The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1869-09-20
. RANDOM EXTRACT.

Mr.. Thomas has been 80 emcieht, SO iAth
ful and upright an officer that many we're
unwilling to give him up, aud az against any
other civilian in the county he would IN
doubtedly have been successful. But Capt. |
Reid had been in the srmy-had served MS
country at the loss Of his business had |
shown himself worthy, competent and re-
liable man, ana the convention. felt that 1t
could not Ego back" on him and the class
of which he was q representative. - Roek
Island Union.
We've preached several sermons from the
above text but like the man who sold brass
watches On Market Square, We can still ex'
| cleim--"Aud here's annodder wan
When the present candidate for the oihee
of Treasurer enlisted in the army, his busi'
ness was in bankrupt condition. Conse.
oueptly he sacrificed nothing in going, but
rather entered into the adventure from pc
cunjary motives. Nor does the fact that he
enlisted as O private and fought his way to
a Captains position" argue anything in his
favor. We can give scrap of history Oh
this point.
At an early stage Of the war, the governor
sent Col. ". W. McChessney, OF the regular
army, to this city to organize a regiment
Captain Hawley, Capt. Gregg, and Others
We might name, responded to the call oil
their country, and csuped on the Island in
Rock River, next to Camden. Some of
these men, at that time, placed their country
under debts of gratitude which can neverbe
adequately paid. Prominent among such
we're Captain Hawley, worthy of the Horse
Marines, and high private Reid, of the rear
rank. Captain Hawley drew his sword and
threw the scabbard away on the express un'
, derstanding that he should have forthwith,
the commission of a Ma ior or Lieut.. Colonel.
High private Reid drew his ramrod on the
express understanding that when Hawley
stepped up, he (Reidl should have a com
mission in the company Of which be was
member. This wa, all stipulated for in sd
!. vance, and by way of making the thing look
like business, Reid was made Orderly Ser
. ed into the United States service, and thus
. was so situated as to become o lieutenant th'
= moment Hawley was promoted to the mex
grade, which was expected to take place
every week. When the companies went III
to Camp Douglas, at Chicago, Captain Haw
= lev found out that at such large place h
or had grown to be q very small man, and tina
O. his chance for towering like prodigy anon
= his fellows, was exceedingly slim. lie there
fore demanded that Col. McChessney shout
IN guarantee him the commission of Lieute'
nr ant Colonel This the Colonel was not pre-
pared to do. Hawley then used his lnhu
ence to break up the regiment, and took hi
company into another organization. III
- other Captains followed his example, an
l. McChessney was left without command
). Thus high private Reid was left in an hum
n BILE capacity, in spite of himself AT For
=. Dopelson, Hawley accented the battle from
=, afar off - that is, from the top of distan
10 hill, but did not get within range with b
IN fiery fusileers. The result was that he wa
re 80 impressed with the careless style in whic
- the shooting WAS carried on, that much /
-. the manner of Captain Jinks of the hors
pa marines, he was Immediately taken with tn
A rheumatism in the left leg from which b
a. has by this time happily recovered, resign
ia ed his commission, and come home to
he safer field Of operations This course OIL
n. abled him to fulfill bis promise to the vi
he tlmized Reid, who Immediately became 9
ew officer, and immortalized himself chiefly
JUS drawing his pay with astonishing PRONG
The ness and regularity. That's the way Re
re- went into the army, sat the loss of his bu
ness The facts are not gathered from Il
files of the Duke Of Bencao for the last tV
wears.