The months of July, August, September and October of 1862, were stirringtimes in Rhode Island,—and in fact throughout the entire North. Thevigorous onward movement of our army towards Richmond, which had beenlong and frequently promised, was still deferred. The decisive victorywon by the Union forces over Lee's army at Malvern Hills at great cost,which, in the judgment of every officer in the Army of the Potomac saveone, and he the chief, should have been immediately followed by adetermined advance towards the rebel stronghold, which was only about aday's march distant, was supplemented by the now somewhat stereotypedorder to "fall back," thus presenting the not altogether inspiringmilitary spectacle of a victorious army running away from its defeated[Pg 6]and thoroughly demoralized enemy.
General Pope's campaign in Northern Virginia, inaugurated with a greatflourish of trumpets, had resulted disastrously; the rebel army wasgreatly encouraged by the inactivity and the vacillating conduct oftheir opponents, and had commenced a vigorous aggressive movement. TheNational capital was again in imminent peril, causing a feverishexcitement throughout the country; Baltimore and Cincinnati wereseriously threatened, and a great crisis was evidently at hand. Vigorousmeasures must be adopted at once, or our boasted Republic would soon bea thing of the past.
The President, in view of the great emergency, had ordered drafts,amounting in the aggregate to six hundred thousand men, one-half thereoffor three years, and the other half for nine months, the latter to bedrawn from the enrolled militia; and the utmost activity everywhereprevailed in connection with the raising, equipping and forwarding ofthis vast army of recruits.
Rhode Island was thoroughly alive to the occasion, [Pg 7]determined not to beoutdone by any of her sister States in meeting this new and pressingdemand upon her loyalty and her resources; and meeting it too, ifpossible, without resort to a draft, which, of course, was obnoxious tothe sentiments of the people. In order to promote enlistments, thestores in some places were closed at 3 P. M. each day; warmeetings were held every evening, and the greatest enthusiasm wasmanifested. The whole State seemed to be one vast recruiting camp, andall the people, both male an