, 1864-07-28
The Late Major General James Birds.
Avp m t1heFMnn.

| eye M1cksheebon.- -
Tue Cincinnati Commercial SO admirably
sums up Gen. McPhc1son's life and char4e.
ter that We transfer 1t 10 our columns entire;
I General McPhersen WIS born tn Sandu .ky.
| Ohio, November II, 1923, and was, therefor.
at the time Of his death. In the thirty.six,- :.
Year Of his aye. 1p June, 1910, he entered
the United ststr= Military Acadeuy a. West
Point e. cadet, and craep*tet w!th hlg..
! graduating he,was appointed Instructor In
| ths: sctence Of rractlcal military eng1neerlor,
| il which position be continued until Septeu-
ber, 1h14, urd from that time until Dscem-
her, 1856, he was employed as assistant cn.i-
| neer on the defenees Of New York harh0r.
n Dteember,. 1854. he was commissioner
| Second LieutenaGt Of engineers; From Jau-
ualy t. Jul., 1867, le was engagrd tu supcr-
| irteidi' Z TIE construction Of Euit Delaware.
on the Delaware river. and received the birh-
eet commct'1at.on icr tie efficient manner In
WITCH be discharged Ills ardCous dui;es,
From December, 1867, t. August, 1881; he
WAS in cha rye of the construction of fortin-
Cal'1oi nfa, and surveys on the Pacific coast.
Drrirg this pcrfod-iu December, 1S53-hc
Mas. promoted to First Lieutenant Of ensi.
rcers, and after finishing bis work on tue
Pacific coast he Was again promotcd-in An
gust, 1SGU. As Captaiu Of engineers lu was
ntteor, and remained ut that post frum Au-
gust to November, 1851.
In November, 1851, when General Hal1sck
assumed command Of the Western Depart
n4cnt, be WIS appointed Aid-decamp, with
the rank OF Lieutenant Colonel General
Halleck assigned lin to engineer duty, aud
Kept him engaged on important works in
assigned Us Chief Engineer, to accompany
General Grant in The expeditions to Forts
Henry and D:nelson. &c remained with
General Gr:nt until after the battle Of Shiloh,
when be Was promoted to the rank OF Colo
mel and CnIsf Engineer, OIL General Hal
cations erected during the siege Of Corinth.
On the 10th Of May, 1862, he was conmis-
stoned Dr1gadier General OF Volunteers, and
appointed By Gen. Halleck Superintendent
Of the military Railroads Of lis department.
He was relieved Of tlis duty III August. 1862.
AT the batt1s Of Iuka he Gcled ID Chief OF
Staff to Gen. Grant On the 1th OF October,
16G2, he was assigned the command Of dl.
VISION OF trooPR, md sent In pursuit Of tho
feoe1s On tLetr retreat from Curinth. On the
6th of October, 1859, he was promoted to
major Generalcy, and assigned to the CON-
mand OF ol The troops then at Bolivar Teu.
nc6ee.
His history since his assumption of the
command Of troops il the field,
e familiar to every nen: paper reader.
The 18th Corps, Of which he Was In cont
nand during the siege OF Vicksburg, took 4
more active part than any other In that
memorable campaign. At the close Of the
Mcpherson to the authorities at Washington
for promotion, and be- was accordingly made
Br!gauier General in the regular army,
The personal appearance OF Gen McPhcr-
soE WIS that Of hlsh-toued gautIem N and
scholar, and the more intimate the acquaint-
these first Impressions retained. In few
military men OF our armies were the quali-
ties Of d true gentleman SO happily blended
With those Of real soldier. Justly regarded
as one of the most ekillfnl officers In the
Wsttern army, he WIS noted Tor q total ab
sehce OF that roughuess and unconthness Of
manner, almost amounting to .boorishnees,
Which some officers seem to regard us d sins
qua non to tic makeup Of good command ]
er. No subordinate, whatever his rank or |
s etatlon, whether private soldier, or BrlgaAier |
GeberaI, ever received from him un unkind |
o. IN nnciral word. lie was as courteous to
ll'6 body-scEvant as he was respectful to his |
euperiors In rank and position.
=, INC writer recoliects on one OCCASION an |
officer said to him, g. Why dou't you swear at |
The damned rascals:' abiding to some men
Who had been guilty Of derenction OF duty.
1he General replied, II laye no more right
TO 81 ear at them than at you. How would
on like me to damn you a little now and
then :" 1t was fayorite expression Of his |
Lat politenefs Was coin that passed cur
reht every where, and was never at dis
count.
His cournge was Of kind most valuable to
N army and to himself Us commander.
ac was etoicaf but never impctuous-calm.
cool and eelf-poss sessed, no matter whit the
1anger that might surround him. He never
lost bis presence OF mind for single MO.
nert, even In the most desperate situation,
Dr. during the progress Of the most hokly.con.
tested engagement His enthusiasm never
OF the betttr Of bis Judgment, and be could
.iTc as good counsel and advice during the
progress Of u bayonet charge, led b. himself.
Is II lie Were enjoying social te:e TIE far
removed from the scene Of hostile opera-
[ious.
ue wou!d fern his line OF bett1e under the
EenS.est fire of the enemy, with as much H.
Inference to rebel cannon and sh4rpshoot
rs as it lie were arranging holiday dress
3a'ndc. We think we utter tho yfrdjct of all
SAo ipew General McPhcrsou, when VIC say
lc vas h model soldier and model gentle
nan-a soldier whom the Republic can III
ltlora to loee and a gentleman whose loss
'cclcty will deeply feet
The General 1ns an unmarried man. He |
las OF visited home or friends since the ont
freak OF the war; hlving often expressed his
determination to neither ask tor, nor accept
urlough while the rebellion listed General
srant rendered him leave Of absence after
lle Termination Of the seise OF Vicksbnrs
Hst summer but he would not ACCEPT 1t,
Gel eral McphrEson's mother Ii now living
It Fremont, near Toledo, In this State.