The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1849-07-07
From the N. o. Delta
= Edmund Peadletsn Gaines.
-"FHtewe'l to thee,
Pattern Of old fidelity"

delighted to look upon as almost the sole
representative of olden time, the infan
days of this Republic, departed this life
in this city, early yesterday morning.
He died of cholera. By no lingering dis
ease, and through no prolonged debility
and decrepitude, but suddenly and with
out pain or suffering, he passed from the
active arena of life to glorious immortal
ify, at the advanced age of seventy-eight
But few days ago his erect military fig
ure, his mild, benignant face and ever
courteous bearing, so long familiar to ou
people, attracted the respect and involun.
tary homage of all beholders. He was
truly link, uniting chivalry of the pres.
ent with that of the revolutionary times
His green old age left undiminished that
ardor Of patriotism, that heroic frmness
that lofty sense of duty, which, nurtured by
intercourse with heroes and sages Of our
carly colonial struggles, were tried and
strengthened by an active participation in
all the subsequent military events in our
history: He grew up with the Republic,
: having embarked in life shortly after the
adoption Of the present Constitution, and
lived to -see'the Union extended from thir-
teen to Thirty States. He Witnessed the
delivery Of this State into the arms of our
onion, and participated at the ceremonies
of the ccssion. Louisiana was the theatre
of his earliest military duties; it has been
his station for many years, and there was
a moumlur appropriateness in its being
the scerfe of his demise.
A brief and necessarily hurried sketch,
ofthe long and eventiul life of this brave
old patriot, may not be uninteresting to
our readers.
Edmund p. Gaines was born in Gull
pepper county Virginia. His father had
been engaged in the early Indian Wars of
the Colony, and in the Revolution Of 1916
His uncle was the celebrated Edmund
Pendleton, Chief Justice of the Court of
Appeals of Virginia, one Of the purest and
most Cato-like men whom the Old Domin-
ion ever produced. Before Edmund Pen
dleton had. arriyaeI at mans estate, his
father was Compelled to move into North
Carolina, where the son passed his youth
in rural employments, to which in after
years he was accustomed to attribute the
remarkable vigor of his constitution. From
North Carolina he moved into Tennessee,
where following the example Of General
Washington, he adopted the profession of
Surveyor. Being thrown much among
the Indian tribes he conceived taste for
the profession of arms, and was elected a
lieutenant of corps of volunteers COM
manded by Capt. o. Cloud. On the 10th
of January 1899, chiefly through the rec
umendation of the Hon. W., G. G. Clai-
:, ne, then member of Congress and
was appointed an ensign III the iUth 7regl-
ment of foot. In the fall of that year he
was promoted to second lieutenancy in
the 6 Infantry, the regiment commanded
by the present President of the United
States before his retirement from the army.
In 1900, Lieut.. Gaines was attached to the
4th Infantry, the Colonel of which was
Thomas Butler, the father of Gen. Wm O.
Butler. In 1901, Lieutenant Gaines was
selected by Colonel Butler to make top
ographical survey of the country between
Nashville and Natchez for the location of
military road. This was then perilous
enterprise, as the country was then entire
ly uninhabited save by Indians and BAN
ditti In 1902, Lieut.. Gaines was station
ed at Fort Stodart, near Mobile, for the
purpose Of watching the movements of the
Spanish authorities at Baton Rouge, who
still refused to surrender to the United
States that portion of the State north ofthe
Bayou Manchack. Together with his mil
itary duties, Lieut.. Gaines was made post
master, chiefly for the purpose of detecting
the correspondence Of the Burr conspira-
tors. a
In 1906, by order of the President,
Gaines arrested Aaron Burr in this city,
and took him on to Richmond, where he
was tried for high treason, and acquitted.
Through the trying and responsible duties
which devolved upon him in that memoir
able transaction, Lieut. Gaines displayed
the most inaexible frmness, integrity and
In the interval between Burr's trial and
the war of 1919, Capt. Gaines remained in
the army, from which he was about to re-
tire into the walks of civil life, when he was
by the threatening aspect of our
relations with Great Britain.
During the whole war which followed,
Capt. Gaines was actively engaged in
nearly all the expeditions against the ALI
ed British and Indians on the North East
ern frontier. Having been promoted to
he commanded the hard-fought
battle of Ghrystersfields, where he held the
British army in check, defeating the 89th
British, under Colonel Morrison, and
converting route into drawn battle
1t was on that occasion that the British
who had Witnessed Gaines
steadiness. sent him his card, with high
his gallantry. On 9th March,
1914, Colonel Gaines was appointed
Brigadier, simultaneously with Colonel
Winfield Scott.
On the: 7th of August, 1914, General