Western appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1885-18??, 1888-08-18

=
sent to orr patrons in this issue, scarcely
needs an introduction; as, he is so well
and so favorably known in the State OF
Minnesota, and more particularly in this,
the Fourth Congressional District of the
State. But the fact that he is a candidate
for Congress from this district, subject to
the action of the district Republican con-
gressional convention, is the cause of the
portrait and the following sketch. We
desire that he should become known to
those who do not know him and that
certain facts in reference to him should
be known also.
Capt. Samuel p. Snider was born in
Ohio in 1915 and came of genuine old
abolition stock. His father was an Off
Ger on the Underground Railway" and
passed many poor fugitive from that
worse than Egyptian bondage that exist
ed before the war, to the happy land of
Canaan. He inherited his fathers love
for freedom for all mankind, and when
the call was made for volunteers to put
Down the rebels who desired to establish
a government with slavery as its chief
corner stone, though only sixteen years
of age, and a student at Oberln College,
he responded tothe call and enlisted in
the 65th Ohio volunteers in 1861.
His company served in Kentucky, Ten
nessee, Mississippi, Georgia and Alaba-
ma, and he took part i'll the noted battle
of Shiloh.
In the engagement at Perryville he
took part, and at Stone River he was bad
ly wounded in the face. At the battle of
Chicamauga he received his most serious
wound, being shot through the left lung
and shoulder, the bullet passing in dan
gerous proximity to his heart That was
a memorable day in his history. AS night
came on he saw his comrades pass him
and leave him for dead, only to be picked
up by the enemy shortly after and held
as prisoner of war. Being reported as
dead his name was stricken from the roll
of the company in which he enlisted, and
he never returned to it.
In two weeks after being captured he
was paroled and entered a hospital. There
he remained six months until it was
thought he was sufficiently recovered to
resume duties, when he was rendered and
accepted the captaincy of the 18th U. S.
Colored troops. This was the second
Colored regiment formed in the West
and was one of the most gallant of the
war. In an article in the Century for
May entitled, 'The chances of being hit
in Battle,'' the writer refers to this regi-
ment stating that ssThe 18th United
States Colored Infantry lost 22l men in
killed and wounded, in one fight at Nash
ville." When Captain Snider accepted
his command Of this Colored company
some Of his near relatives ostracised him
and forbade him from entering their
doors again. He, however, was proud of
his position and did not allow the opposi-
ton of his relatives to deter him in his
purpose. 1t required considerable moral
courage for man to accept a command
in Colored regiment when they were
first organized, but to-day there is not a
single officer living who commanded Col
ored soldiers during the war that does
not speak in the highest terms of their
soldierly qualities. Captain Snider has
nothing but words of praise for his men
and among the precious mementos of the
war in his possession there is none held
higher than his commission as Captain in
in the U. S. Cclored Infantry which he
has handsomely framed and hangs on the
wall Of his office in the Lumber Exchange
building. During 1864 he saw consider.
able service with his rcgimentin Western
Tennessee, but action opened his wounds
afresh and in the fall of that year lie was
discharged for incapacity. For the next
five years he was a confirmed invalid from
the wound in his lung, and was kept
from work of all kinds.
Capt. Snider came to Minneapolis in
1875 and in 1876 as president of loca
company constructed the Midland rail.
road, now the Wabasha division of The
/ O. NJ. s. st. p railroad. In 1884 lie was
elected as member Of the state legisla
ture from the Thirtieth district, being
the only republican member from de
| mocratic district, having run ahead d
his ticket sufficiently to give a bare maj
.Eority.
While a member of the legislature h,
was instrumental and actiye in gettina
!, - 81 Il 49, .s#l 1: . +