Part of “Life studies of the great army.”
Drawing by Edwin Forbes

CREATED/PUBLISHED: [ca. 1876]

Library of Congress Civil War Drawing Collection – file for this image

other image sizes available on my flickr pages for this image

1 drawing : pencil by Edwin Forbes
1864 June 8.
Library of Congress Civil War Drawing Collection – file for this image

other image sizes available on my flickr pages for this image

The battle of Gainesville, Va. by Edwin Forbes
Attack of Genl. King’s Division; McDowell’s Corps on Genl. Jackson’s command;
sketched from a point to the left of the Warrenton turnpike looking towards Centreville.
1 drawing : pencil.
1862 Aug. 28.
Library of Congress Civil War Drawing Collection – file for this image

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“The army balloon at rest, (Prof. Lowe’s) opposite Fredericksburg” by Edwin Forbes
1 drawing.
1863 Feb. 5.
Library of Congress Civil War drawing collection – digital image file

            A LIEUTENANT was promenading in full uniform one day, and approaching a volunteer on sentry, who challenged him with, “Halt! Who comes there?”

            The Lieutenant, with contempt in every lineament of his face, expressed his ire with an indignant, “Ass!”

            The sentry’s reply, apt and quick, came, “Advance, ass, and give the countersign.”

Anecdotes, Poetry and Incidents of the War: North and South. 1860-1865.
Collected and Arranged by Frank Moore, published 1867

            There are many names in Tennessee, and particularly in the eastern portion of that State, which the loyal people will not let die. They will be read and thought of in the far future as the present generation look back at the demigods of the Revolution. A letter from Cincinnati, of recent date, gives some account of one of those noble-hearted Tennesseeans; and as the story came from the lips of a dying man, it is probably truthful. The writer states that among the rebel prisoners at Camp Dennison, Ohio, was one named Neil, who, when asked how he came to be a rebel, stated that the secessionists scared him into it.

            He had been a postmaster in Van Buren County, Tennessee, and a Union man. The rebels held three elections in that county, but got hardly a solitary vote in Neil’s precinct. Enraged at this, they imported a force of soldiers, and began to lynch unarmed Unionists. This style of procedure made some converts, but it was withstood. Among the victims Neil spoke of — and as he knew that he was dying, he reminded his hearers of his obligation to speak the simple truth—was the martyr patriot whose history he thus recited:

            There was in Van Buren County an old Methodist preacher of a great deal of ability, named Cavender. He was from the first a most determined Union man; and as his influence in the county was great, they determined to make an example of him, and get him out of the way. So they took him out of his house, put a rope around his neck, set him upon a horse, and led him into a forest. They then told him that unless he would publicly renounce his Unionism, they would hang him. Cavender replied, “God gave me my breath to bear witness to his truth; and when I must turn it to the work of lies and crime, it is well enough to yield it up to Him who gave it.”

            They then asked him if he had any parting request. He said “he had no hope that they would attend to anything he might ask” They said they would. He then desired that they would take his body to his daughter, with the request that she would lay it beside the remains of his wife. They then said, “It’s time to go to your prayers.” He replied, “I am not one of the sort who has to wait until a rope is round his neck to pray.” Then they said, “Come, old man, no nonsense; if you don’t swear to stand by the Confederacy, you’ll have to hang,” at the same time tying the rope to a branch.

            The old man said, “Hang away.” One then gave a blow with a will to the horse upon which Cavender sat; the horse sprang forward, and the faithful servant of God and his country passed into eternity. You will remember that they said they would fulfil his last request. Well, they tore the flesh off his bones and threw it to the hogs; his heart was cut out, and lay in a public place till it rotted. Can it be wondered if few are strong enough to resist their only legitimate arguments for rebellion?

Anecdotes, Poetry and Incidents of the War: North and South. 1860-1865.
Collected and Arranged by Frank Moore, published 1867

            An officer under the Government called at the Executive Mansion, accompanied by a clerical friend. “Mr. President,” said he, “allow me to present to you my friend, the Rev. M. F., of ______. Mr. F. has expressed a desire to see you, and have some conversation with you, and I am happy to be the means of introducing him.” The President shook hands with Mr. F., and desiring him to be seated, took a seat himself Then, — his countenance having assumed an expression of patient waiting, — he said, “I am now ready to hear what you have to say.” “O, bless you, sir,” said Mr. F., “I have nothing special to say. I merely called to pay my respects to you, and, as one of the million, to assure you of my hearty sympathy and support.” “My dear sir,” said the President, rising promptly, his face showing instant relief, and with both hands grasping that of his visitor, “I am very glad to see you; I am very glad to see you, indeed. I thought you had come to preach to me!”

  Anecdotes, Poetry and Incidents of the War: North and South. 1860-1865.
Collected and Arranged by Frank Moore, published 1867

            A surgeon in one of the military hospitals at Alexandria, writes in a private note:

            “Our wounded men bear their sufferings nobly; I have hardly heard a word of complaint from one of them. A soldier from the ‘stern and rock-bound coast’ of Maine — a victim of the slaughter at Fredericksburg — lay in this hospital, his life ebbing away from a fatal wound. He had a father, brothers, sisters, a wife, a little boy of two or three years of age, on whom his heart seemed set. Half an hour before he ceased to breathe, I stood by his side, holding his hand. He was in the full exercise of his intellectual faculties, and was aware that he had but a very brief time to live. He was asked if he had any message to leave for his dear ones at home, whom he loved so well ‘Tell them,’ said he, ‘how I died —they know how I lived!‘”

Anecdotes, Poetry and Incidents of the War: North and South. 1860-1865.
Collected and Arranged by Frank Moore, published 1867

Edwin Forbes oil painting

CREATED/PUBLISHED: [between 1865 and 1895]; Part of Library of Congress Civil War Drawing Collection; hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3a16638

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At the battle of Winchester a young soldier was detailed for duty in guarding army property. He stood to his post until about the time his regiment made its famous charge, when he “made a break” for that regiment, joined it, and helped in the two desperate charges that decided the day. The young soldier was brought before a court-martial, and he came up with tears streaming down his face, and between sobs said : “You may shoot me if you must, but ‘dad’ told me, on leaving home, that when there was any fighting going on I must be in the thickest, and I was. Now, if you want your stuff’ guarded when there is a fight, somebody besides me must do it.” The boy “Alex,” of Bedford, was let off on that plea, and after ever proved one of the best soldiers in his regiment.

Anecdotes, Poetry and Incidents of the War: North and South. 1860-1865.
Collected and Arranged by Frank Moore, published 1867