The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-06-24
lection IF what thew did at Manassas. Gaines

Mills, Malvern, A0LlcCdul, OuuOA, otOuo river,
Gettysburg and the great battles just fought
from the Rapidan to the ChickahOminy. They
can point also to the officers who have risen
from among them and achieved great deeds for
their country in this war, to the living warriors
whose names are upon the nations tongue and
heart, too numerous to be repeated here, yet
not one of whom would willingly omit. But
perhaps the prOudest episode in the history OF
the regular army is that touching instance OF
fidelity on. the part of the non-commi, sion d
officers and privates, who, traitOrOusly made
prisoners In Texas. resisted every temptation
to violate THAR oath and desert their flag.
Offered commissions in the rebel sc, vice.
money and land freely rendered them, they all
scOrned the inducements held out to them,
submitted to their hardshps and, when at last
exchanged avenged themselves on the field Of
battle for the unavailing insult offered their
integrity. History affords no brighter exam.
pie of honor than that of these brave men,
tempted, as I blush to say they were. by some
of their former officers who, having them
selves proved false to their fig. endeavo ed
to seduce the men who had often followed
them in combat. and who had regarded them
with respect and love.
Such is the regular army; such it's history
and antecedents; such its officers and its men
1t needs no herald to trumpet forth it's praises.
1t can proudly appeal to the numerous feds
from the tropics to the frozen banks of the
st. Lawrence from the Atlantic u the Pacific.
fertilized by the blood, and whitened by the
bodies, of its members. But will not pause
to eulogize it let its deeds speak for it; they
are more eloquent than tongue of mine.
THE DEAD OF THE REGULAR ARMY
Why are We here to day? This is not the
funeral OF one brave warrior, no: 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 numberless, many of them the most
sanguinary 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 armed re.
belliOn showed its front, in the far distant Mex
leo, in the broad valley of the Mississippi, or
on the bloody hunting grounds of Kentucky,
in the mountains of Tennessee, amid the
swamps of Carolina, and on the blood-stained
from the general to the private; OF all ages
from the gray-headed veteran of fifty years
service to the beardless youth; and OF all de.
grees of cultivation, from the man of science
to the nneducated boy. 1t is not necessary,
nor is it possible. to repeat the mournful yet
ilustriOus roll OF the dead heroes we have met
to honor, nor must name all tn ,se who most
merit praise; simply few who will exempli-
fy 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 Sedgwick. Gentle and
kind as woman; brave as a 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 highest
qualities of the soldier and commander. After
escaping the stroke of death when men fell
around him by thousands, he at last met his
fate at moment OF comparative quiet by the
ball of single rifleman He died a. Il soldier
would choose to die with truth in his heart
and sweet tranquil smile upon bis lips. Alas
our great nation possesses few sons like true
John Sedgwick.
Like him FELL too, at the very head of their
corps, the wine.haired Mansfield, after career
of usefulness, illustrated by his skill and cool
courage at Fort Brown. Monterey, and Bnena
Vista John F. Reynolds and Reno, both in
the full vigOr of manhood and intellect, men
who had proved their ability and chivalry in
many field in Mexico an 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 num-
bers, his brief career atfOrding brilliant ex-
ample of patriotism and ability. The impet-
uous Kearney. and such brave generals as
Richardson, Williams, Terrill Stevens, Weed.
Saunders and Hayes lost their lives while in
the midst of a 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 reg
iments can spare such gallant, devoted and
able commanders as Rossell, Davis. Cove, Sim
mons, Bailey, Putnam, and Kingsbury-all of
whom fell in the thickest of the contest some
of them veterans, others Young in service all
good men and well beloved. Our batteries
have partially paid their terrible debt to ia in
the loss of such commanders as Greble (the
first to fall in the wary; Benson, Haggird.
Swead, DR.. Hart, Hazlelt, and those gallant
Buys, Kirby, Woodruff. Dimick and Cushing !;
while the engineers lament the promising and
gallant Wagner and Gross. Beneath remote
battle.felds rest the cOrpses of the heroic Nc
Rae, BascOm. Stone, Sweet, and many other
company officers Besides these there are
hosts OF veteran sergeants, cOrpOrals and pri-
Yates 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, c, urageOus. steady and true,
met death unfiinchingly without the hope of
personal glory. These men, in their more
humble spheres, served their country with as
much faith and honor as the most iiluslrious
generals, and all of them with p rftct sigIeness
OF heart. Although their names may 10.
live in the page Of history, their actions
loyalty and courage will. Their memories vii!
long be preserved in their regiments, for there
WcIc lauy VI tueIu WHO Wcr- tea as proud q
distinction as til It accorded 10 the first gren-
adler Of France" or to that other Russian SOL
dier, who gave his life for hi, comrades.
But there Is another class OF men who have
gone from us since this war commenced, whose
fate it was not to die in battle, but who are
none the less entitled TO be mentioned here
There was Sumner, u brave, honest chival.
rOus veteran, OF III IRE than half centurv's SER
vice who had confronted death uutlinchingly
on scores Of hatlle-helds, had shown his gay
head, serene and cheerful, where death most
reveled, who more than once told me that he
believed and hoped that his long career would
end amid the din Of battle. He died at home
from effects OF The har iships Vt the leadership
OF his campaigns. That most excellent SOL
dier, the elegant G. F. Smith, whom many of
us remember to have seen 90 often On this very
plain, with his superb bearing, escaped the
bullet to fall q victim to the disease which las
deprived the army OF 50 many If its best sol
diers. John Buford, COOL and intrepid Mitch
ell, eminent in science; PalAer, anu many
other officers have lost thei: live, by sickness
contracted in the field. But / cannot close this
long list OF glorious marty.s Without paying
sacred debt OF official duty and personal friend.
ship. There is One dead soldier vino possessed
peculiar claims upon my love and Sralltude lie
was an ardent PARROT, an unse1oh man, u true
sOluier, the beau ideal Of a staff Otiicer--he was
my aid-de camp, Colonel C0lDurn. There is
lesson 10 be urawn from the death aud eer-
vices Ut these glorious menswhlch we should
read for the present aud future benefit of the
nation. a
Wor in these mOdarn davs ia n ecionoo oud