CHAPTER XXIX.

THE SOLDIER POET OF THE WAR.

HARLES GRAHAM HALPINE was among the ardent lovers of liberty who naturally gravitated towards Tammany Hall, and who made a record for himself in aiding to preserve the union of these States, though not a native of the soil. He came to this country in 1852, and after some experience in Boston and elsewhere, settled in New York, and became known before the war as an able journalist, a gifted poet, a genial member of society, and he only awaited the opportunity to prove himself a brave and accomplished soldier. Early in his New York career he was attached to the editorial staff of the Times newspaper, for which he wrote the famous "Nicaragua Letters" during the Walker filibustering expedition. The Times was then under the editorial control of the late Henry J. Raymond. Later Mr. Halpine became part proprietor and editor of the New York Leader. His associate in this venture was the well-known John Clancy. When Mr. Halpine took hold of this paper it had but a meagre circulation, which might be counted by hundreds only, but under the attraction of the new editor's forcible papers and the improved make-up of reading matter, the circulation rapidly increased, until it reached 11,000. Its influence was marked, and for a while it seemed destined to become the most popular paper in the city. But Mr. Halpine withdrew from the concern and the charm seemed to go with him. Subsequently this man of versatile talents was connected with the Herald, and also contributed to magazines and other periodicals, apparently possessing the capacity to turn off unlimited quantities of any sort of literary matter, prose or poetry, just as the occasion demanded. He was thoroughly Democratic in his principles, though his writings were not limited to publications of that party.

When the war broke out Mr. Halpine promptly enlisted in the Sixty-ninth New York Infantry, abandoning, without hesitation, all his literary engagements, and the fairest prospects of success, to fight for the preservation of his adopted country. His unusual mental mobility enabled him to grasp military ideas with ease, and to so thoroughly adapt himself to the novel circumstances in which he found himself placed that he was almost immediately promoted to a position on the staff of General Hunter as Assistant Adjutant-General with the rank of Major. He accompanied General Hunter to Missouri on his expedition to relieve Fremont, performing very onerous and responsible duties on the occasion. Later he was transferred to the division of Major-General Halleck, with whom his duties were by no means lightened. Mr. Halpine was one of the few civilians whom the West Point men admitted to be an able executive officer.

It was while he was stationed at Hilton Head that he assumed the name of "Miles O'Reilly," thus personating the name of a fictitious private of the Fortyseventh New York Volunteers. Many of his effusions under this nom de plume were very amusing, with a strong shade of sarcasm interwoven; but the best of

all, considered as a literary product, was a poem of considerable length on the proposition to raise a monument to the "Irish Legion," so many of whom lost their lives in the Union cause. The entire poem is too long for insertion here, but we give one noble verse, sufficient to show the style and spirit. Speaking of them as aliens by birth, received, as all foreigners at that date were, with cordial hospitality, he says:

"Welcomed they were with generous hand,

And to that welcome nobly true,
When war's dread tocsin filled the land,
With sinewy arm and swinging brand,
These exiles to the rescue flew;
Their fealty to the flag they gave,
And for the Union, daring death,
Foremost among the foremost brave,
They welcomed victory and the grave,

In the same sigh of parting breath."

Although Mr. Halpine's military services were so fully recognized by both General Hunter and General Halleck, the Secretary of War persistently ignored his merits and his just claims to promotion, leaving him, when peace was proclaimed, with the simple rank of Major. Was it because he was a Tammany man? No other cause was ever assigned. Certainly he had been actively influential on the General Committee of that old Democratic society; but surely Tammany had done its duty, and its full share, even more than its share, in sustaining the Union forces in the field. And Major Halpine himself was one proof of it.

For a short period after his return to New York he acted as a member of Gen. Dix's staff, assisting that Commander in arresting a horde of bounty swindlers, who had infested New York during the latter period of the war. This was his last military service. He quietly resumed his literary occupations, and political affiliations. But he did not find all of these working to his satisfaction. One of the parties whom he immediately antagonized was Fernado Wood, a man who had in many respects failed to keep the confidence once reposed in him by a large and effective following. The "Citizens' Association" then existing for the especial purpose of securing some municipal reforms, was fortunate in securing Major Halpine as editor of their paper, which they called The Citizen. Of this sheet he shortly after became sole proprietor, and through its influence mainly was built up the organization known for a limited time as the Democratic Union. This paper he edited until his death, which occurred in August, 1868. Honest in every fibre of his being, with talents so varied that he had scarcely a peer among his professional contemporaries, he was personally a man universally liked. It was with deep sorrow that thousands of his fellow citizens bade a final adieu to the patriot, poet, and brave soldier, on that oppressive summer day.

CHAPTER XXX.

FERNANDO WOOD.

NDIVIDUALS of strong character have always had considerable influence in, or on, Tammany Hall, when their talents were exerted in aid or in opposition to that Society. Among many eminently picturesque figures who have at times been supported by and affiliated with Tammany, and again have violently opposed that association, there has been no more striking figure than that of FERNANDO WOOD, three times elected Mayor of New York, and the leader of the Mozart Hall faction, one of the strongest associations ever made up of disaffected Tammanyites.

Mayor Wood is probably best remembered in New York for the curious position which he assumed at the outbreak of the Civil War. He came to this city from Philadelphia in 1820, and, though in mercantile business, soon began to interest himself in politics. In 1839 he was Chairman of a young men's political organization, and in 1840 was elected to Congress, on the Democratic ticket, serving until 1843, when he was nominated for Mayor of New York by his friends, who thought him the strongest man to overcome the combined forces of Whigs and Know-Nothings. He was, however, defeated by them. Nominated again for that office, in 1845, he was elected, and immediately commenced to bring order out of the demoralized condition of the city government, which had been for some time in incompetent hands, and lacked system. He vastly improved the methods, and devised many improvements in municipal management. His efforts were very generally appreciated, so that he was re-elected, in 1856, by the combination of the "better element" of both Whigs and Democrats. He was too able a man to be used by the corrupt conspirators then in their incipiency, he could not be made a tool of, and was shrewd enough to suspect them, but had not the means to effectually oppose them; he was in a measure forced out of the Wigwam, where he had been a leading spirit, and organized what was afterwards known as the "Mozart Hall wing" of the Democracy. Two years later Tammany and Mozart Hall, together, controlled five-sevenths of all the votes cast in the city.

The most exciting episode in Mayor Wood's public career occurred in 1857. During the winter session of the Legislature, at Albany, of 1856-57, a bill was passed depriving the Mayor of the City of New York of all control over the Police Department-the alleged cause being that Mr. Wood had used that body for partisan political service. Acting upon the advice of the Corporation Counsel and of Charles O'Connor, the Mayor determined to resist the imposition of the Metropolitan Police upon the City of New York, by what he deemed the usurped authority of the Legislature. The Mayor of the city, for two hundred years, had exercised the prerogative of control over the Department of Police, and Mr. Wood and his advisers believed the bill which took away this function was unconstitutional (which lawyers still believe). At this time the Chief of Police in New