Page images
PDF
EPUB

ing him to be an interloper, stopped him, and would not allow him to pass. In vain the prince struggled and kicked. The superintendent kept fast hold of the "intruder," until Mayor Henry rushed up and relieved His Royal Highness from this international embrace. The superintendent bowed low, and begged pardon, but, with the natural tendency to self-defense, asked, "Why didn't he just speak?" "Oh," said the prince, running ahead, "that would have spoiled the joke."

Some time before the prince arrived in Philadelphia, the ladies swarmed in large numbers to the Continental, to inspect the prince's splendid apartments, to sit where he was to sit, etc. They were escorted in and out of the rooms in parties of three and four, and seemed to feel easier after the visit. After his arrival, hundreds of people stood around the hotel all day. Some, indeed, mostly ladies, who had fought or bribed their way up stairs, hung around the door of his apartments, and touched him curiously as he slipped past.

The principal receptions of the prince, after his departure from Philadelphia, were at New York, West Point, and Boston; but no account of these receptions, short of an elaborate volume, would be equal to their variety, extent, and magnificence, and consequently only a few incidents can be here narrated.

While at New York, he attended worship at Trinity church, three front pews in the center aisle being reserved for the prince and suite. In one of them, and immediately in front of the prince's seat, two magnificent prayer-books were deposited, the one a small octavo size, the other a half-quarto. They were both got up in the most perfect style of typographical art, and the skill of the binder had exhausted itself on the exterior decorations. The large one was bound in bright red morocco, and was fastened by a golden clasp, chastely embellished with filigree work, and finely worked with the Prince of Wales's plume and his motto "Ich Dien," ("I serve.") The clasp alone cost two hundred and fifty dollars. On its outer

cover, the book bore this inscription: "To His Royal Highness, Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, from the Corporation of Trinity Church, New York, in Memory of the Munificence of the Crown of England."

At the Academy of Music, October 12th, there was given the greatest ball, in honor of the prince, ever known in this country. Over three thousand persons were present

the crême de la crême of New York society. The ball-room comprised the parquette of the academy, and embraced the stage. It was one hundred and thirty-five feet in length by sixty-eight feet in breadth. The end toward the stage was arranged in a semi-circular form, while toward the other end were placed three superb couches. The central one was for the prince, while those on either side were for his suite. The decorations were floral throughout the ball-room. The scene was magnificent. There was a sea of heads in a sea of colors

-the light flashing back from the gayest and richest of dresses, from pearly white shoulders and brilliant complexions, and from jewels iris-hued and rivaling the stars in brightness. The full-dress black coats absorbed the superfluous light, and softened the blaze of the thousand lamps. The rich military uniforms, ornamented with golden lace and epaulettes, relieved the uniformity of the gentlemen's toilets.

While the royal party were observing the throng and the decorations of the room, a sudden rustle and movement of the crowd backward indicated that some accident was about to happen, and, in a moment after, one of the flower vases upon the front tier fell with a great crash to the floor, scattering its roses upon all who stood near.

The supper-room was especially erected for the occasion, and its length was one hundred and forty-four feet, by twentyeight feet breadth. The entire vast apartment was draped in alternate strips of pink and white muslin, with twenty-four splendid mirrors intervening; magnificent chandeliers, suspended from the roof, contributed to the brilliancy of the display.

[graphic][ocr errors]

GRAND BALL GIVEN TO THE PRINCE OF WALES, IN BOSTON.

All along the supper-room were two tables, gorgeous in all the appointments of gold, silver, and china ware, and the feast was magnificent.

It was at first contemplated to give the prince a grand public dinner, but this was changed to a ball, because the prince, being so young a man, could not be expected to make an extemporaneous speech, and etiquette forbade any one speaking as his substitute.

From New York, the prince sailed in the government steamer Harriet Lane, for West Point. Here he was received with the highest honors known to the military service; and after visiting the commandant, and riding round the place, he accepted an invitation to review the cadets. Eight battalion companies of cadets, eleven files front, presented themselves on the right of the line; then the company of sappers and miners; then the battery of four guns of light artillery, with a corps of cadets acting as cannoneers; and the left was occupied by a detachment of dragoons.

In a few minutes after the formation of the line, the prince and suite, with Lieutenant-General Scott, appeared on the parade ground, when Major Reynolds gave the order to "Prepare for Review." The ranks of the troops were opened, the artillery unlimbered, the officers and colors to the front, when the reviewing party marched to the head of the military column, while the band played the air of God Save the Queen. As the prince and escort passed down the military line, the band played the very elegant air of the Flowers of Edinburgh. The reviewers passed down the front, and between the open ranks of the troops, back to their original position on the parade ground. The troops were then broke into column by companies and marched in reviewfirst in common time, then in quick time, and finally in double quick time. As the commandants of the companies passed and saluted the prince, he gracefully raised his hat in acknowledgment.

Leaving West Point, the prince pro

He was

ceeded to Albany, where he was received by Governor Morgan and the state authorities. After spending an hour or two at the capitol, he repaired to the governor's residence, and dined there, Mr. Seward and others being guests. The next day he took a special train for Springfield, Mass., and thence to Boston. conducted to his quarters by the Boston authorities, an immense crowd following. The principal occasions of interest, while stopping in Boston, were as follows: On Thursday he witnessed a great political procession; then received Ralph Farnham, the survivor of Bunker Hill battle; reviewed the troops on Boston Common; attended a children's musical entertainment at the music hall; and went to the ball in the evening. On Friday, visited Harvard college, and examined all the objects of interest at that venerable seat of learning; and subsequently visited Mount Auburn, Bunker Hill, and the Charlestown navy yard.

A very interesting interview was that with Ralph Farnham. The Duke of Newcastle, who, with most of the suite, was present, asked the revolutionary veteran if he saw Burgoyne when he surrendered, adding, "You rather had him there!" The old soldier then remarked, chucklingly, that hearing so much said in praise of the prince, he began to fear that the people were all turning royalists. This and Mr. Farnham's manner elicited much laughter, in which the prince fully joined. The prince then sent for pen and ink, and exchanged autographs with his visitorone of the men who had stood before British soldiers in 1776, in a manner and with a bearing very different from that with which he received the prince's courtesies and exchanged glances with the majors, colonels, and guardsmen of the royal suite. Mr. Farnham afterwards spoke of the interview with the greatest pleasure, remarking that "he wished to show the boy and his soldiers that he bore no anger for old times."

The musical festival was a novel and pleasant entertainment, at Music Hall.

Twelve hundred school children were arranged upon seats sloping from the floor to the ceiling, and from the platform one could see two large triangles of boys, and two immense parallelograms of gaylydressed girls, while between them was an orchestra of sixty performers. As the prince entered, the whole company rose, and the masses of children waved handkerchiefs and clapped hands, producing a fine effect.

A grand success, too, was the ball, given at the Boston Theater,-not exceeded in splendor by that in New York. If one can imagine the immensity of this theater; the dancing floor inclosed as by a pavilion, each tier differently and most richly decorated, and crowded with superbly dressed ladies; the royal box all aglare with light, and rich in gilt, purple, and azure; the frescoed ceiling, with its pendant dome of light, the marquee, with its groves, flowers, mirrors, arabesque ceiling, its multiform and varied decorations, and its view of Windsor Castle, seen as if from some immense window ;-if one can imagine this scene, and then crowd it with richly dressed ladies, with gentlemen in every variety of ball costume, while, over all, the lights streamed their brilliant radiance, mirrors and jewels flashing back and reduplicating the rays, and the soft, sweet swell of the music bearing with it the graceful moving throng in a bewildering maze of beauty, an adequate idea of the magnificent occasion may possibly be gained.

Curiously enough, the Boston ball opened something like that in New York; for all the committees, being anxious to speak to the prince, and leaning forward to do so, crash went a large vase of flowers, scattering its contents over the prince. There were profuse apologies, but the prince was laughing so heartily, that he could not hear nor speak.

The prince's appreciation of American ladies was very marked. At the Boston ball, he remarked slyly to a beautiful belle, "They made me dance with the old chaps in Canada." At Montreal, he

danced with Miss Blackburn, of Natchez, a lady of great beauty; so enchanted did the prince become, that he afterward inquired for her and expressed a desire to meet again. Among those with whom he danced, at the Cincinnati ball, was the beautiful Miss Groesbeck, daughter of Hon. John Groesbeck. The reporters represent that Miss Groesbeck, who was the belle of the evening, wore a white tulle dress, puffed to the waist, low neck, but wore no jewelry; her mother, however, wore elegant diamond ear-drops, rings, and pins. When, therefore, one of the officers of the evening announced to Miss Groesbeck that she was to be honored with the prince's hand for the second dance, Mrs. Groesbeck quietly took off her own jewelry and passed them to her favored daughter; the latter declined them. Her mother insisted; but Miss Groesbeck, with equal determination, positively refused to wear any kind of ornament other than her simple dress and the wealth of beauty which Nature had bestowed on her.

It is not exaggerating, to say that the prince made an agreeable impression wherever he went. He was described by one of the newspaper reporters, as follows: "He seems to be about five feet four inches high; his eye is beautifully blue, mild, funny, clear, and jolly; his nose is well defined, not perfectly straight, but cleancut and prominent; his mouth is full, and his chin retreats wonderfully. His countenance indicates a happy dispositioned, good-natured, humorous, fun-loving boy, who knows what he is about, and can't easily be fooled. His hair is soft and fine, though disposed to grow rather low down the neck and on the forehead, whilst his head is well shaped, and would indicate firmness, benevolence, quickness of percep tion, and love of music. The very, very large hands and feet of the young gentleman are but reproductions of those of his

royal mother, to whom Dame Nature has been very generous in that regard. His form is small and very well proportioned, and his bearing is dignified, manly, and modest."

His dress varied much, of course, with the place and occasion, but was always simple, elegant, and appropriate.

Portland, Me., was the place from which the illustrious guest of the nation took his departure for England. As the royal barge left the wharf to convey the prince to the Hero, the British squadron all fired a royal salute of twenty-one guns, and similar salutes were fired from the city and from Fort Preble. The harbor was full of steamers, sail-boats, barges, etc., which accompanied the royal barge from the wharf. As the flotilla neared the royal squadron, the yards were manned, and this, with the strings of bunting and flags flying from every point of the fleet, formed a magnificent spectacle, which was witnessed by an immense concourse of people. Το all the parting salutations, the British. ships responded by dipping their colors; and, as the squadron sailed, the bands on board each vessel played Yankee Doodle, and Fort Preble saluted the party with farewell guns as they passed.

So heart-felt, generous, and enthusiastic a reception of the prince, in America, produced the highest satisfaction throughout England. The queen, at an early day, caused to be officially communicated to the president and to the people of the United States, "her grateful sense of the kindness with which they received her son;" the hospitality shown him was warmly complimented in parliament; and Prince Albert, as chancellor of the University of Cambridge, directed that the annual gold medal there given for the encouragement of English poetry, should, that year, be awarded for the best poem on “The Prince of Wales at the Tomb of Washington."

LXI.

BOMBARDMENT AND REDUCTION OF FORT SUM

TER.-1861.

Inauguration of Civil War in the United States.-First Military Act in the Long and Bloody Struggle to Dismember the Union.-Organization of the Southern Confederacy.-President Lincoln's Proclamation for 75,000 Volunteers.-Spontaneous Uprising of the Loyal People.-Calling the Battle-Roll of the Republic.-Supreme Crisis in the Fate of the Nation.-Northern and Southern Variances.-Slavery the Cause of Contention.-Culmination of the Antagonism.-Disunion the Banner of the South. -Secession of Several States.-War Wager Boldly Staked.-Vain Efforts at Reconciliation.-Federal Property Seized at the South.-Batteries Erected at Charleston.-Fort Sumter Closely Besieged. -Beauregard Demands its Surrender.-Major Anderson's Flat Refusal.-Weakness of His Garrison. -Attempts to Re-enforce It -Prevented by Confederate Batteries.-All Eyes Riveted on the Fort.Opening of the Attack, April 14th-Incessant and Tremendous Fire.-Terms of Evacuation Accepted. -Southern Rejoicings.-The Great Military Outlook.-Washington the National Key.

"Can either of you to-day name one single act of wrong, deliberately and purposely done by the government et Washington, of which the South has a right to complain? I challenge an answer."-Hox. ALEX. H. STEPHENS, BEFORE THE GEORGIA SECESSION CONVEN

TION.

[graphic]

IGHTY-FOUR years had now sped their course, since the republic of the United States, with the immortal Declaration of Independence as its Magna Charta of sovereignty, took a place among the governments of the earth as a free and independent nation, and, during all that long period, the federal armies had been called to face-with but an occasional local and transient exceptiononly external or savage foes. Party spirit, it is true, had not unfrequently ran high, and hurled defiance at law and its administrators, and at times, the strain upon the ship of state seemed near to proving its destruction; but forbearance, compromise, fraternity and patriotism, smoothed the rough waves of contention, and peace regained her benign sway.

FLAG OF FORT SUMTER, AFTER THE BOMBARDMENT.

But the long existing and bitter antagonism of opinion on the subject of slavery, between the North and the South, culminated at last-on the inauguration of Mr. Lincoln as president, in 1861,-in a civil war, the extent, duration, and horrors of which have never been paralleled in any age or among any people, since the world

« PreviousContinue »