FREEMASONRY DURING WARTIME
Bro. Shields is a member of Waxhaw Lodge #562, Waxhaw, NC. His interest in
the subject of Freemasonry during wartime was sparked by Allen Roberts and his
writings, particularly "House Undivided."
The book Befriend and Relieve Every Brother, Freemasonry During Wartime
was just recently reviewed by both The Northern Light and The Scottish Rite
Journal. This Short Talk Bulletin was extracted from that book.
FRIEND TO FRIEND
General Lew Armistead vaulted the stone wall, yelled "give them cold steel"
and headed for the cannons that had until recently been firing on his men. As he
laid his hand on one of the guns of the 4th US Artillery, the 69th Pennsylvania
Infantry fired upon the gray coated General and the men who had followed him.
Many went down including Armistead. He was heard to cry for help "as the son of
a widow." Colonel Rawley W. Martin of the 53rd Virginia lay near by and
witnessed as some of the men of the 69th Pa. rose up and came to Armistead's
aid. Captain Henry H. Bingham, a physician and Mason, was brought to assist
Armistead. Armistead inquired about his friend and Masonic Brother General
Winfield Hancock. Learning that Hancock had also been wounded, he entrusted to
Bingham his Masonic watch and personal papers to give to his friend and Brother
General Hancock. Hancock and Armistead had attended West Point and had fought in
the same regiment in Mexico, and were the closest of friends prior to the war.
Two days later Armistead died of his wounds in a Union hospital on the Spangler
farm.
Bingham survived the war and in fact won a Congressional Medal of Honor in
1867. He retired in 1867 and went on to become a member of the United States
Congress where he served for 33 years. He died in 1912 at the age of 70.
General Hancock survived his wounds though it was a long time until he
returned to the army. He later commanded the Department of the East of the
United States Army and died in 1886 still in command. In 1880, he lost an
attempt for the United States Presidency to James Garfield.
This incident of the famous charge at Gettysburg known as Pickett's Charge is
only one of many incidents in history where one Mason has come to the aid of
another or another's family and has inspired the Masonic "Friend to Friend"
Monument at Gettysburg.
MASONIC BURIAL BY THE ENEMY On June 11, 1863, the Federal gunboat Albatross,
with Lt. Commander J.E. Hart of St. George's Lodge #6 in New York in command,
was anchored on the Mississippi River opposite the town of Bayou Sara (some
accounts say St. Francisville) which was 15 miles above the Rebel fortification
Port Hudson. The gunboat was part of the ships laying siege to Port Hudson,
Louisiana. Commander Hart had been in a delirium for many days and was confined
to quarters. A shot rang out and the ship's executive officer Theodore E. Dubois
and the doctor found the commander dead. The officers of the ship, not wanting
to bury their commander in the river, sent a flag of truce ashore to discover if
there was a local Masonic Lodge. William W. Leake, the acting Master of the
lodge in Bayou Sara was approached by Captain Samuel White, who lived near the
river, to hold a Masonic funeral for Commander Hart. Brother Leake replied, "As
a soldier of the Confederate Army, I think it is my duty. As a Mason, I know it
is my duty." On June 13th, a few members of the local lodge in Masonic regalia
gathered and met the procession of 50 men from the Albatross under a flag of
truce at the top of a hill. Brothers Benjamin F. and Samuel F. White of Bayou
Sara, the surgeon and the two officers of the gunboat who were Masons were in
the procession along with a squad of marines at "trail arms." Leake and the
local Brothers marched in front of the corpse to Grace Episcopal Church Cemetery
and buried Brother Hart in the Masonic Section with military and Masonic honors
with the service of the Episcopal Church read over him. Brother Leake led the
Masonic part of the services. The US Surgeon and officers asked the Brothers to
join them on the Albatross for dinner but they declined. The surgeon then
offered to supply Brother Leake with medicines for his family. Brother Leake
declined but later the surgeon sent a few medicines to Leake through Brother
Samuel White.
Hart's grave was marked with a wooden head plate for many years, and
eventually a permanent marker covering the whole grave was dedicated. The marker
states: "This monument is dedicated in loving tribute to the universality of
Freemasonry."
HIS PLEASURE TO GIVE THEM RELIEF
Toward the end of the Civil War a number of Confederate prisoners of war were
being held in the vicinity of Winchester, Virginia, where they were guarded by a
regiment of Ohio troops. One afternoon a young major accompanied the regimental
surgeon on his hospital rounds among the prisoners.
The young officer noticed that although the surgeon stopped at each bed, at
some he gave tobacco, sometimes some money which he peeled from a large roll in
his pocket and to others, advice that had nothing to do with the patient's
medical condition. The major's curiosity was raised as to why this surgeon would
give aid over and above what was expected to the dirty, ragged prisoners. The
surgeon replied that he was a Mason and that since the wounded prisoners were
Masons, "it was not only his duty but also his pleasure to relieve their wants
to the limit of his ability, regardless of their rank or condition."
The major, touched by these actions, expressed a wish to become a Mason. At
that period of time, many lodges ignored jurisdictional lines or length of
residence. Later these actions would cause many headaches for the various Grand
Lodges but at this point were just part of the war. Thus, Hiram Lodge #21 of
Winchester elected him to receive the degrees which he proceeded to do.
The lodge had had a fluctuating membership for the past 4 years since the
town was constantly changing hands as the armies moved up and down the
Shenandoah Valley. At times, the Federals had a majority in the lodge and at
other times the Confederates did. After the final defeat of the Confederate Army
at Cedar Creek in October, 1864, things finally settled down, and the lodge
looked again to hold meetings while under Northern occupation. In order to do
so, Brothers Brent and Legge received a letter of introduction to General Phil
Sheridan from the Honorable Montgomery Blair of Baltimore Postmaster General in
President Abraham Lincoln's cabinet. With this letter of introduction, they were
able to get an audience with General Sheridan. When they met with the general,
he was surrounded by his staff and orderlies. After showing their credentials,
the Brothers stated their purpose was to ask for permission to reopen the
Masonic Lodge. General Sheridan, in view of his known political and religious
affiliations, turned them down. At that point, Dr. C.H. Allen, a surgeon on
Sheridan's staff and a member of Aurora Lodge #22 Montpelier, Vermont, supported
the Brothers with the argument that it would be a wise idea to reopen the Lodge
since it would give the Northern officers and soldiers something to do while
they were encamped around Winchester. This would allow the army to mingle with
the townsfolk in a fraternal way and promote goodwill. Dr. Allen stated that he
was a Mason and he would personally attend every meeting to see that nothing
malicious towards the United States Government occurred at the meetings.
Reluctantly, Sheridan gave his permission. The lodge resumed meeting on November
28, 1864. From that point to June 24, 1865, 231 men were raised in the lodge.
Almost all of them were from the North.
At the time the Major's petition was acted on, a Confederate Chaplain, J.B.T.
Reed was Master, and he conferred the First Degree upon the candidate on the
evening of May 1, 1865. The next forenoon he was instructed by the brethren on
that degree and that evening he received the Second Degree. On the morning of
May 3rd, he was instructed on that degree and raised a Master Mason at 3 o'clock
that afternoon.
Shortly thereafter the war ended, and the Ohio troops were sent home. The
Major took a demit from Hiram Lodge and upon reaching home deposited it in
Canton Lodge #60, Canton, Ohio.
For the rest of his life William McKinley took an interest in Masonic
activities and did not lose his interest even when he became Governor and later,
President. His last Masonic act was to place a sprig of acacia on the casket of
Brother George Washington upon the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the
death of the "Father of the Country."
THE FINAL ACT BY A MASON IN THE CIVIL WAR
It was an April morning three days after General Robert E. Lee had
surrendered to General U.S. Grant. The Southern troops, led by General John B.
Gordon, a Mason, were marching in columns towards the Northern troops who were
standing in formation waiting for the Southerners to stack arms and fold their
flags. Suddenly a shifting of arms was heard. Gordon looked up with alarm, but
there was nothing to fear. General Joshua Chamberlain had ordered his troops to
assume the position of "honor answering honor." Immediately, the Confederate
troops snapped to attention and returned the honor. It was the first act to heal
the wounds of a nation that had spent four years and 618,000 lives in a civil
war. That command of "honor answering honor" was ordered by a Mason.
Major General Joshua Chamberlain was a member of United Lodge #8, Brunswick,
Maine. After the war, he became Governor of Maine from 1866-71 and President of
Bowdoin College from 1871-83. (He is also featured in the movie "Gettysburg" for
his role in holding Little Round Top.)
For more information about the book Freemasonry During Wartime please
contact:
THE CAROLINA TRADER BOX 769 1902 PLYLER MILL ROAD MONROE, NC 28112
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