A Notable Poet’s Son In the 1st Massachusetts Cavalry “Christmas Bells”

Question

Hi Wikitreers,

It seems at Christmas time I always come back to a favorite poet from the annals of American New England history that being Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and his son Charles Appleton Longfellow. This young man has always fascinated me maybe it was his tragedy of losing his mother in the horrific fire and his course of life thereafter, but I’d like to improve upon his profile. He appears to have been severely wounded at the Battle of Mine Run near the New Hope Church in Virginia on November 27, 1863. The 1st Mass Cavalry in which he was a 2nd Lt. was at Gettysburg just a few months before and apparently the Regiment was in some of the biggest named battles of the U.S. Civil War. Charles passed away from pneumonia at the age of 48 and is buried in the same cemetery as his mother and father at Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

A fascinating 19th Century Notable family!

Note: it appears he never married or have children but a beloved son of his father the Poet

See also: I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day and Christmas Bells

Answer 1

Interesting to learn that a Christmas carol I am familiar with actually started out as a poem commenting on the American Civil War. The song was on a Christmas album owned by my mother and she played it a lot while I was growing up.

Comments

Thank you for the response. This time of year I always come back to the Poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and his life’s story; the stirring poetry he gave to mankind to cherish!

“Christmas Bells” a true work of art

Answer 2

At times it boggles my mind that such beautiful and moving songs and poetry could come out an such a gut wrenching national experience.

Comments

I agree