The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1883-03-14


Last weeks News contained a
brief notice of the death of General
P. ]. Sullivan, of the 48th o. V.
One company, c, of his regiment
was recruited at Lynchburg, by John
w. Frazee, and another by Captain,
afterward Lieut.. Col Parker, at New
Lexington, this county. The follow
ing notice, interesting to the men Of
the 48th, was taken from the Cincin-
matt Enquirer
'rMy history shall be written after
my death. Such were the words
that General Peter J. Sullivan was
wont to use to biographers who were
anxious to incorporate a sketch of
his life in their biographical diction-
aries. But the gallant General and
able diplomatic has now passed to
the other side Of the dark river, and
something Of his life, which is in
itself history, can be related. While
personally very reticent to those who
enjoyed the pleasure of his acquaint-
ance, he was a mine of information,
and there could hardly be any pleas
ure surprising an hours conversation
with the genial old gentleman. His
figure was familiar on the streets Of
the city, particularly on Fourth street,
which he was accustomed to walk to
and from his office in Pixies Build
ing to his residence, 447 West Fourth.
He was a man of little below the
medium height, somewhat stoop-
shouldered-the result of infrmities
brought on by his exposure and
wounds received in the army while
defending the glorious flag emblem
atical of the liberties of the people
of the United States. Always attired
scrupulously neat in a plain suit of
black with a silk hat to match, he
was a person to attract attention ;
and in conversation, either at his
Office or at home, he was particular
ly pleased to meet with the young
man just entering upon the thres-
hold of life's arduous duties, and
nothing pleased him more, nor was
anything more welcome, than to lis
ten to his tales of days gone past
and to receive his advice to young
men whom he stated were to become
one day the fathers Of a future gene
ration, and who would direct the
destinies of the Republic.
Peter ], Sullivan was born March
IS, 1921, in County Cork, Ireland,
and came to this country when but
two years of age. Growing up to
manhood he entered the University
of Pennsylvania, where he finally
graduated with honors. He then,
by competitive examination, became
a member Of the Military Engineer
Corps, and in that capacity went into
the Mexican war. Here, for bravery,
he was made a Major in the regular
army. Resigning in I848, he came
to this city, where he studied law
under the late Judge Bellamy Storer,
and from the date of his admission
to the Bar until the outbreak of the
war, his practice was one of the
most lucrative in the city. But
depressing a moment, before coming
to this city, he was official stenog,
rapher of the United States Senate,
and in that capacity reported many
of the able addresses Of Clay, Web
ster, Calhoun, Cass, Benton and old
Simon Cameron. In 1855 he was
made Colonel of an independent
German Regiment, and as such he
was instrumental in suppressing the
Know-Nothing riots in that year by
| placing cannon on Vine street be-
tween Fourteenth and Fifteenth. AT
the outbreak of the civil war in 1901,
Mr.. Sullivan, at his own expense,
raised four regiments, but Governor
DennisOn, the famous War Governor
refused to commission him because
of his being a Democrat, and
because he was afraid of his loyalty
to the flag but after the fourth regi.
ment had been raised by direct
orders from President Lincoln he
was made Colonel of the 48th o. V
l., and served with his regiment un,
til after the battle of Shiloh, In that
famous engagement his regiment Wa7
in the front, and Colonel Sullival
after capturing a rebel flag, had fou4
horses killed under him and was
wounded three times himself. 1t was
in front Of Colonel Sullivan's regi-
ment that the great rebel General,
Sidney Johnson, was slain, as was
stated by General Sherman in his
official report of the battle.
General Sullivan then came home
and was confined for nine months by
reason Of his wounds. Then return
ing to the army, he was made Post
Commander at Memphis and Fort
Pickering. Subsequently he was pre-
siding Judge of the Military Court OF
Claims; sat on the Tom Worthing-
ton Court-martial and was present
at the capture and fall of Vicksburg.
At the close of the war he was made
Brigadier-General for gallant and
meritorious services. Two days
after his confirmation he was ap-
polhted by President Johnson, and