The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-05-17
DEAR OLD UNCLE JOHN
The Famous Commander Of the Sixth
Army Corps.

MalOr-iTenerai -fODn SeuGNich- vi All
brave men ] ever knew, the gentlest and best
woman-hearted almost, when occasion demand
ed the sweet graces of the gentler sex, and non
hearted Tor sure and every time when manly
courage WAS the want of the hour
No one knew why he was called Uncle john
Yet twhen he bestrOde old ygmalion-Pygma-
lion fat and waddling, and never known TO
move in any other than the mildest kind of
amble, IN which he always got there-and took
his place at the head Of the corps, whether
there was sunshine or storm, whether 1t was TO
advance or retreat whether there was grub or
no grub he was your Uncle. Was he not. my
Sixth Corps veterans your Uncle and miner
The most considerate, leyel-headed, uncompro-
missing, and fearless soldier we ever knew,
All! what man was he? Majestic and stern,
vet tender as child.
He fought not according TO the book, for he
had no rear
He led, but with so much modesty and so
little parade. that no one expected he could
elsewhere be.
'Twas my sad fortune to be gazing most in
tently i'm his manly, handsome face when the
messenger came that called him across the dark
river.
Ii found him, Just where we knew he wished
TO be fonnd-at the front; and he was mus
tered out with the same sweet smile, the same
winning and paternal expression that made
him Uncle TO an Army Corps.
And what a shudder ran through the ranks
when his death was made known.
Ayei Many ramTed sent home its bullet
with an additional jerk, and many sponge
staff was piled with reGoubled vigor OF that
morning IN May, at Spottsylvania, when his
mighty spirit took its fight. Gentle reader, II
you Were not there, ! know you wiil pardon
this poor al4d feeble tribute TO one Of the best
and lTayest men of the war
If yoa EeTe there, If YOU knew him, you
know bow poor. how feeble and utterly made
ouate is this brief mention of his merits aud
virtues.
Indeedl He stood high on that glorious list
Of men whose deaths called up that sentiment:
The brightest have gone before US,
The dDllest remain behind.
Uncle John was not polite general.
Mcmahon used to sag, and McAahon knew
Uncle John sick.
j need not elaborate the point, perhaps, that
this disease was not epidemical in the army.
Uncle John was not an ambitious general.
And when he was offered the command of the
Army OF the Potomac he gazed into the camp
fire, pulled at his mustaehe and mildly re-
marked:
Lads reckon the old Sixth Corps viii do
for u.s." And then, why then, we all went into
McMahOns tent and took a-cong graduation.
Uncle john was lot faStidi0uS about his uni
form.
There were dudes in the war, Just as there are
now dudes in peace. Putting il mildly, hs was
no dude. lie was never celebrated, or pro-
moted, for the fit Of his coat or the cut OF his
Rhiskers.
Until he met with little adventure it was
his delight TO get into soldiers blouse and on
old Pygnlalion go sort Of meandering about
where the leaden zephyrs were blowing and
funerals were being started.
One chirpy morning. while an ordnance
crossing pontoon bridge at rate of speed
which the attentions of the cheerful Southern
patriots IN no wise seemed to lessen, Uncle john
rode up TO The wagon driver and demanded to
know 10 what battery the wagon belonged.
What hattery!" replied the driver; a can't
you read. you old lunkhead? Look at the side
OF the wagon"
Well, we'll In your minds eye, my patriotic
reader, IN Your minds eye, just put yourself in
that drivers place, for, say, four hours after
that speech, that is 10 say, supposing it TO have
been made to some maj generals wot Of
Shall ] tell you whab would have come of II ?
You would have been converted into spread
eagle IN the twinkling OF an eye-opener.
You wOald have been fastened by your wrists
and ankles 10 the spare wheel of caisson, and
70 make II pleasant for you they would have
turned the wheel so as TO put Your heels where
your head ought TO have been.
What did Uncle John2
He halted and pulled his Inustache.
He patted Pygnalions neck.
De and the old horse sort Of ruminated TO-
gether ia such an emergency.
Then he called up an orderly and sent for a
pair Of fshoulder-straps, quietly remarking:
a / don't seem to be very well known about
here"
Lit would have done Won good. oh, patriot
You whe used to send picked onions and things
to the soldier; it would have warmed Tie
cookies OF your heart TO have seen the varying
expressions Of those two men, Uncle John and
the driver, when they next met, as they did,
III about aR hour after the above-dcscribed i'm
teryleW.
The driver looked at Uncle John, he also
1oregaJhered on the na]or-generalis s shoulder
straps and then came to himself tumbled to it.
as the Late 4amented Mac.uev puts It.
he Was a recruit. lie aid not know lust
whom he had designated lgnkhead. but he
plainly saw that his future might not be bright
like and pleasant
Did you ever have brick house fan on Won
That's how that driver felt.
But Lnele Johns face wore the old peren-
mai smile and that driver reached for mis- can
teen with convuis'Ye grasp as Pygmalicn
shufaed on
DO you suppose there was any particular
place that driver would not 90 to If he thought
II would please Uncle J0hnf
10 go0 wonder that they called him Unclei
=
only soldiers can love leader marVelously
brave and generous and kind?
IL was mis- love for Uncle John that led to NJ
acquaintance with Gravity
Crawiy was a battery commander type o.
hOialer, 10 use the yeFnacuiar OF commerce, thai
meant business
Synpafisetie reader, do you happen TO reme1n
ber Aarye's Heights that unpleasant slope be-
loT Fredericksburg, where, in the Siaughtel
fen, OF that frosty morning ia the biting win
ter tine, prodigi0us incompetency laid it
thousands down 10 rest? Maryes Heights
Where Of that balmy morning in the next faii
spring Uncle John rode up old Pygmalion?
lon remember. IL was IN the bill for The
Sixth Corps TO carry the heights, move out pas
Salem Church and head Oh, sort of tap ia tn,
ba'lk' General Lees army, which was to b,
mace 70 iall back from Charlottesville?
Don't yea remember the nice little schem
they PLANNED AID iought al that winter-witl
their lipsg
Don't you remember that the unaccommo
dating Sunthcrners did not fall back to an,
great extent bnt came forward there at th
church with some considerable velocity?
Don't you remember that up to that time yol
had rot seen the inlpefuous son of the Soutl
1al back much. excepting when he seemed +
be quite ready to fall back?
Don't you remember that You did not thel
expect him 10 fail back And don't YOU re
lnenber that In those days the prograIaIn
never seemed TO I'll?
However, as a Celtic friend Of mine was won
% remark, I'VE will lave that CO."
Wei Of that spring morning, there at tn
1O0J OF i1e Dill, that where first rnef Ira yrfy