The National tribune., 1883-10-25
GEN. STEEDuAN DEAD.
The Brilliant Military Career Of a
Beloved Ohio Soldier.
Special Correspondence National Tribune.

Reunion of his old regiment, the Fourteenth
Ohio, at Liberty Centre, Henry county, on
Chickamauga day, September Goth. AS soon
as the news became generally known, COM
rnittee, consisting Of the following well-known
citizens, met at the Office of John S. Kountz to
make preparations for the last sad rites of the
dead hero: Commander a. J. Eyster, General
G. i. Young, Past Department Commander
John S. Kountz, Major II. S. Bunker, Adiutant
w. w. Alcorn, Captain @. J. Hopkins Major E.
S. Dodd, Captain ]. w. White, d. w. Pugh and
Post Adjutant Dustin. The committee not
only represented Forsyth Post, but the Ma
tional Encampment, the generals staff, his
regiment, and the National Guard of the State.
Besides these there were present Acting Chief
Lieutenant O'Dwyer, Police Commissioner
Bolan, and Captain W. Fl. MeMalen.
General Young briefly stated the object of
the meeting He had been out to see Mrs.
General Steedman, and she had requested that
the general be given the honors due soldier,
and that the burial be performed according TO
the simple ritual OF the Order. Governor Ash
ley. General Young, Commander Kountz aud
Captain White had waited upon the trustees of
Woodlawn Cemetery, and Mr.. H. S. Walbridge
personally guaranteed a lot in that cemetery
worth $500 il the citizens would build a suit
able monument and said the body could be
placed in the vault as long as the friends might
wish. This generous offer OF Mr.. Walbridge
was at once accepted.
General Young then moved that the corpse
be taken from the Grand Army Hall to Wood
lawn Cemetery gun carriage, drawn by
four horses with dismounted positions. He
agreed to furnish the last horse upon which
the General ever rode.
Representatives of ether organizations also
rendered their services, and at another meet
ing IN the afternoon the preparations for his
funeral, which will take place on Monday
az fad C1auarol
Comrade Kountz. and others, visited the house
of mourning. Mrs. Steedman was much over
come by her feelings, and the long days and
nights of anxious watching have told heavily
upon her At her request the following gem
tlemen viii act as pail bearers Mr.. Dennis
Cengialin, Gen. J. w. Fuller, Hon. w. w. Jones,
u. d. Gen. G. L. Young. Hon. Edward Malone,
Past Department Commander John S. Kountz,
Capt ]. w. White, Col Henry G. Neubert, Col.
Paul Edwards
Telegrams were sent to Hon. 8. J. Tflden,
Gen. Winfield Scott Hancock John and Wash
ington Mclean, Governor Hoadly, Hon. Sunset
Cox, and others, whom the general requested
should be notified before he died.
SPRUNG FROM THE PEOPLE.
I take from the Toledo Commercial Telegram
the following facts as to General Steedman's
career:
James Blair steedn1an, printer, Journalist and
SOfu1eT. WAS noFn jury 1cIS, IN thtfi1s9uafIue
township, Northumberland county, Pa. of Scotch
parentage. His parents were not in good circun-
stances, and scholastic education limited to
that received IN the village school OF Lewisburg,
Union county, in the same State. He was left an
orphan when only thirteen years of age and
Obliged 10 labor hard 10 support for himself
sister. and two brothers. and, after leaving school,
became apprentice at the age of fifteen years in
the printing business. The newspaper the
Lewisburg Pa. Democrat, then edited by Judge
George II. Barrett. Here the apprentice learned at
once Democracy, rpdiTnentary branches of educa-
tion and business. So well did ne improve his OPP
portunifes that in couple of years he had come
10 be regarded as at for mans work and respon-
sibiEties. About this time opportunity was
offered hina leave the printing Office and take
charge of gang of hands engaged one of the
public works He succeed 50 well that he was
boidencd TO undertake similar contracts his
account. Removing to Ohio he established himself
1t Napoleon, Henry county, and, while awaiting
some public works, an opening in which he had
reason 10 expect he purchased a printing Office at
Defiance, and Published the NoYttoestefR Democrat
He engaged extensively in railroad building
subsequently, was elected twice TO the Ohio
Legislature, was member of the State Board
of Public Works for four years; in 1857 was
elected Public Printer at Washington; went to
the Charleston convention as a Douglas man .
afterwards ran in his district as the Douglas
candidate for Congress fbut was defeated, and
when the call for volunteers was issued by
Lincoln telegraphed to Governor Dennison,
Offering regiment for the service. Three DAYS
| after his appointment as colonel he had his
/ regiment tine Fourteenth Ohi0l ready, and
nine DAYS after the firing on Sumter, IL was in
| camp near Cleveland. The Fourteenth made a
splendid record in the field. 1t first saw service
| IN West Virginia, and was at the battle of Phil
| lipi-the first land affair Of the war. In July,
/ 1861, the regiment was veteranized and ordered
/ 70 General Thomas command, at Camp Robin
/ son, KY. 1t saw hard service in the Kentucky
/ campaign, and was then ordered to Shiloh, and
participated in that battle. After the fall OF
! Corinth it was engaged in the pursuit of Bragg,
and such renown had Colonel Steedman won
! by this time, that be was assigned to the COM
mand of a brigade, and July II, 1852, was CON-
| misSfened bTigadier- general of volunteers.
At the battle of Perryville, General Steed-
man rendered such efficient service that he was
specially complimented by General Buell. for
his energy and gallantry After Stone River
he was assigned to the command OF the First
division 10000 strong Of the Army of the
Cumberland, and held an independent COM
niand for three months, at Triune, Tenn, bat
was afterwards superseded, and in July, 1863
was assigned to the command Of the First di-
vision Of the Reserve Corps. At Chickamauga
he took a distinguished part, enforcing Cal
his own diseretion) General Thomas at a crit
ical moment. For the part he bore in this ter
rible battle he was made nlaior-general on
telegram to President Lincoln asking his pro
motion for distinguished and gallant services
on the neld, ana signed Dy Gencral5 Thomas
Roseerans, and Granger.
He made brilliant record in the campaign
which resulted in the fall of Atlanta, and after
wards, without waiting for orders, re-enforced
Thomas when Hood was lnenaeing Nashville
and did splendid service in that battle Aftel
the war General Steedman was for while
provisional governor of Georgia aud collectol
Of the port of New Orleans for two years froM
1867. Returning home he succeeded Judge
Waite in 1872 as a member of the Ohio consti
tutienal convention, and afterwards served twt
successive terms in the State senate On hi
retirement he was-May, 1S32-elected Chic
of Police, of Toledo, which position he held a
the time of MS death.
General Stecdman was married three times
In 1893, TO Miranda Stiles, of Napoleon
in 1874 to Rose H. Barr, who died il
1876, and in 1879 TO Miss Margaret Gildea, O
this city, who, with three children, SURVIVES
him. He had before but one child q son, who
as young man, died In 1877, leaving a wifi
and two children. The widow died few
months afterward, and her two children hay
been wards Of General Steedman, their grand
father. The Generals other near relatives II
this part of the West are an uncle, Colone
Harry Steedman, who resides in the western
part Of the county, and niece, Mrs. Rebecc
Steedman McGann, daughter Of Colonel Harr,
Steedman, who has been q constant attendan
at the bedside Of the General during his las
sickness
General Steedman was connected with For
syth Post, q. A. r., from the beginning Of tn
organization, and in 1879 was elected Com
nlander of the Department of Ohio It is need
+ less TO say that he was always foremost in tn
.aA .f Irnta 4 ! ..