The Vacant Chair

"The Vacant Chair" is a poem that was written following the death of John William Grout (July 25, 1843 – October 21, 1861).

The poem, written by Henry S. Washburn was put to music by George Frederick Root and became a popular song of the post-Civil War era.

[1] He served as a 2nd lieutenant of Company D, 15th Massachusetts Infantry[2] and was killed at the age of eighteen in the Battle of Ball’s Bluff on October 21, 1861.

[1] Grout's body was recovered on November 5, 1861, after being washed 35 miles (56 km) back to Washington, D.C. His remains were identified by the name written on his clothing.

Upon hearing of Grout's death, Henry Stevenson Washburn, a family friend, wrote "The Vacant Chair" in late 1861, and it was first published in the Worcester Spy, attributed to "H. S. W." It is an allegory that describes the pain suffered by the family of those killed in war during the season surrounding Thanksgiving.