The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1864-07-20
T Concluded.l

NJ Monument at w est IOlnt, on " euuesudy )
June 10Th, 1864:
Concluded.
THE DEAD OF THE REGULAR ARMY.
Why are we here today This is not
the funeral of one brave warrior, nor even
of the harvest of death on single battle
field but these are the obsequies of the
best and bravest children of the land,
who have fallen in actions almost num-
berless, many of them the most sanguin-
ary of which history bears record. The
men whose names and deeds we now seek
to perpetuate, to render them the highest
honor in our power, have fallen wherever
far distant New Mexico, in the broad val
ley of the Mississippi, on the bloody hunt
ing grounds of Kentucky, in the noun
tains of Tennessee, amid the swamps of
Carolina, and on the fertile fields of Mary
land, and in the blood stained thickets of
Virginia They were of all grades, from
the general to the private; of all ages,
from the gray-haired veteran of fifty
years service TO the beardless youth, and
of all degrees of cultivation, from the
man Of science to the uneducatea boy.
1t is not necessary, nor is it possible, to
repeat the mournful yet illustrious roll of
dead heroes we have met to honor, nor
must | name all those who most merit
praise; simply few Who will exemplify
the classes to which they belong.
Among the last of the slain, and among
the first in honor and reputation, was
that hero of twenty battles, John Sed dg-
wick. Gentle and kind as woman; brave
as brave man can be; honest, sincere
and able; model that all may strive to
initiate, but whom few can equal In the
terrible battle which just preceded his
death he had occasion to display the high
est qualities of soldier and commander.
After escaping the stroke OF death when
men fell around him by thousands, he at
last met his fate at a moment of compare
tive quiet by the bali of single rifeman
He died as soldier would choose to die,
with truth at his heart, and sweet, tran
quill smile upon his lips. Alas our great
nation possesses few sons like true John
Sedgwick.
Like him fell, too, at the very head of
their corps, the white haired Mansfield,
after career of usefulness, illustrated by
his skill and cool courage at Fort Brown.
Monterey and Buena Vista; John +.
Reynolds and Reno, both in the full
vigor of manhood and intellect, men who
had proved their ability and ch'valry'in
many u field in Mexico and in this civil
war, gallant gentlemen, of whom their
country had much to hope, had it pleased
God to spare their lives. Lyon fell in the
prime of life, leading his little army
against superior numbers, his brief career
affording brilliant example of patriotism
and ability. The impetuous Kearney,
and such brave Generals as Richardson,
Williams, Terrill, Stevens, Weed, Sauu
ders and Hayes lost their lives while in
the midst of career of usefulness.
Young Bayard so like the most renowned
of his name, that "knight above fear and
above reproach," was cut off too early for
his country No regiments can spare such
gallant. devoted and able commanders as
Russell, Davis, Cove, Simmens, Bailey,
Putnam, and Kingsbury-aH of whom
fell in the thickest of the contest, some
of them veterans, others young In SER
viee-all good men and well beloved.
Our batteries have partially paid their ter
rible de BIT to fate in the loss of such com
manders as Greble (the first to fall in the
wary Benson. Haggard, Swead, DIR. Hart,
Hazlett, and those gallant boys, Kirby,
Woodruff, Dimick, and Cushingi while the
engineers lament the promising and gal
liant Wagner and Gross. Beneath remote
battle fields rest the corpses OF the heroic
MoRae, Bascom. Stone, Sweet, and mcny
other company officers. Besides these
there are hosts of veteran sergeants, cor
porals and priyates who had fought under
Scott in Mexico, or contested with the
savages of the far West and Florida; aud
mingled with them young soldiers who
coura geous, steady. and true, met death
upfinchingly without the hope OF per-
sonal glory These men, in their more
hum bic spheres, served their country with
as much faith and honor as the epst illus
trious Generals, and all of them with
perfect singleness of heart. Although
their names may not live in the page oI
history, their actions, loyalty. and cour
age will Their memories will long be
preserved in their regiments, for there
were many of them who merited as proue
a distinction as that accorded to 1.-THE frs
grenadier of France" or to that othel
Russian soldier who gave his life for hi
comrades. But there is another class o
men who have gone from us since thi
war commenced. whose fate it was not tt
die in battle, but who are none the les
entitled to be mentioned here. There wa
Sumner, brave, honest, chivalrous vet
eran, of more than half century's ser
vice, who had confronted death unfinch
ingly on scores of battle fields, had showl
T his gray head, serene and cheerful, wher
death most reveled; who more than one
told me that he believed and hoped tina
his long career would end amid the dil
of battle. He died at home from effect
of the bardships of the leadership of hi
campaigns. That most excellent soldier
the elegant G.. f. Smith, whom many o
us remember to have seen SO often on thi
very plain, with his superb bearing, escap
ed the bullet to falla victim to the diseas
which has deprived the army of SO man.
of lts best soldiers John Buford, COO