Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1868-08-20
Gnn lharles q. Halnlne.

VIC VI uANnoiA6s
Gen. Charles G. Halplne.
Charles G., Halpine, better known, per
haps, under his S0briqaet Of Miles O'Reilly,
died about midnight on Sunday, at the As.
tor House. During the previous Saturday
Gen. Halpine had appeared to be in par
tieularly good health and spirits. On SatuT-
day morning he accepted an invitation from
Mr.. Peter B. Sweeney TO accompany him
10 Long Branch, and he had made prepa-
tions for his visit, but, unfortunately,
missed the boat. Gen. Halpine then went
over to the Aslor House and took q room
there On Sunday he APPEARED TO be much
as usual, and about g. o'clock in the eve
ming he sat down III the office Of the hotel
to transact some pecuniary business. -
He shortly afterwArd retired to his room,
and about 9 o'clock rang his bell and
complained of feeling very unwell. DR..
Swan, who was at the Astor House at the
time, proceeded Immediately TO Gen, Hal
pines room and found him almost insensi-
Bile, and breathing with the greatest diff
Guilty His pulse was also found to be
very low, and the extremities cold. DR..
Swan attempted in vain for more than
three hours, to administer restoratives, but
nothing csuld be got down the throat, and
at ten minutes past IL Gen. Halpine ceased
to breathe. The family of the General had
been in the meantime notified of his illness,
but arrived only in time to take charge OF
his remains, which were removed yester-
day morning to- his late residence, No. 58
West Forty-Beventh street. The immedi-
ate cause of his death is supposed to have
been congestion of the brain.
Gen. Halpine was born in Dublin, and
received his education at Trinity College,
in that city. He early distinguished him.
self by his classical attainments, and by
the faithfulness and beauty of his transla-
tions from the Greek and Latin poets.
When about twenty years of age he left his
native land and emigrNted to this country
He first proceeded to Boston, where, as
one of the editors of small periodical
known as the Carpet Bag, long since de-
funct, he distinguished himself by the Wig
or and sprightlmeBs Of his writings. Leav-
ing Boston for New York, he formed
an acquaintance With the late Mr.. John
Clancy, of the Leader, and was for many
years one of the EDITORS of that Journal
He subsequently accepted a position on the
the Tribune, and later on the Times. In
April, 1861, he entered the Sixty-ninth
Regiment, Col. Cdcoran, as Second Lieu
tenant, and saw some service in the field.
He soon, however, received the offeTSof an
appointment as Assistant Adjutant General
on General Hunters staff Under the
new law in regard to appointments in the
army, he became d Lieutenant Colonel. He
was with Gen. Huhterin Kansas and South
Carolina and distinguished himself by his
strict attention to the duties of disposition.
He was subsequently transferred TO the
staff of Gen. Halleck, who then had COM
mand at Washington, but after short ex-
perience there ha returned to his old posi-
ton on tire staff OF Gen. Hunter and ac-
companied him through the campaign in
the Shenandoah Valley. He then sent in
his resignation, which the Secretary of
War refused tp accept. Col. Halpine, how
ever, pleaded that his services entitled him
to respite, and he was permitted to dis
solve his connection with the army. He
was subsequently,, however, breveted Brig
adler General and afterward Major Cen
eral OF Volunteers.
Il was during the time that he was on
the staff of Gen Hunter that he wrote to
one of the New York papers an amusing
correspondence signed "AIiles 0'Reilly,
private of theA7th regiment N. Y. v. In
iantry, Tenth Army Corps" Miles gave u
ludicrous account OF the trouble he had
got into by writing some poetry comph-
mentary to Admiral Dahlgren, of how he
had been thrown into prison and maltrsat-
ed in various ways. For some time the
correspondence was supposed by the pub
lie to be genuine, and much commits
seration was expressed for the poetic,
but unfortunate Miles The truth, however
came out last, And from that period to the
day of his DEATH Gen. Halpine was better
known by the name of Miles 0'Reilly than
by his own patonymic. On his return
from the war he became o regular contrib
utor to the daily press, and published an
amusing report of dinner supposed to
have been givento "the boy Miles" by sew
eral hundred Of his admirers, at one of our
fashionable hotels. The peculiar styles Of
the several speakers were happily hit of,
and it is probable that even up to the
present time many persons are unaware
that the whole thing was hoax. He also
wrote a number of poems under the sigma
ture of Miles 0'Reilly," which were pub
lished in the Leader and other papers, and
which were particularly distinguished for
their witty illusions to current events and
for their ease and smoothness of style
These pieces were collected by Mr.. Halpine
and published in book form, under the IT,
tie Of Private Miles O'Reilly-His Book. "
Shortly afterward he produced volume Of
essays, poems, speeches, &c, with the title
of BAKED Meats-Rich and Juicy" At
the time of his death he had another vol
ume of poems nearly ready for the press
In May, 1865, Gen. Halpine became ed
itor of the Citizen, then the organ of the
Citizens Association. In 1866 he purchas-
ed the Citizen, which he edited up to the
time Of his death. About the same time
that he became connected with the Citizen
he commenced to take an active part in
local politics, and in 1867 he was elected to
the office Of Register, position he held at
the time of his decease.
Personally, Gen. Halpine was extremely
popular. Fond Of society, and overflow
ing with wit and humor, his presence was
ever welcome in the social circle. As o
writer he was sprightly, terse and vigor-
GUS. His last poetic production was writ
ten on the occasion of the gather
ing at Jones Woods, to raise funds
for the erection of monument to the
Irish soldiers who fell during the war. II
is entitled Lines for the Day" and was re-
cited by the auther during the gathering.
This poem is, perhaps, one of the best OF
Gen. Halpine's productions, and is a faii
specimen Of his style.
Gen. Halpine was in his 39th year at the
time of his decease. He leaves a widow
and O number of children, besides mother
and several sisters. Notice Of his fDnera
will be given hereafter. York Time,
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE LAws.-A
correspondent of the London Morning