Thomas Wentworth Higginson, Harvard Memorial Biographies

[264] 1855, accordingly, I accompanied my mother to the Atlantic States, by way of Panama. On setting out, many circumstances conspired to promise us an unusually pleasant and speedy voyage; but in passing through a channel near the island of Quibo (two hundred and twenty miles from Panama, the nearest port), the Golden Age struck heavily on a sunken rock, and filled so rapidly that she was only saved by beaching. This event, though attended with no loss of life, was a thrilling one, and one that I shall not forget. After lying three days on an uninhabited island in the tropics, we were taken off by the steamship John L. Stephens, and carried to Panama, whence we succeeded in crossing by railroad to Aspinwall in eleven hours, the distance being forty-eight miles. On the voyage up nothing of interest occurred excepting a few hours' stay at Kingston, Jamaica, where we took in coal.

After some months of pleasant travel, visiting Niagara, &c., I entered (in October, 1855) Chauncy-Hall School, Boston, then under the guidance of Mr. G. F. Thayer, but soon after under that of his colleague, Mr. Cushing. I applied myself closely to study, and was fortunate enough to obtain two gold medals, and to enter Harvard University in 1858, without condition. At the beginning of my Sophomore year I received a “detur,” and was elected into the Institute. I have also belonged to the Chapel Choir, and been a member of the Harvard Glee-Club.

In my Freshman winter vacation I made my first visit to Washington, little anticipating, as I drove around its environs, that the year 1862 would transform them into the parade-ground for a nation of soldiers.

I have always wished and intended to follow the profession of the law; but the advice of friends has tended of late rather to dissuade me from this, so that it is at present somewhat doubtful what course I shall pursue.

Throughout four years of college life Bowman maintained an unblemished reputation, both among his classmates and with the Faculty. His dislike for routine study and inclination for general reading interfered with his rank, during most of his course; but during the Senior year he rose to a position among the very highest in the Class, especially in the departments of Mental and Moral Philosophy, Logic, and Political Economy. Being finally among the twenty-two who obtained Commencement honors, he chose for the subject of his essay John Stuart