ANDREW, JOHN ALBION (1818-1867), American polit ical leader, "war governor" of Massachusetts, was born at Wind ham, Me., on May 31, 1818. He graduated at Bowdoin college in 1837, studied law in Boston, was admitted to the Suffolk bar in 184o, and practised his profession in Boston. He also took a deep interest in religious matters, was a prominent Unitarian and was assistant editor for some time of The Christian World. With ardent anti-slavery principles, he entered political life as a "Young Whig" opposed to the Mexican War; he became an active Free-Soiler in 1848, and in 18J4 took part in the organiza tion in Massachusetts of the new Republican party. He served one term, in 1858, in the State house of representatives. In he took such an active part in raising funds to defend John Brown. then on trial in Virginia, that he aroused the suspicions of a senatorial committee investigating Brown's raid, and was sum moned to Washington to tell what he knew of the affair. In 186o he was chairman of the Massachusetts delegation to the Republican national convention at Chicago, which nominated Lincoln for the presidency ; and from 1861 to January 1866, throughout the trying period of the Civil War, he was governor of Massachusetts, becoming known as one of the ablest, most patriotic and most energetic of the remarkable group of "war governors" in the North.
Immediately after his inauguration he began filling the militia regiments with young men ready for active service, saw that they were well drilled and supplied them with good modern rifles. As a result, Massachusetts was the only northern State in any way prepared for war when the Confederates fired on Fort Sumter; and her troops began to muster in Boston on April 16, the very day after President Lincoln's call for volunteers. On the next day the 6th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry started south for the defence of Washington, and was the first fully armed and equipped volunteer regiment to reach the capital. Within six days after the call, nearly 4,00o Massachusetts volunteers had de parted for Washington. In 1863, at Governor Andrew's own re quest, the secretary of war authorized him to raise several regi ments of negro troops, with white commissioned officers, and the 54th Massachusetts Infantry was the first regiment of free ne groes raised in the North. Governor Andrew's example was quickly followed in other States, and before the end of the year 36,00o negroes had been enrolled in the Union armies. When the War Department ruled that the negro troops were entitled to pay only as "labourers" and not as soldiers, Governor An drew used all his influence with the president and the secretary of war to secure for them the same pay as white troops, and was finally successful. Notwithstanding his loyal support of the ad ministration during the struggle, he did not fully approve of its conduct of the war, which he deemed shifting and timid; and it was with great reluctance that he supported Lincoln in 1864 for a second term.
In 1865 Andrew rejected the more radical views of his party as to the treatment to be accorded to the late Confederate States, opposed the immediate and unconditional enfranchisement of freedmen, and, though not accepting President Johnson's views in their entirety, he urged the people of Massachusetts to give the new president their support. On retiring from the governor's office he resumed the practice of law, at once achieving great success. In 1865 he presided at the first national convention of the Unitarian Church. He died suddenly of apoplexy, at Boston, on Oct. 3o, 1867.
See Henry G. Pearson, Life of John A. Andrew (Boston and New York, 1904) .