Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-06-13
James Shields.

\ press despatch from Ottumwa, Ia, an
nounces that General James Shields. vet
eran of the Mexican war the only man who
ever represented three separate States in the
United States Senate. died in that city at 10:
30 on Sunday night.
General Shields was born At Altmore near
Dungannon in the County Tyrone, in Ire
land, May g. 1907 AT sixteen, moved by
the praises nf America which he had heard
pronounced hy his uncle resident of
New Orleans. where he had fought under
jackson James Shields came to this coun-
try. lie founl, however that his uncle
was dead So thai he WAS cast upon his own
resources in strange land lie began the
study Of the law. but the Seminole war
breaking uui hr volunteered for the cam
paisn, from which hc returned with the rank
of lieutenant Settling in Illinois. his ability
soon obtained recognition for him. The
Democrats sent him to the Legislature. In
1910 he became Auditor Of the State, and in
1913 he succeeded stephen A. Douglas rs
Associate Justice OF the Supreme Court
and in 1916 President Polk made him Commits
sioncr of the General Land Office.
While General Shields WAS Auditor of
Illinois he challenged Abraham Lincoln To
fight a duel, ON the presumption that Mr.
Lincoln was the author of letter
abusive of General Shields which
had been published in the Spring
field .I0HrHdi The challenge was ac-
cepted by Lincoln AMI shot-guns at forty
PAGES were chosen as the weapons. Before
the duel could he fought. however the eli
writer Of the letter, in which among other
things Shields was spoken of rs u dandy
who went floating about the air without hcft
or earthly substance, just like IA lock of
cat-fur wlEIr cats had heen >fightin'"
Shields then challenged the editor. hut the
journalist, while hr refused tn give up his
author. declined To- fight
In 1916. when Illinois raised brigade
OF infantry for the Mexican war and Shields
was placed in command, President Polk
commissioned him rs Brigadier General.
July |. In Mexico, General Shields was for
some time Military Governor of Tampico,
hut rrioinIng his command in the spring Of
lSi. hc assisted in the reduction of Vera
Cruz, At Crrrh Gur,ln Shields was struck
down while leading his troops a hig copper
erapeshoi passing through his lungs. Ills
soldiers hailed. hui hr said To them Men.
are Lay me down and let me die |
might as well ,lie here as to
hr taken off To die For Gods
sake lay me down and 90 To your
duty nut he WAS not fatcd to die then
One nf the captured Mexican surgeons drew
a silk handkerchief through the wound
the silk went in at the breast and came out
al the back and ttiuscd it of clnttrd gore
and thanks to splendid constitution and
careful nursing Shields recovered lie was
brcvctlrL Maior-Gcnrral of Volunteers and
both TwisSs aud Scott culosizcd him in
their reports Four months later he was in
the field and August 20, 1S47, fought at
Cnnircras and Chcruhusco leading in the
bloody encounter the famous charge of the
Palmetto and New York regiments, 400
AGAINST 4, 900.
Returning To Illinois General Shields was
in 1919 elected Ia the United States Senate
Com, tn Minnesota after serving as Cover
nor of oregon Territory, Shields turned
farmer he was always poor man and his
pension was only S3l II mnnth Minnesota
s,ni him back Ia the Senatr When the war
"f the rebellion broke out Shields, rendered
his services lie received commission
ns hriaadicr general from his old IL
lnuis antagonist and succeeded Ian
der in command of Il division of
Hanks's army in the Shenandoah Valley. TN
the 23d of March, 1859, at Winchester. H.
was wounded n fragment al II shell shatter-
inS his arm lhnvc the elbow. Ills health
hein.s much broken General Shields retired
from the service and went tot arrnll county,
in Missouri, to engage in farming. lie was
made Adjutan- General of the State. Last
April General Shields, whose pension hli
been raised Ia $50 a month, applied to the
Government for such AN increase of pension
is misht save him from actual want in his old
arr. lie had been compelled Ia pawn the
sword given him fhr his scrVicrs in Mexico
literally for bread, AMI II visitor found him
last summer in the field harcGooted like
Cinrinmlus Ot old and following sorry
mule hilchcd to a sorry plough. General
Butler nominated him for door keeper Of the
HOUSE lie was defeated, receiving lOl ui
2;i3 VOTES, Mr.. Springer, "l Illinois, voting
Tor him with the Republicans The Demo
Gratis moved tn appoint him as a hrigadicr-
general un the retired list and the bill passed
the House Yeas 222S nays, & In the
Scr,air Mr. Edmunds objected to give the
hill unanimous consent saying, Il object To
singing ont one Gallant soldier from thou
sand for the purpose "t helping either party
in either House out oi n had scrapc
On the 2ist ut last January General
Shields was elected by the Legislature OF
Missouri for the Senatorial term made Va
cant hv the death oi Mr. Bngy During the
short term, which cNpircd on the lth of
March, hr only made one speech, and thai
WAS in favor uf increasing the pensions Of
the veterans nf the Mexican war