Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 9.djvu/202

180 ago, reuniting the old General Badger estate. It is a large, square, two-story, old-fashioned mansion, built in the substantial manner in vogue about the time of the American Revolution, and as serviceable to-day as when erected by the old patriot. Here was passed the boyhood and youth of our friend, Colonel Cogswell. Here on his father's farm of a thousand acres he acquired a practical knowledge of farming, of stock raising, and of the many duties and obligations of a successful farmer's career. Here he was surrounded by scenery unsurpassed in the hill country of New Hampshire. The farm occupies the summit and sides of a hill; and the house, not far from the highest ground, commands a very extended view of hill and mountain, valley, stream and lake, woodland and cultivated field, reaching to the horizon formed by distant elevations.

With the boys of the neighborhood he received the first rudiments of an education at the little red school-house of the district. Here he developed a fondness not only for boyish sports but for books, and at an early age determined to acquire a classical education with a view to becoming a lawyer. He entered Gilmanton Academy in 1857, and continued his studies there two years under the instruction of Professor Chase Parsons and of Professor Andrew Marshall. The Cogswell family have always been actively interested in maintaining this venerable institution, founded in 1794; and it is a noteworthy fact that in its board of directors the name of Thomas Cogswell has appeared every year since its charter was granted. It is also remarkable that since 1794 Gilmanton Academy has never missed a term of school. Here young Cogswell formed a close friendship with his roommate and classmate, John B. Peaslee, with whom he went to Hanover in 1859, and entered the Freshman class of Dartmouth College. Of that class of eighty-nine members, forty-eight were living three years ago who graduated with their class in 1863. The class has given to the world fourteen lawyers, ten physicians, seven clergymen, ten teachers, besides nine patriots who laid down their lives for the good of their country. In his class was Alfred K. Hamilton, of Milwaukee, Charles C. Pearson, of Concord, Charles A. Pillsbury, of Minneapolis, John Scales, of Dover, Isaac Walker, of Pembroke, Evarts W. Farr, of Littleton, Stephen B. Kenrick, of Fort Madison, Iowa, and Hon. W. H. Clement, of Brooklyn, New York. Young Cogswell was a good scholar, ranking well in his class, and excelling as a speaker and debater. He was out all of the Senior year but graduated with his class. Before and during his college course young Cogswell taught school, first in Alton, when he was sixteen years of age, and afterwards in Deerfield, East Concord, and Laconia. Frequently he had scholars older than himself, and during one term of school he "boarded round."

At the end of his Junior year in Dartmouth College the fate of the Republic was in doubt. Those were the darkest days of the Great Rebellion. More soldiers were needed to fill the ranks of veteran regiments, and new regiments were needed at the front. The herculean task of suppressing treason began to be realized by the loyal North, and in the summer of 1862 300,000 more volunteers were called