National Republican., 1886-12-01
GOLD VAN"

An Engllshman's "Reminiscences OF an
Incident and Parsonage OF the Late
Civil warden Stewart Van Nliet
still on Decit-IIis Services, &c., &c.
Washington Special to New York Star.l
A late number Of the English irmy ant
NdUy Gazette contains the following enter.
tanning chapter from the unwrltten history
Of the war Of secession;
Many English officers who were in washing.
ton at the time of the great civil war viii re.
member the veteran who Is mentioned IN thti
scTap,whioh appeared In IN American contem.
pory, in au account of the society ut iashiOh'
able watering place. "The eldest OF the 10; Is
man with what may b, pronounced grew
career, one of the remnants Of that cOterlc OF
prnnd soldiers educated In the war with Mexico
and long service on the frontier in the strnS.
Cling days of the republic. He makes astriRing
picture Of age and accomplishment. Hs was
among the earliest of those who began WIN
sherman, Sheridan, Grant aud the manly
men ofthat class who later contributed m lSt
TO the salvation OF the republic. Cen. Van
Nllet may be regarded as the Ncstor OF the
American army, If age, strength, viynclty, AM
mental activity are to bu accounted the stanl.
AIDS" ",old Van was quarter1t ister general
of MCClollans army, and was a member OF the
mystic Anglo-Amerlcan brotherhood oalle
| The Bold Buccaneers" Of which there nre
| STILL we rejoice to say. several survivors, 30
one of whom he was Obliged to deal hlri
measure against his will some quarter Ofa cen
tury ago. When the generals head.
quarters steamer was starting ftom Al
, The iuckless expedition to Richmond
! Van Vliet was made the instrument Of Mr.
| Secretary stanton's small Jealousy OF our
young Napoleon" coarse, vulgar, ami siren.
uous, but honest, Republican, Stanton was full
| Of suspicion OF the general, and viewed with
| the utmost dislike his entourage, especially the
| French princes, De Joinyille ana his nephews
| Ohc Comte dc Paris and the Due do Chartres),
| and the TiM6ss correspondent Dr. RUSSELL
| who were invited by Mcclellan 10 aj1Jmplny
him on the campaign against Lee. Heonud y
Run Russull' could be officially attacked with
imrunty ana popular supppr,. stnntOn's way
two before the vessel was to start he mot De.
| Russell ct Lord LyonFs and asked hlni
casually, "llow ne was going win the army Y,
pr Russell replied that he had been Invited
| by Gtn. McClCllun to tlRo II passage in the
headquarters staff steamer, aud the secretary,
pulling his stubby goatcc, mhrmurcd ~
let 20! We'll! That VIII dew thGn Dr
Scott Guards; Capt Lumy, &c, baggage aud
hores, were on hoard. when messenger np-
Leartd with dispatchcs from ne War Oniec
dihpatCh was an order that mo person, ciyi
or military, was TO he allowed on board The
U. s. - without the express order,o the
Secretary Of State for War, the second was q
memo TINT "Coioncls So.and 81, So" Wamlng
the foreign officers In order), were authorized
TO take passage Oh board the u. S. - =.
| IO1lfCSS MOntOp. Bul DG. lNusStll = illllv 'llN
not appear in tho latter list, aud Gen Nar
Nliet had to do what he said was worse THAI
amy fight he had ever had, and with teirs IL
his eyes to execute "thc order IN the case NJ
his bold Brother Buccanepr," VIII, had reason
to lie grateful for his exclusion from tho par.
tiClpatiou in the greatest iasco oi the war
Gen. Stewart Van Vliet, the officer, men
toned IN the above article, Is Il familiar
figure in Washington. Having been in the
arteimaster's department for more thar
fNt hn hac
Of most Of the older officers in finding that
the active services previous to his staff as.
signment are forgotten. AS matter OF
fact, however, Gen. Van Vlict has borne
his full share Of field work In the distant
past. lie graduated In 1910 and was ap
pointed to the 80 artillery, then In Florida
lie served there two years until the close OF
the Seminole war, and took part In all tht
most arduous fighting Of that time. In
deed, II Ia Of record that on one occasion
he killed Seminole warrior In hand Il
hand encounter Subsequently he was en-
gagged in the Mexican war, and was will
Gen. Taylor ut Monterey. His company
led the charge on Federation Hill, and h
commanded the assaulting party which Gu
its way through blocks OF buildings until
1t reached the main plaza where the Mcxi
can troops were penned up, and received
Ampudia's white flag. His company wa
also in the command ordered to Join Gen
Scott at Vera Cruz, where Lieut.. Van Vile
commanded battery in the trenches, hi
captain, j. r. Vluton, having been detailed
rs acting field officer. Capt. Vinton wa
killed there by shell while talking to Va
Vliet.
The general had thus served twenty year
before the war Of the rebellion broke out
and had, in accordance with the regula
, custom Of the service in those days, passe
! from line to staff only. lie is q very popl
| lar man, living in comfortable though M
ostentatlous fashion on Fifteenth stree
, two doors below Chamberlin's place, an
I having q most hospitable summer ESTABLISH
I ment at Shrewsbury, near Long Brancl
, He is habitue OF the Metropolitan Clu
: here, besides holding memberships In I'll
, Union and other clubs In New York. A
though he was graduated at West POlr
nearly half century ago, he Is actlv,
r hearty, and vigorous, and he does soclet
duty with an energy as remarkable as 1t
welcome.
His many warm friends IN England wi
no doubt be glad to hear that he Is still
the swim, with as genial a smile and {
warm hand. clasp as ever for old assoc
ates and comrades.
|