“He went to Mexico after the war closed; could not live under 'Yankee' rule. He there tried to assist in establishing an empire. Was regarded by some of the Imperialists as suited to become a Duke. When the Empire fell, and no further hope of a dukedom arose before his flattered vanity, he came back, and is now one of the leading governmental reformers and placed in official position by his party (how strange to say 'reformers'. They were once known by a different name). But things are changing with the seasons now.
“You see, this great battle of Pittskill Landing, following so soon after the battle of Dolinsburg, had marked influence on the country. The people began to see that the question of courage did not depend so much upon where a man was born as it did on the amount of it he had when he was born, and the principle for which he was contending, as well as drill and discipline in his duty. The people in the North were beginning to learn that every hill in the South was not mined and ready to be exploded, blowing up everything that approached. After becoming cool they would ask themselves as to where the powder could have been procured, etc.”
“Yes,” said Dr. Adams, “I remember well when it was reported, and believed by many, that all the hills in Virginia, near Washington, were mined, and that masked batteries were behind every bush.”
“Yes, I know many would speak of those things to prove that the rebellion could not be conquered, or any headway made against it. Just as though a masked battery was any more dangerous than a battery uncovered; and without reflecting as to the quantity of guns that would have been required, and the number of men supporting the batteries at every place where they were by the vivid imagination of many whose stories were invented for the purpose of frightening the ignorant.”
“The truth is that it was and is to me one of the great wonders how we ever succeeded in putting down the rebellion, with nearly the entire South in arms, while there were but few that were not in arms who did not sympathize fully with those who were; and in the North a strong political party, as an organization, prayed and worked for the success of secession and rebellion. The only ones of the party who did not sympathize with the rebellion were a few old men who knew the benefits of a government, those who entered the Union army, those who had friends in the service, and those who were taught to revere the Union in early youth. The remainder of that party who desired our success were but few and far between. They are now the ones, however, who saved the Government, preserved the Constitution, the flag, and our honor, and are going to reform all abuses and make everybody prosperous and happy. The Colonel here, who lost an arm for his country, is laid aside as 'worthless crockery'; and as for myself, who gave seven sons to the service of my country, I am of no use whatever. Of course, I am very old, but I supposed that it would be considered an honor to me to have made so great a sacrifice. So I went out to one of the Reformers' meetings last Fall, and instead of being invited on the stand and referred to as an old man who had given up his whole family for his country's cause, I was permitted to sit on the ground and hear an old Secessionist and rebel sympathizer extolled to the skies, with great applause following, and one of our best and most gallant soldiers ridiculed and abused as if he had been a pirate during the war. So it is and so it goes. I am poor. So are all who spent their time in aiding our country. The mistake we made was not to have staid at home and made fortunes, and let these men, who “feathered their nests” during the war, have gone and served in the army and showed their love of country. We would now have been the patriots and the ones to be intrusted with public affairs.
“But why should I care? I think I should not. But it is impossible for me to lay aside my feelings on the subject of my country's welfare. I will go down to my grave with the feeling that those who so loved their country that they risked their lives for it are the safer ones to trust with its control. I cannot see how those who did not wish the success of our country and those who exerted every nerve to destroy it can be the best persons in whose hands to place our vast interests.
“I may be wrong about this, however, and, therefore, will return to my story, believing that the Lord doeth all things well.
“Peter and our family at home were sitting in the parlor. Jennie was wrapping Peter's foot in cloths and bandages, when the conversation turned on Col. David and Col. Anderson. Jennie had a letter from David but a day or so before, which gave us the news of the good health of himself and James, the doctor. It also informed her that Henry had been assigned to duty in the same command with himself, which made it very pleasant for them. My wife, Aunt Sarah, had received a letter from Mary Anderson a day or so before which brought the gratifying intelligence that the Colonel was improving rapidly and would be able soon to return to Allentown and once more enjoy for a time the quiet of our home. He was informed that he must not return to take the field again for some months. While I was at home, trying to arrange the difficulty about the colonelcy of his regiment, inasmuch as his discovery and return to Dolinsburg had not been officially announced, I wrote to the President the situation, telling him the whole story and calling his attention to the reports of the battles in which the Colonel had participated, and asking that he give him recognition by promotion to a Brigadier-Generalship. With this request the President had kindly complied, and I had his commission in my possession, which fact I kept a profound secret. Just then Peter said to me:
“'What can be done to arrange matters in Col. Tom's regiment? There is Col. Rice, who, when Tom takes command or when the facts are ascertained, will be reduced in his command as Lieutenant-Colonel, and I will go back as Major. This I do not care for, but Col. Rice is a proud man, and will dislike this, I fear.
“'Then he will show himself an unworthy officer. He should be glad that his Colonel is alive and yield up the command gracefully.'