Part 6

See here ----, ----, ----! I am just up from the front, where I have been killing such infernal wretches as you are. I have met you in twenty battles. I never lost a gun to you. You never drove a battery I served with from its position. You are a crowd of insolent, cowardly scoundrels, and if I had command of this prison I would discipline you, or kill you, and I should much prefer to kill you. I have brought a battery of United States artillery to this pen, and if you give me occasion I will be glad to dam that river [pointing to the Chemung] with your worthless carcasses, and silence your insolent tongues forever. I fully understand that you are presuming on your position as prisoners of war when you talk to me as you have; but [and here his hand shook warningly in the faces of the group], you have reached the end of your rope with me. I will kill the first man of you who again speaks insultingly to me while I am in this pen, and I shall be here daily. Now, go to your quarters!

The release of all prisoners of war, in 1865, made unnecessary the further presence of cannon at Elmira. Cushing thereupon returned to Washington. His entire organization was dismounted, and early in 1866 assigned to duty as heavy artillery at Fort Meyer, across the river from Georgetown, D. C. It may well be imagined that the new service, consisting principally of drilling recruits, would not be much to the taste of the dashing young lieutenant who was now in his twenty-eighth year, full of life and vigor, a lover of literature and art, but above all imbued with the desire to write his name by the side of those of his brothers, whose services to their country were worthy of a permanent place on the tablets of the Nation's memory.

_Transferred to the Cavalry_

It was not until he had completed his twenty-ninth year that Howard obtained a transfer to the cavalry, which was then engaged in subduing Indians, the only warlike enterprise then in operation. On September 7, 1867, he became second-lieutenant of troop F of the Third cavalry, probably with reasonable certainty of early promotion, for about three months later he received a commission as first lieutenant.

From the border annals, it would appear that thenceforward he was practically commander of his troop. So closely identified was he with it, that what the troop did was credited to Cushing, and what Cushing did was the pride and the boast of the troop. In captivating the hearts of his followers, Howard displayed a power and quality of bravery much resembling that of his brothers. Captain Bourke, who served with him as junior lieutenant, in the same troop, frankly stated in private conversation that Howard Cushing was the bravest man he ever saw; and repeated for emphasis, "I mean just that--the bravest man I ever saw." In Bourke's volume,[11] he writes to like effect, although not in the identical language above quoted. One among his many allusions to Cushing is given in the "Appreciations" preceding the present narrative; but there are others, expressed with nearly as strong emphasis--for instance, a list of the able and gallant officers who had helped clear Arizona of Apaches is recited, with the conclusion: "They were all good men and true, but if there were any choice among them I am sure that the verdict, if left to those soldiers themselves, would be in favor of Cushing." In a burst of indignation, after speaking of the lieutenant's "determination, coolness and energy, which had made his name famous all over the southwestern border," Bourke adds: "There is an alley named after him in Tucson, and there is, or was when last I saw it, a tumble-down, worm-eaten board to mark his grave, and that was all to show where the great American nation had deposited the remains of one of its bravest."

[11] John G. Bourke, _On the Border with Crook_ (N. Y., 1891).

Cushing's first cavalry service of distinction was in western Texas, from which he drove the savages in 1869. The next spring, after a cruel massacre by the Indians of a party of thirty white men and women on their way to work at a private ranch, he was selected to head an expedition for the punishment of the murderers. Patiently searching for every indication of the trails of the Indians, he found their camp one night, and the following morning surprised and destroyed them, almost to the last man. They were said to have the more easily succumbed to the attack, from having drunk a quantity of patent medicines taken from the baggage of their earlier victims. This stuff was composed mostly of what the distillers call "high wines," containing a large percentage of crude alcohol.

On returning to Camp Grant the troop rested for a short time, and then started on an extended expedition touching the Sierra Apache and Mesquite Springs--losing only one man, the blacksmith, in the course of the trip, and inflicting no great injury on the Indians. Other expeditions followed, about as fruitless; but towards the end of summer the headquarters were moved fifty-five miles west to Tucson, which had not then acquired fame as a mining centre. It was, however, noted as being the capital of Arizona and one of the dirtiest of little Spanish-American towns. The camp was on the eastern border of the village, and the Apaches were in the habit of coming up to its close neighborhood to steal and drive away live stock. Even after the arrival of Cushing's troop, the savages had shown strong tendencies towards mischief, seriously wounding one of his men. Later they simultaneously attacked wagon trains and widely-separated settlements, thus confusing the calculations of our officers. As a crowning exploit they carried away a herd of cattle from Tucson itself, and followed that achievement by the killing of a stage-mail rider and the massacre of a party of Mexicans on their way to Sonora.

During the time when these events occurred, Cushing kept his troop hard at work and extirpated many of the hostile Indians--how many, is not stated in any work of which I have knowledge. Cochise, chief of the Chiricahua clan of Apaches (and predecessor of Geronimo), finally came into camp as winter drew nigh, and claimed that he wanted peace and a resting-place on the reservation. He had already been fighting the white people for fourteen years, and had tried every trick upon his enemies save this. Cushing vainly protested against coddling the wily chief during cold weather, to suffer from his depredations when warmth should again prevail. Cochise was taken care of all winter; and before May, 1871, was on the warpath with Cushing close after him. On May 5th the lieutenant was at the head of a reconnoitering party of twenty-two men at Bear Springs, in the Whetstone Mountains, about fifty miles southeasterly from Tucson, and twenty-five southwesterly from the site of the present town of Benson.

_Death of the Young Cavalryman_

Cushing was riding at the head of the party with three soldiers and a citizen or two near him, when Sergeant John Mott saw movements of some Apaches who were trying to get to the rear of the detachment. He sent word to the lieutenant, inducing him to fall back, although already engaged with an ambush of Cochise's followers in front. The latter had succeeded in entirely surrounding the little party, and Cushing, with four at his side, were all slain before they could get back to the rest of their party.

Sylvester Maury, a graduate of West Point--pioneer miner, and author of a classic of modern Arizona, entitled _Arizona and Sonora_--in a letter to the New York _Herald_ shortly after Cushing's death, boldly charged the catastrophe to the foolish policy then prevailing, of dealing with the Indians of the Southwest. Under this policy, the ravages of the enemy were promoted by feeding them up well during any intervals when they might feel like taking a rest from assassination and plunder. He added:

Now we have the result. There is not a hostile tribe in Arizona or New Mexico, that will not celebrate the killing of Cushing as a great triumph. He was a beau sabreur, an unrelenting fighter; and although the Indians have got him at last, he sent before him a long procession of them to open his path to the undiscovered country. * * * He has left behind him in Arizona a name that will not die in this generation.

As a comment on the foregoing, I need only say that in response to my request, at an Arizona newspaper office a few weeks ago, for some special information regarding Howard Cushing, I was told that the writer had "never heard of the party inquired after." _Sic transit gloria mundi_, making very rapid time in the transit, in many of the modern instances. Nevertheless, Arizona has taken enough care of Cochise's name to attach it to one of her large counties.

Howard's death occurred more than three-and-a-half years before that of William; but I fancy that the acts and sayings of the latter at the time of his brother's demise were such as to indicate something in the nature of nervous affection. Mrs. Bouton informs me that it was difficult to dissuade him from a project that he had in mind, to go into the frontier service himself and there take vengeance on Howard's slayers. On first hearing of the fatality he had been unable to refrain from tears, even after reaching the office of a commercial bank. Before leaving the place, he wrote the following letter to his brother Milton:

THE BLACKSTONE NATIONAL BANK, BOSTON,

_May 15th, 1871._

MY ONLY AND VERY DEAR BROTHER: With a heart full of agony I write to you of our terrible misfortune. Dear, brave "Howie" is no more. I saw the news in the paper at 8 a. m. in the country this morning, and hastened in to break it to Mother. _Poor, dear_ little Ma! Her heart is almost broken. Oh! _dear_ old fellow--we are left alone now--the last of four; and let us swear to stand by each other and our noble Mother in all things. Let our old boyhood and vows come back with full force and meaning, and let us cling together in truest and most unselfish love and friendship. I long for you, _dear_ brother--for a clasp of your true, honest hand, and the comfort of one glance into your eyes. How much it would comfort Mother to see you before you go! Tomorrow I take her with me into the Country where we are living. I am in delightful quarters, and shall take good care of little Ma. God bless her! Kate [the writer's wife] is like a real daughter to her; and I thank Heaven that she was not alone in Mary's absence. [Referring to the present Mrs. Bouton, whose name was Mary Isabel, the "Mary" having since been dropped by her.]

_Dear_ old fellow--we must be doubly loving and attentive to little Ma now. Write often to her. One thing is certain of her Sons; they can not be beaten. You can kill but not conquer them. A beautiful tribute was paid to Lon by the General of his brigade at the great Army of the Potomac meeting here. He described his wonderful, superhuman bravery. How he demanded--white with loss of blood--to go again to the front. The General said, "You have done all that mortal can do; attend now to your wounds." Lon answered, "No, I will fall by my guns." He selected Allie as the only one to especially eulogize, God bless the brave boys! I can almost see their meeting--the handclasp of two who gave up life for duty; and Father, joined by his noble Sons, proudly and tenderly embracing them.

God bless you, dear brother! Don't lose love for me. We are alone now. My tears are falling so that I can scarcely see. Good bye.

With all his heart your loving brother

WILL.

The story of these noble sons of Wisconsin might properly be concluded with the foregoing letter; but for the satisfaction of those who may wish to have a good idea of the personal appearance of the young cavalryman, I will add the description given by Captain Bourke:

He was about five feet seven in height, spare, sinewy, active as a cat; slightly stoop-shouldered, sandy complexioned, keen gray or bluish gray eyes, which looked you through when he spoke and gave a slight hint of the determination, coolness and energy which had made his name famous all over the southwestern border.

So long as such men can be produced in the republic, there is little danger of its decline and fall. Without such, or men of stamina approximating to their standard, our country would be likely to meet the fate of its predecessors, and become the prey of stronger peoples. It would therefore be foolish indeed to withhold from our fighting men the honor and the more substantial rewards which tend to encourage bravery and, when necessary, the upholding of our national solidarity by force of arms. To a considerable degree this is accomplished by our national pension system; but that is faulty, in respect that it makes no distinction, as to the amount of his quarterly stipend, between a four-years' fighting soldier and a ninety-days' malingerer in or about hospitals.

That it was difficult to provide for advancement in the army, in accordance with desert, is evident from the fact that Howard Cushing served as a private soldier in the same battery for twenty months. That was, indeed, keeping talent hidden in a very inconspicuous napkin. It may be that such bad fortune was unavoidable on the whole, and that a just grading of pensions would be still more difficult to attain than logically-just promotions in the army. At all events, it is clear to me that whatever does tend most effectually to keep alive in our citizenship such devotion to the country as to make men willing to strive to the uttermost and to die for its sake, is what ought to be practised--and where possible, improved.

INDEX

"Adelaide", 60.

"Albemarle", xiv, 67-80.

Albemarle Sound, 68-70.

Ames, Gen. Adelbert, 82.

Apache Indians, 86; in Arizona, 95-100.

Arlington, Alonzo Cushing at, 35.

Armistead, Gen. Lewis A., 51, 54, 55, 57.

Battles: Antietam, Alonzo Cushing at, 55. Bailey's Cross Roads, 34, 35. Blackburn's Ford, 33. Bull Run, 33, 34. Chancellorsville, xii, 42, 43, 45. Fitzhugh's Crossing, 42. Fredericksburg, 41, 42. Gettysburg, xii, 42-45, 51, 66. Hawes's Shop, 89. Long Bridge, 34. Marye's Heights, 42. Meadow Bridge, 89. Mine Run, 89. Salem Heights, 42. Spottsylvania Court House, 42. Strawberry Hill, 89. Todd's Tavern, 89. Wilderness, 42. Yellow Tavern, 89.

Bear Springs (Ariz.), 98.

Black Hawk, Sauk leader, 9.

Bladensburg (Md.), 90.

Bourke, John G., xi, 94-96, 102.

Bouton, Isabel Cushing, 18, 22, 53, 100, 101.

Brandy Station (Va.), 89.

Brookfield, 13.

Burnside, Gen. Ambrose, 40.

"Cambridge", xiii, 37.

Castleman, Dr. A. L., 18.

Centerville (Va.), 35, 38.

"Charlotte", 82.

Chase, Salmon P., 20.

Chiricahua Indians, 98.

Cochise, Apache chief, 98-100.

"Colorado", 31.

"Commodore Barney", 62.

"Commodore Hull", 72.

Couch, Gen. Darius N., 41.

Cushing, Alonzo H., born, 16; youth, 16-26; at West Point, 26, 28, 29, 33; Washington, 32; Long Bridge, 35; Arlington, 35; with Gen. Sumner, 38, 39; McClellan, 39, 40; at Fredericksburg, 41, 42; on furlough, 41; at Fitzhugh's Crossing, 42; Spottsylvania Court House, 42: Salem and Marye's Heights, 42; Wilderness, 42; with Hooker, 43; Hancock, 44; at Gettysburg, 45-50, 53-57, 77; death, 50, 102; personal appearance, 32, 56, 85; record, xii; appreciations, xii, 41, 42, 45, 47, 54-57; facsimile of letter, 40; portrait, 56.

Cushing, Howard B., born, 9; youth, 9-16; enlisted, 26, 36; promoted, 88; with Sheridan in Virginia, 89; in Washington, 90; Elmira (N. Y.), 91-93; Fort Meyer, 93; joined cavalry, 94; in Arizona and Texas, 95-98; expedition against Cochise, 98; killed, 86, 87, 99; personal appearance, 102, 103; record, xi; appreciation, xi; facsimile of letter, 88; portrait, 94.

Cushing, Kate L., 84-87, 101.

Cushing, Mary Barker Smith, 9-19, 21, 22, 27, 28, 52, 62, 101.

Cushing, Mary Isabel, 18.

Cushing, Milton, 9, 10, 24, 27.

Cushing, Milton Buckingham, 5-21.

Cushing, Rachel Buckingham, 4-8, 12, 17; children of, 17, 18.

Cushing, Walter, 15, 16, 18.

Cushing, William Barker, born, 17; youth, 17-26; at naval academy, 28, 29; on "Minnesota", 30; "Colorado", 31; "Cambridge", 37; "Perry", 58; "Ellis", 60; burned "Adelaide", 60; at Jacksonville, 60, 61; on "Commodore Barney", 62-66; "Shoboken", 66, 67; destroys "Albemarle", 69-81; promotion, 81; at Fort Fisher, 81-83; on "Maumee", 83; "Wyoming", 83; death, 84; personal appearance, 84-87; letter on Howard's death, 101; record, xii-xiv; appreciations, xiv, 58, 60, 76, 77, 80, 94, 95, 102, 103; facsimile of letter, 102; portrait, 86.

Cushing, Zattu, 3-5.

Cushing family, in New England, 3; in New York, 3-8; at Milwaukee, 9-13, 16; removal to Waukesha County, 12-15; at Chicago, 18-20; in Ohio, 20; at Fredonia (N. Y.), 22, 25, 84.

Delafield, ----, town named for, 17, 19.

Delafield, Cushings at, 14-19.

"Delaware Farmer", 31.

Dousman, Mrs. Talbot C., 13.

Early, Gen. Jubal, 90, 91.

East Troy, 30, 62.

Edwards, Francis S., 26.

Edwards, Mary B., 30, 37, 60, 62.

"Ellis", 60.

Elmira (N. Y.), Howard Cushing at, 91-93.

Finance, Continental currency, 2.

Fitchburg (Mass.), Milton B. Cushing at, 27.

Flusser, Com. Charles W., 59, 60, 68.

Forts: Fisher, 81. Meyer, 93. Totten, 90.

Franklin, Gen. William B., 40.

Franklin (Va.), 59.

Fredonia (N. Y.), Cushings at, 22, 25, 84.

Frisby, Russell, 15.

Fuger, Sergt. Frederick, 50, 52-55, 57, 89.

Gallipolis (Ohio), Dr. Milton Cushing at, 21.

Gaps: Manassas, xiii, 44. Thoroughfare, 44.

Geronimo, Apache chief, 98.

Hall, Col. George B., 47.

Hampton Roads, 38, 63.

Hancock, Gen. Winfield S., 44, 53.

"Hartford", xiii.

Hawks, N. P., 16.

Haymarket (Va.), 44.

"Hebe", 67.

Hooker, Gen. Joseph, 40, 43.

Horton, Julia G., 23, 24.

Hosmer, G. S., 15.

Jacksonville (N. C.), 60.

Lakes: Nagawicka, 14, 17. Nemahbin, 14, 16, 19. Pewaukee, 12, 14.

"Lancaster", xiii.

Lee, Gen. Robert E., 43, 44, 66.

Lee, Admiral S. P., 60, 69.

Lincoln, Abraham, xiv, xv, 41, 42, 80.

McClellan, Gen. George B., 35, 39, 40.

Madison, 12, 13.

Maryland, campaign in, 39, 40.

Meade, Gen. George G., 56.

"Merrimac", 38, 68.

Milwaukee, Cushings at, 9-13, 16.

"Minnesota", xiii, 30.

"Monitor", 38.

"Monticello", xiii, 73.

Moon, Corporal Thomas, 56, 57.

Mott, Sergt. John, 98.

"Mount Washington", 63.

Nashotah, Theological Seminary, 14.

Naval Academy, William Cushing at, 27, 30.

Nemahbin, Cushings in, 15.

New England, emigration to Wisconsin, 1-4.

New York, Cushings in, 3-8.

Norfolk (Va.), 59, 70.

"Otsego," 72.

Paddock, George, 15.

Paddock family, 13-15.

"Penobscot", xiii.

"Perry", 58.

Pickett, Gen. George E., xii, 48, 54, 56.

Plymouth (N. C.), captured by "Albemarle", xiv, 68, 69, 71, 77, 78.

Porter, Lieut. B. H., 82.

Porter, Adm. David D., 70.

Potawatomi Indians, in Wisconsin, 9.

Potomac, Army of, 35, 38, 40, 43, 89.

Prairieville. See Waukesha.

Preston, S. W., 82.

"Quinnebaug", xiii.

Reynolds, Gen. John F., 44.

Richmond (Va.), 39.

Rivers: Blackwater, 59. Bark, 14. Menomonee, 11, 12. Milwaukee, 11. Monocacy, 43, 90. Nansemond, 63. Potomac, 33, 44, 66. Rappahannock, 37, 42, 43. Roanoke, 68, 71. Shenandoah, 43.

Rorty, James M., 46, 50.

Santiago de Cuba, 83.

"Sassacuse", 68.

Sauk Indians, in Wisconsin, 9.

Schaff, Gen. Morris, xii, 29.

"Shamrock", 71, 73.

"Shockokon", xiii.

Sheridan, Gen. Philip, 89.

Smith, C. W., 37.

Smith, Commodore Joseph, 26.

"Southfield", 68, 71, 73.

"Stag", 83.

Stotesbury, Asst. Engineer William, 73.

Stuart, Gen. J. E. B., 44, 89.

Sumner, Gen. Edwin V., 38-40.

Swan, Paymaster ----, 71, 72.

Swansboro (N. C.), 60.

Taneytown (Md.), 44.

Tucson (Ariz.), Howard Cushing at, 95, 97-99.

"Valley City", 73.

Vicksburg (Miss.), Howard Cushing at, 36.

"Virginius", 83, 84.

Warley, Capt. A. F., 79.

Warren, Cushings in, 15.

Washington (D. C.), Alonzo Cushing at, 32.

Waukesha, 13, 16, 19.

Waukesha County, _History_, 13.

Webb, Gen. Alexander S., 47, 50.

Western Branch (Va.), 63.

West Point, Alonzo Cushing entered, 26; buried at, 53.

Wilkeson, Lieut. Frank, 92.

Woodman, Acting Master's Mate ----, 72, 73.

Woodruff, George A., 46, 50.

"Wyoming", xiv.

Yorktown (Va.), 39.

TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES

Erratum on page vi has been corrected in the text.

Silently corrected simple spelling, grammar, and typographical errors.

Retained anachronistic and non-standard spellings as printed.

Enclosed italics font in _underscores_.

End of Project Gutenberg's Three Wisconsin Cushings, by Theron Wilber Haight