they suspected their true character, Lieut. John B. Hutchinson and a portion of Company I were made prisoners, the first sergeant having been shot. They had even obeyed an order from Ashby to let down the fence between them, mistaking the cavalry for friends. Pursuit without cavalry was unavailing, and these men were hurried to Richmond, and thence through the south to New Orleans, where they were kept till that city fell into the possession of the federal troops, when they were sent to Salisbury and soon afterward exchanged. Six of their number, however, had died from exposure and hardship. On the 3d the regiment reached Martinsburg, where it remained till the 15th; then marched successively to Bunker Hill, Charleston, Hagerstown and Carlisle, where it encamped on the 27th, and was mustered out on August 7.

Colonel, Richard A. Oakford; lieutenant-colonel, Thomas Biddle; major, Stephen N. Bradford; adjutant, John R. Lynch; quartermaster, Jacob Rice; surgeon, A. P. Meylert; assistant surgeon, R. H. Little.

Companies B and C were from Pittston and D and G from Wilkes-Barre.

Company B.-Officers: Anthony Brown, captain: Andreas Frey, first lieutenant; George Dick, second lieutenant; Henry Teufel, first sergeant; Charles Aicher, second sergeant; Joseph Kaiser, third sergeant; Leo Steur, fourth sergeant; Albert Feist, first corporal; Joseph Steur, second corporal; John Kolb, third corporal; Herman Kaspar, fourth corporal.

Company C.-Officers: Christian Robinson, captain; Frederick Weichel and Charles Robinson, first lieutenants; William Steim and John R. Jones, second lieutenants.

Company D.-Officers: Solomon Strumer, captain; Daniel Dobra, Jacob C. Hohn, lieutenants; Marcus Bishop, John Gebhart, George Schaffer, Nicholas Smith, sergeants.

Company G.-Officers: Thomas Mazorerrs, captain; Thomas A. Nichols, Alexander Phillips, lieutenants; John Eskings, Richard W. Jackson, George Z. Killhorn, Davis Garbet, sergeants.

Twenty-eighth Regiment was raised by John W. Geary, of Mexican war fame. He became colonel and finally promoted to major general; elected governor of the State in 1867 and 1870. There were fifteen companies in this regiment, of which