Chapter 7: recruiting in New England.
- Finds recruiting at a standstill in New England -- reason: only Republicans made officers -- interview with the President on the subject -- obtains authorization to raise troops -- how Democratic-colonels were obtained -- a Connecticut regiment, Colonel Deming -- a Vermont regiment, Colonel Thomas -- a New Hampshire regiment, Colonel George, almost -- Ex-President Pierce Plows with the Heifer -- Lincoln's Bon mot -- a Maine regiment, Colonel Shepley -- a Massachusetts regiment, Colonel Jones -- establishes camp Chase at Lowell -- Governor Andrew flatly refuses to appoint Jonas French Colonel or Caleb Cushing Brigadier -- trouble -- Eastern and Western Bay State regiment recruited -- “Connecticut over the Fince ” -- how riotous soldiery were disciplined -- seizure of Mason and Slidell -- we should have fought England, and could have beaten her -- interview with Lincoln -- believes in moving on the enemy in Virginia -- the President drops a hint -- McClellan gets a “Yankee elephant” out of the way
My return home under the circumstances related in the preceding chapter gave opportunity for occurrences at once very novel and diverting. When I got to Lowell, my friends and neighbors insisted upon showing me every honor and attention, which were accepted as tokens of personal friendship and regard. But there was another thing which I never heard of or read of before, and which showed me a curious phase of human nature. As I have said before, I had lived in Lowell from boyhood. I knew perhaps of its citizens, men and women, as many as anybody else, and I think more of them knew me by sight than any other citizen. But now persons whom I had known would halt on the sidewalk to see me pass; would get in my way to examine me and look me over (and this refers to both sexes); would surround me in depots and other public places and hem me in without a word, as if determined to see what change had been made in me,--whether I was the same man who went away a few months before. Particular friends, men that I had known, would do the same thing with doubtingness. It afforded a curious spectacle, and sometimes the sensation was not altogether pleasant. For the first day I supposed it might be my uniform, and so I went back and got into my lawyer's coat, trousers, and slouch hat, thinking that would set them all right. But it didn't; and it has hardly ceased to be the case yet. I think I at last came to know what hero worship meant. I have mentioned that just before being relieved from Fortress Monroe I had sent a little reconnoissance into Eastern Virginia on the peninsula to see if that section could easily be separated from
