Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1862-09-24
O B / I L A II \ d.
General Jesse l.. Reno.

AS an offset TO the glorious victory
achieved by Il portion of our army over
/ the rebels in their strong position on the
heights commanding the Ha@erstown road,
on Sunday last, the telegraph brings US
the meager but sad announcement of the
death of Jesse l. Reno, Major General
OF Volunteers, Captain OF the Ordnance
Department, and one of the most gallant
and able officers of the United States
Army.
The record Of Gen. Reno's military
life, although extending over the brief
period of sixteen ycars-brief in compare
son to the records of such men as Gems
Scott, Wool and Sumner-is both brilliant
and honorable. and his loss cannot fail to
be severely felt, not only by the brave
troops under his command, but by those
companions of his academic career. with
whom he fought and bled in the sangl,i-
nary contests OF Cerro Gorlo and Cha
pultcpec.
Jesse L, Reno was born in Virginia
about the year 1926, and was consequent
ly in the very prime of lile, when his
name was added to the already too lonr
list Of victims of this disastrous rebellion.
He entered the West Point Military
Academy in 1912, and after four wears
patient and most successful study. gradu-
atcd the eighth in his class-Capt. Chas.
=. Stewart, OF the Corps of Engineers.
being the first, Major General George B.
Mcclellan the second, and Bricadier-
Generals J. G.. Blunt and J. G. Foster
the third and fourth. The following Gene
rails We're also classmates Of Gen. Reno
Innis y. Palmer, George StoncInan. Geo.
III. Gordon, Truman Seymour. D. y
Couch, and > ID. Sturgis. The rcdoubta-
bic rebel Stonewall Jackson, was also Il
fellow cadet with these. On the | st of
July, 1916, General Reno was appointed
BTcvct Second Lieutenant in The Ordnance
Department, being the only cadet Of his
year appointed to that department. His
appointment Is credited TO PENNSYLVANIA.
On the Sd of March, 1917, he received
his commission as fun Second Lieutenant
In the meantime, however, war had
been declared between the nitcd States
and Mexico, and Lieut. Reno WAS in the
field. where ne was soon distinguished as
the PosSessor of soldierly qualities of "a
very high order. AT the battle of Ccrro
Gordo, April 18th, 1917, his conduct
was such as TO merit special distinction.
and he was accordingly brevetted First
Lieutenant for gallant and mcritoriou~
conduct. At the stormingof Chapulicpcc.
he commanded howitzpr battery and
rendered effective service: while at the
battle of Chapultcpcc. September l3Ih,
1917, repetition OF the gallant and mcri-
torious conduct for which hc had b-pn
honOrCd at CeTrO GOrdo was still further
rewarded by the brevet rank of Captain
In this engagement he was severely
wounded, and had to retire for a while
from active service. After his health and
strength were sufficiently recruited, he
was assigned TO duty Mt the West Point
Military Academy, where he remained
from january TO July. 1910. acting as
Assistant Professor OF Mathematics. Alter
this he returned to the Ordnance Depart
ment and remained there performing the
customary duties connected with this inn
portant Department until April, 1851.
from which date until July. 1854, he as
sisted in the United States Coast Survey.
when he left that field of duty TO build e.
military road from the Big Sandy River
10 St. Paul From 1854 TO 1857 he was
stationed at the Frankfort (IIy.) Arsenal
as Second Ordnance Officer, and after
ward was Chief Ordnance Officer of the
/ Utah Expedition, when he had the COM
mand of battery. Returning in 1859.
he was sent to the Montgomery (Ala.)
Arsenal, and subsequently. by jeff. Davis,
to LeavenwOTth.
Such was the slowness of promotions in
the Ordnance Department in time of peace,
that although Brevet Captain in 1917,
Gen Reno did not get his commission as
/ full First Lieutenant until March, 1853.
/ and it was not until seven years after
this, viz: in July, 1860, that he received
the full rank of Captain of Ordnance, a
rank which he had already held by brevet
/ for over fourteen years.
( In the fall of 1860 he was recalled TO
/ Washington and commissioned a Briga-
/ dier-General of volunteers, and ordered
to report to General Burnside, who was
at Annapolis, fitting out his North Caro-
lima expedition. He served with distinc-
ton AT Roanoak Island, Newbern, Beau
fort. and other places, and was commits
stoned Major General of volunteers, his
rank in the regular service being Captain.
About the 1st OF August last, with Gen.
: Burnsidc's Army Corps, he hastencd to