The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1869-09-09
Obituary..

John A. Rawlins is dead. The
gallant soldier who had ridden un.
scathed through the carnage of an
hundred battles, has at length sue.
cumbcd to that insidious, yet inexo
rable foe of human life consunp-
ton. In his early death the army
has lost one of its most accomplish
cd officers; the nation = public ser.
want of extraordinary segacity, un.
fincbing integrity and loyalty; while
the men who fought with Grant and
Sherman, from Belmont to Benton.
vile, and Appomattox, may well
pause to drop a tear on the untimely
bier, of o comrade who was the idol
of the volunteer army, which sub
ducd the Rebellion.
But little of his early life is public
history, except that the war found
him in a lucrative law practice at
Galena Illinois, and that as loyal
democrat, he, together with Grant,
took an active part in holding public
meetings, and otherwise aided to the
extent Of his ability, in sending
troops TO the front, from Galona.
When Capt. Grant was promoted
from clerkship in the Adiutant
Generals Office at Springfield, I'LL
nois, to tho command of the demon
allied 2lst Regiment OF that State,
the unerring sagacity Of the coming
great commander, told him that the
quiet, determined, cool headed young
lawyer Rawlins, at Galena, was Just
the man he wanted for Adjutant to
= lid him in bringing order out of cha
os in his new command, and 80 at
Grants request Gov. Yates made
Rawlins Adjutant, and from that
day to his death, he remained ever
the constant, tried, and true friend,
counsellor, and right arm, of the
Commander in Chief, and ultimane
President.
Upon Grants promotion to the
single stars at Cairo, he had Rawl-
ms made Major, and so on through
all Grants rapid promotion, he kept
bis faithful Lieutenant not only in his
military and political household, but
quite near him all the time in rank,
which, grateful recognition of most
faithful and skillfnl services, was as
honorable to the commander, az it
was we'll earned and deserved by his
devoted subordinate.
Without the education, or militia.
rs genius of Jomini, he yet greatly
surpassed Napoleon's chief of staff
in practical common sense, which is
after all, the bedrock on which mill.
tary, as we'll as all other successes
of an enduring character, are based
As an Office Adjutant General, and
chief of Staff, he had no equal in the
army, and no one but Grant himself
will ever be able to toll how much Of
the inspiration of victory, came from
the advice of the cool, clear-headed
and imperturable John A. Rawlins
As a Republican, he was withou,
guile, as the country learned from
the day he announced the key note
of the great political campaign o
1868, in an address to his fellow citi
zens Of Galena, during the winter Of
1867, and no man in Grants Cabinet
had the confidence of his loyal coun
trymcn to greater extent than he
He was q native of 10. Davies
County, Illinois, and was about IS
years Of age.
His height was about five feet
eight inches, rather spare make, GOA
black hair and heavy black whisk.
ers, with an eagle eye, which never
quailed before q foe, but which was
as mild as child's in the presence Of
his friends. He was rigid disciple
marian, yet the farthest remove from
> martinez, and could be approached
at Grants Head Quarters with much
more ease, and certainty of being
treated as gentleman, than could
be reasonably expected from SOUR
ty I'd Lieutenant, commanding o
camp of invalid mules.
The following are all the particu-
lars Of his death which we have yet
received.
Secretary Rawlins died at 4:12 o.
clock this Monday afternoon, Sept. 6.
Att o'clock this morning. he was in
tolerable comfortable condition.
He spoke to General John e. Smith
and commissioner Parker, with his
customary earnestness on various
subjects. inquired whether they
thought he would ever recover his
health or rise from his bed. Gener.
al Smith replied. he feared not, and
asked whether he had any wish to
express in regard to disposition of his
remains, in case he should die. he
replied that he would leave that with
his friends, but did not desire to have
an ostcnttsious or expensive funeral
During the afternoon, the following
telegram from Attorney General
Hoar, was read to him by Secretary
Cox.
Concord, Mass.-lf Gen. Rawlins
is yet living, carry to him the assur.
ance OF my respect and affection,
and of the sorrow with which learn
the condition of q friend so highly
valued, a man so upright, able, and
faithful. God bless and keep him
Signed, E. r. Hoar.
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