for him the esteem, the confidence and the highest consideration of his chief, and of General Hancock as well. Commendation for meritorious performance of duty, special mention for gallantry and brilliancy and recommendation for promotion, were repeatedly made and urged by both. In closing I cannot refrain from referring to a striking coincidence in the service of two men who have claimed this city as their home. David Humphreys, who lived and died in this city, to whom was erected a monument now standing in the Grove street cemetery, served as a volunteer adjutant to Colonel Jabez Thompson of the Second Connecticut Militia, in the campaign of New York and vicinity in 1776. Colonel Thompson was killed in the operations of this campaign. In March, 1777, Humphreys was appointed brigade-major to General Parsons, and assisted in organizing new regiments for the war. He accompanied General Meigs on the Sag Harbor expedition in May, 1777, was with forces under Putnam during the Burgoyne campaign in 1777, wintered with General Parsons at West Point, 1777-78; was with Washington at White Plains, October, 1777; then again with Putnam till he was retired. He then accepted an appointment on the staff of General Green and served at the battle of Springfield, N. J., June 23rd, 1780. The same day he was appointed aide on the staff of General Washington and served with him to the end of the war. Notwithstanding his absence on staff duty he was honored with a commission as captain in each of the following regiments as they succeeded each other after having served the term or tour of the several enlistmentsSixth, Fourth and Second Connecticut Line. It goes without saying that he was a gallant and distinguished soldier and patriot. The Revolutionary War was practically brought to a close by the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, October 19th, 1762. For distinguished services during the war, particularly on the staff of General Washington, Major David Humphreys was selected to accompany the captured colors of Cornwallis to be presented to Congress, which then and there, as an expression of their distinguished appreciation, rewarded him with promotion to the rank of lieutenant-colonel. The most sanguinary war on the pages of history was practically brought to a close April the 9th, 1865, by the surrender of Lee at Appomattox. Major A. H. Embler, whose services were not less varied, not less gallant, was ordered to accompany Lee's captured colors to Washington, D. C., to be presented to the great secretary, Edwin M. Stanton, who then and there, as the expression of his appreciation of Major Embler's bravery and gallantry, promoted him to the rank of lieutenant-colonel by brevet.-Nathan Easterbrook, Jr. CAPT. ALBEE DEFENDS HIS REGIMENT. Replies to the Criticisms of Thirty-Sixth Wisconsin Regiment in a Recent Paper Read Before Admiral Foote Post by Nathan Easterbrook, Jr. The following paper was read by Captain G. E. Albee at the regular meeting of Admiral Foote Post, G. A. R., in Music Hall, last evening. The paper replies to the strictures upon the Thirty-sixth Wisconsin Regiment contained in a paper previously read before the post by Nathan Easterbrook, Jr. The historical article prepared by Nathan Easterbrook, Jr., and read before Admiral Foote Post, February 3rd, 1900, and published in the New Haven Register Sunday morning, February 4th, 1900, reviewed by a survivor of the Thirty-Sixth Wisconsin Volunteers. "Thrice is he armed who hath his quarrel just." The adjutant will please read from the Holy Bible, The Acts, Chapter V, first six verses: 1. But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira, his wife, sold a possession. 2. And kept bact back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the Apostles' feet. 3. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4. While it remained, was it not thine own? And after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. 5. And Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and gave up the ghost; and great fear came on them that heard these things. 6. And the young men arose, wound him up and carried him out, and buried him. As Peter said unto Ananias, so say I now unto Nathan, Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? Why did you bring here a part, and keep back yet another, and much the more important part of the record? and whether or not ye, like Ananias, fall down dead, so will we wind you up with truth, and bury you with recorded facts. In 1864, two men were in a position to do, and did do, a great wrong. They issued an order disgracing three gallant regiments, on the assumption, as expressed in the order, that "a majority returned from the field of battle without their colors.” The fact that a majority of the Thirty-sixth Wisconsin had been killed, wounded and captured in the defense of their position and colors, had been officially communicated to the one of these two men who signed the order in the name of the other, three days before its issue. General Gibbon may not have known. Therefore, I feel justified in referring to the false assumption as a slander, and to the order as an outrage. Two hundred and ninety-four dead soldiers! soldiers wounded who lived to be discharged. All this loss in the Thirty-sixth Wisconsin! Two hundred and forty-seven more Oh, that each of those gaping wounds might have a tongue that could now describe to you, here in this presence with all the combined eloquence of a Fox, a Sheridan and a Burke, what it meant to them, who, having shaken hands with death on many fields, displaying that courage and fortitude which is the common heritage of those who followed in all the bloody paths where Old Glory led, what it meant, at the last, to be robbed of their good name, by one stroke of a mistaken or malignant pen. The honorable record which these patriotic men and gallant soldiers made has been assailed upon the floor of this post, and the slander published and spread broadcast to the world over the signature of Nathan Easterbrook, Jr. It is difficult to review that so-called history, and refute its statements, without appearing to attack the battle record of A. Henry Embler. Let no man be deceived, or imagine for one moment that such is the object of this paper. In battle he was all right—look for yourselves in the official records of the Rebellion. The people who suffered from that unjust Order, No. 63,*have been more considerate than those who caused the order to be issued. Ever since I have been in New Haven I have known that A. Henry Embler was the man, the mention of whose name, since Ream's Station, would always cause uncomplimentary remarks in the Thirtysixth Wisconsin Volunteers. But believing that he had repented of his connection with that unfortunate flag order, I let by-gones be by-gones, and have, I believe, consistently and continuously treated him as one friend should treat another. Sometime since I received a letter from the associate editor of McClure's Magazine, asking the particulars of the flag incident for publication, which the adjutant will please read-it is marked Exhibit A. EXHIBIT “A." McClure's Magazine, New York City. Associate Editor, Ida M. Tarbell, Washington. LIEUTENANT GEORGE E. ALBEE, New Haven, Conn: The Edward, 816 Fifteenth Street,' WASHINGTON, D. C., March 6th, 1899. MY DEAR SIR: Some two years ago I received from Mr. George H. Billings of Delphos, Kansas, a letter in which he called my attention to an incident of the Civil War in which you were an actor, the matter of the taking of the colors from a certain regiment and their return afterwards through the interference of Mr. Lincoln. Mr. Billings told me that you saw Mr. Lincoln and interceded for the return of the colors. I think that your interview with him would make an interesting item in the biography of Abraham Lincoln which I am now publishing in McClure's Magazine. Can you give me anything on the matter? I shall await your answer with interest. What I would like would be as full an account as you can give of your interview with Mr. Lincoln. Very truly yours, (Signed) IDA M. TARBELL. I replied to the letter that a great injustice had been done, and that Mr. Lincoln had ordered the investigation that put the matter right again, but that as some of those responsible for the outrage were still living, and I believed had repented of their action, I begged that the matter be not reopened or alluded to in the magazine articles. The reply to my request is marked Exhibit B, and the adjutant will please read. *Note. See page 415. EXHIBIT "B." McClure's Magazine, New York City. Associate Editor, Ida M. Tarbell, Washington, D. C. The Edward, 816 Fifteenth Street, WASHINGTON, D. C., March 11th, '99. MR. GEORGE E. ALBEE, New Haven, Conn.: MY DEAR SIR: Thank you very much for your kind letter of March 8th. Of course I shall abide by your wishes in the matter and not refer to the story. Very truly yours, (Signed) IDA M. TARBELL. These letters prove that I was trying to save Embler from embarrassment in this matter. General Gibbon being dead, no one but Embler could have been annoyed, or hurt, by the publication of the truth, and the Thirty-sixth Wisconsin are very proud of their entire record as a regiment. To produce the recorded facts in a few of the cases where Nathan Easterbrook, Jr.'s, history does not agree with real history, is not an attack upon Embler. Loyalty to the 294 dead and 247 others, wounded and crippled comrades of my regiment, compels me to declare the facts. I am sorry to lose the friendship of one whom I have admired since the 22nd of June, 1864, when he, unsuccessfully, did all that man could do, to stop the stampede of his own regiment, and others, from the left of our brigade, and get them to resist the advance of the victorious enemy, who swept up in the rear of our line, until stopped by the Twentieth Massachusetts, the Thirty-sixth Wisconsin and the Seventh Michigan, who alone of the brigade stood fast. But if there had been but one man shot in my regiment, instead of hundreds, and the defense of his memory from uncalled for and unjust attack shall cost me the friendship of every living comrade, I am ready to pay the price. The more important statements in Nathan Easterbrook, Jr.'s, history taken in succession from his paper as published in The Register, and which do not harmonize with recorded facts, are as follows: Nathan Easterbrook, Jr., says: The inscription on the medal of honor does not give the details of the service Comrade Embler performed, but briefly he, by the discovery of a considerable force in his rear, directed General Smyth's Third Brigade to the capture of guns, limbers, caissons, flags and prisoners in large numbers. Now see Rebellion Record, Vol. 42, Part I., Serial No. 87, page 326, where General Smyth reports officially "That having no connection to the right of the Tenth New York, I became anxious, and sent Lieutenant Cowtan, Tenth New York Volunteers, with six enlisted men, from the right of that regiment to see what troops were engaged in that direction, and they saw and reported to me that a column of rebel troops was moving towards our rear; this fact was immediately reported to the general commanding the division," etc. Nathan Easterbrook, Jr., says: "Andrew H. Embler was selected by General Gibbon to become a member of his military family. This was in February, 1862." The facts are that General Gibbon did not join the Second Divison of the Second Corps until more than a year later. Nathan Easterbrook, Jr., says: "General Gibbon appointed him captain of United States Volunteers. This was one of the most gratifying incidents of Comrade Embler's army experience." The facts are that General Gibbon never appointed Embler or anyone else captain of United States Volunteers; he never had the power to do so. After Embler's service in the Seventy-first New York State Militia, he was mustered as first lieutenant, Eighty-second New York, January 21, 1862; captain, June 20, 1862; transferred to Fifty-ninth New York, July 10, 1864; appointed major and aide-de-camp of United States Volunteers, March 21, 1865; honorably mustered out, December 5, 1865. During the entire term of his service on General Gibbon's staff in the Second Corps, he was borne on the pay-rolls of his regiment as on detached service. And Embler's first detail for staff duty came some time between April 10, 1863, when he was reported as on leave of absence, and August 31, 1863, when he was reported as on detached service, commissary of musters. The adjutant will please read Exhibit C. WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, MY DEAR MAJOR: Replying to your February 25th, the division or corps commanders during the Civil War had no authority, as I am informed, to appoint captains of United States Volunteers for staff duty, which was performed by officers detailed from regiments. A. Henry Embler was mustered in as first lieutenant, Eighty-second New York, January 21st, 1862; captain, June 20th, 1862; transferred to Fifty-ninth New York, July 10th, 1864; appointed major, aid-de-camp, volunteers, by President Lincoln, March 21st, 1865. Honorably mustered-out, December 5th, 1865. (Signed) Sincerely yours, MAJOR GEORGE E. ALBEE, U. S. Army, 324 Howard Avenue, New Haven, Conn. JOHN A. JOHNSTON, Assistant Adjutant-General. Nathan Easterbrook, Jr., says: "When the First and Second Divisions were hurried from the far right at Deep Bottom, north of the James River, to the extreme left at Ream's Station, to tear up and destroy the Weldon railroad, they were in mighty poor condition to face the situation which developed. They were caught and overwhelmed by greatly superior numbers, and then and there the remnant of two divisions of the Fighting Second Corps' lost their first gun and colors." The official records of the rebellion (See Vol. 40, Part I, Serial No. 80, page 371), and find the brigade commander reports that Captain A. Henry Embler's regiment, the Eighty-second New York, and several others, not including the Thirty-sixth Wisconsin, lost their colors more than two months before Ream's Station; several guns were also lost on the 22d of June.* Nathan Easterbrook, Jr., says: "At Ream's Station, in the Second Division, three regiments lost their colors-the Eighth New York, H. A. (acting as infantry); the One Hundred and Sixty-fourth New York Volunteers, and the Thirty-sixth Wisconsin Volunteers." The facts are (See Vol. 42, Part I, Serial No. 87, page 302), *Note. See page 99, Report of General Pierce. |