Benson J. Lossing, Pictorial Field Book of the Civil War. Volume 1.

[401] to the Governor, tendering his services to the country; and on the 5th, Andrew sent agents to the Governors of the other New England States, to press upon them the importance of placing the militia of the respective Commonwealths in condition for a prompt movement in defense of the Capital. At the same time the volunteer companies of the State, five thousand strong, began drilling nightly at their armories. Early in February, as we have observed, the Governor sent a staff officer (Ritchie) to Washington, to consult with the General-in-Chief concerning the forwarding of troops to the Capital if they should be needed; and the Massachusetts Senators (Sumner and Wilson) urged the President to call for these well-drilled companies, should the Capital be in apparent danger.

That exigency occurred when Fort Sumter was attacked; and on the day when the President called for seventy-five thousand men, Senator Wilson telegraphed to Governor Andrew to dispatch twenty companies to Washington City immediately. A few hours later, the formal requisition of the Secretary of War arrived;¹ and so promptly was the call from the Capital responded to by the Governor, that before sunset of the same day, orders were in the hands of Colonel Wardrop, of the Third Regiment, at New Bedford; of Colonel Packard, of the Fourth, at Quincy; of Colonel Jones, of the Sixth, at Lowell; and of Colonel Munroe, of the Eighth, at Lynn, to muster forthwith on Boston Common. As in 1775, so now, the first companies that appeared, in response to the call of authority for the protection of the liberties of the people, came from Marblehead. These appeared on the evening of the 15th, and early the following day the four regiments called for were on Boston Common, mustered in regular order, with banners flying and bayonets gleaming, and each company with full ranks. These companies had arrived by different railways. They had left their homes with the blessings of neighbors and friends, who assured them that their families should be taken care of during their absence, as adopted children. They were cheered on the way by the huzzas of the people in villages and at the waysides, and were welcomed in Boston with every demonstration of delight. The citizens of the New England metropolis had forgotten their usual avocations, and were intent only upon the business of saving the Republic. The old warspirit of Faneuil Hall--the “Cradle of Liberty” --was aroused; and all over Boston there were

Banners blooming in the air,

in attestation of the patriotism of the people.

On the 16th, Senator Wilson again telegraphed for a “brigade of four regiments.” These were then in readiness on Boston Common; and on the morning of the 17th, the Governor commissioned Benjamin F. Butler, of Lowell (then a Brigadier-General of Militia), the commander of the brigade. Butler knew the chief conspirators well. He had passed evenings with Davis, Hunter, Mason, Slidell, Benjamin, and other traitors at Washington, three months before, and had become convinced of their determination to destroy the Republic, if possible. Impelled by this conviction, he had not ceased to counsel the authorities of his State to have the militia of the Commonwealth