Uncle Daniel's Story Of "Tom" Anderson, and Twenty Great Battles

by John McElroy

“That evening at tea my wife (Aunt Sarah) said to Jackson and the General that she wished Peter to come home.

“'But,' said Jackson, 'mother, you must remember he has been promoted, and is now a Brigadier-General commanding a brigade, and he cannot very well get away. He might lose his command by leaving.'

“'Well,' said his mother, 'I want to see him. I am dreaming about him whenever asleep, and I feel there is something sure to happen to him. I have seen all the rest of you who are alive, and I want to see him.'

“Here Jennie broke down and cried, remembering the death of her poor husband when mention was made of all being present who were then alive. Jackson spoke to Jennie and his mother and quieted them. We all repaired to the sitting-room and talked over Gen. Anderson's returning to his command. This was Saturday evening. So he instructed Capt. Jackson and Lieut. Whitcomb to be ready on Monday morning, as they would then leave for Chatteraugus. They were well pleased with the General's determination. His poor wife was depressed, and said she felt as though he had made so many narrow escapes that perhaps he might not escape again. But grief and sorrow had been such constant visitors at our house that we were all prepared for almost anything, and always looking for the worst. We enjoyed ourselves, however, as best we could until Monday. Jackson took in the situation, and kept us interested by giving accounts of many things seen and heard by him in England. This was very interesting to us, but more especially to the ladies and little girls.

“On Monday they left for their command. The parting with the family was one of those affecting scenes natural under the circumstances. When poor old Ham bade good-by to all, after kissing Aunt Martha, his wife, he turned to my wife and Mary Anderson, and said: 'You need not to cry no mo.' I be 'sponsible for de General and Capt. Jackson.'

“This was too much for Mary Anderson. Although weeping, she could not restrain a smile, nor could the others; but Ham was in good faith, poor old man.

“After they had gone I felt keenly, and drove out to the farm, and there spent the rest of the day with Joseph Dent. He, however, knew nothing more than he had disclosed to us, about which I have already spoken. On returning in the evening I found all the family very lonely and solemn. They felt the loss of that portion of our family who were compelled to leave. Our little children climbed upon my knees and talked and chattered about their Uncle Henry and Aunty Seraine, as well as the General and Jackson, but 'Aunty Seraine' seemed to be the favorite. I did the best I could to gratify them by trying to answer their questions. Some two weeks had passed in this way when one morning I was notified to meet Seraine at the depot. I did so and brought her to the house. When the very hearty and affectionate greetings were over, and the two poor little girls had gotten through climbing on Seraine and asking her questions, which she did the best she could to answer, she gave me a paper which was Henry's report, accompanied by a good letter from him, stating that he would come soon himself. This was not signed.

“I carefully examined his report, and was almost dumfounded at some of his statements; but he had gone into such minute details and given such indubitable proofs that no one could for a moment doubt. Henry said that on his arrival again at Windsor he met Wintergreen, and after preliminaries were arranged they traveled about the country from one town to another, until the time had arrived for the assembling of the prominent friends of the rebellion at St. Catharines in accordance with Jacob Thomlinson's request. They started for that place, and on arriving stopped at the Victoria Hotel, where they met a great number of persons, strangers to both, but well known in the Circle. Henry, on recovering from his prison starving and sickness, had grown quite stout, and was so different in his appearance from what he had ever been prior to his recovery that his own acquaintances would not have recognized him, therefore he did not feel that he was in any danger of being detected. He had heretofore claimed to Wintergreen that he was from Parkersburg, W. Va., and having been raised near there in Ohio could speak quite understandingly of the country thereabouts, as well as about a number of people.

“On Wednesday, being the day fixed, quite a number of men from different parts of the country assembled. Quite a large room in the rear of the Victoria Hotel had been procured, in which the gentlemen were to meet, and Wintergreen, having been designated by Jacob Thomlinson for that purpose, notified the various delegates of the time and place of meeting. When all were assembled each one was required to give the signs, grips and passwords of the Golden Circle, or the 'Sons of Liberty,' as the name had been changed within a few days from the Knights of the Golden Circle to the Sons of Liberty. Henry did not find the slightest difficulty in being recognized, as he had perfected himself in all the signs, grips and passwords of the order in his travels with Wintergreen.

“After Jacob Thomlinson, Mr. Carey and their committee were satisfied as to those present, they were called to order and seated in as regular a manner as would have been done in any deliberative body, by Mr. Valamburg, of Ohio, who, in taking the chair, said that as Grand Commander of all the Sons of Liberty in the United States, Canada and the Southern Confederacy he desired to occupy the time of the delegates for a few moments, in order that he might explain the object for which they had met. The assembling at that place, he said, was in order to be without the jurisdiction of the United States; that while together and out of the way of danger they were to deliberate in reference to matters that were best calculated to effectively aid the Southern people, who were struggling for an independent constitutional government; that the Government of the United States had become intolerable in its oppressions and tyranny. He made a long speech, presenting a list of abuses by our Government against the Southern people, and urged the necessity for aid to the South at once, in some way that would be most potent. When he took his seat he was loudly applauded by all his hearers. In this meeting were B. Wudd and McMasterson from New York, Mr. Woodsen and Mr. Moore from Pennsylvania, Valamburg and Massey from Ohio, Dan Bowen and Dorsey (who was a substitute for Thos. A. Strider) from Indiana, N. Judy Cornington and a Mr. Eagle from Illinois (both from Chicago). Other States were represented—Missouri, Kentucky, Iowa, Wisconsin, Maine and Massachusetts; but Henry did not give the names of the delegates from those States.