Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1884-06-25
may have been their place N the social

scale"
This single sentence has In it grand
eulogy. 1t brings Col. Rogers before us
as he was, and d~iscloses the grounds for
the love and honor which his friends and
the people gave him. Other sentences
from this letter read as follows:
Col Rogers was q man Of rare ability;
ne was faithful to his superiors gentle
and just to those beneath him and with
a personal magnetism which attached his
men to him with hooks of steel. His
power over his regiment was supreme.
Every man was willing to follow him
to the death, for all had the most I'M
bounded confidence in him and he had
won for himself the highest esteem and
Warmest affection of every one, officer
as well as private"
Col. Rogers was simple in his tastes,
natural in his manners and sympathetic
with those in need of a kind word or q
helping hand. In times of danger and dar-
ing, in the face of the enemy he was every
inch q soldier. He was as brave a man
as ever faceddeath at the cannon's mouth"
He further wrote me: Il saw him and
marked his conduct well on that fatal
day when he lost his good right arm at
the battle of the Cedars in Tennessee on
the 9th Of December, 1854. It was as
desperate and bloody a battle as was ever
fought
Mr.. Richards has at length related the
movements and the brilliant services of
the 9Th Minnesota. How the men, pros
trate upon the ground, received the
deadly shot and shell till the right mo-
ment for action should come how the
Colonel held them there by his personal
presence and by his encouraging words;
hnWy he hnao NJ n in fhao0 -
the embodiment of the bravest of the
brave. #'- s-@ "f, vi"
The letter closes as follows: II am
satisfied that Col. Rogers, by his GOODNESS
and bravery, alone saved the day on that
memorable occasion, because the 9Th
Regiment occupied the centre of the line
directly in front of a half dozen twelve
pound guns, and nothing is more certain
than that if the slightest stampede had
occurred anywhere during this appalling
period, there would have followed a gen
eral and disastrous retreat. Even after q
musket ball had shattered his arm Col.
Rogers kept his place and stood at his
post, till the general and resistless charge
made and victory won by the union
arms. After this, Col. Rogers, his arm
streaming with blood, was taken from the
field and borne to his bed in the hospital
from which he never again rose o we'll
man."
Here, my friends, are the reasons why
Col. Rogers was loved and honored; why
this monument is before you why these
beautiful flowers are here and shall annu-
ally bedeck this grave :; why so many
friends are here on this occasion; why
Gov. Ramsey is one of our number why
all have come here with hearts full of the
tenderest emotions. We are here to-day
to honor the name and memory of. Col.
early. We deemed him cut off before
his time. but no, we can well take the
words of the poet and say
We live in deeds, not years. in thoughts not
In feelings, not in figures on a dial;
We sh mosf , count time by heart throbs. He
Who thinks most, feels the noblest, acts the
best.
Letters of regret from Pennock Pusey,
J. H. Baker and A. G. Hawlcy were
read by Commander Swift. From Gen.
Hawley's letter we give the following ex-
tract:
The gentlemen who contributed so
freely to- the fund for the purchase of
this stone did SO not as an act of charity,
but as a token of their respect for the
honored dead. The most Of the names
that appear as contributors were his for
mel comrades in the army. The gentle
man whose name heads the list, was a
warm personal friend, and was anxious
to give a much larger sum, but knowing
Col. Rogers taste for modest things in
his lifetime, l made this selection, and
declined a larger contribution. Having
selected the stone and furnished the de-
sign myself, I felt quite gratified on
receipt of your letter, saying you were
so we'll pleased with the stone. I wish
to extend the thanks due you fron all of
the Coils old friends for the interest you
took in informing me Of the neglected
condition OF the grave, as you were the
call fer such information. I hope that
the G. A. r. Post at Brownsville will see
to 1t that the grave of one of Minnesota's
bravest soldiers and most respected citi-
zens is properly cared for.
Contributors in st. Paul: Alexander
Ramsey, John T. Averill, VIM. Crooks,
Jas. H.. Baker, W. w. Braden, Mark D.
Flower, John B. Sanborn, Albert Scheff-
er, w. R. Marshall, David Day, P. Pu-
sey, s. P. Jennison, G.. A. r. Post
Brownsville, 1926, A. G. Hawley.
Also an extract from the letter of Gen.
]. H. Baker:
Let me add my humble name to the
list of those who will assemble to honor
his memory. No better man ever lived
among US. OF him it could be most truly
said
None knew him, but to love him,
None named hin but to praise"