The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-04-08
Written for the Sunday Sentinel
TIE LEADERS OF THE UNION ARMY.

During recent visit to Washington l was
permitted to inspect in the Office Of the Ad.
jptant General of the United States a mag
nifcent collection Of otographs OF the
general officers commissioned By the Presi-
dent of the United States-including Brigade
Commanders not actually commissioned
during the eventful period which beginning
early in 1861 terminated in April 1865 by the
Surrender of the armies of the so-called Con-
iedeTate States Of America.
This collection has been arranged for pre-
sentstion in the archives OF the War Depart
ment in such a manner as TO exhibit
tie leaders of the seyera brigsdes,
divisions, Army Corps and armies of TIE
United States in the great contest for the sU
premacy of the Union.
TIE thought occurred to me, that while it
is proper that such collection should ss
great original or combination OF originals
remain in the War Department, yet the peo-
pie OF the country Chose who do not live at
Washington or can not go there) are entitled
to chance to view these heroes. Congress
can afford to authorize the reproduction OF
the pictures by the heliotype or other SINH
lar process. To each picture s. short state
ment OF the military services Of the officer
could be prefxed, thus forming a valuable
illustrated appendix to the official
publication of the war. To say nothing of
The pleasure afforded to.the people, it would
prove a most vaiuble publication from a
purely historical point of view. Mr.. Ralph
II. Tnair the chief clerk in the Adiuntant
Generals Department has devoted much
time and attention to the procurement of
these valnble piciures. And indeed they
are very valuble even now. The visitor
looks at Grant and Sherman
and Sheridan, ss they were twenty years ago,
| and he exclaime ALAS, how changed now
from the freshness and yigor Of manhoodp
,1fa -. 30
were not injured by the shot and shell of
| the hostile batteries nor by the insidious dis
| eases which bsit upon the warrior; they es-
cape all these. But tine. slowly, surely
| creeping along, has left his mark upon them.
AS write these lines one of them, the great
| est and stubbornest of ALL is suffering de-
| feat st The hands of that unconquerable enc
| NY, death. And soon they will al be gone,
| to live only in the remembrance OF postefity
| and on the pages of history.
a hundred years hence, aud the collection
will be hundred times more valuable than
| it is now. I turned over the pages
and there l found our gallant Indiana
warriors. There wGs Craft, with whom
| spent delightful day at the Terre Ha1ts en-
| oampment when the regiment was being or
| geniZed. And here are Harrison, Gresham,
| Wallace, Scribner, HoVey, Meredith Sander
| son, Anthony, and other gallant leaders,
| come living and some now dead, bat all OF
| whom deserve well OF their country.
| Here On this page is the face and form OF
| one who was the soldiers friend, cut of in
| his prime. He had nevertheless done
enough to earn the gratitude of a sorrowing
nation. When James B. Mcpherson fell
| great soldier died. Ii was my good fortune
| to know him intimately. / never shall for
| get that bright day in June, 1856, when at
| his Invitation, l went with gay party to
| picnis with him at Fort Delaware. he was
| then a Lieutenant in the regular
L 80 OF Eark h1f
on an island in the middle OF the Dslawore
nearly opposite Delaware City. as We re-
| clined on the grass late in the afternoon,
tired and waiting for the boats to come and
/ take Us across the river, looked up at the
huge gun which had just been mounted on
| the southern side of the Fort, and which
| was then pointed southwark thrsateningly
over our heads and said to him jocularly:
"This is good place for the birds to build
their nests" "Yes", he said. mo one will
| d sturb them here very soon. Here am, o
| poor Lieutenant, destined to stay here or in
some other out of the way place all my life,
| with little chance for promotion. hate this
life OF inactivity. The Government is foolish
| to 90 TO any expense for these forts. for
we shall be always or for long time
at least at peace with every nation.
/ We must be crowded close together bsfore
| We have any ware"
How little we know of the immediate fu.
| ture- The war cloud was then gathering in
the South. II was st first perhaps, no larger
than a mans hand, bat itincreased slowly
| and surely. And when John Browns raid
came, that cloud was ready to burst in fury
| over Us. And in few years. the Southern
| land was wrecked, as Webster phrased it,
| with patefnai blood.
We can not DO enough to honor our brave
! and patriotic defenders, leaders and soldiers.
Long may they be with Us TO repeat their
| adventures before their camp fires and to
the wondering children, and may they re-
| turn late into heaven.
New ALBANY.