DEVENS. DEVEXS. I/I Mr. Delano has never held any political office, but, warmly interested in politics from his boyhood, he has served his party as committee-man and delegate to state and national conventions, and was once a candidate for presidential elector. A born Democrat, he has continued to be one from thorough conviction. Mr. Delano has neither sought nor gained prominence, save in his business career, which has been eminently successful. He is better satisfied with the respect of his party and the warm personal friendship of all who know him, of whatever political creed, than with any honor or emoluments of office. DEVENS, CHARLES, son of Charles and Mary (Lithgow) Devens, was born in Charlestown, Middlesex county, April 4, 1820. His father was the grandson of Richard Devens, a revolutionary patriot of great local prominence. His mother was the daughter of Col. Arthur Lithgow, of Augusta, Maine. Charles Devens was graduated at Har- vard in the class of 1838. Choosing the profession of the law, he pursued his studies in the Harvard law school, and afterward with Hubbard & Watts, of Bos- ton. He was admitted to the bar in 1841. From that year to 1849 he resided first in Northfield and later in Greenfield. In 1848 and '49 he served as member of the state Senate. From 1849 to '53 he was United States marshal for the district of Massachusetts. In 1854 he returned to the practice of law, and settled in the city of Worcester, where he still resides. On the 19th of April, 1861, Mr. Devens was unanimously elected major of the 3d battalion rifles — three full companies. With this force, Major Devens at once pro- ceeded to Annapolis, Md., and thence to Fort McHenry, remaining in command un- til nearly the close of its three months' term of service. On the 26th of July he was duly qualified as colonel of the 15th regiment Massachusetts volunteers. With this he proceeded to Washington, arriving there the 10th of August. Col. Devens received marching orders on the 25th, and in two days the regiment pitched their tents at Poolesville, Md., under command of General C. P. Stone, in charge of the corps of observation. They were assigned to guard duty on the Potomac. At the battle of Ball's Bluff Col. Devens won the respect and esteem of the com- mander-in-chief and his brother officers. He received his commission of brigadier- general during the siege of Yorktown, and bade adieu to his regiment, and assumed command of a brigade in Couch's division, Keyes's 4th army corps. May 31st, in the battle of Fair Oaks, General Devens was wounded, but would not quit the field until night brought a temporary cessation CHARLES DEVENS. of hostilities. He was absent from his command but five weeks, during which time he addressed a war meeting in Faneuil Hall, Boston. He resumed his command at Harrison's Landing, the 10th of July. At the battle of Antietam his horse was shot under him. For his gallant conduct while command- ing a brigade at Fredericksburg, he was highly complimented by the general com- manding his division. At Chancellorsville he was seriously wounded while command- ing the 1 st division, nth army corps. In the spring of 1S64, he was assigned to the 1 8th army corps, at the special request of General W. F. Smith, who commanded, and under whom, as a division commander in the corps, he took part in the battle of Cold Harbor. In April, 1865, at the request of General Grant, General Devens was commissioned major-general by brevet, for gallantry and good conduct at the capture of Richmond. At his own repeated re- quest, he was mustered out of service, at Washington, June, 1866, after five years and three months' military service. The
