The Seventh Regiment: A Record

by George L. Wood

FREDERICK T. BROWN, D.D.

The subject of this sketch was born in Coshocton County, Ohio, of respectable and pious parents. His father was a wealthy merchant, and therefore gave his son a liberal education. After arriving at a proper age, he was sent to Princeton College, New Jersey, where he graduated. He early developed those Christian qualities which he has possessed in such an eminent degree during the whole course of his life. He was born to be a minister. At an early age his mind took a lasting hold upon religious truths; and it has never relaxed its energies in that direction for a single moment. He has gone on doing good from a child, his usefulness only increasing as his mind developed its powers. He has been a close student of theology during his whole life; and it is doing no discredit to others to say, that in this respect he has hardly a peer in the United States. He graduated at the Theological Seminaries at Princeton, New Jersey, and Geneva, Switzerland.

The Westminster Church, of Cleveland, Ohio, was organized by him; and in the course of his nine years' labor with it, increased from a small congregation to one of the most respectable religious societies of the city. He was pastor of this church at the breaking out of the rebellion.

While the Seventh Regiment was at Camp Dennison, he paid it a visit by request of some of the officers, and was immediately chosen its chaplain, there being but few dissenting voices. Immediately returning to his home, he tendered his resignation to his church, which, however, was not accepted; but in its stead, he was voted a leave of absence, which he accepted, but refusing to draw pay during the time. He joined the regiment early in July, while it was in Western Virginia, and at once entered upon his duties.

While here, he preached a sermon in one of the churches—to the rebel as well as Union people of the town—which was noted for the powerful arguments used against the position occupied by the South in relation to the Federal Government. This effort made him many friends in the village. He afterwards had a large influence over its people, being often invited to their homes. On such occasions he was received with a hearty welcome; although he never neglected an opportunity to reprove them for the opinions cherished by them.

While at Glenville, Gilmer County, he carried a message to General Cox, whose forces were somewhere on the banks of the Kanawha River. This has already been mentioned; but as it was an enterprise attended with much danger, we here copy a detailed account of it.

About the 15th day of July, Colonel Tyler, feeling it important to open communication with General Cox's forces on the Kanawha, determined to send a messenger with unwritten dispatches across the country through the enemy's lines; and as our chaplain could more readily be spared than any other member of the regiment deemed fitting to undertake the enterprise, the expedition was proposed to him. He accepted it willingly, though well aware of its difficulties and dangers. Colonel Tyler suggested to him to go in the character of a merchant or trader, so that, if arrested by roving guerillas or any of Wise's patrols, he could say he was on business to Gauley Bridge, or some other place. But he declined adopting the suggestion, as involving a possible lie, and asked to be left to his own resources.

Hastily divesting himself of every tell-tale mark of name, residence, or connection with the service, mounted on a blooded mare, captured from some guerrillas a few days before, and taking no rations but a bunch of cigars, an hour after receiving the order he started. It was a ride of a hundred and twenty miles through the enemy's country, by highways, and by-ways, and no ways at all, nearly half of it at night, sometimes alone, full of adventures, amusing and otherwise, and involving some narrow escapes from the enemy, but completely successful.

On the morning of the third day, at daylight, he struck the Kanawha, four miles below the mouth of the Pocotaligo; and there, for the first time, got word of General Cox, and learned that his camp was only four miles up the river. It was Sunday morning. He was soon at the general's quarters, and in the language of the chaplain himself, "received such a welcome as that genial man and accomplished Christian gentleman knows how to give." General Cox refused permission to him to return to us by the way he had come. He therefore remained with the general for the time; was with him at the capture of Charleston, and in the pursuit of Wise to Gauley Bridge, from whence he joined us again. Surviving members of the old Seventh will remember "the three times-three" cheers of each company in succession, as the chaplain rode along the line. We were on the march, a long distance from where he had left us, had not heard a word from him or of him, and had thought him lost; his arrival, safe and sound, coming from the direction of the enemy, was as one from the dead, or from Richmond.

At the battle of Cross Lanes he bore a gallant part, remaining with the command during the entire affair, and leaving only when all hope of saving the day had expired. He escaped, with others, through a gap in the enemy's lines, caused by well-directed volleys of musketry from the regiment. The same day he came into Gauley Bridge, after having rendered much service in bringing off the wagon-train. He soon after visited Cross Lanes, under a flag of truce, for the purpose of looking after our killed and wounded, as well as to learn the fate of those taken prisoners. While within the enemy's lines, he was treated civilly, but was refused the privilege of administering to the wounded, as well as visiting the prisoners. He therefore returned, without having accomplished, in the least degree, the object of his visit. The chaplain was soon after ordered to Charleston, where the scattered members of the Seventh had been collected.