Harvard memorial biographies ...

George Wellington Batchelder.

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paid him by a fellow officer, who said of him, 'He was the most
honorable man I ever knew.'"
His superior officers testify to his uniform faithfulness and
bravery; and one of them mentions the fact that he and
his classmate, Major How, ever held themselves aloof from
the petty jealousies and disagreements which sometimes find
their way among the officers of a regiment. Lieutenant Prime
of his company writes: -
"( I very well remember that, at the time of his introduction to me
at Lynnfield, he made the remark that he hoped the acquaintance
thus commenced would prove a pleasant one, and it raised an interesting question in my mind at that time, -' Shall we, who are probably to'be companions for a long period, be friends, or shall we lead
a quarrelsome and unpleasant life?' But this hope, so carelessly
expressed, has been more than realized on my part, and I have no
reason to feel that it was not equally pleasant to him. He cheerfully shared all the privations and hardships which it was our lot to
meet. When upon our long marches, more than once he has divided his last cake of hard-bread, and compelled me to take it; and
at night if I had no blanket, I was welcome to half of his. In short,
in all situations and under all circumstances he was to me ' a friend
indeed.' We get comparatively few such friends; and it is hard,
and, without a full confidence in the goodness of God, would seem
cruel, to be obliged to part with them."
Since his death, one of his men has described in a simple
way some little scenes from the past.
" I have thought how many times I have brought water for the
Captain after a long day's march, and made him a cup of coffee, and
straw to make him and Lieutenant Prime a little bed. They were
about of a size, and would lie down together like two little kittens.
I recollect one night, when we went to Harper's Ferry for the first
time, we stopped near Charlestown, where John Brown was hung.
We had no rations. The Captain said he would get us some; and
he went away with Lieutenant Prime, and walked all over Charlestown, and came back with a large quantity of bread, coffee, and sugar. 0, how the boys all cheered him, and said that was the captain that would look after his men!"
One of George's classmates, who had enlisted as a private,
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