Thomas Wentworth Higginson, Harvard Memorial Biographies

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[273] his own regiment, but throughout the corps to which it belonged. The circumstances of his fall were soon after mentioned by Major-General Slocum, in urging upon Governor Andrew the importance of filling up the ranks of the Second Massachusetts. He wrote thus:—

In almost every battle it has lost heavily, until it now has but one hundred and thirty men for duty. One of its best officers (Captain Grafton) was killed but a few days since while in command of only six men. Its officers are too valuable to the government to be sacrificed under such circumstances. Justice to these officers and to the regiment demands that the ranks be filled. No regiment that ever served with me can show a better record. It is an honor to the service and to your State, and I earnestly hope no efforts will be spared to preserve its organization.

Lieutenant-Colonel Morse, commanding the regiment, wrote as follows to Captain Grafton's brother:—

Jamaica Plain, May 1, 1865.

Please, Sir, to accept my sincere sympathy for the loss you have sustained by the death of your noble brother. Although I never knew him before he joined the regiment, I have since that time been on terms of intimate friendship with him, and during the last three years have learned to love and respect him more than almost any man I ever knew. In everything he said and did he was always manly, honorable, and noble; he attracted respect and attention wherever he served, both from superiors and inferiors. We had a review at Fayetteville a few days before the battle. As the regiment passed the reviewing officer, General E. Slocum pointed out Captain Grafton to General Sherman, mentioning, I think, that he was your brother, and telling him what a fine officer he was. On the night of the battle some one told Sherman that he had been killed that morning. The General said, “What, that splendid fellow that Slocum pointed out?” and seemed to feel his death as a personal loss.

I have seen and noticed the faces of a great many men as they stood up to face their death, but I have never seen on any of them such an expression of fearless gallantry as was on Captain Grafton's when I gave him his last order. I was quite near him when I gave it; he looked me full in the face to catch every word, then, fully understanding what I wanted, he turned and gave the necessary orders. I shall never forget that face, so cheerful, so handsome, and