The Hickman courier., 1868-06-27

y
this community, is due 70 his own merit
as citizen aEdsa soldier, and must be
to many who held hin In hi1h
csEcen- lie Vas for uAany years Of bis
life an eminently useful and popular
man and if wora out from sge and suf.
feripg from the wounds he Lad received
IN the seryice OF his country, aud hope.
less of its future, he rashly. deprived
himself Of life, it should only inspire .
warInsr sympalhy, aud be nc meaus Iess-
en- our sppreciatiSn VI It's worth aud
character.
Maj. Alexander was bern IN eurnnsr
county, Tennessee, Dee 20 1901, ana
was the son Of Williau Locket Alexat..
der and Susannah Allies, his wiser His
s.--.iiss en his fathers eide was one dis
lipsy purs afd sidsnt plEriC5 ia tbs
Revolution, and chief actors Ia the First
". Independence IN Mech
lenburg county, OF that Stais. sBT he De-
az philadelphia MAS sosls
mouths subsequent to this and embodied
the same features, In some places, IN
deed, the languages 10 almost identics!.
While quite yoaug man he served ss
Deputy Sheriff Of Sumner county, xith
credit. In 1896 he voIuuteered AS pri-
vate in the Florida var, aud before she
end Of the campaign was made Lieuten-
ant. Ia this hrst campaign he received
a ball through his lungs which also pen
etAsed his arm. His gallant services
were mentioned in general orders, and
Few subordinate officers obtained more
fame and credit. The year foliosiDg
found him ready for the second campaign
though still suffering from his wound.
This time heiwent as AdjutaDt Of bat
tallion, commanded by Maj. Wm Laus
derdale, and owing 10 the delicate healih
Of the latter for most of the time had
virtual command. Promoted to the
rank Of Captain, be subsequently served
as aid camp to General Armstrong.
age did not abate his patriot
ism or diminish his military ardor, for
We find him again ut the age of 4G, en-
listing as a private IN the Mexiran war.
As a con pl.Incnt 10 his high e.. rs~ter,
no less than to bis experience il r-r he
was elected Major Of the Firss LEW.
Regiment, subsequently known as the
Bloody First, commanded by Colonel,
Governor Wm y. Campbell
The gallant bearing aud achievements Of
this regiment are a part Of the countrys q
history. AT Monterey, Cerro Gordo.
and other bloody fields, il covered itself
with glory. In all these engagements
Maj. Alexander was at the head OF. his
conspicuous BY his courage
and enthusiasm, where al were brave
The standard of his regiment was the
first planted upon a fort Of the enemy
at Monterey, and heading the sPlendll
charge nhlch resulted ia this triumph.
81. Alexander fell seriously WOUNDED
with ball ia The groin. Hs aftc-gsrds
eoid coin. which CHANGING 10 he 10 bis
pocket book, avefted tile force Of tho
Dail aud thus saved his life. Sotwith-
,snrsslis-rs .a..s s---i.afs.l s4annd fr1rn which
ne never recovered, and the misery OF
which MAS perhaps tie main cause OF his
ieath--snd IN defiance Of phJsies! pain
md debility, We fad hin sill Eiih his
regiment contributing tc tLe brilliant VIC Z
,ory OF Cerro GoIdo. sesf r.ea 81
Ia 1919, ia lie tower cf excite meat
.bout Californis, IN emigrant company
IF citizens Of SmitL and Sumner copn-
ice, Was organized to seek their fortunes
u the laad OF gold. Mai. Aiexspdyr
vac unanimously cLossR as its leader.
With this company v,al armed and
equipped he crossed the plains, and So =
vu rned il California tno years, and 10
1851 returned to Sumner The follow-
InS. year having purchased farm il
Ia county he removed 70 it, a0a has re-
sided here ever since. .e
In 1855 at the urgent solicitations Of
the Democracy, he accepted their nomi-
uation as representative iu the Lower
House Of the State Legislature. While
making no pretentions ~ skill in public
speaking, or the repute of an experienced
politician, his practical good sense and
Tie confidence OF the public in bis hon
ssty aud Integrity, insured his success.
He fought the Know Knothing party
sitL earnestness aud viYor. Having
served two years be doeliued re-siec-
ton, which was rendered him. Since
sscn be has lived 10 retirement on bls
IA rin some ten miles from Hickman. Msj.
Alexander married late. in lite. aud
leaves a widow aud three small children.
In the late war, all his pride and love
and enthusiasm, were for the South.
HIS age snd physical debility and the
clainIs OF his faulty verr scarcely sufh-
cieul TO keep him from the field With
the subjugaiion Of the South and
the triumph OF her epsmies, his'
last hopes of future for his county
aud Of happiness for himself, seem 70
have perished. The county he hsd
honored by his courage and purchased
by his blood existed no more for him.
The old battled SCARED veteran bad no
longer balm for his wounds. The pride,
the glory, the honor Of hise land wss
goue forever; Why should be Ave logger
in misery to witness its further disgrace
and humiliation? So heart. broken and
des pairing, for the frst time in life of
hard trials aud dangers his courage fail
ed him, 3nd be found VOLUNTARY death.
May the peace aud pardon Of mersifuI
G cd attend him! -. -
The educational sdvantaGes Of Major
.Alexander were limited, his talents were
not of tho brilliant or showy erder, but
his.li was conspicrousiy nseful and
4onorable.1 Hen as slow Of speech, clesr
in thought, firm iupurpose. and pronpt
in actions Al trne aud tsiod pztslotn =
devoted and iai,hfui friend, agood c::ls
zen. liberal. obligink naighbor, KIDD.
affcet:onate father and husband he vas
alike sound and Trustworthy in ell thf
relations 0! life; il al the dutee WALSH
devolsed upon Lin, whether Oa the 6eld
Of battle, T. pioneer in the vilderness,
in the halls Of Legislation. Or tie retire
ment Of domestic life. We ksd heped
10 zee his kindly honest face long
amongst US, aud atter many years 70
come, his, vsnerable head CO down IN
peace and hopor to.the grave. Let Us Us
deplore that his strong Esiad and wei
tried fortitude yielded at last 20 the ills
Of fife; and otfe- CIR cordial synspsth y
for the all icrsun of his bsrezsed family
remember only Bis good Jssus sSd noble