Miscellany

1. EDWARD WILLIAM THOMSON (1849-1924). Thomson was born in Peel County, Upper Canada, and received his education at Trinity College School, Weston, a school later attended by the Osler brothers. From 1864 to 1865 he served with the Pennsylvania Cavalry in the Civil War, and in 1866 in the Queen's Own Rifles during the Fenian Raid. For a time he followed his avocation as Dominion Land Surveyor, then as civil engineer, ultimately taking up journalism. Thomson was chief editorial writer of the Toronto Globe, 1879-1891, and from 1891-1901 editor of The Youth Companion. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature (1909), and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (1910). Thomson's first book contained a number of fugitive short stories under the title, Old Man Savarin and Other Stories (1895, 1922), among them are "Little Baptiste," "McGRath's Bad Night," "Old Man Savarin," and "Boss of the World." These are excellent yarns, full of life and laughter. Without sacrificing the action of his stories he took great care with the characterization. He had a penchant for adventure in which courage and gallantry played a conspicuous part. Whether he writes in "plain prose," or in the habitant dialect popularized by Drummond, there is always a fine bouquet to his humor. The Many-Mansioned House and Other Poems (1909) contains several creditable verses. For many years Thomson desired complete Canadian independence, Canada to become an autonomous British nation, the sovereign of Great Britain taking the title, King of Canada. [source: Pierce, Lorne. An Outline of Canadian Literature. Toronto: The Ryerson Press, 1927.]
2. A DESERTER GETTING HIS DES[S]ERTS -- On Wednesday last an American deserter came to town, all dressed in his uniform of blue. He said that he had been a three months' volunteer, had served that period, and afterwards re-enlisted for the war, but had deserted and come to Canada. This story obtained for him but little sympathy. He was at once denounced as a perjurer and a poltroon, and driven first out of one house and then another. The men and boys even caught the feelings of disgust that were being expressed towards the rascal, and in crowds they hooted and hissed at him all along the streets, and finally we believe ran the fellow out of town, the last being seen of him he was making tracks along a side line in the country. Served him right. May deserters, whether they be Yankee or British, receive like sympathy everywhere. -- Chatham Planet [source: The Globe, September 14, 1861]
3. Is Gen. Beauregard a Canadian? The Courier du Canada contains a paragraph relative to the Commander of the Southern forces, which we here translate. "The grandfather of General Beauregard, Commander of the Southern army, was a Canadian. His name was Pierre Toutan, and he emigrated to New Orleans, from [..]atiscan, in the district of Three-Rivers. At New Orleans he made a fortune, and rapidly acquired considerable influence among the French population of Louisiana. As a reward for his political services, he obtained for his son an admission, as a cadet, into the Military Academy at West Point. The son figures in the books under the name of Pierre G. Toutan. In the meantime he purchased an [est]ate near New Orleans, which he called Beauregard. When his son obtained his commission as an officer in the army, he cast aside the humble name of Toutan, adopted the more aristocratic one of de Beauregard; and thenceforth subscribed himself Pierre Toutan de Beauregard." [source: The Halifax Evening Reporter August 15, 1861]
4. At the hospital, Alexandria, Virginia, of typhoid fever, on the 10th ultimo, in the 16th year of his age, Master H. A. Graham. Deceased was the youngest son of Mr. Michael Graham, of the township of Brantford, C.W. The Above youth was enticed away from his parents by a strolling Yankee Company who were exhibiting, in Brantford, pictures of the American war. He was taken to Lockport, and there enlisted on the 9th [of] June last. He was then ordered to Washington, where he was taken ill, and in a few days died in the hospital at Alexandria of the above disease. We deeply sympathise with the bereaved parents in the loss of their young son, and trust it will be a warning to young Canadian boys to remain at home, and let the Yankees get men in their own country to prosecute their murderous war; for there is no doubt, had young Graham remained at home he would have been alive to-day -- Brantford Courier [source: The Quebec Mercury; August 12, 1864]
5. TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN--One J. F. Clifford, at present serving in the United States army, writes from the camp of the 7th Ohio Regiment at Strasburg, Virginia, that James Carroll, supposed to have some friends residing in Hamilton, fell fighting by his side in the late battle near Winchester, on the 23rd ult. Carroll left some personal property, which is in possession of Clifford. Should this meet the eye of any relative of Carroll's, he can see the letter, and obtain the address of Clifford by calling at this office. [source: The Hamilton Daily Spectator; April 5, 1862]
6. A HAMILTONIAN IN CAMP--Mr. James Cochrane, who left this city some five months ago, has been engaged as a first-class Veterinary Surgeon, in the Michigan Artillery--In writing to his brother Edward, from Camp Dennison, near Cincinnati, Ohio, he mentions that on the 8th instant, the camp was visited by a severe hail storm. Some of the hailstones were so large that several of the men were injured by their fall. The camp is composed of 18,000 troops. [source: The Hamilton Spectator; June 15, 1861]
7. ENLISTMENTS FOR THE NORTHERN ARMY.--We have had occasion to remark on the efforts made by Federal agents to enlist Canadians for their army, but the still continue their endeavors, and in a manner the most objectionable possible. Not content with flaunting the Federal uniform in our faces, and trying to seduce our young men to fight in their behalf, the Northern agents have attempted to seduce our soldiers from their allegiance to Queen Victoria. Was have noticed these attempts previously, but a case came under our observation yesterday which shows that these agents appear determined to carry on their work in despite of all law. We saw one of the soldiers of the [Prince Consort's Own] Rifle Brigade, (under the influence of liquor) in the company of a person, clothed in the uniform of the Federal army, who took him into a disreputable house on King street. The soldier seemed to wish to go away, but his companion appeared to insist on his accompanying him. No one, under the circumstances, can have any doubt as to the motive of the Yankee, and it would be well if a strict look-out were kept on those recruiting agents. We make this incident public because we believe the intention was to induce the soldier to desert, and to put the military authorities on their guard against similar proceedings. [source: The Hamilton Daily Spectator; September 12, 1862]
8. DEATH OF MR. JAMES LAW--Our obituary column this morning contains the announcement of the demise of Mr. James Law, of this city, after a short illness. The deceased was well and favorably known as a young man of much promise. Being fond of seeing the world, he left for the Southern States the summer before the war broke out. And finally settled down in New Orleans; but did not remain there long, for an opportunity presented itself for his entering the Confederate army, in which he saw much service during a campaign of eighteen months. He was in several important battles, and narrowly escaped in the six days fighting before Richmond.--Having obtained his discharge, he returned home, encountering considerable difficulty on the way, and was gladly welcomed by all who knew him. His premature death is greatly lamented, for he had endeared himself, by his kindness of heart and genial manners, to all with whom he was brought in contact. [source: The Hamilton Daily Spectator; January 13, 1863]
9. IMPORTANT MILITARY ORDER--We have been handed a copy of a very important General Order, which we publish in another column. We, in Hamilton, have not much reason to complain of with regard to the desertion of our soldiers, for those who are stationed amongst us have proved themselves beyond temptation, and have shown that loyalty to the British government is to them paramount to all other considerations. We know that if any scheming Yankee skedaddler ever attempts to induce any of the [Prince Consort's Own] Rifle Brigade soldiers to desert, he will find himself in a trap which he will have some difficulty in getting out of. [source: The Hamilton Daily Spectator; January 31, 1863]
10. PERSONAL--Dr. L. M. Ross, formerly of this city, and for some time connected with the Medical Department of the Army of Virginia, is about to join the Chinese contingent army, under General Bargovine, as Surgeon, for which his experience in the U. S. Army renders him well qualified. No young Surgeon has had more ample opportunities than Dr. Ross, and his many friends in Hamilton will be glad to hear of his good fortune, and to join in wishing him a safe journey to the scene of his future labors and a long and successful career after his arrival there. [source: The Hamilton Daily Spectator; January 17, 1863]
11. ANOTHER YANKEE SWINDLE--O. A. Ballou & Co., of Bay City, Michigan, advertises for fifty men acquainted with saw mill work; ten or twelve carpenters, eight or ten frame hands, and ten or twelve coopers, to all of whom tempting wages are offered, while the absurdity of the requirements makes the fraud more palpable. The above quota just makes a respectable military company, and would be very acceptable just now in any one of the new, or depleted regiments of the Michigan soldiers. A Yankee, named Wisner, who resides at present in Brantford, is the Canadian agent to whom recruits should apply for further information, and as his business leads him through a large portion of the country, we presume he will hold out the bait in other places than in this locality. We ask our contemporaries to expose this dodge to entrap Canadians into the army of the North, and give Jesse O. Wisner the benefit of a gratuitous notice. This gentleman is only pursuing the same scheme that the blackguard Marx did in Hamilton a few weeks ago, and still more lately pursued by other scoundrels of the same type in Canada. We warn this Yankee recruiting agent in disguise, that he had better not attempt to inveigle any of our citizens by honied words or false promises, or he may repent of his folly by finding himself in the grasp of the law that will deal justice out to him, as the rascality of the case demands.--[Brant Herald. [source: The Hamilton Spectator; August 20, 1862]
12. OFF TO THE WARS--We understand that some half dozen young men belonging to this city started for the States last night, with the intention of enlisting in the Northern army. It is a pity that any British subject should be so foolish and wicked as to interfere in a quarrel which does not concern them; but we expect that before they are three months in the army, they will be tired enough of its discipline, and be asking their friends to apply to Lord Lyons for their discharge. It is said that they are to join the regiment now being raised by Col. Rankin, in which one of the party has obtained a cornetcy [?]. If this be so, and there is little doubt of the fact, it shows that Rankin has already commenced his operations to recruit in this Province, and the proper authorities ought, therefore, to look after him at once. [source: The Hamilton Spectator; September 25, 1861]
13. The following paragraph refers to the son of Mr. John Winer, of this city, who is at present on a visit to his friends prior to engaging in the service:

    SURGEON OF THE IRISH BRIGADE--Dr. William D. Winer, of this city, has been appointed by Colonel Mulligan, Surgeon to the Irish Regiment. This we consider one of the best appointments that could have been made. Dr. Winer is in every respect competent for the duties of that position. He graduated at the University of Toronto in 1851, and afterwards, having passed the examination before the Medical Board, was appointed Surgeon to the State Hospital, New York, and held that post of "Senior House Surgeon" to that extensive Institution for three years; on leaving which, he went to Paris and got a diploma from the Imperial College there. He came to Chicago in '56, and has made quite a reputation in this city. We congratulate the Brigade on having acquired the services of so competent a medical officer.--[Chicago Journal. [source: The Hamilton Spectator; June 21, 1861]

14. A DUNDAS BOY AT THE BATTLE OF BULL'S RUN. --John Witherspoon, son of John Witherspoon,, Baker, formerly of Dundas, was one of the unfortunates at this battle. He enlisted in a Michigan Regiment, and we now learn that he was not one of those who ran away at Bull's Run, but received a severe wound while fighting for the Federal Government. The Detroit Tribune says: "Private John Witherspoon, a compositor from the Tribune office, shot in the right wrist, had his hand amputated on Monday last, and is in the Alexandria Hospital." [source: True Banner and Wentworth Chronicle; August 9, 1861]
15. KILLED AT NEWBERNE.--Our contemporaries in the French language, announce the death of Mr. Legendre, of the 53rd New York Regimant, killed at Newberne [sic.], North Carolina. The deceased was by birth a French Canaian, of Lothiniere [or Lotbiniere]; but for several years settled in the United States. [source: London Free Press; April 1, 1862]
16. TELEGRAPH OPERATORS.-- Messers. Benner and Wagner, two Grand Trunk telegraph operators, leave Canada in a few days to join the military telegraph corps in Kentucky. [source: London Free Press; March 26, 1862]
17. OFF TO THE WARS.--Mr. G. J. Garland, the ticket agent and telegraph operator in the employ of the Grand Trunk Railway in this city, has relinquished his position for an appointment in the United States army. Mr. Garland is a young man of considerable promise, and, although but a short time in this city, he has many friends and well-wishers. He leaves to-day for Louisville, Kentucky. [source: London Free Press; March 1, 1862]
18. --. Mr. John Austin, late of Norwich, and brother-in-law of Mr. Henry Taylor, of Ingersoll, was among the Confederates taken prisoners [sic.] at Fort Donelson, by the Union forces. [source: London Free Press; March 5, 1862]
19. --. Mr. John Campbell, printer, of Galt, and for some time a resident of Toronto, was wounded at the bombardment of Fort Henry. He had also, previous to the fight at Fort Henry, a bayonet wound in one of his hands. He is now lying in the hospital at Cairo. [source: London Free Press; March 5, 1862]