Broom and I rode upon the box containing the general’s remains, in a freight car crowded with corpses, and the stench was prodigious. Several others were in the car, there being no passenger cars on the train for some reason. We moved very slowly and did not arrive in Baltimore till seven o’clock the following morning. The weather was fearfully hot and our position most distressing. As soon as we arrived, in company with David, the general’s brother, we went to an undertaker and had the body embalmed, carefully dressed, and enclosed in a heavy casket. The following day we took the remains to Port Kennedey, Pennsylvania, his father’s home; here we remained two days, a continuous crowd of people flocking in from all the surrounding country to view the remains. During this time Broom and I relieved each other in standing guard, and in answering a thousand curious questions. In the meantime, the family received a telegram from the Mayor of New York City, asking that the remains be sent on to that city to receive a public funeral. The family consenting, on the 7th of July, in a special car sent by the Mayor of New York City, the remains in our charge, together with a large funeral party, left for that place, where we were received on arrival, by a detachment of militia and several very gorgeous staff officers, who escorted the party to the city hall; where the coffin was placed in the governor’s room, and there remained until Monday, July 10th, visited by thousands of people. The room was heavily draped in mourning, and either Broom or I, together with a guard from the city militia, was always on duty.
The city was in a terrible state of disorder. Incendiarism and rioting were rampant; the city was on fire in many places; negroes were hung to lamp posts, and everywhere lives and property were in danger, and the civil authorities temporarily helpless. Butler had been ordered from the front with his command, and the citizens were eagerly awaiting his advent, to stay the course of lawlessness. It is said to be a draft riot, and really is a fire in our rear by the very considerable body of Copperheads who infest this fair city.
In accordance with orders, as soon as the obsequies of General Zook were over, Broom and I reported to the military commander of the district, General Dix, when it was suggested as a mater of prudence we doff our uniforms. This seemed to us most astonishing, that the uniform which we supposed every man and woman, particularly just after such a great and magnificent battle, would delight in, should be a badge of disfavor, but as we had no citizens’ clothing, we were obliged to confine ourselves to those parts of the city considered least dangerous, which was most humiliating; however, we volunteered our services in case of necessity, left our address and retired. Mitchell very kindly sent us a twenty day leave of absence from General Warren, now in command of the Second corps, so we remained in town till the 27th. Butler soon arrived with a large force, which went into bivouac on the Battery, City Hall Park, and other open places, and the rioters were instantly brought under control. Guns were posted in various places sweeping the streets, and Butler’s reputation was not of the sort the rioters and negro lynchers cared to trifle with.
On the evening of the 27th, we bade good bye not reluctantly to civil life, and took the train for Washington, where we found that the Second corps was in camp near Warrenton, and so without loss of time took the military train, and on the evening of the 28th, arrived back in camp and reported to the headquarters of our old brigade, where we found my old friend, Colonel Frank, in command, and our horses and servants all glad to see us.
Our staff appointments of course were vacated by the general’s death, and we were simply regimental officers, not even entitled to our own horses; we had however, scarcely time to think of that, when we received the following order, which gave us great contentment.
Headquarters, 1st Div., Second Corps, July 28, 1863.
Special Order No. 691: Lieutenant J. M. Favill, Fifty-seventh New York Infantry, late aide-de-camp to General Zook, is hereby appointed Judge Advocate of this division, and Lieutenant C. H. H. Broom, Fifty-seventh New York Infantry, is hereby appointed acting aide-de-camp to the general commanding; these officers will report to the Adjutant General at these headquarters for duty without delay.
By order Brigadier-general J. C. Caldwell,
Commanding Division.
John Hancock A. A. General.
General Caldwell is one of the most genial and accomplished officers in the service, a scholar as well as soldier, and unusually amiable and affable in his manner. He received us very graciously and after many inquiries relating to Zook’s death and funeral, said he was glad to welcome us into his military family, and hoped we should find it agreeable, and our new duties satisfactory. We subsequently reported to Major Hancock, the assistant adjutant general, and the following morning moved bag and baggage up to division headquarters.
Our servants were very glad, having feared a return to the obscurity of regimental life, and Green and Kelly increased visibly in importance.
