Francis Welch Crowninshield was born in Boston, May 12, 1843, the son of Edward Augustus and Caroline (Welch) Crowninshield. Never a robust child, he yet was not absolutely delicate, though brought near death in boyhood by two successive fevers. In 1856 he accompanied his father, who was at this time rather an invalid, to Europe,--having for the 3 years previous
attended the public Latin School in Boston. They passed one winter at Pau, and another on the island of Medeira, returning home in 1858. Frank immediately resumed his studies at the Latin
School, remaining there until July, 1860, when he entered Harvard College as a member of the Freshman Class.
Previous to this he had trice broken an arm and once a leg; but these accidents, like the fevers already mentioned, had not affected his general health. At this time, he was tall and slender, with small and delicate features, a fair complexion, and light blue eyes. He was not muscular, but he was the possessor of great nervous strength. Whatever he did, he did with his whole soul, seeming to forget himself in what he had undertaken; and it was only when that was accomplished that he appreciated hsi own exertions. He was of enthusiastic temperament; and this distinguishing trait in his character, so often and so fully displayed in his army life, was very noticeable in his short college career. His enthusiasm was not seen, but rather felt; it did not show itself in hasty action, but rather furnished strength for protracted effort. He was not a student, for he was not fond of study; his temperament was too ardent; he was too eager for action to be content with quiet reading and reflection. His college life, however, was very pleasant, and he made many warm friends during the short year he spent in Cambridge. Among
these was George Washington, a grand-nephew of the first President, and, curiously enough, also born on the 22d of February.
As the winter vacation of 1861 drew nigh, the Southerners in the Class, feeling that it was very doubtful whether they should return to Cambridge in the spring, gave a farewell supper to a few of their Northern friends. During the evening both Crowninshield and Washington replied to a toast expressive of the hope that all the party would meet again, continue their college life as pleasantly as they had begun it. The evening passed agreeably, and the friends separated,--those two to meet again, but under widely different circumstances. A year after this, Crowninshield, having been detailed to bring in the wounded after the first battle at Winchester, was walking through the hospital, when he heard a feeble voice say, "Crownie," "Crownie." He stopped, and recognized his college friend. Washington had bene shot through the lungs, and, being too weak to talk, could only press the hand of his friend. His release was speedily obtained, and he was sent home to his mother. Nothing has bene heard from him since, but there is every reason to believe that he died, soon after, of his wound.
The second term of Crowninshield's college life was passing quietly , when Fort Sumter was fired on, and immediately all was excitement in Cambridge as elsewhere. Many of the students
determined to go to the war, and Crowninshield was among the number. He left College in June, 1861; and, being just 18 years old, expressed his determination "to fight out the war, provided his life and limbs were spared." His course once adopted and stated to his friends, without saying anything more upon the subject (for he was a person of few words, and of very few when
speaking about himself), he devoted his whole time and energies to obatining a commission. He suffered many vexations, and was often disappointed; but was always hopeful, and never relaxed
his endeavors. Earnest efforts, combined with patient waiting, at length obtained for him the appointment, which was received in February, 1862, bearing date December 25, 1861. He was
immediately mustered into the United States service as 2d Lieutenant in the 2d Massachusetts, and proceeded to Frederick, Maryland, to join this regiment, which had left Massachusetts in the
July preceeding.
Soon came the disastrous battle before Winchester, in which Crowninshield received several slight contusions; but he seemed unconscious of them, and remained cool and collected. His
company was slowly covering the retreat, when he was wounded in the leg. Then came the long retreat, the return home, the protracted confinement, and the slow recovery; but he was patient
through it all. What he suffered will appear in the following extract from an account of this wound by Dr. J. Mason Warren:
Crowninshield, though not fully recovered from his wound, went through all the hardships of Pope's campaign, though his regiment was not actively engaged. Before this he had been promoted to the rank of 1st Lieutenant, his commission bearing date August 10, 1862. Then followed the battle of Antietam, where he was again wounded in the leg. This wound, though severe, healed more readily than the preceding, and after a short furlough he went into winter quarters with the regiment.
He was promoted to Captain, March 30, 1863, and passed through the battle of Chancellorsville without a wound, though badly bruised by a spent ball which struck him in the chest. He was
next present at the battle of Beverly Ford. At Gettysburg, which soon followed, the regiment was exposed to a very hot fire. In a few moments half his company, and he among the number were
shot down. His wound proved very serious, and he was unable to return to the army until October, when he rejoined the 2d Massachusetts in Tennessee.
Early in December following, the question of re-enlistment became a subject of grave consideration to the officers and men of this regiment. Captain Crowninshield's opinion was quickly formed, and he urged the measure with the whole force of his enthusiasm; being, it is said, the first officer who addressed the men on the subject. Many of his friends will remember the scene which Beacon Street prsented as the 2d Massachusetts marched up the street upon its return home on furlough of 30 days. Probably no one in the regiment had more friends watching for his appearance, and anxious for a recognition from him. But he marched straight forward, turning his head neither to the one side or the other, and keeping his eyes to the front. Once only, when he passed the window where he knew his mother was standing, did he suffer his eyes to wander for a second, and to show what he could not then speak.
Crowninshield returned with the regiment to Tennessee, where he was on guard duty until the 1st of May, when the campaign of Atlanta commenced. He was in the actions at Resaca, Cassville,
and Dallas, and was subsequently, while on escort duty, shot in the leg by a guerilla, as he was preparing to bathe in Raccoon Creek, after a hard day's march. Then followed another long
illness. The hardships of two long years were telling on his constitution, and he did not easily rally from this wound. But his sense of duty was such that even before he had fully recovered he hurried to the West. Prevented by Hood's campaign from joining his regiment, then stationed at Atlanta, he was placed in command of some provisional troops at Chattanooga for a time, but at length joined his regiment at Atlanta early in November, a few days before it set out on the grand march.
We cannot follow him through this campaign. His leg was very painful when he left Atlanta; but, to use his own words, "he soon walked it well." He participated in all the marches, skirmishes,
and battles of the long and glorious march from Atlanta to Savannah, and from Savannah to Raleigh. He took part in Sherman's grand parade at Washington, where he remained for several weeks on provost duty. He returned to Boston in July, 1865, and was mustered out of the service.
He was now once more a civilian, and, in outward appearance, very little changed by his army life. Yet the exposure and privations, the numerous and severe wounds to which he had been subjected, the very enthusiasm which had nerved him for every hardship while the emergency lasted, had told severely upon his constitution, and all his friends rejoiced with him at the prospect of rest. Having spent the summer quietly at home, he went abroad in the fall with two of his classmates, and, with the exception of slight attacks of illness, everything passed pleasantly
until the middle of the winter, when he had several severe hemorrages. His friends became alarmed, and sent for his mother, who joined her son at Rome on the 18th of April. There was
hope almost to the last, but his shattered constitution could not bear the strain; and, after enduring great suffering without complaint, he died on the 21st of May, 1866, upon the heights
of Albano, of enlargement of the heart occasioned by the fatigues and excitement of his army life.
"The case is given somewhat in detail to show to what extent the soldier is exposed, independently of the danger from his wounds. That a young man scarcely 19 should be able to march 35 miles with his regiment, constantly fighting and without food, keep guard all night and engage in a battle lasting four hours the next morning, be wounded, and, while suffering and bleeding, lie 36 hours with a man on his swollen limb, and with nothing to sustain him, except on the second day a swallow of whiskey given him by a woman who saw his head hanging out from the ambulance with his pale and fainting face, show how much the human frame will bear when assisted by spirit and determination."
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