The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-09-19

A Tribute to Gen. Kearney.
The telegraph has announced the de

of General PHIL. KEARNEY il one of the
late battles before Washington. His ac-
tions have made him national property, and
all will desire to know who and what he
was.
He was of Irish descent, but regular
Jersey Blue, his great great grandfather
having settled in ZIG in Monmouth county,
New Jersey. Since that time, century
and half, the family have constantly own
ed residences in the State of New Jersey.
From bis earliest youth his sole thought
was military matters, and he surrounded
himself with every thing which could keep
his thoughts alive to the progress of
the science of war, although the arm of bis
prediction was light cavalry. In obedi-
ence to the wishes of his grandfather, Hon.
John Watts, founder of the Leake and
Watts Orphan-house in the city of New
York, he studied law, but as soon as he
was free be joined as Second Lieutenant, in
1887, the United States First Dragons,
commanded by his uncle, Stephen Watts
Kearney, the conqueror of New Mexico
and California, who died a Brevet Major
General, in l848, at Vera Cruz. During
his youth the present General Kearoy was
noted for the dexterity and boldness of his
craftsmanship, feature which characteriz,
ed the one>armed Jersey in all the
recent battles. The writer has heard per-
sons speak of the alarm which his desperate
riding Occasi0ned to the family while he
was yet a small boy. Sent out to Europe
to study and report upon the French cav.
airy tactics, he passed over into Africa,
joined the First Chasseurs d'Afrique as
volunteer, and participated in the campaign
under Marshal Vailee, which first swept
the Arabs from the plain of Metidjha and
forced the passage of the "Fates of Iron" into
the recesses of the Atlas, hitherto inaccessi-
BILE to French armies. This was between
1888 and l84l.
On his return he wrote mot interest
ing account OF the severe and glorious SER
vice he had seen, which was only published,
however, for private circulation. Co onel,
afterward Lieutenant General lie Pays de
Bourjolly, Senator OF France, and in 1851
proposed, or, for short period, actual Min
lister of War, himself dashng cavalry off.
Ger, who commanded the corps to which
young Kearny was attached, as we'll as Of b.
er officers who served with him in Africa,
always spoke in terms of the highest admi-
ration of Kearney's noble and generous
qualities, both as a man and as a soldier
so much so that when General Bourjoly
heard of bis conduct in Mexico he seemed
to feel as much pleasure as if one of his own
French Pupils had done honor to the ex-
amples of African strategy and dash. On
one occasion he read aloud to a company OF
officers an account of Kearney's gallant
charge in Mexico, in which he lost bis arm,
with an enthusiasm which showed how
warmly be must have felt for the success of
one who had first seen fire under him
One day an American, said to bear a
close resemblance to the General, was
standing on the ramparts of the Enperor's
Fort, which crowns the triangular climbing
ramparts of Algiers, and overiooks the
plain of Metidjha, on which Gen. Kearney
first displayed his gallantry as cavalry
officer, when an old soldier approached and
saluted him. 1" Is Monsieur an Ameri.
can ?" be asked Yes" Il thought so !;
you resemble one with whom l once served
in the Chasseurs d'Afrique. He was gal
liant man indeed l have often seen him
charging the Arabs-no mean antagonists
his teeth, his sabre in one hand and his
pistol in the other" This statement was
afterward corroborated by Lieutenant of
the same regiment, who was Sergeant in
it at the time Kearny won his spurs. Dur
ing a protracted passage from Algeria to
Marseilles, the French officer often required
to the galantry of the American volunteer.
In the Mexican campaign, Kearny did
glorious service at the head of company
of dragons, whose demeanor, equipments,
and even horses, won general admiration.
To horse this company according to his
ideas, General then Captain Kearny co.'s
tributed large sum from bis private for
tune, which the Government never repaid.
This corps looked magnificent as it formed
the escort of General Scott when he made
his triumphant entrance into Vera Cruz.
From the coast to the capital, Kearny
showed the enemy what an American cav
airy officer shout he, and he was brevetted
MAJOR for gallant and meritorious conduct
in the battles of Contreras and Cburubusco
and in his brilliant charge upon the defence
of the San Antonio gate of the Aztec Capt.
tai he lest his lett arm. His praises tor
this bravery were not sounded By his cOun-
trymen alone for the Mexican narrative OF
the war bears equal testimony to bravery
which the Mexican officers knew how to APP
preciate, but not to initiate
After the Mexican war, Major Kearpy
was sent out to California and commanded
an expedition against the Indians OF the
Columbia River. In this trying, laborious
and dangerous duty, Kearny displayed a
tact, GOODNESS, courage and constancy which
won him the epcomlums of the best military
judges. Returning victorious, he resigned
his commission and devoted several years to
expensive journeys and voyage around the
world.
In the campaign of Solferlno, General
Kearny was attached to the staff OF General
Morris, very distinguished officer, who
acquired great credit at Isly, under Bugeaud,
who commanded the cavalry of the Imperial
Guard in the last tremendous struggle of
bloody war. For bis soldiership in that
campaign, the Emperor N poleon deco
rated him with the cross of the Legion of
Honor. .. -..... ...-