Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1864-07-28

Oo00O9oOOs
Oeuerel Mcpheseoo voe born 10 Saadqs.
-, Obio, Nssenbsf llsb, 1893, and ~
eSerefors st the ss@e II bis death IN tse
thirty sisth yess o. bic see. In jane, lS49,
be entered The Cnited States Military
Aesde0y st West Point, - . cadet, end
graduated With high bonors in june. 1853.
Immediately alter graduating be wss ~.
pointed instructor 10 the science VI prscs !.
eel military engineering, 10 which poe .tiou
be continued until September, ls.y4. and
from that time until December. 1856. he
Was employed - assistant ep,xieeer on tho
defcoses a New York nsrt, or. 10 Decen
Der. 1854, be wss c0,.omissiooed second
lieusensus Of eneinse..s. From January 70
July, 1857, be W.. engaged in superintend.
Ing the constr Iction Of Fort Delaware, on
Delaware FLYER, and received the highest
comment. alton for the efficient manner in
.hicb be discharged bis srduous dstiss.-
Firm December, 1857, to August, 1861, be
/ was 10 charge Of the construction Of fortid-
cations ct Alcatrsx Island, San Francisco
Bay, California, and surveys On tho Pscifc
coast. During this period-in December,
lS58-be wss pr. noted 10 fret lieutenant
Of engineers, and alter finishing bic work on
the Pacific coast he Vas again promoted
in August, 1860. As Captain Of engineers
he vas plsced in charge Of the deienses Of
Boston HArbor, and remained 1t that posi-
from August to November OF 1851.
In November, 1861, VIXEN Gen. Iialltck
assumed command OF the Western Depart
ment, he Was appointed Abide Camp, With
the rank Of Lit. Col. Gen. Hslleck assigned
him to engineer duty, and kept him en-.
eseed on important works 10 Missouri until
February, 1862, when he Was ssAi ,ned q
Chief Engineer to accompany Gen. Grant
10 the expeditions to Forts Henry and
Donelson. lie remained with Gen. Grant
untii after the battle of Shiloh, when be
vas promoted to the rank OF Colonel and
| Chief Engineer on Gen. Hslleck's staff. lie
bad charge Of ell the Notifications erected
during the siege OF Oorinth. On the 18th
Of May, 1862, he was commissioned Brig.
Gen. Of Volunteers, and appointed By Gen.
iiallcck Superintendent Of the Military
Railroads OF his department. He WAS re
ieved OF this duty In August, 1862. At the
battle of Iuks he acted as Chief Of Staff to
Gen. Grant. On the 4th of October, 1862
he was assigned to the command OF . divIs-
ion Of troops and sent in pursuit Of the rel !.
els on their retreat from Ctrinth. On The
9th Of October, 1862, he was promoted to q
Major Generally, and assigned to the CON.
mand OF the troops then 1t Bolivar, Tenn.
His history since his assumption VI the
command Of troops 10 the field, 10 fsmi iAr to
very newspaper reader. The l7tn Corps
Of which be Was in command during The
siege Of Vicksburg, took . more active part
than any other in that memorial 9 cam
paisn. At the close Of the siege General
| Grant recommended Gen. McPher.on t.
tho authorities At Washington for promo
ton, and be Was accor 1'pgly made Briga.
der General in the regular army.
| The personal appearance OF Gen. McPher
.cn vas that Of b Ugh toned gentleman and
-cboar, and the more int,ma.c the sc
Yusintsnce With him, the more thoroughly
~ere these first impressions confirmed. Ii
lev military men 1t our army were the
qualities Of . true gentleman 80 happily
| Tended with those II . real soldier. just.
| y regarded IS one Of the most skiiiiul Off
ers N the Western army, he Was not,
or . total absence Of that roughness and
uncouthnees Of manner, almost auuuntins
to boorishncss, which some oficers seem t.
regard % . sine qua non to the makeup u
good commander. NJ subordinate, what
ever bis rank or station, whether private
soldier or Brgadier General, ever received
from him IN unkind answer or an uncivi
word. He Was as courteous to his body
servant Is be was respectful to his superi
ors in rank and position. The writer re.
COLLECTS on one occ. sio :, an officer said &c
him, "Why don't you swear At the damned
rsscals q alludiog to some men who had
been guilty Of derelic,ion Of duty. The
Geoor.l repiied, h.vo moro right e
swear 1t them than at you. How would
you like me to damn you . little now and
then 2" 1t WAS . favorite expression OF biz
that politeness was coin that pass cd cur
rent every here, and WAS never At . dis
| c. unt-Cincinaaii Commercial.