Page:The autobiography of a Pennsylvanian.djvu/91

 In the Presidential campaign of 1860 another ominous event occurred. At the political meetings held by the Republicans, clubs called “Wide Awakes,” never before known, wearing oilcloth caps and capes as a sort of uniform, carrying torches upon the end of long staffs often used as bludgeons, drilled to march and go through the maneuvers of the manual of arms in a semi-military way, appeared all over the North and were everywhere greeted with enthusiastic approval. I do not know that their significance was recognized, but a philosophical observer could well have forecasted that when men instinctively turned to military organization, war was approaching.

When Lincoln came to Philadelphia on his way to Washington to be inaugurated, my grandfather and I went to the city and from a second-story window watched him as he passed in a barouche bowing to the crowds, anxious but earnest, who lined the streets. The next morning we heard him make his speech in which he alluded to the possibility of assassination, and saw him raise the flag over Independence Hall. He took off his coat, rolled up his sleeves and pulled at the rope, hand over hand, in a way which led my grandfather to ejaculate, “I think he will do.”

The rebels opened fire upon Fort Sumter on the 12th of April, 1861. That event put an end to uncertainty. Everybody knew what it meant. The great North, untrained in the handling of arms, without an organized militia, intent upon the gainful pursuits of life, had a new task to perform. In the earlier days some generous person had given the field at Paoli to the militia and there they had annual encampments. I could remember that once, when a child, my father took me there to see the soldiers. Some drunken fellows in the course of the day undertook to pull Colonel William F. Small from his horse. He drew his sword, sliced the ear off of one of them and established the reputation of a hero which has remained with me even unto this day. Dr. Walker, a handsome, companionable young fellow, who Rh