He was a man of spirit, very
affectionate and generous, always ready to stand by his friends,
especially if he suspected that anybody had treated them unjustly.
The People's Party sent a Committee to the seat of war in
September, 1862. The Committee found Devens in his tent,
repeated to him the plans of his old Whig friends, and induced
him to accept the nomination of the People's Party for Governor.
I was called to the battlefield of Antietam, where a near
kinsman of mine had been mortally wounded, just about the
same time. I entered Devens's tent just as this Committee
was leaving it with his written acceptance in their hands.
I told him the other side of the story, told him how the
whole people were alive with enthusiasm, and that Governor
Andrew was doing the very best possible, and that these petty
jealousies, while there was some little reason for them,
ought not to affect the public action of the people. Devens
regretted very much what he had done. He told me that if
he could recall the letter, he would do it. But it was too
late.
Governor Andrew was triumphantly reelected, and Devens was
ever after an earnest and loyal Republican.
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