Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1879-06-14
Wseklg gntell9enter.
OFFICIAL COUNTY PAPER.
LIFE OF GENERAL SHIELDS.

General James Shields was born at
a place called Altmory, i'll the county
Tyrone, Ireland, in the year 1910.
His mother was early left a widow
With three boys on her hands, anu
with sufficient means to educate ana
rear them up i'll u respectable man
ner. James, the eldest, early gave
evidence of great energy aud activity.
Before he arrived at the age Of six
teen he had made himself a good
English scholar, a good mathematl-
clan, and he had acquired u tolerable
Hnu,vlrdge of the classics and the
French language. AT that age he left
his home aud came to the United
States. In 1882 he em!grated to illinois
and commenced the practice Of law III
Randolph county, IHeetlng with some
SUCCESS. In 1885 he was elected TO
the Legislature fioin Randolph
county. Here. in
.-OLD vANDALIA,"
ne first bee me acquainted with
Abraham Lincoln. Stephen A. Doug
las, John j. Hardin, Edward Baker
and many Others. VINO have since
rfi.ured in the public history of the
country. In 1910 lie was elected
State Auditor, ,and discharged the
duties of hat important position
with such efficiency aud success that
ne was unanimously reelected by
10th parties-Whigs and Dem
Douglas, about The same time, was
made Secretary ofSiate, So that those
two fast friends were once more as
suciated together in public life. In
1916 he WAS appointed a Judge Of
the Supreme Court, SO that on the
Supreme bench thu W friends came
together again. When Jnmes X. Polk
was pr, silent OF the United States
ne appointed Gen. Shields Cummis-
siouer of the General Land Ofice,
and again he aud Douglass ame to-
gether, Douglass, Ill the meantime,
having been elected to Congress. As
commissioned OF the General Land
Office, Gen. Shields won the respect
aud admiration Of all parties by his
stric: integrity, Industry aud con-
sumaie ability.
War soon broke out with Mexico,
aud he was appointed Brlgadier-Gen-
eral, and assigned to the command Of
the Illinois volunteers. He served
under General Taylor on the Rio
Graud-, under General Wool in his
caulpaign against Chihuahua, and
next. under General Scott, when he
entered on his canpaign for the cap
ture of the City of Mexico. Al the
siege of Vera Cruz he distinguished
himself for activity, energy and fear
iessness. After the fall of Vera Cruz
tie American army, under General
Scott, had to encounter the whole
Mexican army at Cerro Gordo, the
strongest natural position on the
continent. Here Gen. Shields Was
assigned to attack the Mexican re-
serve under the command of Gen.
Santa Anna III person. This he
accomplished with such inter pidity
aud consummate skill that he fairly
surprised the Mexican force and
swept them before him, carrying a
battery of six pieces of cannon at the
point OF the bayonet. Unfortunately
before this battery he received
A TERRIBLE WOUND,
deemed at the time MORTAL grape
shot, having punclured his right
lung, tore through his body and
passed out near the spine. To the
surprise of everybody and the aston
isbment of the medical staff of the
army, in ten weeks he was again in
the saddle and at the head of his
command. He entered the Valley of
Mexico with the American army
his brigade consisting of the New
York volunteers, the Palmettos, OF
South C,roliua, and a battalion of
United States Marines. The first
battle fought in the Valley was that
of Contreras, where the enemy were
strongly posted within their intrench-
ments. General Persifer Smith was
sent against them In the afternoon
and General Shields was sent TO join
him the same night, and being senior
in rank was entitled to take COM
mand, but finding that Gen. Smith
had made his dispositions to make
break, and approving of the arrange
Smith of the honor Of the achieve
ment. He served under him next
morning and aided him essentially
i'll the attack, which was emineptly
successful. This was
AN ACT OF soLDIERLY MAGMA
NIMITY.
of which there are very few exam
Piles. The next day was fought the
battle of Churubusco, which was one
of the most bloody engagements Of
the war. In this battle Gen. Shields
was assigned the command of a di-
vision, and appointed again to attack
the Mexican reserve, under his old
antagonist, Gen. Santa Anna. This
he accomplished with rapid and fear
less audacity, and, although the
nru tUnrn iva tn nIa hn nopriaI
their position, captured their artil-
lery and drove them, broken aud
shattered, into. the City of Mexico.
But this daring exploit cost him the
lives of some of his bravest officers
and about one-third OF his entire
command. The gallant aud noble
Palmetto regiment lost half its mum
bers in killed and wounded on that
bloody field. Next succeeded the
storming of Chapultepec. In THU
he was again seriously wounded, (,
musket ball having toru through hi:
arm, passing out near the elbow
Notwithstanding the wound he pur
sued the enemy to the very gates o
the city, having his horse shot undeI
him.
THE CAPTURE OF THE CITY
followed. and, peace being soon afte
concluded, he returned to Illinois.
i The next year, 1849, illinois, il
gratitude for his gallant services, re
turned him to the Senate of tn
= United States. In that body he an,
Id Douglas met again as colleagues. Ii
s. had the pride and satisfaction q
serving six years in the Senate of tn
7s United States with Webster, Cllhou
Clay, Benton and Cass. He had tn
good fortune to be highly respecte,
e, in that body, and retired from
with the reputation Of all homes
man aud an able aud efficient Senator
He next emigrated t o Minnesots
!, which, On becoming a state, eIeete
him one of its Senators. 1t was h
fortune 10 draw the short term,
that he only served two years froI
that slate. The Minnesota clImal
y proving too severe for him, he mad
u trip to California, where ne marie
his present wife, remaining i'll tt
AT state a couple of years. The VS.
. broke out while he Was soiourning
California. He was again aproimte
= Brigadier-General and telegrapht
for by the Wan Department. On Ii
OF arrival in Washington he Was a
"a signed to the command of
Ter r,,7 ma, IN x,p-u,-