Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1862-11-14
DEATH OF GENERAL MITCHELL.
frsm the Cincinnati GasetCe.

DEATH OF GENERAL m1TCUELk~
trrsm Tie Cincinnati Gasetts.f
The country has suffered no common loss
in the death Of General Mitchell, Of
which an arrival at New York, from Hilton
Head, apprlses US.
OrmsLy Mcknight Mitchell was born in
Unien county, Kentucky, on the 2Sth of Au-
gust, 1910. HIT the age Of twelve, having
previously acquired good school education
and some knowledge Of Latin and Greek, he
became clerk in store at Miami, Ohio, and
aftsrward removed to Lebanon, where he had
been educated. While at Lebanon, he re-
ceived . cadets warrant and entered West
Point. with knapsack on his hack, and %
cents in his pocket. in June, 1925. On his
graduation in 1929, he obtained the appoint.
msnt of Acting Assistant Professor of Math.
ematics, holding it for two years. From
1882 to 1884 he practiscd law in this city,
and for the next ten years was Professor Of
Mathematics and the kindred sciences, in the
Cincinnati College. During this period-in
1SS6.37-he was Chief Engineer Of the Little
Miami Railroad, and in 1s4l was one OF the
Board Of Visitors to West Point.
In 1S45, at the close of course Of lectures
on astronomy shc proposed to our citizens
the establishment Of an observatory. How
successfully his exertions in behalf Of this
Important institution resulted, our readers
generally know. In the fourteen years Of
his superintendence Of the Cincinnati Obser-
vatory, he was known most favorably to the
world. Few observers were more ndefatig.
able or correct than Professor Mitchell. HIS
discoveries were numerous and important,
while his lectures on his favortc tn, me, re-
markable for the happy manner in which
they popularized the most abstruse themes
Of astronomy, and for the zeal with which
they enforced the moral lessons derived from
the study of creation, attracted admirng aud
fences in all parts of the Union.
In 1859, Professor Mitchell took charge of
the Dudley Observatory at Albany, a mag.
nifcently endowed institution, which only
needed head. Under its new director it
was fast being brought into working order,
when the crisis in the affairs of his country
drew Professor Mitchell from the calm walks
Of science into the turmoil Of military life.
Having been appointed Brigadier General,
he was for time connected with the army
of the Potomac, but say, we believe, no act
i've service. He was next appointed to a COM
nnand embracing this city and the adjacent
country on both sides of the river. He did
not remain here long, but soon conducted
one Of the columns before whose advance
the rebels were driven toward the Cult. His
excellent and truly practical management du-
ring the early part Of this year on the line
dividing, Tennessee from Alabama, won for
him the highest praise and demonstrated that
the lessons learned at West Point thirty years
before had not been forgotten. Though his
design Of liberating Tennessee could not be
fulfilled, his career at the South was the theme
1T universal praise, and his promotion to the
rank Of Major General, was regarded as one
Of the NEST jud;cious appointments Of the
present war. Not many weeks since the con-
duct OF affairs in South Carolina was intrust.
ed to him. Though the force ut his COM
mend was small, warm hopes were entertain
ed that the lethargy which had long prevailed
in this department would be at once dispeled
A few days ago the details of reconnaissance
to Pccotaligo, which was at best but par
tial success, reached US. General Mitchell
was not present and whether his directions
were implicitly followed we arc not informed
Next we are told that both he and his two
sons, who had positions on his staff, were
dangerously i'll Of the malarious fever of the
country, disease Of the same type of yellow
fever. Our dispatches TO- might state posi-
tlvely that General Mitchell had died of vel
low fever. We do not propose to indulge in
useless regrets, but it is impossible to con-
eeal our sorrow at the sudden removal Of a
man, who, to the gallantry of true soldier
and the scientific knowledge of the accom-
plished officer, added the comprehensive at
tainments Of the philosopher, and the hunil-
ity of the Christian. America will enroll in
the record of hel patriots, few more deserving
names than that Of Major General Mitchell.