William Schouler, A history of Massachusetts in the Civil War: Volume 1

[108] bearing, as by their courage and devotion to duty in the hour of peril. They proved the sterling worth of our volunteer militia. Their record is one which will ever redound to the honor of Massachusetts, and will be prized among her richest historic treasures. These men have added new splendor to our revolutionary annals; and the brave sons who were shot down in the streets of Baltimore on the 19th of April, have rendered doubly sacred the day when the greensward of Lexington Common was drenched with the blood of their fathers.

The three-months service was a good preparatory experience. It educated officers to command three-years companies and regiments, which were then being raised in the State; several of whom came back, when the war was over, with distinguished fame, and with generals' stars upon their shoulders. Among these we name Hinks and Devens and Briggs and Martin and Devereux and McCartney. Others rose to high rank, who never came back, but who fell in distant battle-fields, by the side of their men, and beneath the shadow of the flag they carried, which symbolized their cause and the nation's. Of these we name Chambers and Pratt and Parker and Prescott and Keyes and Dodd.

While the events here enumerated were transpiring at a distance, others of great importance and interest were of daily occurrence at home, as will appear in the next chapter.