The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1882-02-15

covered wagons.
Opened wagons.
Citizens on horseback.
The remains were inferred in the old GEN.
etery and in the spring will be removed E4s,
and find final res, in the family burial ground
The funeral cortege was the largest ever seen
in Benton, If not in Montana. Our people
turned out almost en- masse, showing the high
and universal respect in which the deceased
was held. Most of the business houses were
closed during the funeral and we observed
the emblems of mourning on many doors.
No greater respect could be shown the dis.
tinguished dead by the citizens of Benton.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
George Clendenin was born in New York
city January, 31st 1893, being at the time of
his death but q few days upwards of "A years
of age. At the breaking out of the war he
was at Port Huron, Michigan, where he as
sisted in raising regiment and received the
appointment Of 81 Lieutenant Of one of the
companies. The regiment was ordered on to
Washington, but young Clendenin remained
at Port Huron to arrange some business af-
fairs, with the understanding that he was to
be notified when his company was ordered to
the front 90 that he could join it. The Of
ficers, however, failed to do as they agreed,
and another person was appointed in bis
stead. Clendenin FASTENED to Washington,
however, where his parents then resided, and
being determined to enter the service he at
once enlisted as private in the 2ad Rhode
Island, at that time stationed but two or three
miles from the Clendenin homestead at
Washington. He remained but three days
private when he was appointed by Colonel
Wheaton, in commend Of tue regiment,
Master of Ordnance, the Col. taking special
liking to him from the first day. Within
three weeks he was advanced to Sergeant
Major of the regiment, and before his COM
pany went to the front Was commissioned
Lieutenant by the Governor OF Rhode Is
land. The warm friendship with Col. Whea-
ton was steadfast throughout the war, and
when the latter was promoted to Adjutant
General of the Sixth Corps Lieut. Clendenin
was made his Assistant and really performed
the duties of that onerous position. For val
liant service on the field he was brevetted
Lieut.. Col, and just prior to the muster out
was ON the staff of Brevet Major General
Wheaton as Chief Of Staff and Assistant Ad-
iutant General. He was complimented on
several occasions for bravery on the field,
and has received more than one special men
ton in the reports Of his superior officers In
the army he was the same Jealous, intrepid,
determined worker that we all have known
him to be in civil pursuits.
UPS AND DOWNS.
It rarely falls to the lot of man to receive
severer treatment at the hands OF Fortune
than has Col. Clendenin. The summing up
of his career since the close Of the war
would be simply series of mishaps and
misfortunes. There seemed to. be fatality
that prevented him, let him strive never SO
hard, from gaining the goal of bis ambition
wealth. At the close of the war he was ap-
pointed Post-Trader at Fort SedgWick. but
hardly had be arrived at the post until it was
abandoned by order of the proper authorities. |
He then applied for and received the appoint
ment of Post Trader at Fort Benton, expect |
ing to fully retrieve bis fortunes. In the fall
of 1866 be arrived here and found that by an |
error of the department he was assigned to
Ft Cook instead, whence he proceeded only |
to find that there was already Post Trader
there aud that his roon al the post was more |
acceptable than his company. he then re-
turned to Fort Benton where he was joined |
by his brother, Richard, who at present re-
sides at Martinsdale. Having no other pros
pect 10 view the brothers bought few sup |
plies and two good axes and went down the