The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1868-10-27

tbs ssxth Army Uarre
IN loving adnssrataou ~ he Commander,
pedicates this statue
Memory.
On tbc eastern face Is The corps badge on the
western. the shisld q The rvpahlsc. sarmountea
by an eagle, The musis. stAbat Mater, wAs
splcnd,dly rendcred ~ lho bands, sitsr which
came the orAuen.
TIM GRAFTON.
Amid a cold driKEhng rain which dampcned
the grass drippcd from the trees, and chilled the
audience, tho orator advanced 10 The front IL The
stage, placed his hand upon a little stand bis
manuscript upon that and commenced a most
mastery grafton, while two officers took turns 10
holding an umbrella over his uncovered head.
soon both audience aud speaker forgot the rain
as the one fallowed ths other through mor1 e.
oquent presentation Of the causes, tho events and
the r~ulss u the conact IN which tho gsiixn,
Sedgwiok gave up bis life, aud won an immortal
name. Neither time nor space viii permit me TO
quote the passages In whiCh he traced the causes
Of the war the tributes which wore paid 80 tho
carly defenders, the Purtans 10 their descend
ants, the citizens recently in arms 10 the noble
commander Of The Z. $, Armies. vill only quote
from the reporters few passages illustrative Of
Gen. sedgwicks life aud character.
OF the ancestors ~ Gen. Sedgwiok, one, MAJ
Gen. Robert SodRwiek, rode By the side q Oliver
Cromwell in the struggles Of the PurtAns for en-
largod rights, another, Maj Robert scdgwiok, one
hundred years later, defended those rghts on
American shores, aud for gallantry in the war
which gave birth TO the American nation Was
promoted to the rank Of Mai Gen. 81 Militia.
1T 1.-THE ancestral home Of the Sedgwicksl was
in the little town OF Cornwall Ia the pleasant val
10y of the Housatonic, In the northwest part OF
Connecticut the State 0fPutnam, and Of Wooster,
and there our General John was born ON the l3
September 1913. lie is remembered quiet
farmers boy, going 10 the common school, and
working in the peaceful fields Of Cornwall Hollow.
A generous manly lad, natural loader among
his companions. But the spirit Of the lronsidc
trooper and ~ the continental volunteer In
his blood, and as a little boy he called himself
"Goneral John Sedgwick." Thus soldier born
Of soldiers, on the lat July, 1888, when he was
twenty years old, he came here 10 the military
academy, where three years later he was gradua-
ted, and was promoted Second Lieutenant Of the
Second Artillery. He served Immediately in tho
Florida against the Indians, little later up
| on the Northern frontier during the Canadian Dor
der troublos, and was engaged in recruiting at va
rioua stations. Thirty years ago the profession
VI llls III TINS country dlu NOT seem 70 DE very
alluring bat il 10 very much 10 those whom il
did allure that We owe our national existence"
After an earnest and thorough defence Of tho
policy which established tho Military Academy,
the orator continued tho personal sketch which
makes arath er long extract. bot am unable 10
decide whore to draw the pom. II ia most touch
ing and heartfelt tribute to the pet Of the Sixth
Corps" Every officer and private Of the Vermont
i
Brigade will bear ont in the assertion that the
| tribute IN not oyordrawn
sit is not possible, and and you will not expect
that should trace soldier step by step in his
career. Before the late war, his services woro
that Of the officers Of his time, and he was by
brave and brilliant conduct in the field and faith
full duty out Of IT, until the Spring Of 1861, which
| found him Major Of the LIST Cavalry, and
engaged IN the building OF Fort Wise, near Fike's
/ Peak, in Colorado. From this remote retirement
the shot at sumter brought him into constant
and conspicuous service IN which the brief re-
mainder 81 his life was passed. In March, 1861
he was Lieutenant Colonel Of the and Cavalry;
1 in April Colonel Of the LIST; IN August he waa APP
pointed in the place Of Robert Edmund Lee
Colonel Of the 4th Cavalry and in the same month
Bfigadier- General 81 Volunteers, serving In the
defense Of Washington aud along the Potomac IN
Maryland. When the Virginia Peninsula cam
| paign opened, John bedgwick WAS division com
mander, aud his story 10 his death il that Of the
1 army Of the Potomac On the 4th Of July, 1864,
Sodgwick was made Major General Of Volunteers.
In all that army, struggling IN the slimy soils Of
the Peninsula, there was no other more trust
ed and beloved than this most uuobtrusiye man,
| this almost ideal American soldier. In person
not tall, with dark hair, dark, almost still eyes,
/ with the tranquil aspect Of reserved power, who
| did not talk much or loudly but who was always
cbsfhng his associates who was smilngiy auspi-
cious Of newspaper fame, and never went 70
Washington; a man Of iron will promptly obedi-
ent, and therefore requiring exact obedience. In
council clear and swift, in action every faculty
nimbly alive, his powers intensity concentrated,
his soul glowing with eager purpose, as Of a white
heat but not mastered either by victory defeat.
He had all tho cardinal soldier qualities, the pos
| tive masculine manly traits, but with them that
| depthlees tenderness and sweet humor that coui-
| plote the finest natures. One night young OH
| Ger of his staff whom he tenderly loved had been
absent at a merry making, and, loosing his way
| homeward, did not return until after daybreAk.
! Az he entered, the General, who had feared some
mischance to his FREUD, with severe air said
! inuuiringlv Well BirY The young officer,
| grioyed With the apparent consure began eager.
| iy TO explain; bat the Generals face boftened
with ino1pres.ible Affection and, rising lac laid
| his hand upon the young mans hhoulder Ano
quietly kissed him. Simple IN bis habits ana OF
! 4 rustic modesty Of manner, bedgwicks humor
played pleasantly over every event, sitting one
| day at headquarters, in plain uBdrees, Yankee
| soldier sauntered up and said, Say, Old fellow,
do you live here about headquartersf Can you
/ a
replied the General, until know what II H.. 4
want an order on the C0mInissary for canton
| Of whiskey for come friends who have como over
to zee me- Well said he, the Commisnary IL a
friend Of mine, and you eau try what friendship
will do and be wrote q few words on the bach OF
letter, folded il, and handed il 20 the soldier.
The man looked At H. and when he saw at tho
bottom John SedgSick, he raised hts wODdef-
/ ing aud abashed eyes, gaged long aud with min
| Ried respect aud affection at bis commander,
/ fgft nd IN H.
ct The CoBimssary never saw u, but doubtless
some wife, OF child, or mother, or sweet~heAIt,
/ chershcs ihe story aud paper, and loFos The
memory d John keigvick. ihis was tho man
who, early on the morning Of the battle Of Ante
tam seen advancing IN Ane under terrible fro
| through the famous bloody eornheid already Non
and I1st Ricketts, aud Mead had driven TIE
Rebels back, aud 10 their tHrn becu Oysrwh nlmeI
/ Hooker had demanded u Doubleday bis beet
/ brigade, and joining II 10 the Inc u load, once
more the hey l.oia mAss reeoilod. ahnsanld
I had fallen, iiAftsun yas s0anaed, Hooker him
self vac wounded, ana a. he retired the Rebels
threw fresh mfn upon the held tleso bedEhicA
1 encountered. Hih orders were 70 advance bht
4 his quick eye s4w st once the immediate danger,
fur the supporting dlstsion was 100 far eNAy. He
1 moved partly by Che EAhk ~ cover the gap, bal
the enemy haw Il asu and dashed ssbtly IN
! sedRulcEs ranks W&Yefrd, they we're shattered
struck by bullet IA the leg, and again m NE
wrist pale and dripping VITA his own blood, y.
I rode among his soldiers While the hufuehse ~
FIRE and death deyoured them aud kls mighty
I sill str0ys b. reform bis melting columns aud
hold the enemy AZ hay, but IN The midst uitfa
sloi shot striek him, aud be- vas burn insensi-
! hle from ihs field lie ffjolned the army o. tue
ri ~ December latz Ebd oa the
5th u January, 1868 John Scagsiek was placed
10 command n the Sixth C1rps u had Loved ~
old comma ndeyp, Gans. FFAnAan and Bsldy Smith.
and Il received the les ieadaf eeolis, bal brave
nea love the hero, aud vhen The story OF FAis
OAKS, Seven pinsw, u Abi1ctsm eame thrilling
from Tie HarIa ke4rts u sedgsleks old ditlsloa
81 the second Corps % The Wiling ears o. the
slxth, the sxth hearing shat ~ hes general lad
! been knsw what be wonld b., Aud the eorTs and
4 - ,.r.rnl .a... tarl.sra eAala s.lLera a nhllla