Captain Nathaniel B. Shurtleff (1838-1862)

Last updated on: June 30, 2011 at 5:26 am by Pat McNamara

Captain Nathaniel B. Shurtleff (1838-1862) 2011-06-30T05:26:00-06:00 Pat McNamara

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

A beautiful soul was Captain Nathaniel Bradstreet Shurtleff. graduated in 1859, who fell at the battle of Cedar Mountain, near Culpepper, Virginia, on the ninth of August. 1862, at the early age of twenty-four. He was related to some of the oldest Puritan families in Boston. His grandfather, Dr. Ben Shurtleff. came to Boston after his marriage, leaving Plymouth where his ancestors had dwelt since the first settlement of the old colony, nearly all of the most remote of them having come to New England in either the “Mayflower,” the “Fortune-‘ or the “Ann,” the three earliest vessels that conveyed the Pilgrims to these shores. Palmer, in his “Necrology of the Harvard Alumni,” speaks of Captain Shurtleff in these terms:

The eldest son of a family possessing an unusually large share of the Puritan blood of the first settlers of New England, and long identified with Protestantism, he became a Roman Catholic while at school, and for the remainder of his life was a devoted adherent of that Communion, gathering around him large numbers of the young and neglected, to whom he gave instruction, and over whom he watched with the strictest vigilance and almost parental care. Immediately after leaving Harvard Shurtleff entered the’ novitiate of the Order of Jesuits, ait Frederick City, in Maryland, and there continued until the following February, when, failing in health,he set aside his great purpose of life; and thereafter entered the law office of William Brigham in Boston, when the. Civil War broke out.

He was killed at Cedar Mountain, and his body was brought back to Boston. The whole city did him honor, thousands following his coffin on foot to the Church of the Immaculate Conception, where a solemn Mass of Requiem was sung for his soul.Captain Shurtleff was a dear friend and co-laborer with Father Haskins in the work of providing a refuge for the homeless boys of Boston.

One example will serve as an illustration of his firm Catholic spirit: Shortly after his conversion, young Shurtleff undertook the charge of St. Mary’s Sunday-school in Endicott Street. On one occasion he insisted on entering a Protestant Sunday-school, in which he knew some of St. Mary’s children to be entrapped and detained, with the result that this honored son of the Puritans was arrested and marched through the streets to jail.

“Convert Sons of Harvard,” The Rosary Magazine, Vol. 33 (1909): 417.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

June 28, 2011

This Week's Column at Patheos

Next Post

July 1, 2011 A Saint's Daughter: Mother Catherine Seton, R.S.M. (1800-1891)

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category African-American Catholics Alabama Catholics American Catholic History American Catholic women American History Anniversaries Anti-Catholicism Arkansas Catholics Benedictines Bishops Blessed John Henry Newman Book Reviews Books Boston College Brooklyn churches Brothers California Catholics Capuchins Cardinals Carlo Carretto Carmelites Catholic authors Catholic Cemeteries Catholic Historians Catholic History in Less Than 5 Minutes Catholic musicians Catholic Poetry Catholic Press Catholic School Textbook Catholic University of America Catholic Worker Catholics and Music Catholics and Race Catholics in Politics Catholics in the American Revolution Catholics in the Military Catholics in the Movies Catholics in the South Catholics in the West Catholics on Stage Catjolic Women Catolic Poetry Charles de Foucauld Children's Masses Christian Brothers Christmas Church Reform Civil Rights Movement Civil War Colleges and universities Converts D.C. Catholics Deaf Catholics Dominicans. Dorothy Day English Catholics Florida Catholics Fordham University Franciscans French Catholics Georgetown University German Americans Good Shepherd Sisters Hispanic Catholics Historians and Archivists Holy Cross Fathers Holy Name Society Idaho Catholics Illinois Catholics Indian Wars Indiana Catholics Irish Americans Irish Catholicism Italian Americans Italian Catholics Jesuits Josephite Sisters Kentucky Catholics Know-Nothings Laetare Medal Recipients laity Liturgical Movement Maine Catholics Manhattan College Maryland Catholicism Michigan Catholics Middle Ages Minnesota Catholics Missionaries Mississippi Catholics Missouri Catholics Monasteries Montana Catholics Native Americans New England Catholicism New Jersey Catholics New York Catholics North American College Ohio Catholics Oratorians Oregon Catholics Parish Mission Parishes Passionists Pat McNamara's Books Paulists Pennsylvania Catholics Popes Presidents Priests Quotations Religious Orders Rhode Island Catholics Saints Salesians Seminarians Seminaries Sermons Servants of God Siisters of Charity Sisters of Mercy South Carolina Catholics Spanish-American War Sports St. Francis of Assiai St. John Henry Newman Suplicians Tennessee Catholics Texas Catholics The year in review Thomas Merton Throwback Thursday Photograph Trappists Uncategorized University of Notre Dame Video Presentations Vincentians Virginia Catholics Visitation Nuns Washington West Point West Virginia Catholics West Viriginia Catholics Wisconsin Catholicism Women Religious World War II

Select a Month December 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 April 2012 March 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does "Bethesda" mean?

Select your answer to see how you score.

House of mercy House of olives House of bread House of wind