Hoar
and J. Henry Hill in December, 1856; was City Solicitor in
the years 1856, 1857 and 1858. The news of the surrender
of Fort Sumter was received in Worcester Sunday, April 14.
Monday forenoon came the confirmation of the news and President
Lincoln's call for 75,000 volunteers. General Devens was
engaged in the trial of a cause before the Supreme Court,
when the news was told him. He instantly requested another
member of the Bar to take his place in the trial, went immediately
up street, offered his services to the Government, was unanimously
chosen the same day Major of the Third Battalion of Massachusetts
Rifles, commissioned the next day, April 16, departed for
the seat of war April 20. The battalion under his command
was stationed at Fort McHenry. On the 24th of July following
he was appointed Colonel of the Fifteenth Massachusetts Regiment.
Gen. Devens was in command of the Fifteenth Regiment at the
disastrous battle of Ball's Bluff, where he was struck by
a musket ball, which was intercepted by a metallic button
which saved his life. His conduct on that day received high
encomium from General McClellan.
Pages:
797
798
799
800
801
802
803
804
805
806
807
808
809
810
811
812
813
814
815
816
817
818
819
820
821