Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-10-06
Col. Robert P. Dechert,
DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR
AUDITOR GENERAL.

AUDITOR GENERAL.
| Col. Robert Porter Dechert, who is
the nominee of the Democratic party
for the Office of Auditor. General OF
Pennsylvania, is q resident of Philadel-
phia and a member of the bar in that
city. AT the breaking out OF the Re.
bellion he was only eighteen years OF
age, but yielding to his patriotic i'm
pulses, he enlisted as private soldier
in the Twenty-ninth Regiment of
Pennsylvania Volunteers Before the
Regiment took the field, Col. John X.
Murphy, commanding, appointed young
Dechort to the position OF Sergeant
Major on his staff. This position be
filled with great credit until February,
1862, when he was promoted to be
First Lieutenant of Co. C OF the same
Regiment. His promotion was made
over all of the Second Lieutenants Of
the Regiment by the selection of the
Colonel, and was considered to be
merited by his ability and attention to
duty. In this rank he served with his
Regiment in the campaign of Major
Gen. Banks in the Valley OF the Shen.
andoah in Virginia, and in the mem.
orable retreat of that General. He also
served with his Company in the Army
of Virginia under Major General Pope,
including the battles Of Cedar Noun.
tain, Second Bull Run and Chantilly,
and subsequently at Antietam and
Charlottesville. Immediately after
the battle Of AEtietam, he was selected
by Brigadier General George l.. An.
drews, now professor at West Point,
to serve as his Ald-de-C Camp and Assist.
ant Adjutant General, and on that
office being transferred to the Depart.
ment of the South, Lieutenant Dechert
performed the same duty on the staff
of Brevet Major General Thomas II.
kuger, now u Colonel in the regular
army, and prominently named for the
position Of Chief of the Signal Corps
to succeed the late Brigadier General
Myers-better known as cold Proba.
bilities." At the great Pennsylvania
Battle OF Gettysburg, Lieutenant Dech-
ert served as Assistant Adjutant Gen.
eral of the First Division of the old
Twelfth Corps at Culp's Hill, ana was
honorably mentioned for rgallantservice
in the official report of that important
engagement .H..a
Immediately after that battle the
Western troops of the Army OF the
Potomac were sent to the City of New
York under the command of General
Ruger TO enforce the draft that had
been temporarily suspended by reason
of the removal Of the troops from that
city for the defence of Pennsylvania
in the Gettysburg campaign.
The draft being successfully accom-.
phshed, these troops were returned to
the Army of the Potomac on the Rapid.
an, in Virginia, and a few days after.
wards, in consequence of our repulse
at Chickamauga, the llth and 18th
Corps were transferred to tho Western
Army. No time was last in their
transportation, and disembarkingirom
the cars at Nashville, Tenn, they were
marching to Chattanooga. In Decem.
ber of the year 1868, the Twenty.
ninth Regiment was the first in the
army to accept the offer OF the Gov.
ernment to re.onlist for another three
years, and Lieutenant Dechert con.
cluded to rejoin his regiment for that
purpose, and he was Immediately pro.
NOTED to the Captaincy of his com.
pany. The return Of this regiment to
their homes, on availing themselves of
the veteran furlough of thirty days,
has not been forgotten by the surviv.
ors or their friends. They were pub.
lieally received by the official authori.
ties of the City OF Philadelphia at Old
Independence Hall and at the Cooper
Refreshment Saloon, andaitcr rccuper
alton and additional enlistments, the
regiment was sent 10 the Hospital
building at Chester, Penu'a., and then
was removed TO the scene of its former
labors at Chattanooga, Tenn.
For several months Captain Dechert
was stationed at Philadelphia for the
purpose enlisting additional recruits,
but he rejoined his regiment in the
Atlanta campaign, having been reliev.
ed from recruiting duty at Philadcl
phia at his own request.
After the capture OF Atlanta, he
was again selected by his command.
ing General for important service.
Major General Il. W. Slocum appointed
him the Assistant Adjutant General of
the Twentieth Army Corps that
Corps being the result OF the consoli.
dation of the 1lth and 18th Army
Corps which had been shortly before
commanded by Major General Joe
Hooker. tI r.t
When Major General A, s. Williams
was advanced TO the command of this
corps, by reason of the promotion Of
General Slocum, he retained Captain
Dechert in the same position on the
Corps staff,
During the eventful march of Major
General W. I. Sherman ITO the sea-"
held his position, and at Savannah,
Georgia, General Slocum again recog.
nlzed the efficient service of Captain
Dechert by appointing him Assistant
Adjutant General of tho Army ol
Georgia on his staff, which position he
retained until after the surrender OF
General Joe johnson at RALEIGH and