untiring industry, and great ability as an organizer, made him of incalculable value in recruiting, arming, and putting into the field the Vermont troops. He gave himself up to the work, and did everything that could be done to add to their efficiency and comfort while there, and to secure to his State its share of the glory of the war. His records were so perfectly kept, and his reports, made to the Governor from year to year, and then published, so carefully and systematically made, that not more than a score of the thirtyfive thousand men who went from the State of Vermont to the war remained unaccounted for. He was emphatically the right man in the right place. There may be other men who could perform responsible public duties as well as General Washburn performed those of this position; but it is lamentably true that they are seldom sought out and called to them. His services are appreciated by officers of every grade, and by the rank and file who served in the field. The State owes him a debt of gratitude for his five years' service in time of war in the position of Adjutant and Inspector General.

GENERAL JOHN WOLCOTT PHELPS.

In consideration of his character as a man, his having been a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, and served as an officer in the regular army in the war with Mexico, John Wolcott Phelps, of Brattleboro,' was commissioned by Governor Fairbanks, on the 2d of May, 1861, Colonel of the First Regiment Vermont Volunteers, sent out under the call of President Lincoln for seventy-five thousand volunteers for three months' service. He went to Fortress Monroe with the regiment, and was commander of the post. On the 27th of May, 1861, he was promoted to Brigadier General of United States Volunteers. He went on an expedition to the Gulf of Mexico, in November, 1861, and took military possession of Ship Island, Miss.; was with Commodore Farragut's fleet in forcing the opening of the Lower Mississippi, in April, 1862, and with the naval force taking possession of Forts Jackson and St. Philip, La., April 28, 1862, and of New Orleans, La., May 1, 1862, and organized the first negro troops. He was stationed at Carrolton, seven miles from New Orleans, and his camp was literally thronged with black fugitives. General Phelps formed the men of suitable age into companies, and made a requisition on General

Butler, who was in command of the Department, for arms for them, saying, that he desired to raise three regiments of Africans for the defense of the point where he was located, which was unhealthy, and his men were dying at the rate of two or three a day. General Butler directed him to employ the contrabands in and about the camp, in cutting down all the trees, &c., for the purpose of defense, and ordered the quartermaster to furnish axes and tents for the contrabands. General Phelps replied that he was willing to organize African regiments for the defense of the Government, but would not become the mere slavedriver, "having no qualification that way," and tendered his resignation, which General Butler refused to accept.

In August, 1862, General Phelps, with his reasons therefor, returned his commission to the President. Months afterwards, when circumstances compelled the Administration to adopt the very policy proposed by General Phelps, the President offered him a Major General's commission, which he would accept only on condition that it should bear date upon the day of his resignation. To this the President would not accede, as, while it would be only justice to General Phelps, it would be an implied censure of General Butler, whose conduct in the matter was approved by the Administration, though a change of policy became expedient and necessary afterwards.

By an order of the rebel government, dated August 21, 1862, General Phelps was declared an outlaw, for having "organized and armed negro slaves for military service against their masters, citizens of the Confederacy."

General Phelps was a most accomplished officer. By his constant thoughtfulness of the comfort of his men, and his peculiar mode of enforcing discipline, he was very much respected and beloved by his whole command. On resigning his commission he returned to Brattleboro', where he has since resided, enjoying the confidence and esteem of all who know him.

LIEUTENANT COLONEL CHARLES CUMMINGS.

The subject of this notice was well and favorably known throughout the State of Vermont for his many excellent qualities of head and heart. Lieutenant Colonel Cummings was born at Royalston, Mass., in February, 1821. He studied medicine, and in 1847 received the degreee of M. D. at Woodstock. He practiced his profession at Fitzwilliam, N. H., three years, but his tastes were for literary pursuits, and he abandoned his profession, and removed to Brattleboro' in 1852, connected himself with the Brattleboro' Eagle, as associate editor with Hon. B. D. Harris, and

subsequently, in a similar capacity, with the Vermont Phenix, at that place. After a time he became proprietor of the Phenix, and so continued up to the time of his death.

In 1858 Lieutenant Colonel Cummings was elected Clerk of the Vermont House of Representatives, and performed the duties of the position so acceptably that he was re-elected at three subsequent sessions. He enlisted for the war as a private in Company E, Eleventh Regiment, and was chosen First Lieutenant. Before that regiment left the State, he was commissioned by the Governor Major of the Twelfth,— a nine months' regiment, and subsequently, before leaving the State, was commissioned Lieutenant Colonel of the Sixteenth, also a nine months' regiment. This regiment formed a part of the Second Vermont Brigade, a full account of the movements of which is given elsewhere in this book. For a few months he was Provost Marshal at Fairfax, performing the duties to general acceptance.

In February, 1864, Lieutenant Colonel Cummings was assigned to the Seventeenth Regiment, and in April, not being full so that a colonel could be mustered, the regiment left the State for the seat of war under his command. In the battle of the Wilderness, on the 6th of May, 1864, during a hand-to-hand fight, in a thick wood, he was wounded in the scalp by a