The first fallen hero, a biographical sketch of Worth Bagley, ensign, U.S.N. ...

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Preface

In response to a request made to the family of Ensign Worth Bagley for a sketch of his life for publication, this volume has been prepared. There has been no attempt to write an elaborate biography, but only a desire to put in permanent form, for the emulation of aspiring youth, the record of the short and brilliant career of the first American officer to die in battle in the war between the United States and Spain.

The editor has sought to let the letters of the dead Ensign tell the story of his young life. During the eight and a half years that elapsed between his entering the Naval Academy and his heroic death at Cardenas, his letters to his mother, sisters and brothers touched upon every topic that interested him. They give a better insight to his hopes, his loves, his ambitions and his character than can be derived from any other source. Written for the eye only of those he loved best there is no reserve. The extracts given show his inmost thoughts and feelings. It is only from such letters that the real heart of the man can be known.

In collating from the letters written home by Worth Bagley, and the letters of sympathy to his sorrowing mother, the controlling purpose has been to convey a clear understanding oi his sweet home life; his abounding love for his mother: his affection for his sisters, brothers and kindred ; his high ideals of life; his chivalry that shone out in all his association with women ; his clean and pure life —

" His strength was as the strength of ten Because his heart was pure ; "

his manly spirit and steadfastness of purpose , his generous disposition, comradeship and broad charity ; his noble ambitions, animating to high and lofty deeds; his devotion to his profession to which he was wedded ; his love for his fellow men and his faith in God ; and his splendid courage, enabling him to conquer fear and meet death with a smile upon his face.

It is hoped and believed that, though the preparation has been hurried, the simple recital of what he thought and what he did will stimulate to high aims and lofty aspirations all manly and ambitious youth who are moved by the example of heroic

achievement.

J. D.

Chapter I. Birth And Boyhood

'•Easter Monday was a visiting day of some importance at the house of a Grand Master in this city. The little Odd Fellowweighed nine pounds and three-quaiters. Long may the little Grand Master wave !"

THIS was the announcement of the birth of Worth Bagley, which appeared in the Raleigh News in its issue of April 7th, 1874. He was born in Raleigh, N. C, on the sixth day of April 1874, in the house in which his mother now resides, on the corner of Blount and South streets. His father at the time was Grand Master of Odd Fellows of the State of North Carolina, and it was his prominence in the order that caused the editor to call 41 the little stranger" an Odd Fellow.

Worth Bagley's ancestry was honorable. His ancestors gave abundant evidence of their patriotism in peace and in war. He was the oldest son of the late Maj. Wm. H. Bagley, a native of Perquimans County, North Carolina. When the War Between the States was declared, Maj. Bagley volunteered in the first company for the Confederate service that was raised in his county, having, prior to the war edited "The Sentinel" at Elizabeth City, and having obtained license to practice law in 1859. He was at first commissioned Lieutenant and afterwards Captain, transferred to Company A. 8th., Shaw's Regiment, Clingman's Brigade, and he followed the fortunes of the Confederacy in the uniform ot the gray to the end, except when as a prisoner on parole at home in 1864, he was elected and served in the State Senate. He was afterwards made Major of the 68th. N. C. Regiment, of which Hon. E C. Yellowley of Pitt county was Colonel, and held that position in the Confederate army when Lee surrendered. in civil life, he was elected and served as Register of Deeds of Perquimans county before he was of age. In July 1865, President Andrew Johnson tendered him the appointment as Superintendent of the U. S. Mint at Charlotte, but he could not take the "iron clad" oath and could not accept that office. Upon the election of Jonathan Worth as Governor in 1S65 he became Private Secretary to the Governor, and in March 1S66 he married the Governor's daughter, Adelaide Anne. From this union there are now living five children, Addie Worth, wife of Josephus Daniels, Belle Worth, Ethel, William Henry and David Worth. In 1868 Maj. Bagley was chosen Clerk of the Supreme Court ol North Carolina, which position he held until his death, February 21st, 1 886. He was an active Odd Fellow all his life, serving in every position in the gift of that order. In 1S73 he was Grand Master of the State, and in 1S74, 1875, 1876, 1877 he was chosen Grand Representative of the Sovereign Grand Lodge of the World. He was also a member of the Masonic order and of the Royal Arcanum Major Bagley was a son of Col. Willis H. Bagley, a highly respected citizen who was sheriff of Perquimans county for many years. His grandfather, William Bagley. fought in the War of 1812, and was at the battle of "Crany's Island," Norfolk Harbor. His great-grandfather, Thomas Bagley, served in the Revolutionary War. His mother was Mary Elizabeth Clary, who was directly descended from Mackrora Scarborough, who was Colonel of " His Majesty's Militia," member of the Colonial Legislature, and of the Governor's Council.

Ensign Bagley's mother is the youngest living daughter of the late Governor Jonathan Worth and Martitia Daniel, daughter oi John Daniel of Charlotte county, Virginia. She was a granddaughter of, Col. Archibald Murphy, who was a colonel in the Revolutionary Army, The Worths were originally Quakers and were among the first of the Friends who came to America primarily for the purpose of finding in the New World a place where they could worship God according to the dictates of conscience They settled at Nantucket before the coming over to Pennsylvania of the colony of Friends under Wm. Penn. William Worth, who emigrated from Devonshire, England, to this country in or about 1640. was the common progenitor of Gen. William Jenkins Worth, of Mexican war fame, and Governor Jonathan Worth, grandfather of Ensign Worth Bagley. His Worth ancestry dates back to the reign of Cromwell. The first emigrants to America settled in Massachusetts, and between 1771 and 1775, Daniel Worth, the founder of the North Carolina family, with others of the Society of Friends, moved to Guilford county. His son, Dr. David Worth, a physician and farmer, who was born at Centre Church, Guilford county, in 1776, was the great-grandfather of Worth Bagley.

The Worths have long been leaders in law, business and politics in North Carolina. Worth Bagley 's grandfather, Jonathan Worth, first entered public life as a member of the House of Commons in 1830. He was elected again in 1840 and was a State Senator in 1858-59, and 1860-61. In that body he vehemently opposed secession, "voting against submitting the question of a Convention (even to consider the matter of taking the State out of the Union) to the people; and, the Legislature deciding against him, addressing a circular to his constituents, advising them to vote against Convention, as the surest way of defeating secession. * * After secession, he gave in his adhesion to the de facto Government, and acted toward it in the same good faith which distinguished all his conduct, public and private." In 1S62-63 he was a member of the House of Commons and was elected Public Treasurer of the State ; he was re-elected without opposition in 1864, and held the position until the then State Government was overthrown by the Federal forces in 1865. President Johnson appointed him State Treasurer, but he resigned in a short time to become a candidate for Governor against Provisional-Governor Holden. He was elected and entered upon the duties of Governor on the 28th day of December, 1S65. He was re-elected Governor in 1866. He continued in the Executive office until July, 186S, when the government was suspended by that organized under the Reconstruction Acts of Congress. He surrendered the position, writing a protest denying the constitutionality of those Acts of Congress and the legality of his removal. He died on the 5th day of September, 1869.

Worth Bagley was a robust and healthy child, growing in strength and manly grace, and as a lad possessed a gentleness and courtesy that was the delight of his parents and instructors.

Speaking of his home, on the occasion of his last visit to Raleigh, he said, " I have always been happy here. It is the sweetest place in the world to me." Growing up in a happy home where love and unselfishness reigned, he was as chivalrous toward his sisters and playmates while wearing kilts as he was gallant and courteous in his intercourse with men and women in the clubs and brilliant gatherings in which aiterwards he was a favorite guest. There was in him the rare blending of the simplicity and directness of his Quaker ancestry and the bonhommie and geniality that is the characteristic of Southern civilization. He would not contend, even as a little child, for his own with his sisters or girl playmates, but he surrendered to no boy in any contest and, while almost wholly free from school-boy fighting, he stood up for his rights against all comers. If this led to a fight, he did not shirk it, but fought to the finish having the creed : " You must always stand up for your rights and let nobody run over you." That was his spirit — to encroach on the rights of no one and to permit no encroachment upon his rights. ''He had an inherent sense of justice and fair play," said one of his school-mates, ''and 1 do not recall any fight he ever had at school except when he took the part of a smaller boy against a big boy who was imposing on the little fellow. After he took part, it was his quarrel and he did not quit until he came out on top."

The oldest son of a family of six children, he was very dear to his father, who entered into the lives and thoughts of his children, drawing them out and helping them with perfect understanding of their powers. The letters between father and son illustrate the strong bond between them.

The following little jingle, written in the form ot a letter to

please a child's fancy, was sent to Worth when he was five years

old:

Raleigh, December 7th, 1879.

Dear Worth :

I drop you a line, as I have time, to let you know what is the go ; 'tis Sunday now, and just somehow, I thought to you I'd write, to see if not you've me forgot— to tell you, too, what will be true, it, by Tuesday night, you do not write.

The clouds are gone, the rain is done and everything is bright ; the sun shines out and, all about, there is nothing but it's light. Addie and Belle both are well, and so is ''Henry boo''; little Ethel's neat and very sweet, and so is Edwin, too. Mania is good and Papa's mood is on the good incline ; so be not sad and only glad, and bear us all in mind.

Surely give Sis a loving kiss, from each and every one, and let her, too, a kiss give you, my darling little son. Cousin Henry kiss, and his little sis, also.'the "little wee," Aunt Annie squeeze and Uncle teaze ; and, then a good boy be. Now do not fail, by Tuesday's mail, to us to send a letler ; for if vou do— my word is true— I tell you. you had better !

Affectionately,

Papa.

The son was not less thoughtful. The following letter, written at the age of seven years to his father, on the latter's birthday, discloses his generous desires which were early developed :

Jackson. N. C, July 5th, 1S81.

Dear Papa :

Please send me some torpedoes and some pop-crackers, I cannot send you a present. Henry Benton and I are going down to the brick kiln to see what our boats are doing. I cannot rind you a present.

Every time Sizzie says "March," me and Henry Benton do like we are marching. Your son.

Worth Baglev.

Among many other letters written to his cousins as a boy, three extracts are given :

May nth, 'Si : 'Miss Nettie Marshall calls me her best adder."

Aug. 16th, 'Si : "I lost my bird betting with . I wont bet any

more. It is wrong I believe."

June 3rd, '88 : " Eighteen speeches were made at Morson & Denson's Academy Commencement. Mine was the very last, and when I got up. I tell you I was scared. But I got through all right and got more boquets than any other boy. After it was all over people crowded around me

congratulating, asthey said. I got mortally tired of it I got five

'honors', three of them were 'firsts' and two were 'seconds'. The 'firsts' were on Latin Exercises, Algebra. Penmanship. The 'seconds' were on Latin Grammar, Latin Reading. The 'first honor' is given to the boy who stands the best examination in his class, the 'second honor' is given to the next best."

On February 21st, 1886, after a long illness, Major Bagley died.

When the twelve year old boy recovered Irom the first blow, the

sense of his responsibility as the oldest son gave him the fortitude

of a man. He hid his own grief to be able to comfort and cheer

the widowed mother, and from the hour that she leaned upon his

strong young arm for support, in the anguish of her woe, until the

fateful day at Cardenas, he was her strength and stay. On the

afternoon of the funeral of his father, as they stood by the open

grave, his mother felt an arm about her neck. It was Worth's

arm and his hand was affectionately patting her face. Coming

home he said, " Mother, lean on me and I will take care of you."

A few months after the death of her husband, Mrs. Bagley took

her youngest son to her church (the Presbyterian) to have him baptized. As with his hand in hers, she approached the altar she found that Worth was by her side, standing in the place made vacant by his father's death. Itwashis own thoughtand it brought a feeling oi happiness into the saddened life of the mother that could have come trom no other human source. She came more and more to lean upon him and to find comfort and help in his strong arm, his brave spirit his true heart, his stimulating hope and faith. To his sisters, to whom he had ever been considerate, a gentler sympathy was shown, and, feeling the responsibility of his example toward his younger brothers, he became to them an example of filial affection, respect, courtesy and obedience. The loss of his lather, v/hile it was not permitted to cloud the cheerfulness of his sweet home life, gave him the steadying sense of duty, and made him older and more studious. He early became a Christian, joining the First Presbyterian Church in Raleigh, on the 28th of November 1887, having been baptized when a young child in that church.

Of his school days, before going to the Naval Academy his teachers are the most competent ones to speak. Among the very first to write to his stricken mother was Mrs. E. McDonald who was his teacher at the age of six years when he first became a pupil in the Centennial Graded school at Raleigh. Writing from Winston she said :

" How my heart goes out in sympathy, for you and yours, at the loss of your noble boy. I, his first teacher, have ever remembered him with love and affection, and watched, with pride, his successful career, and to-day mingle my tears with yours in this hour of trial."

Mrs. J. M. Barbee, who had been his teacher at the Centennial

Graded School at one time, said :

'"Worth was very popular as a school boy and had wit and gallantry. He was even then fond of ships. When a pupil of Miss Gales, he drew a picture of a full-rigged vessel and wrote under it, ' It takes fair Gales to drive my ship.' "'

Prof. E, P. Moses, of Rock Hill, S. C, who was superintendent

of the Raleigh Graded Schools, writing to Mrs. Bagley, said :

"The fact that Worth was a student of mine and always such a noble boy, makes the loss a personal one to me. It will be a comfort to you to feel that his heroism in life was as conspicuous as his heroism in death, which has won the admiration of a win >le natioi ."

There is still preserved by his mother an basin end, presented in March, r.884, as a prize, by Miss Jean Gales, his teacher at the zo Yem?5-

If YEAR5.

Year.

FROM ONE TO TWENTY-ONE.

Centennial Graded School, on which is written ;

" Prize received by Worth Bagley for spelling thirty wo'ds correctly. The words were selected and prize awarded by the editor of the Teacher."

In a letter written in his eleventh year, while visiting an aunt in the country, he wrote his mother : '■ I can swim 150 feet."

His ability to swim was afterwards worth a great deal to him

when he entered the Naval Academy. Writing from the same

place, during the same visit his interest in athletics and his spirit

of pleasantry are thus shown :

'• Tell Henry I hope Cain, the new pitcher, will be able (Abel) to shut

out the Wilmington club when they play at Charlotte I understand

now what piscatorial means, as I have studied Latin I wonder if I

am included in Miss- 's love. She said she sent it to all the family."

Finishing the course at the Centennial Graded School, he entered the classical school of Morson & Denson, at Raleigh in 1884, to prepare for college. He took a high stand there, winning medals and honors in a class composed of many young men of talent, some of whom have already made reputations. Prof. Hugh Morson, one of the principals of the school writes of his pupil ;

" Worth Bagley was for several years a pupil of mine, and as one who taught, knew and loved him, it may not be amiss at this time when his native city and state are filled with mingled feelings of grief at the loss of a son so brave and gifted, and with pride at his heroic death, to say a few words in tribute to his many noble qualities of heart and head. He entered the Raleigh Male Academy at the opening of the session of 18S6, and was until he went to Annapolis, a pupil of the school, pursuing such studies mainly as were preparatory to a classical course at college. As might be supposed, he was always a leader among his school-fellows, beloved, respected, and looked up to by them all ; and as his nature was pure, honest and truthful, scorning everything false and base, he ever exerted a healthful and beneficial influence upon the moial tone of the school. In all athletic games and sports he displayed surprising skill and strength for his age, and showed those same qualities of daring and endurance which afterwards won such reputation for him as an athlete in the games played at the Naval Academy with West Point and other institutions.

"As a pupil he was studious, obedient and faithful In the discharge of duty, with a character above reproach and intellectual endow ments°of a very high order. As evidence of this, at the close of the sessien of 1888- 89, he received the highest honors in several of his classes, and was fully prepared, though only fifteen years of age, to take, as he intended, the full classical course at the University of North Carolina ; hut entering a competitive examination for appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy^at Annapolis, he won the prize in a large class from this district composed

IO

of young men who were all his seniors by several years. The committee who held this examination reported to Representative Bunn that "young Bagley's papers' were almost perfect.''

Capt. C. B. Denson, a co-principal of the school, writes:

"At the Raleigh Male Academy he excelled in classical studies, and at the age of fifteen years was prepared to enter the University. His

character was lofty and noble ; he scorned petty things ; generous, warmhearted, resolute, and brave. As a student he mastered everything thoroughly ; to him duty was the supreme watchword. He was strikingly handsome, with fine open frankness of the sailor. His friends here may be said to have numbered the whole people, who looked with pride to his future advancement.''

The News and Observer in its report of Morson and Denson's closing exercises in 1S88, said:

"Master Worth Bagley showed wonderful oratorical powers and talent in delivering "The South of the Past and Present. " He surprised his young friends who applauded him liberally and heartily.''

From earliest boyhood he read with avidity the war-like periods in history, and though fond of all manly sports, he was a voracious reader, spending hours at the time reading historic novels as well as those histories that gave the most graphic pictures of war and revolution. He knew how every great decisive battle of the world had been fought and won and before he was old enough to leave off short pants his knowledge of the ships of the navy and his interest in the life of Paul Jones, Farragut, Lord Nelson and other great naval commanders was marked.

As I write there lie before me portions of the manuscript of a story of a naval encounter in the fogs off Newfoundland, written when he was about thirteen years old. Though the production of a school-boy, written on Saturdays, it shows that at that early age he was familiar with nautical terms and naval battles. His family believed that he had real talent and encouraged him to fit himself for a career as author of sea tales and naval methods. He had a fine imagination, wrote readily and elegantly, was a master of good English, and the plot of his 'school-boy novel of the sea gives promise that he would have made reputation as an author and a novelist.

As he grew older, the ambition to go into the navy fired him, and when in 1.889, Hon. Benjamin H. Bunn, at that time Member of Congress from the Fourth Congressional District, gave notice that he would appoint as cadet to Annapolis the youth who stood the best competitive examination, the desire to win the appointment stimulated him to thorough preparation for the contest. Mr. Bunn named as the committee to conduct the examination, Prof A. G. Wilcox, of Nash, chairman, Prof. E. W. Kennedy, of Durham, and Prof Purington, of Wake Forest College. There were a number of applicants who presented themselves for examination. After standing this competitive examination and before knowing the result, he went in June, 1889, to the University of North Carolina, where he passed the entrance examination, and in June wrote to his youngest sister,

" I got a letter from Chapel Hill the other day saying I had passed the entrance examinations So I can enter the University even if 1 can't enter Annapolis."

A few days ^hereafter, in another letter to the same sister in playful mood he signed himself, " Worth Baglev, U. S. N., Lord High Admiral to His Majesty Ben Harrison's fleet."

When, after marking all the papers, the committee announced that Worth Bagley had been the successful applicant, his joy knew no bounds. The appointment was dated June 30th, 1889. Always self contained, even as a boy, his enthusiasm could not now be suppressed, It pervaded the household and family circle. Soon thereafter, in order to be fully prepared to stand his entrance examination at the Naval Academy, he went to Annapolis to study for one month under a special instructor. During that preparation, it chanced that being in Annapolis with his oldest sister, just at the close of the examination, the writer recalls the joyous pride of the noble young fellow as he bounded across the campus to tell his loving sister of his success and to cheer her heart by saying, jestingly, in the flush of his first victory, " I will be an Admiral one of these days." To this hour I can see the fresh and glowing young lace, made truly beautiful with the light of conscious strength and illuminating ambition.

When he went to Annapolis to take private lessons to prepare

for his entrance examination, his mother wrote to the instructor :

" Worth has always been a studious boy and has been fortunate enough to gain the regard of his teachers. He is free from any bad habits."

This was not merely a mother's partiality that thus told of his good habits and deportment. It was what his playmates and all who knew him could have truthfully written of the pure-hearted young lad, who through life, retained the qualities that gave him die friendship of the best men and women wherever his duty and pleasure called him.

From his entrance into the Naval Academy, he was no longer an inmate of the home-circle, except during holidays and vacations, but no anniversary of any member of the household escaped him and he wrote frequent letters and made long stays at home whenever leave was allowed him. He loved his home with a passion that made him long for the periodical vacations when he could rest under the shades where he had played as a boy, and he always hurried home so as not to lose a day from the sweet communion with his family. He kept in touch with his schoolmates and friends, too, and had a deep and abiding attachment for, and growing pride in, his native city and state. His state pride was based upon a knowledge of its glorious history, the sturdy patriotism of its people, and the simple virtues that distinguish them.

Chapter II. At The Naval Academy

Annapolis, Md., Sept. 7th, 1889.

Raleigh, N. C.

Passed mentally and physically.

Worth Bagley.

THIS telegram, which his mother has preserved, announced the fulfilment of his youthful ambition. He was but a few months more than fifteen years old, the youngest member of his class, and much younger than the average entrance age at the Academy. He had given special attention at school to the classics, and was a fine Greek and Latin scholar. The course at Annapolis was so different, leaving out Greek and Latin altogether, and giving mathematics, chemistry and kindred subjects first place, that the young cadet found it required very hard work to keep up with his class, composed mainly of older boys who had been trained with a view to the studies taught at the Academy. His letters home for the first year or more tell of his application to his studies, his "boning"

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to keep up on ''skinny" and the other studies that required all his attention. Sometimes he wrote that it was almost too hard, but these expressions were accompanied by an expressed determination to do his best. There ran through them all a yearning for home, a tender love for home folks and a desire to so act as to win the commendation of his mother. A few extracts from letters to his mother will serve to show the channel of his thoughts :

Feb. 23rd, '90. "Vou never wrote me whether I was behind hand in my Bible or nut. I am now nearly through Job.''

March 23rd, '90 : Tell David a good way to learn to spell is to ask what signs and bills read on the street and spell them over to himself. Do you remember how I used to spell "Little Joker Smoking Tobacco?"

Ethel must not be discouraged with Caesar as the first book is very

much harder than any of the others and after awhile one becomes used to his style and reads him without difficulty. When I was in Viigil I could read Caesar without opening a vocabulary and anybody can clothe same tiling. I know she will like French : it is very easy to understand after awhile. We in our class can understand the native Frenchmen in that department very easily when they talk."

June 1st, '90: "Do be careful about, yourself. Don't work any now for a long time. You positively must not while you are having these headaches. Rest a lot.''

June Sth, '90: "We have been having a good time during the past

week. The board of visitors has been here A cadet fell overboard

The Admiral then had us called aft again and gave us a speech in which he mentioned the cadet falling overboard, saying that his catching the rope showed the cool-headedness cadets acquire while here. He ended by saying that in after life whenever we should find ourselves in any strait whatever always clutch with one hand high up on the nearest rope for ourselves, and with the other hand still higher for the government. I heard a pretty wild fellow in my class say : 'Government be d if ever I fall overboard.' "