Page:The military and civil history of Connecticut during the war of 1861-65 - comprising a detailed account of the various regiments and batteries, through march, encampment, bivouac (IA 00359433.3197.emory.edu).pdf/14

ii who were lifted up in the gaze of all the world; but there is a sense of pair and profound sorrow in the consciousness that it is impossible to render justice to the nameless rank and file who never wore even a corporal's chorron, but held to their duty with sublime patience. The last of the color-guard, who seized the standard that had dropped from the relaxed grasp of his comrades, and bore it on, and planted it and stood by it on the edge of the rebel rific-pit ; the martyr wlio perished in prison, and ever since has been marked "missing" upon the roll of regimental casualties; the thousand glorious obscure, who were mown down by the flaming blade of battle, and died singing songs of triumph, and praying for the cstablish- ment of Liberty and Law, - these are the true heroes and martyrs of all the wars of the world. But, in a book of limited scope, we have no alternative but to mention the officer as the nnit standing for his command.

Connecticut sent to the struggle fifty thousand soldiers in her own regiments, and probably half as many more in the regiments of other States. A simple catalogue of their names and muster would fill two books as large as this; while a complete chronicle of the service of all her faithful sons would require a volume for each. Yet we have striven to record every act of conspicuous gallantry or merit that has come to our knowledge, without regard to rank, feeling rather that rare devotedness was nobler in the untitled hero, who had little incentive of military ambition, and little hope that his deed would ever be marked or mentioned.

In treating of affairs at home, we have kept strictly to what had a direct bearing on the war; and, in touching upon local politics, we have written in the spirit of fairness.

In presenting the statistics of patriotic benevolence we confess to a dis- appointment. No people beset by war crer gare, of their own frce will, so lavishly as onrs; and we hoped to compile a record of this liberality, so specific and so remarkable, as to amaze the dwellers in this peaceful land when our villages sliall have become cities, and our farms suburban gardevs. But we find that our towns, societies, and churches kept, in most iustances, no systematic record whatever. The meager facts submitted will probably be received as possessing a certain interest and value.

It is also proper to say that the portraits which appear in this volume have been selected with regard not only to the merits of the subjects, bat also to the desirableness of representing different regiments, erery rapk, and all sections of the State.

Instead of relying upon some officer of each regiment to write the history of its service, we have preferred to have the whole book grow up under our own hand; and to this end we have gathered facts with diligence and care from official reports, diaries, scrap-books, newspapers, private letters, personal interviews, and every available source, seeking corroboration as far as practicable. By this, we have incurred an evormous labor; but we have secured absolue impartiality, and have attained, we trust, substantial accuracy, cren in the multiplicity of detail and circumstance.