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 I N Me m o r. 
 
 O F 
 
 COL. JAMES MONROE. 
 
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 IN MEMORY 
 
 or 
 
 COL. JAMES MONROE. 
 Died September 7, 1870: 
 
 AGED 7 1. 
 
 " Blessed are the Pure in Heart : 
 Fob they shall see God." 

 
 
 THE XTW YORK 
 
 PUBUCLIBK/J.Y 
 
 TK.0CK r^Ktsxi-.mui 
 
 R 1913 L
 
 f' HOUGH the conivicndations of a good 
 man zvho has finished his course— like 
 flowers planted by affeetion on his grave 
 — are of nothing ivorth to the dead, yet, to 
 the living and the loving, they breathe a 
 perpetual fragranee : therefore it is that 
 many of the warm friends of the late 
 
 COL. JAMES MOJ<l^OE, 
 
 and those zvho elasp his memory still closer 
 to their hearts, have desired to see, in a 
 more enduring form, some of the fugitive 
 tributes to his ivortJi, zvhich appeared as 
 Obituaries when he had descended to the 
 tomb, embalmed with the tears of all zvho 
 had shared his intimacy in life. 
 
 " Only the actions of the just 
 Smell sweet, and blossom in the dust." 
 
 449664
 
 DEATH OF COL. JAS. MONROE- 
 
 CONTRIBUTED TO THE 
 
 A.I\MY AND I^AYY JoURNAL 
 
 BY 
 
 aEN. GEORGE W. CULLUM, U. S. A.
 
 Colonel James Monroe, who was 
 born September lo, 1799, in Albemarle 
 county, Virginia, died September 7, 
 1870, at the residence, on Orange Moun- 
 tain, N. J., of his only surviving child, 
 Mrs. Douglas Robinson, having nearly 
 completed seventy - one years of an 
 eventful life. He was the nephew of 
 President Monroe, who was a younger 
 brother of his father, Andrew Monroe. 
 They were descended from Captain 
 Monroe, an officer in the army of 
 Charles the First, who emigrated with 
 the Cavaliers to Virginia in 1652. 
 
 Colonel Monroe, after receiving a
 
 lO 
 
 good preliminary education, entered 
 the United States Military Academy 
 at West Point, N. Y., when scarce 
 fourteen years old, and was graduated 
 at that institution, March 2, 1815. Of 
 his classmates of 18 15, but six survive 
 him — Henry Middleton, of South Caro- 
 lina ; Simon Willard, a retired mer- 
 chant of Boston ; Generals Thomas J. 
 Leslie and Benjamin L. E. Bonneville, 
 of the U. S. Ami}' ; General Samuel 
 Cooper ; and Professor Charles Davies. 
 Upon his graduation, he became third 
 lieutenant in the Corps of Artillery ; 
 was promoted second lieutenant, May 2, 
 
 1 817, and first lieutenant, December 31, 
 
 18 18, retaining the same rank in the
 
 1 1 
 
 Fourth Artillery in the re-organiza- 
 tion of the Army, June i, 1821 ; was 
 breveted a captain, December 31, 1828, 
 " for faithful service ten years in one 
 grade ; " and resigned his commission 
 in the Army, September 30, 1832. 
 
 (3n the very day, March 2, 18 15, of 
 Colonel Monroe's graduation, our war 
 with Great Britain having just termi- 
 nated, Congress passed an act author- 
 izing hostilities against Algiers, that 
 piratical power having for some time 
 before been engaged in depredations 
 upon the little American commerce 
 that remained in or near the Mediter- 
 ranean. On May 20, a squadron, con- 
 sisting of three frigates, one sloop of
 
 12 
 
 war, and six brigs and schooners, sailed 
 from New York for the Mediterranean, 
 under Commodore Decatur's command, 
 the Guerriere, 44, being his flag-ship. 
 On board of this latter vessel was em- 
 barked Brevet Major S. B. Archer's 
 company of U. S. Artillery, Lieutenant 
 Monroe being one of its subaltern of- 
 ficers. On June 17, 181 5, when off 
 Cape dc Gata, on the southern coast 
 of Spain, Decatur's squadron fell in 
 with and captured the Algerinc frigate 
 MasJionda, 46, after a short running 
 fight, in which the Algerine admiral 
 and nearly one hundred of his officers 
 and men were killed and wounded, and 
 four hundred and six made prisoners. 
 
 I
 
 13 
 
 In this spirited engagement Lieutenant 
 Monroe directed a part of the quarter- 
 deck guns of the Guerricre, and was 
 wounded in the right hand while him- 
 self firing one of the pieces, which dis- 
 abled several of his fingers for life. 
 His physical bravery, here tested, was 
 no less a marked characteristic of his 
 after career than his ever conspicuous 
 moral courage first exhibited on this 
 cruise. Having challenged a young 
 naval officer, the meeting took place 
 the next morning on the coast of 
 Spain; but, instead of proceeding to 
 blow out each other's brains, an apol- 
 ogy was made to Monroe, who in- 
 stantly, with the true chivalry of his
 
 14 
 
 nature, said to his antagonist that he 
 had but anticipated his own intention 
 in makinsr the amende hoiiorable. Quick 
 to resent an affront, and ever ready to 
 meet the responsibihty of his own 
 words and acts, this was the only oc- 
 casion on which he appeared as a prin- 
 cipal on the field, though, as second or 
 friend, he settled no less than eighteen 
 contemplated duels, some quite noted 
 in our annals. 
 
 After his return to the United States, 
 he served as battalion adjutant of ar- 
 tillery at New Orleans, December 28, 
 1816, to December 18, 1817; as aide- 
 de-camp to Brevet Major- General 
 Winfield Scott, December 18, 1817, to
 
 IS 
 
 April 4, 1822 ; on ordnance, garrison 
 and commissary duty at various posts 
 for the next ten years ; and again be- 
 came aide-de-camp to General Scott, 
 June 22 to July 13, 1832, on the Black 
 Hawk expedition, but did not reach 
 the seat of war, he being taken sick at 
 Chicago, where a large proportion of 
 the troops were prostrated with Asi- 
 atic cholera. 
 
 After leaving the Army he entered 
 political life at the solicitation of nu- 
 merous friends who appreciated his 
 clear intellect and high character. 
 His first service was as assistant 
 alderman in 1832-33, and alderman 
 in 1833-35, of the Third Ward of
 
 i6 
 
 New York city, being elected in 
 1834 to be President of the Board, 
 when it was a distinction and proof 
 of integrity to be in the City Council. 
 In 1836, William L. Marcy, then Gov- 
 ernor of the State, tendered to him the 
 position of his aide-de-camp, with the 
 rank of colonel, but it was not accept- 
 ed. From 1839 to 1841 he was an able 
 and useful member of the U. S. House 
 of Representatives, his colleagues from 
 New York being such men as Ogden 
 Hoffman, Moses H. Grinnell and Ed- 
 ward Curtis. He was again elected to 
 Congress, November 3, 1846; but his 
 election being contested by his oppo- 
 nent, David S. Jackson, the case was
 
 17 
 
 sent back, March 25, 1848, to the 
 people, neither contestant being ad- 
 mitted. Colonel Monroe was re-nom- 
 inated for the remainder of the term, 
 but declined to run. Subsequently, in 
 1850 and 1852, he became a distin- 
 guished and leading member of the 
 Legislature of New York, his adopted 
 state. In 1852 he was a very active 
 and influential partizan of General 
 Scott, who was the Whig nominee for 
 President of the United States. On 
 this, as on all other occasions, he 
 proved the sincere and ardent friend 
 of his old chief, whom he had faithfully 
 served during his military career, his 
 devotion never ceasing during the de-
 
 i8 
 
 dining years of that venerated hero 
 and patriot. 
 
 His exemplary wife, to whom, as Miss 
 Elizabeth Mary Douglas, he was mar- 
 ried in 1 82 1, having died in 1852, Col- 
 onel Monroe abandoned political life, 
 and never after took an active part in 
 city, state or national affairs, except dur- 
 ing part of the session of the Virginia 
 Convention which met February 13, 
 1 861, and after a fierce struggle of 
 months, finally, April 17, 1861, resolved 
 to throw off her allegiance to the 
 United States. On this momentous 
 occasion Colonel Monroe, true to the 
 memory of a great name so intimately 
 connected with our existence as a na-
 
 19 
 
 tion, and to himself, educated under the 
 flag of that nation, promptly proceed- 
 ed to Richmond, where his bold heart 
 and eloquent tongue, both in public 
 and private, denounced the treasonable 
 and suicidal act which was about to 
 drench his beloved Virginia in blood. 
 But thousfh his native state took the 
 fatal leap, he, during the long and de- 
 solating years of the terrible contest 
 which ensued, never for a moment, in 
 thought or deed, faltered in true loyalty 
 to the Union. Though remaining in 
 civil life, he never after ceased to feel 
 a deep interest in all that affected the 
 welfare of his country and the progress 
 of civil liberty throughout the world.
 
 20 
 
 After losing his wife, much of his 
 time was spent at the Union Club in 
 New York, of which he was one of the 
 earliest members. In the success of 
 the club he took the deepest interest, 
 and ever tried to maintain for it a high 
 social position. It is unnecessary to 
 say how universal was the attachment 
 of all the members, who looked up to 
 the Colonel as the father of the club. 
 His presence ever shed a genial warmth 
 amid the groups of fond friends which 
 clustered around him to listen to his 
 exhaustless store of anecdotes and in- 
 cidents of the times in which he had 
 lived. In his retentive memory were 
 garnered many of the most precious
 
 21 
 
 scraps of the history of the events of 
 our country and countrymen, particu- 
 larly of the " Monroe family," General 
 Scott, and, in fact, of all the public 
 men — Webster, Clay, Calhoun, Marcy, 
 Crittenden, Hoffman, etc. — with whom 
 he had been intimate in and out oi 
 Conpfress. For hours he would dwell 
 upon the services of his distinguished 
 uncle, detailing the part taken by him 
 in our Revolutionary struggle at White 
 Plains, crossing the Delaware, storm- 
 ing the battery at Trenton, fighting at 
 Brandywine by the side of Lafayette 
 when wounded, as aide-de-camp to 
 Lord Stirling at the battles of Ger- 
 mantown and Monmouth, and his pres-
 
 22 
 
 ence at Annapolis when Washington 
 surrendered his commission as com- 
 mander-in-chief ; of his services in 
 the Virginia Legislature and Conven- 
 tion, and halls of Congress, with such 
 men as Patrick Henry, George Mason, 
 Madison, Pendleton, Marshall, Grayson 
 and others ; of his enthusiastic recep- 
 tion as Minister to France, when pub- 
 licly embraced by the President of the 
 National Convention, the stars and 
 stripes being intertwined with the tri- 
 color of the new republic, and his later 
 important agency in the acquisition of 
 Louisiana ; of his varied services as 
 Governor of Virginia, Minister to Eng- 
 land and Spain, and Secretary of State
 
 23 
 
 and temporarily of War during Madi- 
 son's administration ; and as President 
 of the United States, making his north- 
 ern tour with his Revolutionary blue 
 coat, buff breeches and cocked hat ; 
 or enthusiastically receiving, in 1824, 
 Lafayette, who, from his youthful Re- 
 volutionary companion, had grown old 
 with the cares of state and the suffer- 
 ings of a dungeon, shared by his de- 
 voted wife, whose life, perhaps, had 
 been rescued from the tigers of the 
 Reign of Terror by the womanly cour- 
 age of Mrs. Monroe while residing in 
 Paris during her husband's embassy to 
 France. With pride the Colonel would 
 recount the memorable events of his
 
 24 
 
 uncle's administration ; the admission 
 into the Union of the States of Mis- 
 sissippi, Illinois and Maine ; the ac- 
 quisition of Florida from Spain ; the 
 Missouri compromise ; the recognition 
 of the independence of Mexico and the 
 South American republics ; the decla- 
 ration of the "Monroe doctrine;" the 
 judicious re-organization of the Army ; 
 the increase of the Navy ; the strength- 
 ening of the national defenses ; the 
 protection of commerce ; the aid to 
 internal improvements ; and the vigor 
 and efficiency infused into every de- 
 partment of the public service. 
 
 It would require a volume to record 
 Colonel Monroe's numerous anecdotes
 
 25 
 
 of General Scott and other distinguish- 
 ed soldiers and statesmen. Suffice it 
 to say in this connection, it was due to 
 Colonel Monroe's energy and devotion 
 that the nation was saved from the dis- 
 grace of seeing the conqueror of Mex- 
 ico superseded by the appointment of 
 Thomas H. Benton as lieutenant-gen- 
 eral, and consequently to command the 
 army, then triumphantly marching to 
 the halls of the Montezumas. 
 
 Colonel Monroe, in general appear- 
 ance and character, much resembled 
 his distinguished namesake. Although 
 not a man of brilliant endowments, he 
 possessed a robust intellect, sharpened 
 more by contact with men than the
 
 26 
 
 study of books ; clear perceptions which 
 penetrated through the outer husk of 
 pretension direct to the inner mo- 
 tives of action ; a sagacious judgment, 
 quickly discriminating between true 
 and counterfeit character ; and a ten- 
 acious memory that profited by every- 
 thing coming within his keen observa- 
 tion. His manly courage, scrupulous 
 integrity and earnestness of purpose 
 gave him great strength with his asso- 
 ciates ; while his genuine truthfulness, 
 scorn of all hypocrisy and sincere ap- 
 preciation of real worth secured their 
 universal confidence. He never became 
 a petrified humanity wrapt in self, but 
 was a living soui, genially and loving-
 
 27 
 
 ingly in sympathy with his fellows. 
 In the social circle, which was his fav- 
 orite arena, his courteous manner, mod- 
 est simplicity, sportive smile and per- 
 sonal magnetism won all hearts. With 
 his intimate friends he had no reserve, 
 but would tell his stories with the 
 mirthful humor of a boy. This sun- 
 shine of temperament, springing from 
 warmth of feeling, never deserted him, 
 even in his declining years or hours of 
 pain. His pleasantry, however, which 
 was the jubilee of a joyous heart, never 
 wounded even the most sensitive by 
 ridicule, satire, or a sneer. He never 
 forgot a kindness or a friend ; his be- 
 nevolence and generosity were only
 
 28 
 
 surpassed by his chivalric honor and 
 keen sense of justice ; and it might 
 truly be said of him, as was remarked 
 by Jefferson of his uncle, that " if his 
 soul was turned inside out, not a spot 
 would be found upon it." 
 
 The writer knew him most intimately 
 during his ebbing years, when life's last 
 sands were low ; but 
 
 " Though old, he still retain'd 
 His manly sense and energy of mind. 
 Virtuous and wise he was, but not severe; 
 He still remember'd that he once was young: 
 His easy presence check'd no decent joy. 
 Him even the dissolute admired ; for he 
 A graceful looseness, when he pleased, put on, 
 And, laughing, could instruct."
 
 COL. JAMES MONROE. 
 
 CONTRIBUTED TO THE 
 
 New York Evening J^ost 
 
 BT 
 
 JOHN H. GOURLIE.
 
 Of Colonel James Monroe, whose 
 death was announced in the Evening 
 Post a few days since, I would ask the 
 privilege of offering a few additional 
 remarks, and of relating an incident in 
 his life which may be not only of in- 
 terest to his many friends, but to those 
 who had not the pleasure of his ac- 
 quaintance. 
 
 Colonel Monroe was a remarkable 
 man. He commenced life with the 
 usual education of a youth born and 
 reared on a Southern farm, or planta- 
 tion, as it is termed in the South, and, 
 at a very early age, was appointed a
 
 32 
 
 cadet at the West Point Academy. 
 The obituary notices that have been 
 published of him in the papers give 
 the record of his promotion and ad- 
 vancement in the Army of the United 
 States, and of his services as a gallant 
 and accompUshed soldier. I became 
 acquainted with Colonel Monroe in 
 1832, when he was about thirty- three 
 years of age. He was a man of pre- 
 possessing appearance, frank and manly 
 in his demeanor, and with a generosity 
 of temperament tliat inspired me with 
 great admiration for his character. 
 These qualities he retained throughout 
 his whole life, as every friend he had in 
 early or in later life will acknowledge.
 
 33 
 
 One event connected with his life 
 and pubHc services I think is worthy 
 of permanent record. The " great fire" 
 of 1835, which desolated a very large 
 portion of the lower part of the city, is 
 connected with the incident to which 
 I allude. I was present in the private 
 office of the New York Post-office, of 
 which his friend Samuel L. Gouver- 
 neur was the head. The fire was rag- 
 ing fearfully, and almost immediately 
 threatened the building with destruc- 
 tion, as also the entire row of build- 
 ings in Garden Street (now Exchange 
 Place). The Mayor, Cornelius W. 
 Lawrence, was in consultation with 
 several prominent citizens, among
 
 34 
 
 whom were General Joseph G. Swift, 
 formerly Chief Engineer of the Unit- 
 ed States Army, Colonel Monroe, John 
 C. Hamilton and other equally distin- 
 guished men, as to what was to be done 
 under the appalling circumstances. I 
 listened with great interest to the va- 
 rious propositions made to save the 
 city. 
 
 Mr. Lawrence seemed undeter- 
 mined and irresolute. General Swift, 
 Colonel Monroe and others advised 
 the blowing up of the buildings in 
 Garden Street. Colonel Monroe, con- 
 curring with the General, insisted that 
 it was the only means by which the 
 further destruction of the lower part
 
 35 
 
 of the city could be prevented. I re- 
 member the earnest, emphatic manner 
 in which this plan was urged, and the 
 hesitancy of the Mayor to adopt it, on 
 account of the fearful responsibility 
 that might fall upon him. It was final- 
 ly determined to adopt the course ad- 
 vised by the gentlemen present, and 
 General Swift undertook the hazard- 
 ous duty of carrying it out, which he 
 did most successfully. 
 
 I admired the vehement resolution 
 of Colonel Monroe in this matter, and 
 the recollection of that determined 
 trait of his character remains upon my 
 memory to this hour. 
 
 General Swift's private journal, in
 
 36 
 
 the possession of his family, presents a 
 faithful record of this event. 
 
 Colonel Monroe had, both in public 
 and private life, mingled much with 
 men, and he had an instinctive and un- 
 erring judgment of character. His 
 memory was very remarkable, not only 
 of the names of men, but of the various 
 incidents connected with his life. He 
 was a frank, whole-souled, truth-spoken 
 man ; a true republican in his nature, 
 who met every man, high or low, of 
 decent behavior, as his equal. His 
 genial humor, kindness of nature and 
 shrewd observations of men seemed to 
 increase as he grew older — resisting the 
 usual tendencies which accompany age.
 
 37 
 
 No word ever escaped his lips which 
 would wound the heart — even of one 
 he despised ; and if ever a man illus- 
 trated the true character of a Chris- 
 tian gentleman — in all charity and 
 kindness, in the thoughtful appreciation 
 of all that is good in human nature — 
 it was the noble friend of whom I 
 write. 
 
 The memory of his kind words and 
 deeds is all that remains to us who 
 loved him. To me, a youth, they were 
 substantial and real, when kindness and 
 generosity were needed. 
 
 The wide circle of his friends (and 
 no man living had more than he) will 
 testify to the uprightness and noble- 
 
 449664
 
 38 
 
 ness of his nature and of this iincal- 
 culating generosity and manliness of 
 character. He had the pecuHar power 
 of attracting the affectionate regard of 
 every one who knew him. His gen- 
 uine love of truth, his detestation of 
 hypocrisy and false pretences, come 
 from what quarter they may, were 
 strong points in his character ; while 
 his keen observation and ready wit 
 and graphic power of delineation, ren- 
 dered him a most delightful and agree- 
 able companion, as all will confess who 
 knew him. 
 
 f
 
 After the death of Colonel Monroe, 
 at Orange Mountain, N. J., his remains 
 were removed to the " Douglas Man- 
 sion," No. 128 West 14th Street, New 
 York city, now occupied by his sister- 
 in-law, Mrs. Douglas Cruger. 
 
 On the seventy - first anniversary of 
 Colonel Monroe's birth (Sept. 10, 1870), 
 in presence of his shrouded corpse, 
 many bereaved relations, and an im- 
 mense concourse of sorrowing friends, 
 male and female, including numerous 
 distinguished citizens, and nearly all 
 of the resident members of the Union 
 Club, the solemn funeral services of
 
 42 
 
 the Episcopal Church were performed 
 by the Rev. Henry M. Beare, the pas- 
 tor of Little Neck Church, Long Is- 
 land, assisted by the Rev. D. F. War- 
 ren, of the Church of the Holy Com- 
 munion, New York city. 
 
 After the long file of intimates had 
 taken their farewell look and the coffin- 
 lid had closed upon that benignant 
 face, still smiling in death, the mortal 
 relics of Colonel Monroe were placed 
 in the hearse by the attending pall- 
 bearers — General Thomas J. Leslie, 
 General Richard Delafield, General 
 Harvey Brown, General Henry Brew- 
 crton. General Richard S. Satterlee, 
 Judge James J. Roscvelt, Mr. James
 
 43 
 
 W. Gerard, and Hon. Moses H. Grinnell 
 — all of whom had been his life -long 
 friends, and the four, first named, had 
 been fellow cadets with him at the 
 Military Academy. Accompanied by 
 a large cortege, his remains were con- 
 veyed to Trinity Church Cemetery, at 
 the northern extremity of Manhattan 
 Island, and deposited there in his 
 family vault — his last resting-place 
 being in sight of his former residence, 
 " Fanwood," (now the Deaf and Dumb 
 Asylum,) where, for years, he had so 
 oft dispensed his most generous hospi- 
 talities. 
 
 "All, that live, must die, 
 Passing through Nature to Eternity."
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY 
 Los Angeles 
 
 This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. 
 
 KeC'D LO-URi 
 REC'D LD-l'RL 
 
 DEC 01 1984 
 jaw 111985 
 
 Form L9 — 15m-10,'48(BlOJS))-i44 
 
 'TNIVEKSITY ot CALIFORNIA 
 
 AT 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 j Injnemorx- 
 
 >I3 Col. James 
 Monroe • 
 
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