Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1883-09-07

through rebel sources, until he reached Sa-
Fort McAlister had been stormed
on the 18th OF December, and the city had
OH the 2lst. The United States
feet lay off the mouth OF the Savannah
River, eighteen miles below the city, and
the only way to let the waiting people OF the
North know that Sherman had got to Sa-
and the sea was TO reach the feet.
But the river was full OF torpedoes, and the
banks were full OF rebels. Foraker was Or
dered by General Slocum, then command
ing the left wing OF Shernan,s army, to
open communication between his army and
the fleet. He decided that the best way 10 |
this was to descend the river. |
He obtained a row-boat, secured the ser
vices OF two negroes to row it, and in the
night started with one orderly on tho |
perilous trip. The boat, alter running
aground several times in the darkness, and
being nearly capsized once or twice, reached
the fleet, bringing to it the first news of the
capture OF Savannah. Before the feet went
up the river, the torpedoes were removed
under direction of the rebel Colonel who
had put them down. When ordered to take
them up he had said TO Sherman, "I'll be
damned ii do any such drudgeryw "Thn
you tCtN hang tomorrow D'Or1,ng!" said Sber-
man. This argument convinced the rebel
Colonel.
Next in the career Of Sherman's army
came the march through the Carolinas, with
frequent skirmishing, and sometimes more
severe fighting with Johnston, until the Vi
cinity OF Goldsboro and Bentonvillc was
reached. What occurred there is thus told
by Whitelaw Reid:
"For now, while Sherman, DETECTING his
columns to the right to move straight on
Bentonviile and Goldsboro, felt sure that no
further interruption was intended, and went
of to open communication with Schofelds
column from the seacoast, johnson had i'm
proved the days delay, had gathered his
old skill, formidable positions of defense, and
had fortified them. Suddenly the lett wing,
marching in all the confidence OF Sherman's
belief that he was now past any danger of
attack, came fairly upon Johnson's skirmish-
ers. A fierce assault speedily followed,
driving in the Union advance with loss of
guns and provisions Slocum hurriedly
sent word to Sherman that he was confront
ed by Johnson's whole army, and then
made such prepa rations for defense
as the instant would permit =
The assault placed Slocum in great peril, but
after recovering from the first sudden OH
saught he lost no more ground. 1t was hard
to persuade Sherman that anything serious
was going on, but when convinced he hur-
ried over reinforcements from the other
wing, and johnson was pushed into his
| works"
The messenger by whom Slocum "hur-
riedly gent word to Sherman" was Ben For
aker. Slocum was in command OF the left
wing, marching on separate road. Sher-
man was with Howard's wing of the army,
marching on another road some seven or
eight miles TO the right. Slocum had been
checked some little time, and Howard was
going on. johnson was in front OF Slocum,
in the woods, with about twenty-five thou
Ca N he
it was necessary to go around the left flank
OF the rebel army. Slocum's injunction to
| Foraker when ne started was: BE careful
but don't spare horsefiesh." He observed
the injunction, got to Sherman in safety, OBJ
tanned from him an order to bring TO Slo
Gums aid Hazen's division of the Fifteenth
Corps, and succeeded in arriving with il
upon the battlefield at 3 O'Clock in the morn
ing. IL was for these services that, Will,
the army was lying at Raleigh, he was com
missioned Brevet Captain of L. $. Nolun
teers upon the special recommendation o
General Slocum.
/ As A MAN.
The war being over, Foraker came home
and at once began his efforts for bettel
education. In this he was assisted by hi
brother Burch, who had also passed through
the perils of the war, and had successful,
started in business in Hillsboro. The mos
ardent fraternal affection existed between
!, the brothers, and when, few years after
Burch Foraker died, it was terrible blow
TO Ben. He studied awhile at South Salem
Ross County, was two years at the Wesleyan
University at Delaware, Ohio, then went t.
Cornell, and was graduated in its first elias
: in 1869. He had been studying the law dur
, ing his collegiate course, and upon hi
graduation entered the Office of Judge Jane
: Sloane, then practicing in Cincinnati. Ill
/ was admitted to the bar in the fall of tina
/ year, and at once began practice. He hat
! no influential friends, and no acquaintanc
even in Cincinnati, and for year or tw,
, his practice was not large. 1t was not yer,
long, however, before his genial manners
, untiring energy, solid abilities, and stern in
tegrity, began TO make his way, and hi
practice extended into "every grade of Cour,
; from Justice of the Peace to the Suprem
Court OF the United States"
He was married October 4, 1870, to Mis-
Julia Bundy, a daughter OF Hon. ii.
I Bundy, OF Jackson, o.
He was nominated for Judge of the Cour
, of Common Pleas in 1875, but was defeate,
y by the notorious Eph. Holland frauds of tina
: year. He was again nominated for Count
Solicitor in the spring of 1878, without hi
! knowledge or consent, and against hi
: wishes, but recognizing the claims Q
4 his party upon him, he remained on til
, ticket, to be defeated with 1t bya majority {
! 2,000 with which the Democracy swept TIA
: county. In the fall OF 1876 Judge Baxter
! Of the U. S. Circuit Court, appointed hin
Chief Supervisor of Elections for the Soutl
) ern District of Ohio. This position he ais
, took much against his wishes, but havin
a accepted it, he administered its duties wit
. such manifest fairness that even the Dem,
: Gratis took occasion, when the elections (
that fall were being investigated by Cor
@ gressional Committee, to put upon record 0
= due to him, that they had no fault TO lin
g conceded that his administration OF IL ha
;, been all that 1t should have been. In tn
a spring Of 1879 he was elected TO the SuperiC
!. Court Bench for full term Of five years.
He remained upon the bench for abor
Q three years, when he resigned because OF il
Q health. When IL became known in Cincil
o natl that Judge Foraker intended to resigl
!. he was most strongly urged by the Bar
u the city and his many friends, without n
" gard TO party, TO remain upon the beDcl
:, and to take a long vacation until he shoiil
n regain his health. And even after his resi-
,. nation was forwarded, tele0ams We're Sci
> TO Governor Foster urging that il be not q
d cepted. Among the many gentlemen som
e ing these kilograms, were Hon. NJ. i. Fore
o Hon. George Hoadly, Hon. Aaron +. Per
!. Hon. y. W. kittredge and Hon. John v
d Warrington.
o From bcyhood Judge Foraker has been .
l. active supporter of the Republican part
h During the war he supported Its pripcipl
II aud the country, as soldier. After the w
II he was in favor OF all the great reconstril
ton measures intended 10 secure the frui
70 Of the victory and to insure the rights Of Il
"a late slaves. In 1874, Judge Foraker, at q X
Il publican mass meeting In Cincinnati, spol
10 90 follows on the civil rights question:
,t "The object Of this bill IL to prevent mas