New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-04-10


Tssniniscesees eF scnjss-Gsn. sumnsr.
From Our Special Correspondent
wnDrnsIox. Mn rch q, 1888.
Ten dsys ago Gen. samnsr was here. apparently
in vigorous health. Yesterday, intsgs ,nce Of bis
death sent through ths capital thrill Of urprise and
regret Surprise that one who had brave the hard
ships Of campaigning and ths psrila Of battle for
more than 40 years, until he seemed TO bear q
charmed life, should be cut OF abruptly Iy disease.
Regret at the loss OF one % loved and hon orod.
Majos-Gen. Sumner was eligible for be retired
lis, having belonged 10 the army Oft he United
eatee for 4S years. but be never one 10 eat the
bread Of idIeDess He entsrcd tho sol vice from
civil life, and was free from West Point traditions
and narrowness. Senator Bon. Wade nee s1ked
him, " General, how long were you .. Wta
Pointf' al was never there in my LIE, Sir" re
Piled Samner. The bluff 0hioan spraa q up end
shook him fervidly by the hand, exclaiming.
Thank God for ore General efths regu lar Amy,
who was never ss West Poin.r
During the carly Ksnsas troubles, Col. Sumner
was stationed 10 the Territory with his regiment Of
dragons. Utterly INSCRIPTIONS 90 the hduinie.ra-
tons Of Pierce and buchanan were in their er2ns
TO force Slavery upon Kansss-eubittsrsd az the
sour ruilans, their feelings toward Sumper we're al
ways kindly Ind grateful. They knew be wss o
Just man. who would not Willingly harrsss OF op-
press them, and that he Eymppthized with thea IN
their fiery trial. No State will mourn him moro
deeply thar young kan.as--wortby Of the precious
blood which baptized ber--who, In this greater
Struggle, bears away the palm from al her stsers
who has already contributed 70 the war 1000 more
men than the Governments ever asked Of her, and
who toleratss no treason ct home.
When the history Of this war il faithfully written,
Summers name will be one Of the brightess in that
noble army which has illustrated the discipline AMI
valor Of Northern troops on 30 many bloody fields,
but which, through leader iufrm Of purpose, never
vs, gathered the rips fruits Of victory. At Fair
Oaks aud Malvern Hill be decided the fate Of lhe
day; and through the whole Peninsulsr campaign
he WIS in the hottest, deadlies. Of the fighting.
He had the true sOdisrly temperament. Not only
was bis whole heart in The war, but II II Ia possible
for any man TO love fighting, TO feel wha! the
ancents called "the rapture Of the STRIFE" Sumner
Was that man. He spufIed the battle eisr off, He
went into 1t with boyish enthusiasm. Our Gone
rails usually expose themselves not too little but too
much. II they participated less Ia the peril, they
might often economic the lives Of their men more
and vet achieve the same results But IN this
sodisrly imprudenes Sumner eclPSed them ell
The chronic wonder of his friends WA that no ever
came out of battle slive; but at las. they began 10
believe. with him, that he was invincible. Flo
would get bullets in bis hat, his ccat, hl boots, bis
saddle, his borse, sometimes have bis perpon
scratched, but always escaped without serious
ipiury. His soldiers used 10 tel, with great relish,
the story that In the Mexican war bullet which
truck bm square in the forehead fell Ahttened 70 tho
ground without breaking tho skin, Is tho hunters
ball Qlauces from ths forehead " the buffalo. 1t
wss this anecdots which won for him the sonbrqust
of " Old Bull Summer" i think he desired, when
bis time should come TO fall in battle; but 1t lus-
trates the fortunes Of war that the officer who for
forty years had thus coursd death sbesd at last die
peacefully In his bed, surrounded by biz family.
Affair Oaks, when Ills troops were staggering
under pltiless storm Of bullets, Summer came gal
Looping slons up and down the advance hns, more
exposed than any private In the ranks "What
regiment ths1" he asked. "Ths 18th Massa-
cnusetu'' replied hundred voices. ~, too, am
from Massachusst.si three cheers for our old Bay
Stssei" And, swinging hi, hat the General led OF.
and every sooier joined in three thundsrng cheers
The enemy looked on In wonder q. tho strange cpl.
sods bat was driven back BY the aeres charge whab
followed
This was no unusual scene; II WA ths yav su,o,
ner fought his battles S.Aa officers viii tell Won
by the hour, how when the guns began 70 pound.
| III. mild ava vonld LIGHT mn With dsahaa AZ 0..