Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-11-03
The Death of Sedgwick.
AND THE CAUSE FOR WHICH HE DIED.


The bronze statue of Maj.-Gen.
John Sedgwick, erected at West Point
by the Old 9Th Corps, was dedicated
on the 2lst inst, with appropriate
ceremonies and an Grafton by George
W. Curtis, of which the following is
the touching and eloquent close:
Emerging from the Wilderness on
the 9th Of May, 1864, the army was
concentrated around Spottsylvania
Court House, Gen. Sedgwick and his
corps holding the left of the line. II
was Monday morning, and the Gencr-
al was watching his men place the
guns. He was sitting unoer tree
talking with Gen. McMahon, his Ad-
jutant General and warm personal
friend, one of the young heroes whom
the war discovered and developed land
whose brilliant service and rapid pro-
motion showed how wisely Sedgwick
chose his men. The General was
speaking proudly and tenderly of his
staff and corps, when, observing some
mistake in the work of his men, he
said abruptly, That's wrong" He
and his adjutant were together, and
as they moved toward the working
parties the rebel sharp-shooters began
to fire. The soldiers lodged as the
bullets whistled. "Come, come men
Why, they couldn't hit an elephant
at this distance" "Ah, General said
one of the men behind a tree, "I've
tried it, and | believe in lodging. y
Every well, my man." said Sedgwick.
'go to your place; but tellyou they
can't hit an elephant here" He turn
ed still smiling, to continue the con-
versation with his adjutant, who heard
the sharp, low, singing sound of a
bullet ending duly, and Sedgwick
sank slowly to the ground.
His friend, Mcmahon. vainly tried
to support him. He bent over him
and spoke to him with passionate ca
gerness but Sedgwick did not all
swer. His eyes were closed, his hands
were clasped. A little blood trick
led down from the cheek from beneath
the left eye. His heart beat gently
for a moment--and was still. The
country heard of his death as the loss
OF an army. 1t was concealed from
his soldiers lest they should ue I'M
nerved in battle. Then from the syl-
van bower in the old woods in Spott-
sylvania, in which it was tenderly
laid that morning, Connecticut, re-
membering Putnam a nd Wooster
Connecticut mother of the Grants and
the Shermans, OF Ellsworth, Wfnth.
rop, Ward and Lyon, who had sent
her children to every famous field of
: the war, received with love and Sor-
row and with perpetual proud remem-
brance, the dead body OF John Sedg
wick On the Sunday after he feil
borne by his neighbers, amid the tears
of silent thousands, and wrapped ii
the flag, he was buried in Cornwall
Hollow. No military salute was fired
above his grave-but one solitary
peal of distant thunder subIimely sug
gested the soldiers life and death
Sedgwick died, but the victory wa
won.
what was the victory? 1t was two
} fold. First it was the revelation oil
= an overpowering national instinct a
the foundation of the Union. 1t dis
D sipated old theories. Ii interpreted
! the constitution. Plant a homOgene
Gus people Under one government
along the coast of a virgin continent
< lei them gradually overspread it t,
y the farther sea, speaking the sam
r language, virtually of the same relig
ious faith, intermarrying and cherish
ing common heroic traditions. Sup
pose them sweeping from end to EN-
e of their vast domains without pass
e ports; the physical perils of their il
l. creaslng extent constantly moditie
{ by science; steam and the telegrap
): making Maine and Oregon neighbor
L their trade enormous, their pro,
perity a miracle, their commonwealth
IS of unsurpassed power and importanc
|. in the world, and you may theoriz
of divided sovereignty as you will, blu
= you have supposed an imperial natio
e which may indeed be a power of ev
! as we'll as of good, but which, until
- is fatally demoralized, can no NOR
y recede into its original elements an
y" local sources than this Astounding ri,
g err, pouring broad and resistless Int
the sea, can turn backward into tn
. petty sources of springs and rills frol
- whence it flows. "No, no." murmur
! the exultant river, "when You ca
~ take blue out of the sky, when yo
~ can steal heat from the fire, when yo
y can strip splendor from the mornin,
~ then, and not before, can you reclai
q q your separate drops from me-" Eye
y y, yes, my river" answered the Unto
~ "you speak for me; | am no more
Q child, but man; no more a confe,
. eraey, but a nation The States al
members; | am the body. l am I
- more New York, Virginia, Massach
- sets, Cardinal am the Unite
q, States of America, one and invisible
~ Amen roars Vicksburg, Gettysbu
= and Port Royal. Amen thunders tt
a Kearsage as she sinks the Alabam
80 Amen sings Sherman as he march
- to the sea. Amen sings Sedgwick
-, he sinks dead at Spottsylvania. B
- the victory was more than that.
~ great nation may be a great curse