Lieutenant John W. Grout was a 7th generation descendant of Captain John Grout (I), of Watertown and Sudbury, Massachusetts who came from England with his gun in his hand and first settled at Watertown about 1640. (Note: the intervening generations are omitted here, but documented in the original source book. slh) He was the only son of Jonathan (6) and Mary J. (Smith) Grout, born July 25, 1843, and was barely old enough to claim a man's standing when he fell a voluntary sacrifice on the altar of his country, in the civil war period. He was fine and manly in his features, and with elastic vigor, and the "crimson glow of health" he seemed every inch a soldier. His was a rare combination of qualities. He was an accomplished pianist, was also proficient in mathematics, and had an art for drawing, to which he added some knowledge of the French language and of ancient classics. In early youth he exhibited signs of military genius. A treasured specimen is a whittled dagger with a Union shield on it, now doubly prized. He entered the military department of Caleb B. Metcalf's Highland school at Worcester and became an expert in tactics. This peculiarly fitted him, when the Rebellion opened up, for active, useful service. Upon the organization of the Fifteenth Massachusetts Regiment he was welcomed to Company D as its second lieutenant, and he drilled the company until it went to the front. True to his retiring nature he chose some secluded spot in which to drill his men. The story of Leesburg (Balls Bluff), October 21, 1861, is familiar to many, and is a matter of war department record, but we wish here to make mention of the fact enacted by him of whom we write. The Fifteenth Massachusetts Regiment was in the thickest of the fight and suffered great loss. Lieutenant Grout was found adequate to his duties. His coolness and self-possession astonished all of his men. In the terrific showers of leaden hail, Providence shielded him from harm. Upon the foe, who would bayonet a wounded soldier, he executed summary wrath. Every blow of his own sword told in hand-to-hand contest. He declared he would never surrender alive. Compelled to retreat, his coolness was still maintained. Driven to the bank of the river, he still forgot himself, in the service being rendered to make good the escape of his command. With inadequate means for transportation he crossed the stream with the wounded men and returned; again the frail boat was filled to its capacity and he remained upon the shore, but he had risked too much for his own safety. The remainder were now reduced to the last extremity, and when the young lieutenant went up to his superior, with the calm but heroic enquiry, "Is there anything more I can do?" the reply of Colonel Devens was, "Nothing but take care of yourself." And when the Colonel cried to his brave men, "I shall never surrender!" and with benediction, "God be with you all," gave the final order, "Every man for himself," Lieutenant Grout had done his duty, and nobly justified the highest expectations of his admirers. After waiting for the first faint glimpse of the rising moon, he threw his incumbrances beyond recovery, and with a few companions plunged into the stream, but before he could reach the opposite shore, the fatal ball of the barbarous assassin left him only time and strength to exclaim, "Tell Company D that I should have escaped, but I am shot." He was lost in the dark rolling waters of the Potomac, but after some time the river yielded up the treasure, and under the flag of his heroic love he was borne from the paternal mansion "to the house appointed for all living." We are indebted for the facts here given to a memorial written by Rev. E. Cutler, soon after the gallant soldier was killed, and it is a priceless gem among the family possessions, and they have thus had it inserted in this volume to further perpetuate the pathetic story of one who gave up his young life to save his comrades--and his country as well. |