New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-03-03
q Biographical shettb,
4 Il. 5s \, From Grnham's Magazine.
I'D IT 49, "a. ~ II
4 SKETGH BY DR.. WILLIAM ELDER.

passed into history, the world wants to KNOW nun Per
sonally intimately. The grave and reverend chTon
icler, passing over his beginnings, presents him II
abruptly in his full grown greatness men render !ne
earned, but the emniat1 I;
awakened erned to knew how 10 grey l9 ~ MS
maturity Of excellence. This curiosity IS not an le
ness fthe fancy, but personal interest N the 1acts
that spring outof those aspirations put every
man u1on, the falfllnent Of his own destiny. How
came this man to excel--sF was IN hWhat hap
ge,1ed To evelo,, It'll Some men are born great;
some achieve greatness some have greatness thrust
mon Them, How came this man by it Isitwtln
my reach by. what means history pro
T6kes M with such queries these; biography an
Doctor Elisha Kent Kane is not quite thirty -foul
wears old Vet he has done more than circuHna3i gait
The globe has visited and traversed India, Africa
Europe, South America, the islands Of the Pacific
ad twice penetrated the Arctic region to- the highes
latitude attained by civilized man. He has eneoun
tered the EXTREMIST perils Of sea and land in ever,
climate Of the globe; he has discharged in turn Til
seyerest duties Of the soldier and seaman attached
Co the United States Navy as surgeon he is never
fheless, engaged at one time in the coast survey
the ocean, and in month two we find hin
exploring the frigid zone and all the while that hi
personal experience had the character of romantic
adventure, he pushing them in the spirit Of scien
life and philanthropic enterprise sSs
VI AS y boy, his instructive bent impelled him to
the indulgence and enjoyment Of such adventures as
were best fitted to train him for the work before him.
His collegiate studies suffered some postponement
while his physical qualities pressed
anu was al1nGS6
ttruarcy that he explored the Blue Of Viz.
gina, student Of geology nndea the guidance 81
Professor Rodgers and cultivated atonce MS hardl,
hoodsof vital energy and those elements OF natural
science which were to qualify him for bis after service
id the field Of physical geography. But IN due time
lie returned to the pursuit Of literature and achieved
tile usual hoors as well as though his college studies
had suffered no diversion. Hls muscles ard nerves
directress Of its Development but rather col1p
borated for all the uses which il has served since He
graduated at the University Of N
lis collegiate, and afterwards in its medical depart
aaent. His special relshes ia study indicated his
natural dritchemstry and surgery, natural science
its most intimate converse with substaIc and The
remedial art i'll most heroic func went out
from his dina aate, good classical scholar, good
chemist, Innefalogst, astronomer and surgeon. But
he lacked or thought he hacked, robustness Of frame
and soundness Of health. He solicited an appoint
nent in the navy, and upon his admission, demanded
active service. He was appointed upon the diploma
tic staff as surgeon tOthe first American Embassy in
China This position gave him opportunity to explore
4heP philippine Islands, which he effected mainly on
foot He was the first man who descended into the
crater Of Taels lowered more than hundred feet by
o bamboo rope from the overhanging cliff and clam
berngs down some seven hundred more through the
seori@, he made q Typographical sketch Of the in
terror Of this great Volcano collected bottle Of sui
phurous acid from the mouth Of the crater and
although he drawn almost senseless he brought
with him his portrait Of this hideous and the
specimens which it afforded
the Hinalayas and triangulated Greece on foot; he
had visited Ceyon, the Upper Nile, and all the myth
ologc region Of Egypt traversng the route and max
ing the acquaintance Of the learned Lepsius, who
was then prosecuting his archaeological researches
At home again. when the Mexican war broke out,
he asked to be removed from the Philadelphia Navy
Yard to the field of more congenia service !; but
the sent him to the coast Africa. Here
he visited the slave factories from Cape Mount to the
river Bonny and through the infamous Da Souza got
access to the baracoons of Dahomey and contracted
besides, the coast fever, from the effects of which he
has never entirely recovered.
From Africa he returned before the close of the
Mexican war, and believing that his constitution was
broken and his health rapidly going, he called upon
President Polk and demanded an opportunity for ser
vice that might crown the little remnant of his life
with achievements in keeping with his ambition. The
President, Just then embarrassed by temporary non
intercourse with Gen Scott, charged the Doctor with
dispatches to the General of great moment and ur
geney, which must be carried through region
pied by the enemy. This embassy was marked by all
adventure romantic and SO illustrative of the char
acter of the man, thatwe are tempted to detail it.
On his way to the Gulf he secured a horse in Ken
lucky, such as knighte1ant would have chosen for
the companion and sharer of his adventures Landed
Vera Cruz he asked foran escort to convey him to
the capital, but the officer in command had troop
ders to spare-he must wait, Or he must accept,
instead, aband of ruian Mexieans, called the Spy
Company who had taken to the business of treason
and trckery for aliyelihood. He accepted them and
went forward. Near Puebla his troop encountered a
noficers to Orzaba, among whom were Major-General
Gaona, Governor of Puebla his son, Macmillan and
General Torhion who communicative brilliant charge
of horsesat Buena Vista. The surprise was mutual,
but the Spy Company had the advantage of the
ground. At the first instant Of the discovery and
before the rascas had fully comprehended their III
sment, the doctor shouted in Spanish, Bravo
te capital adventure Colonel, form your line for the
Kane and his gallant Kentucky charger ahead.
Understanding the principle that sends tallow
die through plank, and that the momentum OF
body is its weight multiplied by its velocity, he
dashed through the opposing force, and turning to
engage after breaking their line, he found himself
fairly surrounded, and two of the enemy giving him
their speeal attention One Of these was disposed of
in an instant by rearing his horse, who, with blow
denly, the Doctor gave the other sword wound,
which opened the external lilac artery, and put him
hors de combat. This subject of the Doctors military
surgery was the young Macmillan. The brief melee
terminated with a cry from the Mexicans, " We sur
render" Two of the officers made a. dash for an
escape, the Doctor pursued them, but soon gave up
the chase
When3he returned, The found his ruffians preparing
to massacre the prisoners. AS he galoped past the
Young officer whom he had wounded, he heard him
cry, Senior, save my father A group of the guer
lila guards dashing upon the Mexicans huddled
together with their ances in rest He threw himself
before tiIenlone of them transfxed his horse, an
other gave him a severe wound in the groin He
killed the first lieutenant, wounded the second leu
tenant and blew part OF the cO0nelS beard OIL WITH
the last charge of his sX-shooter; then graphing
with him, and using his fists he brought the party to
terms. The lives of tile prisoners were saved, and
the Doctor received their swords. As.soon as Gen
eral Gaona could reach his son, who lay at a little
distance from the Of the last struggle the Doc
tor found him sitting by him, receiving his last
adieus Shifting the soldier and resuming the sur.
geon, he secured the artery, and put the wounded
man in condition to travel. The ambulance got up
for the occasion, contained at once the wounded
Macmillan, the wounded second lieutenant, and the
man that had prepared them for slow travelling him
self on his litter, from the lance wound received in
defence of his prisoners! When they reached Puebla
the Doctors wound proved the worst in the party
He was taken to the government house, but the old
General in gratitude for his generous services had
him conveyed to his own house. General Chids,
American commander at Puebla, hearing of the gen.
crosby of his prisoner, discharged him without max
ing any TERMS and the old general became the prnci-
pal nurse of his captor and benefactor, dividing his
attentions between him and his son, who lay wounded
iii an adjoining room. This illness of our hero was
Dong and doubtful, and he was reported dead to his
friends at home
When he recovered and returned, he was employed
in the Coast Survey. While engaged in this service,
the Government, by its correspondence with Lady
Franklin, became committed for an attempt at the
rescue of Sir John and his ilstaTed companions in
Arctic discovery Nothing could be better addressed
to the Doctors governing sentiments than this alyen
sure The enterprise of Sir John ran exactly in the
current of one of his own enthusiasts service of
natural science combined with heroic personal effort
nzNH 1HA