Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-10-04
MAJ. GEN. ROBERT E. RODES.

hAhjs tEbi -N-'pI< ~ L S- 2'St
Gen. FraIc;s II. Saith, Superintendent d
the Va. Mui,arj -s;itn.o, w1;'aa III, f5'b#iag
tribute to Msj G,l. ies, who was cadet
under his tli.iou between ls45 cid l8io
The fall of tx gallant yaurg cfi ,pr, in The
san ouira-y battl, Of Winchester, Sept l9 b,
1854, will bs felt throughout oGr Whale Con-
isderscy as national bereavement. Young
earncs.--, Observation-Disclosures the
loss 70 tho Army If Virginia OF su 81 an a,:ori
plieLat cii1er all 10 k,rnl7 fois.
MaDr-G snsrul r .i"s E;,s tbs second s1a Of
thu larc & G,narai nlyd Eodes, of L7Gchhu.s.
Va. IIo Cntarci ID, Virginia Military Insli
tute, e. cadet in ,Tl!=. ls45, .nd rr@dnsai
with grsst Distinction Ju:y 4:!., 1913. liz
| eminent QuaEaSst;saa ~ 8 scholar std s5l-
| der, led to BIZ ;mntdiato appointment rs
| Assistant Professor ia the iastituta, and ka
disohsfged the duties of this cHics with ths
highest credit until Jaly, 1851, whtn he TO-
signed this position to enter the probes Ion oi
Civil Engineering,
Ia this new ii..ii Il: -1on ro=c l. iietin.tioh
and having Re -A7iSss 70
po red the Odisf L z nee, ni tlr, utea. Ncr:a
eastern and Suu:hwastcrn .Ra,lroai, connoc;-
| Jog Nav Orleans with Ta5oaloos. and he vas
actively engaged iu this i7.portan; waik wh;r
Le entered tls army.
When tbs State Gr J:fuia:aaa was ;.L6ut to
| organize the Military Ata !amy, at Alexandria
| the name Of Gon. Roles was presented to the
Board Of Visitors, without lis knowledge. for
tie position ct super;nt Of that iIstiu'
ton. The uncertainty If his acceptance ol
| chs sppointn. u: and other consider atoms led
| n tho .lanffoo f,f ihn MAJ Ha0
WIN. Z. Sherman.
10 1859 the board oI Viiitors Of the Vir-
ginia Military Institute, in the organ 2 .t!or
Of the school Of Applied Science, divided the
chair of Natural Philosophy, hsld by tho late
and lenented Gsn. "S&.obew,l" jackson, s"si
formed al.i.it oi Ant&rI Mechanics. In
looking arouLd an'4b : tia IistiErnished .!um.
| nj Of The Institution .or-6 fuieble person to
fill this important clair, as tho colleague oi
Jackson, tyo GaiueS eS-'ih=smatos--TeTs suE
gestei 10 tho B3Rrd o! F,e:tnTs, as possessing
peculiar arsi,:i.atiGn7 iar thg Office These
olassmAse. wofa iii. Gen. r :bs1t Z. Rodes,
and Colonel Alfred L. R'pes, ChioT Engineer,
G. 8. a, son Of Il,n. Wn,. &. Ri7cs.
1t is singular i"ot, ara Illustrative 6f tho
character Of thsss twu distinguished young
Ufhcars, that TIE c,a'm5 VI cash wc!6 present
cd By tac other. in lotters written at tbs same
time, from different parts Of tn, c3untry.-
Both were worthy Of tao high position, but
Col. Ri7es having pC.emptorijy withdrawn
his nome, 0sneral Roles Was unanimously
elected Professor Of Applied Mechanics in
the Virginiu Military llstiture 30 that al the
time Of bis death hs Was Professor elect OF
that important department.
In the Spring Of ls6l. Ga. Eodes prompt
ly Joined the standard of biz adopted S!a'e -.
Alabama-ard rainsd company uf infantry,
of whioh be was elected Captain. This cGm.
pary was incorporated in the 5th Alabsna
regiment, ard, on tho organ2 .tion OF the
regiment, Captain Radss was chosen its
Colonel he came tn Virginia in command
of his regiment, in Mag, 1861, and bis career
as ,ldier has beeu marked by tho heroiSn
aud conspicuous gallantry. which hare inl-
mortalized tho name Of bis Blsnie spd Di-
vision, in tho Army ot N@rslern Virginia.
Promoted to tue rank Of Brigaiier General
at Manassas, his Brigade shared in all the
hardships.a and glory Of tho f:=t campaign Gi
Virginia. At the batIa Of Seven P,ues, hs
led the shargs upIn lbe entrencLed position Of
the enemy, driving them from it with fearful
loss to tis Brigade-hs hin sell receiving u
severe wound
IL the estimation Of h!G friends, ho WOO, CT
this bloody lid, promotion to higher grade,
| but this honor wss delayed to make his r!oriI
rnore consricutus. At the battle of Obancel
lorsviils. ns soGior B.igadier, he commanded
D. Fl. Hills division, and it Was his gallar
charge, with his clarion shout, " Forward
men-orer friend or foe," TINT broke the ene'
| ny's l!nc-snd upon the recommendation u!
his great commander, jackson, caua.d his I'M
mediate promotion to the rank of Msjor Cane
| rel
Asa Division General, Maj. Gen. R ,les hal
no superior in the G7my Ct Northern Virg nia
and the partialit7 ofhia friends, (supdei uraI
his distinguished claims. singled him out iul
higher military position. In tho primo naG
vigor of early manhood, instinotiveiy, and b
educu ion soldi r, a bright Career Oi useful
II ,ss and distinction was before hin, Bat, / i:
work ia done Ue is fallen into ths soldier
grsve-in tha bosom O. bis own Virginia. -
Jackson and R des, associate Professors in tht
same Institution, associate officers in the same
army, each frds resting pla,e Ga the banks
of our noble James, and Lexington and Lynch
| burg will hencef0rth be the Meccas of tho pat
riot srl her, in his pilgrimage OF honor 10 tic
| siecr:n5 ierCcs Of cur revolution.