Richland beacon., 1876-08-05
GEN. FRANK NICHOLS.

ptECTal ElaHCio L. -NICHOlS, oul
candidate for Governor, is a native Of
this State, born in the parish Of
Assumption in 1882.
His father. Judge Thomas Nichols,
was one OF tie ablest aud most
talented iurists of Louisiana, and for
many years Justice on our Supreme
Bench.
Gen. Nichols entered West Point in
1871. when niHcteen years of age four
years later, he graduated high in a
class tba, iprIHdrd many other Illus
rrious names. Breve;cd as second
, lieutenant in the Second Artillery. he
was assigned al once 10 regular drty
in The war against the Seminole
/ Indians in Florida. The Seminoles
defeated and subdued and the war
concluded, he was ordered TO duty on
the California froa,ier. lie remained
IN California only one year, resigning
/ bis command iu 1856, and returning
TO bis native parish of Assumption
for the purpose of practicing law.
There, with the single exception of
the five years Of the war, he has ever
/ since resided.
When tie late war came upon us,
! Gen. Nichols was among the first to
offer his services TO our State /; be,
with the assistance Of his brother
Lawrence (killed subsequently during
the war) raised a company in Assump-
ton and the neighboring parishes,
which was assigned to duty in the
Eighth Louisiana regiment, with Gen.
Nichols as captain. At Camp Moore,
when Lis company Joined this regi-
ment, he was ut once elected lieuten-
ant colonel.
He was with Stoncwall Jackson in
the campaign in tue Valley of Virginia,
and among the most trusted officers
of that gallant and hoDored comman-
der. At Winchester, the first serious
fight Of the campaign, be was danger
ously wounded in the arm while charg-
ing the enemy al the head Of bis regi-
mCnt.
His elbow was badly shattered by
a ball and an amputation of his left
arm became necessary. The wound
became serious, and for some time his
! life was despaired Of. While in this
crippled condition, his life hanging by
a thread. The army was forced to fall
back and the wounded, among them
Gen. Nichols, fell into the hands Of
the enemy.
He was exchanged in September
1862. and appointed, as soon as be
joined the army, Colonel Of the Elf
tcenth Louisiana Regiment; and
within few days of this promotion
further promoted as General Of The
Second Louisiana Brigade, then sta
toned at fredericksburg, aud embrac
ing the First, Second, Ten:h ant
Fourteenth Regiments. With thi:
. brigade he fought in all of Stonewal
/ Jackson's fights. participating in al
of his victories, and even fell wounded
again upon the same Geld with hi:
commander At Charlottesville ;
ball passed through Gen. Nichol':
horse, necessitating an amputaiion o
the leg.
Crippled and MANNED as he was
; Gen. Nichols refused to leave th'
, army. He was unable TO do fel,
: duty, but was assigned to the com
mand of tie Lynchburg District, ant
subsequently to Texas. When peac
released him at last from service-fo
he would not leave before peace cam
he returned to his native State ant
# parish, and here, among US, be ha
ever since resided, engaged in plant
: ing and in the practice Of his protes
. sion-law.
e Gen. Nichols has held no Office I; ba
been no politician. in the unpleasan
meaning of the word; but, on til
other hand, be has never neglected
single duty of a good citizen; ha
interested himself in the political cor
dition, the prosperity, the happines
;, of our State.
e He was unwilling, at first, to be
candidate at our State Convention
and it was only at the eager solicita
= ton of Louisianians, who saw in biz
the safety, prosperity and redemptio
: of the State, that he yielded to th
,. f cling of duty and accepted the lcat