The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-06-02
JOHN SEDGWICK.
THE MAJOR GENERAL WHO WAS KNOWN AS
UNCLE JOHN, OF THE SIXTH CORPS.

| THE MAJOR GENERAL WHO WAS hNOWN as
UNCLE JOHN, OF THE SIXTH CORPS.
from the Philadelphia Sunday Times.]
What survivor of the Sixth Army
Corps has forgotten Uncle Jehn?
Major General John Sedgwick-ol
all the brave men l ever knew, the
gentlest and best woman-hearted,
almost when occasion demanded the
sweet graces of gentler sex, and lion.
hearted for sure, and every time when
manly courage was tine want of the
hour.
No one knew why he was called
Uncle John.
Yet when he bestrode old Pygma-
lion-Pygmalion fat and waddling,
and never known to move in any
other than the mildest kind afamble,
in which he always got there-and
took his place at the head of the
corps, whether it 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 mine? The most consid-
crate, leveI-headed, uncompromising
and fearless soldier we ever knew.
All! What a man was he? Majestic
and stern, yet 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 ex-
pected he could elsewhere be.
Twas my sad fortune to be gazing
most intently in his manly, hand
some face when the messenger came
that called him across the dark river.
1t found him just where we knew
he wished to be found at the front !;
and he was mustered out with the
same sweet smile, the same winning
and paternal expression that made
him Uncle to an Army Corps.
And what a shuddcr ran through
the ranks when his death was made
known.
Aye! Many ramrOd sent home its
bullet with an additional jerk, and
many a sponge staff was piled with
redoubled vigor on that morning in
May, at Spottsylvania, when his
mighty spirit took its flight. Gentle
reader, it you were not there, know
you will pardon this poor and feeble
tribute to one of the best and bravest
men of the wvr.
lfyou were there, ifyou knew him,
you know how Door, how feeble and
utterly inadequate is this brief mem
tion of his merits and virtues.
Indeed! He stood high on that glo-
riOus list of men whose deaths called
up the sentiment:
The brightest have gone before us,
The dullest remain behind.
Uncle John was not a polite Gen
eraI.
McMahon used to say, and McMa-
hon knew him, that a newspaper
correspondent made our Uncle John
sick.
/ need not elaborate the point, per.
haps, that this disease Was not epi-
demical in the army.
Uncle John was not an am bilious
General. And when he was offered
the command of the Army of the
Potomac he gazed into the campfire,
pulled at his mOustache and mildly
remarked
Lads! Ireckon the old Sixth Corps
will do for u.s." And then, why then,
we all went into McMahon's tent and
took a-cOngratulation.
Uncle John was not fastidious about
his uniform.
There were dudes in the war, just
as there are dudes in peace. Putting
it mildly, he was no dude. He was
never celebrated or promoted, for the
fit of his coat or the cut of his whisk-
ers.
Until he met with little adven-
ture it was his delight to get into
soldiers blouse and on old Pygma.
lion and go sort of meandering about
where the leaden zephyrs were blow.
ing and funerals were being started.
One chirpy morning, while an ord
nance wagon connected with the
artillery was crossing a ponto0n
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 what
battery the wagon belonged.
"What battery ?" replied the driv-
err; can't you read, you old lunk-
head? Look at the side of the wag-
on"
Well, well! In you minds eye
my patriotic reader, in your minds
eye, just put yourself in that drivers
place, for, say, four hours after that