The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1866-06-27
No! u
The Late Cen era1 pn1L

u
{ Of Louisiana very naturally calls up before the mnd
eye the figure of the dead preate soldier and gentle
man, who occupied the place which was made
by round shot on the 18th of June, 1864 auc re-
maned so until the appointment of Rev. Dr.. Wiuer.
Le0nldas Folk the nana very eminent anC good
mar too-and his career will go down to the future bs
not least remarkable of his day and generation. had
he remained in the army from the time he left West
Point instead of going into the pulpit, he would haa
achieved the first honors OF the military calling and
it was, with all the drawbacks of thirty wears Of
church service engrafted upon his habits Of lie his
character and his mode of thought he abs field
marshall handling his corps with efficiency an5 su-
cess and often commanding the entire army when its
general was in of his fits +" with prudent skill
No one was more conscientious, and few we're usrs
vigorous versatile.
WE sre aware that it was at ore time fasbionn1s '2
decty bis merits as a soldier Yet when he fel tAs
whole army wept No doubted the extent 9f laa
less and we failed to perceive its effac aca
subsequent events. 1t realised the fable of the st8a
ach anG the members. The members complained 70
Jovf that the stomach was idle and lazy, aud lived oa
ne Fesr Jore snote the stomach, and the memysaa
shrigcled and fel away.
in hi$ personal appearance Gen. Polk was imposing
His ignre realised the de, Of the Apollo Belyeds1
tall, symmetrical, expressed in 1.-the and round curves
fall and agile and his face was a model for ne sg.zr
poet or sculptor 1t the very finest we 5ver
looked upon, the hero, the saint the scholar the gaa
tIemtn marking every aspect and playing fitfuy 5c5a
grace to grace. As no lay there dead in that g la
/ muscle TaH
and Ae seemed to sleep sweety as he did that ear
/ night after Chckamauga, before be knew that Ei9h
mond had gone to his last account.
/ Bqt he shone best when under fire Trappa6 Il
his Old gray hunting shirt, with slouehed hat ard za.
bre, he sat upon his horse like Water Fritz sn -a
ceived the leaden compliments of the enemy vish
complacent, yet not Indifferent good humor g. had
haqit Of struggling his shoulders when minnie 5ul.
let came too close to his ear; aud sometimes he would
drop cAance word though in reply But bo gsrrf
& he nd tbpp,
thing interesting on hand, wholly indiderer. q
their importunities
During the thick Of tbe fight at Resacoa re easeF
the writer of these rude lines and said. voi t.-a
hungry, and must divide nv lunch with me j Some
one had presented him box of guava ieIlv and biz
OF wEeat bread trares in those Confederate tines
and she prospect was tempting, But" sal az
wouldn't 1t go little better if we were in safsr
place y The old gentlemen hughed kindly and re-
piled, certainly it would And we proceed 4 n
find one. We had scarcely seated ourselves. ho~sre-
behind an oak tree at the bottom Of the hill whea
schrapneiI came tearing through the air sru t5a
oak broadside about thirty feet above us and prarsgf
taed both, lunch and all amid mass Of limbs ana
fragments into gully below.
Heyday" " cried the general, picking himse'r 7u5
the rubbish You're pretty fellow for selee-ir-
covers Come we may as well take ourselves back
to the front" Nor SHALL ever forget the We 1r
received the intelligence that he was to be suspended
by Bragg from his command, just after the battle of
Chckamauga, and sent to Atlanta under arrest Il
was on the top OF missionary ridge The night ws4
cold and dark, and the military family was assem- 5isl
around blazing fire outside rustic arbor r19a-
which we slept, for we had tents then excert r--
the sick and wounded. Gen. Polk sat for long time
in silence, unusually So for he was generally on such
occasions full of life and conversation AL lano.b
he and passed the brow of the hill vbenae ba
called rs to him and reeted the whole affair "It
does not surprise me-" be concluded "for have er.
pected something OF the kind these many months
But assure you on my honor, that it falls upon ma
il,a nNuH Hay ilya Z, IL
Hon. (theE coone) Andrew Ewing to conduct mis- da
tense but the charges subsequently dismissed
The hve weeks Immediately preceding his fall Gen
Polk passed in very active service. He had como no
from Mississippi with his army to Join Gen Johnston
with whom he was upon the most afectionate rela-
tions. We saw him for the last time on the dav BE-.
fore he was shot. He was occupying a log cabin 10
the right of Lost mountain He appeared to be do
pressed about the situation. The next morning he sat
out with party OF officers, including Cen Johnston
Gen. Hardee, and Cen Red Jackson upon topr ~
inspection. On Pine knob they passed a long wba
IN general conversation. The group was noticed from.
an opposite battery, and ball fired over it, The
gentlemen at once dispersed, Gen Polk still keenino
with his usual carelessnesS the comG Of the hiIl 4
second shot fred and it struck him upon the rieh
side, crushing his arm, and passing through and
through the body. Col. Gale his son-in-law ran 10
aim as he fell, but life was quite extinct wthnn+. .
ign OF pain and only slight tremor of the meta
IT lip.
His death received with mourning all over tba
outh The army was stricken with grief No ons
lad calculated the possibility of his fall and in hi,
beautiful general order Gen Johnston expressed the
Universal sentiment. The immediate funeral cAren,o
lies were conducted by the Rev Dr. Ountard NOV
,shcp Of TENNESSEE and by the right Rev bishop
1iliot Of Georgia. Coils. Gale and Yeatnlun and Can,
Folk conveyed the remains TO Augusta, where shey
gere laid to rest.
Cen Folks entire bearing as a soldier ras -orthr
i bis character as churchnau. He was sincerely
conscientious in taking up tho sword He baia9a1
hat the cause Of the south Just and righteor.
nd no sacrifice was too great in bis estimation for is
ucces7 lie certaialy gave lie all to it, and no ooa
gho knew him can douht that his motives wera ss
Ire as his conduct, which exemplary irnostents
ious aud gallant throughout. He was kind and cor
iderate OF his men; he was a7proachable and self
enying in his person; and be did not know the Mans
fear. He possessed that faculty Of Inspiring all
'ho came about him with courage attributed 70 Ger
achary Taylor. He was proyerbal for gcttirr into
hot places; and he seemed to be able to pass aoa-
line OF fire like the children through the fierv fur
ace, untouched His staff loved him most fondiv
eWas every inch genteman--withoutn nannerIsno
and innocent, ret diqnIfed ana
npoaing. His adventures, for no man had more of
lem, az frontier bishop and revolutionary soldier
oud make charming volume and his career will
regarded by future generations as one of the most
teresting in the annals OF camp or church
Nashville Banner
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