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during the fight.
Copeland blamed the War Department for leaving Banks defenceless.
“ The hands that hold the pen, the ruler, and the hammer were made in these days,” says Copeland, “for better things.”
“Seize the musket and the sabre!”
he continues.
But alas for Copeland!
that he should have told the country to blame the Secretary of War for our retreat; for this was given by the President as one of the reasons 1 why Copeland's hands, during the remainder of the war, held nothing more belligerent than “the pen, the ruler, and the hammer.”
2
In other States the excitement was scarcely less intense than in Massachusetts.
New York sent her Eleventh Regiment of State Militia.
It arrived at Harper's Ferry on the thirtieth of May; but the men refused to be sworn into the service of the United States unless they could dictate terms, which were, that they should go to Washington and be placed in a camp of instruction.
These being rejected by officers of the United States army, the whole regiment marched over to Sandy Hook, where the troops slept upon it, with the result that eight companies took the oath, one asked for further time, and one started for home.
1 After Copeland's dismissal from the army, in August, 1862, he sought an interview with Abraham Lincoln, the President of the United States, at which the following occurred :--
“The President replied, ‘ Well, sir, I know something about your case, and I'll tell you what I know. You're the man who went to Boston about the time Jackson broke through at Front Royal, and wrote letters and editorials abusing the Administration, and made speeches, and did all that you could to make a fuss.’ ” Statement of R. M. Copeland, p. 30. “And then the President replied, ‘ Well, I did not know you were dismissed. I never saw the order, that I know of, until to-day, though of course it has been laid before me and received my official sanction.’ ” Statement of R. M. Copeland, p. 32.2 See a letter vindicating Secretary Stanton, written by Horatio Woodman, Esq., in “Boston daily Transcript” of June 2, 1862, supposed to have been inspired by Governor Andrew.
James R. Osgood and Company, 1883.
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