The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-06-04


large services to bis country have been acknowledged BY
ALL and towards whom The American people viii ever
look with gratitude We aude, OF course. to The ylsi!
and honorable artillery company As his personal his
tory may not be known TO many II may not be unaccept
able 70 present orls sketch OF me lie and services
GeDerxi Wool was born IN Orange county, New fork,
and Is of genuine revolutionary stock He lost his
father u an early age, and lived In RENSSELAER, county
with his grandfather, until he twelve years old
when he removed TO Troy, with view OF becoming
me reliant He was successful in the path be had
chosen until he lost his property by fire. when the coun-
try being then at war, he accepted (Apr, 1912 com
captain IN the 18th regiment OF United States
infantry. with the high resolve OF devong himself to the
When Captain Wool. in accordance with his we'll
known energy Of character, raised his company in Troy
the country mortified by the disastrous results Of the
glorious retrea, from Maiden the dsgaceful surrender
at Detroit. and the intervening movements, were made
the subject Of rdcus by one political party, and were
character had been degraded Hence that General
Stephen Van Rensselaer,. who had been assigned the
command in this quarter IN letter dated October =
lie feeling and spirit until another campaign unless be
instantly wiped away by brilliant close Of this" Hence
he determined upon the bold measure of crossing the
Niagara river, sorming Fort George, and carrying The
heights OF Queenstown.
The time fixed on for the latter work the 18th OF
October. 1912. The American general, Rensselaer, had
troops-the British general, Brock, about 2,s00 the
headquarters OF the latter being at Fort George On the
morning Of the l3lh. about o'clock, detachment OF
tie and Rensselaer, butt instead OF finding boats for the
whole detachment there were only boats for one half
The companies Of Captains Wool Malcolm and Arm,
strong ordered to cross in one party, while Colonel
Van Rensselaer, followed with another. AS Captain
Wool, the senior officer Of the companies Of the 18th
regiment landed, the British retreated Meantime the
Colonel landed short distance below the place where
Captain Wool landed. Colonel Rensselaer, sent
ders to Captain Wool to advance on the heights and halt
at their base which movement promptly made,
Captain Woops command was soon attacked BY the Brit,
ish but the assalans were repused, during which the
three captains--WooI. Malcolm, and Armstrong
badly wounded The colonel, also, was severely
wounded who ordered the whole detachment descend
the bank, and take position on the beach Here the
colonel sank to the ground, exhausted BY the flow Of
volunteered to storm the heights. This most gal
an,y done British party which defended the battery
driven down the heights. and al sunrise the Ameri-
can nag waved from the works.
General Brock aroused by these events, FASTENED from
Fort George, gathered large foce and attacked Captain
Woors gallant band with such impetuosty to force
them to The brow OF the cliff. This a trying mo.
ment Before them the British veterans, to meet
whom was a fearful odds--behind them an almost
perpendicular cliff, TO be forced down which
distinctions and il is not strange that some hearts al.
tered bastard hand raised The white flag in token of
surrender but Captain Wool tore down this flag, made
manly appeal 10 his men, checked the panic caused his
British veterans down the heights But General Brock
rallied his troops anew. and again advanced upon the
Americans. In doing this. however. he tell dead from
his horse, when his flew in every direction, leaving
ten prisoners behind on the field.
Thus, after three bloody fights, this bold and daring
enterprise achieved by $40 mem instead Of 600 de-
tailed for the service Captain Wool formed his
the heights, and soon joined by other de!achmenis
This was about ten o'clock About two O'Clock Lieut.
Col Scott (now General Scott, and others appeared and
took the command, WHILE amer General Ransse ae
nvel Captain Wool was ordered from the field had his
wounds dressed, and rcturned to Lewiston OHcai let
ers and The public journals abound with cncomums on
,ba ullaptv yrf( Wppla and Uruda
The National lnieIlgencer 1s12) says Captain Wool
the hero of the Heights Of Queenstown, is tweny-sx
years of age IL presumed he will be beyettsd or pro-
NOTED !"
| This promotion Immediately followed, for Capt. Wool
| was made major He continued in the army on the
northern frontier and in the 20lh regiment OF foot. vol
uneerng his services wherever there danger be
met duty to be performed More especially did Major
Wool distinguish himself BY his usual GOODNESS and in
to the nth OF September. The action Beekmanown
took place the oth and Major Wool was its hero
General Macomb, while he enrenching the Sar.
anac, ordered Major Wool TO support the militia; and
with $50 regular troops and the militia under Col Mil
er he kept the whole British column OF 1000 at bay
fighting them inch by inch. and killing or woundpg near
Der IS. I4) mentioned Major Woods services, and
commended him to the particular notice Of the govern
ment General Moores general orders OF September 49,
1874 commander of the militia, also full 10 the
COOL intrepid. and admirable skill and good order dis
played" by the regulars "undsr that excellent officer
Major Wool" For his gallan,ry on this occasion MAJOR
Viele say General Wool, in address made 10 him in
ls4s. "the bloody Saranac will never cease 10 murmur
your praise - and Governor Young, OF New York. in pre-
.enting him (Is4Q) with sword remarked 'hat the peo
pie OF the whole country saw Capt Wool at Queenstown
mar king his with his own blood and "Maio
Wool, at Plattsburg and at Brekmanown galaniy re-
.istlng with $50 the whole British line, embracing
-four thousand regular troops" IL such noble gal
any that redeemed The stain that had been liked on our
national character and gave such JOY to the patriotic part
OF the nation
We have not space TO follow in detail Colonel Wool
in his course He continued in the army, was commits
stoned inspector general in 1916, made by brevet
bgadier general in 1880, and in lsa appointed to
the command Of the eastern division of the army, and at
length ordered TO the important theatre oil Mexico
Suffice II TO say that his duties carried him over almost
every part OF our country, from the Atlantic to the
Council Blufis His service was connected with every
military post. and General Wool is not the man to
shrink from any which his country may require
at hi. hands, the call OF her constituted authorities
His activity promp,ude, metho3ca habits, and decision
of character, too well known 10 need specification,
and these qualities make him interchangeable man OF
business he is intrepid and scientific soldier aud IL
is believed that his various responsible duties were DIS
charged in no less honorable to himself than
useful to his country.
Bat his large experience destined to still more
special and glorious service When the Mexican
commenced. the government determined expedition
Chihuahua the principal city the northern part
Of Mexico and General Wool was appointed to command
IT, He left his home IN 1876. repaired 10 the West and,
in the almost inered bic short period OF six weeks,
ganized force OF $4,000 men, CONSISTING OF volunteers
scattered over Ohio, Kentucky Indiana, Illinois, Mis-
sour, and Tennessee the greater portion OF which he
despatched 10 General Taylor. He in San
Antonio, Texas where the force 10 be under his spec
comnand-about three thousand-was ordered to rem
devious. From this place ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 20,
- Il