The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1871-06-07
DEATH Of GEN. RoDMAN.
Rock ISLAND ARSENAL,
June 7Ih, | A.. M.


taste and genius, more durable than the |
granite shaft above his tomb. P. GEEGG'
The sad news spread rapidly among our
citizens, and especially our soldiers, who tel'
bereft Of one whom they honored Our re-
porter visited the Arsenal and gathered such
informs alton as would interest our readers,
and the many friends Of General Rodmsn.
We give herewith short history of his fam
ily and of his private and military life, and
a detailed account of few of his merited
inventions.
James RodmAn, the father of Gen. Rod |
man, a carpenter by trade but farmer By |
practice, was born near Pittsburgh, Pa. be
moved to Shelby county ny and there mar
ried Virginia lady, in the year 1909, and
10 the following year moved to Washington
county, Ind, where he remained ell his life
time. BE had four brothers, who were IN
usually robust, aud served in the war of
1911 and 1912. They were known TO be q
PATRIOTIC AND HEROIC FAMILY,
and served their country faithfully.
John Rodmsn, brother of James Rodmsn,
was captured in one of the battles OF 1872,
aud after ais release settled in New Castle
KY, whore his four sons are living at pres
ent, one of them filing the position of At
torney General Of Kentucky.
GEN. T. J. BoDMAN
was born July so, 1915, at Salem, Ind. He
was raised as a farmer boy until his Goth
year, receiving an education during the
winter in the district schools. He attended
several sessions of the County Seminary, of
Salem county Ind, and then received an
appointment as cadet by the ID Congress
sionSl district. At Pistsburg, while sta
toned at Allegheny Arsenal, be married
Miss Martha Black, daughter of Rev. Black,
deceased, Of the Episcopaliau church, Of
daughters and four sons, one of the sons
being now stationed 81 st. Paul, in Con. e an
cocks staff.
The General was taken sick on the 18th
day of December, 1870, from which time he
has been under treatment of DR.. Gregg.
Since the last few days he has been sinking
rapidly, and this morning he fell Asleep-to
wake no more.
Around his death bed stood his bereAved
family wife, soDs and daughters, also his
brother Walter B. Rodman, q we'll known
farmer and stock dealer, from Salem, Ind.
and Mrs. NJ. C. Crdwallader, his sister, of
New Albany, Indiana.
GENERAL RoDMAN's MILITARY HISTORY
Thomas J. Rodmau was admitted as
Cadet at the Military Academy from July
l, 1887, to July l, lS4l, when he stood No.
in class rank, was graduated and promot-
ed in the army to
ByT. SECOND LIEUTANANT.
Served as Asst. Ordnance Officer at Allephe-
ny Arsenal, Pa, lS4I--4S; being detached
to Richmond, Va May l4th to June 18th,
1874 5for the preparation Of machinery for
testing gun metal; and Oct. 9th TO Dec.
18th, lS4j to supervise the manufacture OF
cannon, at Boston, Mass. Sep. 10th, to
Nov. 1886, mounting and experimenting
with BOmfords II inch Columbisd; and at
IL Pitt foundry, Pittsburg, Pa, most of
ls47, supervising tue manufacture OF can
non. March Sd, l647 promoted to
FIRST LIEUTENANT.
Served as Ordnance Officer, l848, during
the war with Mexico, at Camargo and Point
Isabel Depots; as Asst. OrdAnce Officer at
Allegheny Arsenal, Pa, lS48- "a; at Iron
Mountain aud Pilot Knob, No., Feb. 9th TO
April 18th 1850, examining iron furnaces;
in command at Allegheny Arsenal Feb.
27.h 1854 to March 4th 1865, and of Baton
Rouge Arsenal, La; was appointed Captain
july lst 1855, for fourteen years continuous
service; served at Pit.sburg, Pa June 9th
1856 to Jan. 9th 1857, testing experimental
cannon; as Asst. OrdAnce Officer at ALE
gheny Arsenal, Jan. 9Th 1857, to May 9Th
1859, being detached at intervals, to fix
programme experiments with csnnon-ex-
perimeuting on gun powder, and deternin in
ing proper form of cannon,-coutinuing his
experiments on metals for cannon, forms Of
guns, gunpowder, etc.
Served during the Rebellion of the Seced
ing States, l86l-66; in command at Water
town Arsenal, Mass, April u, 1861 to Aug
Sd, 1865; June LIST, 1863 promoted to Major
Served 1866 on various detached duties
Wss promoted March 18th 1865, for faith
ful, meritorious, and distinguished service:
in the OrdAnoe Department to
Bvt Lieut. Col
Bvt Colonel and
Bvt. Brig. General; and March eth 1867, &c
Lieutenant Colonel.
GENERAL RoDMAN's INVENTIONS
are many, although bat few are patented
the leading one is the
RoDMAN CANNON,
which is cast hollow and cooled from the
inside by astreAm of water running through
also the
ENGLISH PELLET POWDER,
now used in England, is an invention Of his
it is the same as the American Button Pow
der.
He first projected the principles of tht
Nasmyth Steam Hammer, now in use, bu
not patented.
THE RUSSIAN GRIsMATIC CAKE POWDER
is also his invention, but wss not adopted in
this country. 1t is now used in Russia, and
the original inventor never received the
credit due him. In fact, General Rodmar
has made every radical improvement in gur
powder, which have been made for 3OC
years.
THE RoDMAN PRESSURE PISTON,
an instrument for determining the gas from
burning powder in q gun, is the only one
that has ever been put in successful opera
tion, and i, now used by every nation on the
globe.