The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-01-09

tendance at the Second Presbyterian
Church, to hear a discourse by Rev. DR..
Fisher, on the life and character of Gen. Q.
NJ. Mitchell.
The preacher took for his text, the appr0L
pirate words: II have fought the good
fight, have finished the faith hencefOrth
there is laid up for me crown of life" etc.
He began by tracing the personal history
Of his subject, from his birth, in Union oOun-
ty, Kentucky, in 1910, to his removal to this
city, when lad, his own exertions TO Oh
tain an education, finished by graduation
in West Point Academy when nineteen
years of age. With natural talents that
might have made him successful NOR
chant or business man, he chose such avO-
cations as tended to develop mind and pro-
mote science, rather than the accumulation
OF wealth. He was at once appointed As
sistant Professor Of Mathematics in the
Academy, where he remained two years,
extending the breadth of his scientific at
tainments. He then entered the army and
was for time stationed in Florida. But
life in the army, until recently, was not de-
slrable to an active, ardent spirit, and he
resigned his position, studied law, and in
1888. entered into partnership in this city
with E. D. Mansfield. His professional ca
reer was also cut short, for he had qualifi-
cations and aspirations which forced him to
the conclusion that the practice Of law was
not the field in which he was to attain his
triumphs. In 1885 he became one of the
Faculty of the College OF Cincinnati, TAX
ing the chair of Mathematics and Natural
Philosophy, including Astronomy. While
thus engaged, his active mind could not be
confined to the duties Of his protessorship.
He took a deep interest in the material
prosperity Of the city, and in 1896 he sur
veyed the line of the Little Miami Rail-
road, and, in connection with George Neff,
he secured a loan from the city of 500, 600
for the road. In 1916, when the Ohio d
Mississippi Road was projected, he sur
veyed it, and two years afterward became
its chief manager, in which position he la
bored for several years, twice crossing the
Atlantic to negotiate the bonds of the road.
During his connection with the college,
Mr.. Mitchell devoted much ofhis thoughtstO
astronomy. His father had possessed small
telescope, and to this doubtless he owed the
was not, at that time, single well appoint
ed observatory in the United States, and
there sprang up in his mind an unconquer-
| able desire to establish one. He was an
original thinker and impellled to deep OBJ
servation and experiment, and in no other
way could he reach the extent Of his ideas
than by obtaining control of such an inSti-
tuition. In a new country and with no Pc
cuniary resources, the project seemed I'm
practicable; but he was not q dreamy thee.
| rist, he was vigorous worker as well as =
clear headed planner. He organized, in
l 1Of& tIl hStTOuOHuICdi OOCletY, u JOl0t SlOCk
| association, and raised funds for the pur-
| pose of establishing irst-class Observable
| ry in Cincinnati. How successfully he
carried this project through, the speaker
detailed in an interesting manner; how he
went to Europe to purchase the instru-
| ments and to obtain plans; how coldly he
was at first received, bat how he Overcame
all obstacles, returned home and put up
| the first complete hrst-class Observatory
| in America. Then he spoke in fitting terms
| Of praise, of his close and patient inveeti-
cations and his great discoveries in the
manner of making observations, which
was at first booted at by older astronomers,
but soon accepted, and now used almost
everywhere. He referred to hislnumerous
popular lectures on astronomy, in all the
cities OF the Union, by which he not only
supported himself and sustained the Oh
servatory, but widely diffused knowledge
Of the science that so completely absorbed
his being. OF his eloquence, he said that
no man ever lived who, on that chosen
| field, gave forth such magnificent utter
ances, or enabled his hearers to enter such
| transcendant glory in Gods material uni
verse.
Thus had he spent his lite up to 1891
He had never been politician; his voice
never had been heard in q political meet
| ing. He had always been . conservative;
and when the traitorous conspiracy that
divided the Democratic party secured the
election of Lincoln and inaugurated war,
striking at the heart of the Union and
the Constitution, then all the patriotism Of
his soul burst forth. Educated at the ex-
penSe of the nation. he could not hesitate
as 10 his duty. The dear companion Of
his life lay on a sick bed, and as much as
he loved her. in the midst of the national
peril even she must not detain him.
Called upon to speak in New York on the
Saturday succeeding the fall of Sumter, he
closed by saying: Here I am, = soldier
by education, give me something to do; in
the name of God ask you, give me some
thing to do in quelling this rebellion
| The speaker then traced General Mitch
ellis military career in leading soldiers of
the Union against rebels in arms, with
which readers generally are familiar
Some of his operations were distinguished
with marked success, and none of his many
movements have been regarded as failures.
He possessed, in addition to other quail
;ties essential in commander, that pow
err Of comprehension which surveys the
whole field, the points to be gained and
! the difficulties to be encountered, and So
iects those most vital 10 success; and also
| the natural intuition which enables him
to strike at the right time and in the right
place. His mind worked with intense ra-
pidisy, and he possessed the power Of
com bination in great degree.
! Wien ordered to South Carolina he had
| a presentilnent that he should fall by dis
ease o. IL battle; he taitered not, obeying
promptly the commands Of his superior
officers Reaching Hilton Head, he eagng-
ed IN the work before him with energy
and interest, many OF the details Of which
the speaker narrated, all showing the de-
votion of the man, not only to his Govern
ment but to the soldiers under him, and
the poor colored people about him. An in
stance OF his regard for the men associated
with him in the army, was given as fol-
lows: While on his death bed, and near
the close of his life, two officers entered
his department who were bitterly hostile
to each other. on account Of some difficulty.
One approached the head of the bed, the
other the foot. The General understand
ing their feelings. glanced his eyes from
one to the other, when they seemed to
take in his meaning. He then said: Gen.
tlemen, advance and shake hands. In the
presence Ut God and death bury your ami
mosities. They did shake hands and were
friends.
The domestic attachments of Gen. Mitch
el, while absorbed in scientific studies, as