The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1861-08-22
,,..,h ofGeneraILyOn.

m ,o..Io fought near Springfield, Mo-, on
c.t,tnaay he 10th inst, cost the nation the Sc
.'aast loss it has yet sustained on the Datsle
eoiS the life of the heroic commander. AiIeL
i.sn;ro, q horse shot under him and mouhtinV
nsso,bor he received shot in the sman VI -
bacl| while leading the centre OF his coip sn5
Summing TO cheer on his brave men NJ Ill,
has vet sent deeper pang 70 20 boort of ,be
nation-General Lyon fell aad On the field Of
his greatest triumph.
Brigader GenergI Nathaniel LYON was the
son of Amasa Lyon, Of Ashford, Windham coun-
ty, Connecticut His grandfather was Col
onel of distinction in the revolutionary army.
He was born at Ashford in 1919. He entered
the Military Academy at West Point in 1887
and graduated with distinction in 1S4l. On
graduating he received his commission as lieu
tenant in the army, and was at once ordered to
Join the army in Florida, then operating against
the Indians. After uncomplainingly passing
through that most disagreeable campaign among
the everglades Of Florida, he was stationed foI
some years at various posts on our western
frontier Soon after the commencement ofhos-
tilites between the United States and Mexico,
he was ordered to join Gen. Taylor, and after
reaching Monterey accompanied the expedition
against Vera Cruz. In the bombardment of
Vera Cruz and in the severely contested battles
Of Contreras, Cherubusco and other contests
which occurred between that place and the city
of Mexico, his activity add military skill found
full play. He took an active part in each and
all Of them, and while fighting in the streets of
Mexico near the Belen gate, on September Is.
1876 received wound from a musket ball At
ter the conclusion of peace with Mexico, he was
ordered to Jefferson barracks, Missouri. for a
contemplated march overland 10 California. By
q change of orders from the War Department
xyae obaJ hv,o chi Vic
Horn, and reached California soon after its &C
qusition by the United States. His stay in Cal
iforaia was prolonged beyond that Of most Of
his fellw officers and his time increasingly EN-
poyed in operating among the Indians, sub
jected to long and tedious marches, constant
alarms and frequent skirmishes. living large
portion of the time in tents, and subject to the
fatigues and priyations incident to a campaign
in that new and hitherto unknown country, so
far removed from the comforts of civilization.
After being relieved from his long service in
California, he was again stationed on our west
cru frontier, serving most Of the time in Kansas
and Nebraska. During the troubles OF 1866,
the Free State of Kansas found a warm
friend and sympathizer in Capt. Lyon, notwith-
standing his political sympathies had before
been on the side of the Administration. He was
then stationed at Fort Leavenworth under
Col. Sumner, but was subsequently removed to
the st. Louis Arsenal, where the outbreak OF
the present war found him. His mastery cap.
ture of the rebel camp at st, Louis and his la
ter victory over Caib. Jackson at Boonville
are too fresh in the public miad to need reca
pitulatou. He received his commission as
gadier-General, from Washington, only a
few days before his death, He had been act
ing in that capacity previously, by the election
of the Missouri volunteers.
In person, Gen. Lyon was below the medium
height, and in manner singularly modest anC
unassuming His whole soul was in the wa
for the Union.and it mattered not to him, wheth
er his rank was high or low His public letter
and dispatches have been widely noticed 70
their brevity, conciseness and elegance of Ian
guage. His note demanding the surrender 0
Camp Jackson will be long remembered as
model of military diction. In his death the Tn
ion has lost one fits bravest and most accom-
piahed defenders the soldiers have lost a com
mander in whom they had the most implied
confidence and :he country feels that one O
her truest hearts has ceased 10 beat.