, 1864-05-05
COL. ALEXANDER, 2Ist aLLI.
NO1S.
Dlscoyery Of His kcmafns-An Estt-
u1nte OF His Character.

Correspondence OF the chicaso Ttbune.1
HEADQUARTERS 1s5TH Ill. Vol. Isr, ]
'''' @~'>'> April Il, isSL}
At Q O'Clock P. m. to-day, Col McCook,
commanding the Sd brigade, sent me word
by an orderly, that the remains Of Col. A'e1~
ander, :lst Illinois, killed Sept. 2oth, 1853,
had been found, and were then being taken !
up preparatory to removal to Paris, Illinois.
/ hastened to the spot, mile and half
from camp. The Colonel had fallen On the
right Of lie battle field, and On the left Of til.
road leading from here 10 Rossril1e. His
body had been stripped Of boots, pants aud
}1at, the buttons cut from his vest and blouse,
his pockets rided, and his shoulder straps
taken, and then Tudely covered with dirt,
lying upon the top Of tue ground. His body
was recognised by the surgeon Of the rcgt-
1ntnt. by the foot that nus wounded at Stone
River. He was killed by bullet passing
through the upper part Of the right breast
while tacfng the enemy, In front Of his regi-
ment, after it had begun ita retreat, reluc-
tautiy leaving the ground the last OF his COM
nnnd.
BE fell where be fought, his face to the
enemy, c1claimiug, "My God! stall never
rally my regiment again" Col. Alexander
was brave man, and died heroically and
glorionsly::. No ta,nt or tarnish mar the
turc Of his prsu1 s.lllt from the world. It
vas his happy lot to die yhere the soldier
most loves to die. He did bis work aud did
! It w:lL He possessed maEtial spirit. and
loved bis country.
| Mexico. He raise1 q company In Edgar
county, md YES commissioned Captain, May
! Stb, 1851, and promoted to Colonel ofthe 2tst
| Illinois, August ed, 1861, in place Of Gen.
| Grant, promoted to Brig. General
During the first part Of this war bis fegi-
| 1ncnt reaained in Missouri, and in the SUN
aud marched with 1t to Louisville, ln the
lat,lc of Stone River his regiment lost $50
men out Of eco which went into the fight.
] 1t stood alone for Two hours nginst tho nt-
tack Of whole rebel brigade, aud only fell
| back when its SUPPORTS upon the right gave
| way, anditlcn retired in good order. The
| Col. received a dangerous and most painful
wound In the foot, but wonid not leave his
regiment, and remained with 1t till the battle
closed. He went home, and by the greatest
professional skill his foot was saved, though
for some time 1t .was feared By his friends
that II would have to be cut of.
lie returned to Lis command in June, and
before he was able to wa1k with any degree
of-case. Had he remained With tho com
1pand he would hare been assigned to the
permanent command OF his brigade. His alb
scuce made 1t necessary to chauge the organi-
| cation, and Col. Heg Of the 18th Missouri,
also killed at Ciickamauga, became the brig
ade commander. Col. Alexander s regiment
lost heavily in that terrible battle. Thought
over the same ground seven times on Satur-
day; once In hand-to-hand fight for gun
or two Of an Indiana battery, which 1t saved,
md Mt night the regiment occupied Its origi-
nal line. ! have been on every part Of the
battle field, alone and with others, and 1t is
on the ground occupied BY Gen. Davis' diyi-
zion on Saturday, than that held By any
! other; and 1t is universally claimed that tue
ground would have been held on Sunday, but
| Tor Gen. Woods unfortunate move, and ad-
vanciug our right too far to the front and
though the battle Has lost, 1t detracts naught
from the g1org Of the honored dead.
Their mighty deeds Of valor will live IS
long as honor dwells Among men. or liberty
haiti votary. Col. Alexander was In the
1rne sense Of the term man He was idol
my in the world Capt. johnson Of his regi-
/ u. .cnt remarked while gathering up his oones:
, u would given hundred dollars to take
!. his body home, for 1 loved him."
Gen. Davis, not long since, in speaking o1
the Colonel, said to me: 'tHe was III my
command six months before 1 knew much
: Of him, for he was so modest he was hard to
/ become familiar with, but begun to find
b out that whenever his regiment was ordered
$ 10 DO anything it always did it well" ae
= / iHftNEF E4AtkA kAak A4A LIZ oAA AFAF'
. ed Chickamauga he would have bee1
, recommended for promotion. H'
! lad mcrited 1t no doubt Tong before, but hal
4 been pushed aslde by others less modest, i
9 not less metitorious. He possessed th
!; ability to perform well the duties Of any po
q sItion be might be called to ill. This Is tn
= true criterion by which to judge mankind
> that iB by deeds, md not by words.
E have seen the thing tested more frequent
l. It in the military service than else There
: those mcn and officers who deal in win,
and words arc sure to fail in the hour Of trial
ThoEe who never have anything to say al
ways ill the bill. Is not this true of al
grades OF rank? The people OF the State G
. Illinois kno. but little Of Col. Alcxandel
tecapse he shank from public gaze, and 70
# tbat reason write. They are interested il
and should know the history Of her bes
[c men, Of her proud and gallant sons, wh
= fought and fell for her honor, and their n:
i tfpn's honor. Q. F. H.