Townsend, George Alfred, 1841-1914

Townsend was a famous Civil War correspondent who wrote under the pen name "Gath," and who later constructed an elaboraate country estate at Gathland or Gapland at Crampton's Gap in South Mountain northwest of Washington. This was the site of a battle that marked the beginning of the Antietam campaign. In 1896, Townsend built the Army Correspondents' Memorial arch on his property to commemorate the service of Civil War correspondents. The site is now a park.

From the description of ALS : Washington, D.C., 1896 March 5. (Hagley Museum & Library). WorldCat record id: 741762450

American Journalist.

From the description of Autograph letter signed : Washington, D.C., to an unidentified correspondent, [no year] Mar. 1. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270572949

From the description of Autograph letter signed : [n.p.], to "Mr. Secretary," [William W. Belknap?], [ca. 1869?]. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270572945

George Alfred Townsend was born in Delaware and educated chiefly in Philadelphia, where he developed into a journalist. He became the youngest correspondent to cover the Civil War, contributing to several New York papers, and made his name covering many important stories, including Lincoln's assassination and Sheridan's campaign in Virginia. He later lectured on his war experiences in America and Europe, and collected his lectures and columns in book form. He settled in Washington, D.C., writing books and articles about politics, and his work appeared in periodicals across the country, often under a pseudonym, most commonly, "Gath." He also wrote plays, poetry, and local history of the Maryland and Delaware area.

From the description of George Alfred Townsend letter to Dear sir, 1893 Feb. 23. (Pennsylvania State University Libraries). WorldCat record id: 71790546

American journalist and author.

From the description of Letters, 1892 [manuscript]. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 647817293

Journalist and novelist George Alfred Townsend was born in Georgetown, Delaware, on January 30, 1841, to the Reverend and Mrs. Stephen Townsend. Townsend lived throughout Delaware and Maryland as his father transferred from parish to parish, before his family settled in Philadelphia in 1855. There, Townsend was graduated from Central High School with a Bachelor of Arts in 1860.

Townsend’s first full-time employment began in 1860 as a news editor for the Philadelphia Inquirer . In 1861, he moved to the city editorship of the Philadelphia Press, and in the same year, his play, The Bohemians, was published. Although Townsend’s stories and poems had been published in high school newspapers and, in fact, Townsend had published a small high school magazine, this play is his earliest known surviving publication.

By 1866, Townsend had become a noted news journalist, as a war correspondent covering the Civil War for the New York Herald, the New York World, and later, as a ghost writer, for The New York Times .

His reports of Lincoln’s assassination (part of which was later published as Life, Crime and Capture of John Wilkes Booth [1865]) and General Sheridan’s victory at the Battle of Five Forks, Virginia, brought him considerable recognition. Townsend, who was the only correspondent present for the battle on March 31, 1865, conveyed word of the Union Army’s decisive victory, which resulted in the Confederate abandonment of Petersburg and Richmond, Virginia.

Townsend’s reflections on the Civil War and on his two-year journey in Europe during the war were collected in his Campaigns of a Non-Combatant and his Romaunt Abroad during the War (1866). Townsend’s recognition as a war correspondent led to his popularity as a lecturer. He traveled throughout the United States, lecturing on the Civil War, European politics, and U.S. government.

By 1867, Townsend had made his home in Washington, D.C., choosing the capital because of his desire to report on political news and issues. His books, The New World Compared with the Old (1869), Washington Outside and Inside (1873), and Events at the National Capital and the Campaign of 1876 (1876), explore American government, the nation’s capital, and political topics.

During the 1860s and 1870s his columns, articles, and letters appeared in newspapers throughout the United States, including papers in Boston, Baltimore, New York, Chicago, Cleveland, Washington, San Francisco, St. Louis, and Cincinnati. Some of these articles, as well as some of his books, were written using a number of pen names, including “G.A.T.,” “Swede,” “Laertes,” “Johnny Bouquet,” and his favorite, “Gath.”

Several of Townsend’s books, written during the 1880s, are set in Delaware and Maryland. The first, Tales of the Chesapeake (1880), was a collection of poems and stories about Delaware and the Maryland shore. Townsend’s first historical novel, The Entailed Hat (1883), tells the tale of Patty Cannon, the “slave runner,” and her adventures in what is today the Governor’s House in Dover. The sequel to The Entailed Hat was Katy of Catoctin (1884), set in Western Maryland.

In 1884, Townsend purchased land near Burkettsville, Maryland, and established an estate, which he named Gapland. It was on this estate, in 1896, that he built the only national memorial to Civil War correspondents. Located near the Antietam Battlefield, the monument bears the names of 157 correspondents and artists.

After Townsend’s death in 1914, and following a succession of other owners, the estate was deeded to the Maryland State Department of Forests and Parks in 1949. The estate was renamed Gathland State Park, using Townsend’s popular pen name “Gath.” The park honors George Alfred Townsend as one of America’s most important journalists and novelists of the Reconstruction Era.

Frank, Bill. “Famed Sussex War Correspondent,” The News Journal (Wilmington), February 23, 1987. Hindes, Ruthanna. George Alfred Townsend: one of Delaware’s Outstanding Writers. Wilmington: Hambleton Printing & Publishing Co., 1946.

From the guide to the George Alfred Townsend correspondence, 1862-1912, (University of Delaware Library - Special Collections)

Journalist and novelist George Alfred Townsend was born in Georgetown, Delaware, on January 30, 1841, to the Reverend and Mrs. Stephen Townsend. Townsend lived throughout Delaware and Maryland, as his father transferred from parish to parish, before his family settled in Philadelphia, in 1855. There, Townsend was graduated from Central High School with a Bachelor of Arts in 1860. Townsend’s first full-time employment began in 1860 as a news editor for the Philadelphia Inquirer. In 1861, he moved to the city editorship of the Philadelphia Press, and in the same year, his play, The Bohemians , was published. Although Townsend’s stories and poems had been published in high school newspapers and, in fact, Townsend had published a small high school magazine, this play is his earliest known surviving publication.

By 1866, Townsend had become a noted news journalist, as a war correspondent covering the Civil War for the New York Herald, the New York World, and later, as a ghost writer, for The New York Times .

His reports of Lincoln’s assassination (part of which was later published as Life, Crime and Capture of John Wilkes Booth [1865]) and General Sheridan’s victory at the Battle of Five Forks, Virginia, brought him considerable recognition. Townsend, who was the only correspondent present for the battle on March 31, 1865, conveyed word of the Union Army’s decisive victory, which resulted in the Confederate abandonment of Petersburg and Richmond, Virginia.

Townsend’s reflections on the Civil War and on his two year journey in Europe during the war were collected in his Campaigns of a Non-Combatant and his Romaunt Abroad during the War (1866). Townsend’s recognition as a war correspondent led to his popularity as a lecturer. He traveled throughout the United States, lecturing on the Civil War, European politics and U.S. government.

By 1867, Townsend had made his home in Washington, D.C., choosing the capital because of his desire to report on political news and issues. His books, The New World Compared with the Old (1869), Washington Outside and Inside (1873), and Events at the National Capitol and the Campaign of 1876 (1876), explore American government, the nation’s capital, and political topics.

During the 1860s and 1870s his columns, articles, and letters appeared in newspapers throughout the United States, including papers in Boston, Baltimore, New York, Chicago, Cleveland, Washington, San Francisco, St. Louis, and Cincinnati. Some of these articles, as well as some of his books, were written using a number of pen names, including “G.A.T.,” “Swede,” “Laertes,” “Johnny Bouquet,” and his favorite, “Gath.”

Several of Townsend’s books, written during the 1880s, are set in Delaware and Maryland. The first, Tales of the Chesapeake (1880), was a collection of poems and stories about Delaware and the Maryland shore. Townsend’s first historical novel, The Entailed Hat (1883), tells the tale of Patty Cannon, the slave “runner,” and her adventures in what is today the Governor’s House in Dover. The sequel to The Entailed Hat was Katy of Catoctin (1884), set in Western Maryland.

In 1884, Townsend purchased land near Burkettsville, Maryland, and established an estate, which he named Gapland. It was on this estate, in 1896, that he built the only national memorial to Civil War correspondents. Located near the Antietam Battlefield, the monument bears the names of 157 correspondents and artists.

After Townsend’s death in 1914, and following a succession of other owners, the estate was deeded to the Maryland State Department of Forests and Parks in 1949. The estate was renamed Gathland State Park, using Townsend’s popular pen name “Gath.” The park honors George Alfred Townsend as one of America’s most important journalists and novelists of the Reconstruction Era.

Frank, Bill. “Famed Sussex War Correspondent,” The News Journal (Wilmington), February 23, 1987. Hindes, Ruthanna. George Alfred Townsend: one of Delaware’s Outstanding Writers. Wilmington: Hambleton Printing & Publishing Co., 1946.

From the guide to the George Alfred Townsend collection, 1865–1975, 1865–1898, (University of Delaware Library - Special Collections)