The true northerner., 1888-03-28

Russell A. Alger.
Gen. Russell A. Alger of Detroit,
Mich, whose name is now being promi-
nently mentioned, not only i'm that
state, but on the Pacific coast and in
other parts of the Union, i'm connection
with the presidential nomination ON the
republican ticket, was born at Lafay-
ette, Medina county, Ohio, Feb. 27th,
| 1886 His parents were of New England
stock, and his great grandfather was a
gallant soldier i'm the war of the revolu-
tion. The Algers went To Ohio in 1900
and stood their full share of the hard
ships incident To pioneer life.
The subject of this sketch was left
! fatherleSS and moneyless at a very early
age and, young as he was, he sturdily
attempted not only to earn his own
! living, but To help his mother i'm her
sore distress One of his earliest ven
lures was job of taking care of twenty
cows ut the pI'incely salary of 81 80 per
week. For eight years he worked for
the farmers i'm that part of Ohio, one of
his experiences being service for man
for some years who made him labor
from sun To sun, and charged him ten
cents per hour for all time lost by sick
ness or any other reason. Eventually
he taught school, his first experience
being with the school that was the
boasted toughest" school in northern
Ohio. Finding that the toughness
seemed To center in one certain boy OF
an extremely dangerous physique and
disposition, he soon took the mastery of
the school, but it nearly killed the boy
of the dangerous disposition. In March,
1857, he entered the law office of VOL
cott IL Upsord at Akron, and two years
later he was admitted To the bar. He
then went To Cleveland and entered the
law office of Otis n Coffinbury and staid
there for few months when, with five
dollars in cash and an extra suit of
clothes as the sum total of his posses
sions, he came to Michigan. He hung
out his Shingle at Grand Rapids, but
had not made much Roadway when the
war broke out, and in August, 1861, .he
enlisted in the 2d Michigan cavalry,
and was soon after sworn in as captain
of Co. G. of that regiment His military
record as given in the military history
of the state is as follows: Captain I'd
cavalry, Sept. ,, 1861; major, April 2,
1862; wounded and taken prisoner at
Bonneville, Miss, July /, 1862; escaped
same day; Lieut.. Col 9th Michigan
cavalry, October 16, 1862; colonel saith
Michigan cavalry, Feb. 2Sth, 1868;
wounded in action at BOOnsboro, Md,
July 8, 1864; brevet brigadier general
L. =. volunteers for gallant and meritO-
riouS service at Trevillan station, June
IL, 1864; brevet major general l.. =.
volunteers, June II, 1865, for gallant
and meritoriouS services during the
war"
This is the warp; but woven through
it is a brilliant wOOf of battle and
march, of fights and forays, Of skill,
courage and gallant bearing, that any
man might well be proud Of. We see
therein ut the first bold ride from
Corinth to Pittsburg Landing as the
bearer of Il hot request from the regi-
ment for new leader, and the sugges-
ton that the command be given to
Captain Philip Ii. Sheridan, and a re-
turn with the order that gave to fame
that gallant soldier. Then follows the
battle of BooneSville, when Sheridan
with his new command and the 2d Iowa
cavalry attacked and defeated con
federatc force of from 5000 To 1000, Il
battle i'm which Alger with but 30 men
was ordered To get in the rear of the
enemy and charge him, which he did,
and was told by Sheridan that he never
expected To see him again. Sheridan
has himself written the story of that
charge, and says he reckOnS it aS one OF
the finest exploits of the war. The
charge gave Sheridan the victory in the
first fight he was ever in with an indie
pendant command, and also gave him
his star rs brigadier and gave Alger his
commission rs a major. Then comes
his connection with the 9TH Michigan
/ l,.xr. e tho f.nfriY,anf. Of tha
immortal Custer brigade, and events
followed events so fast in that glorious
series of fights under Custer that the
attempt To follow the record becomes Il
dazzling one.
No cavalry force ON earth made Il finer
record and no Drawer men ever followed
Drawer leaders. In over sixty battles
Alger did his share, and order after
order by Sheridan, Fitzpatrick and Gus
ter teens with the story of his gallantTy
and devotion To the cause of the Union
After the Gettysburg discussion with
the enemy and when pursuing Lees
army, the cavalry was frequently and
furiously engaged; and in one of these
combatS Col. Alger was so seriously
wounded that he could no longer serve
i'm the field but, being especially recOm
mended To President Lincoln, was de
tailed on certain service which required
him to report directly To the president
The full nature of that service is known
To but few, but those who do know are
aware that il was one of the most deli
cate and responsible commissions ever
placed in the hands of soldier outside
the camp and field.
After the war Gen Alger entered the
lumber business at Grand Rapids, and
,, soon after he and his wife, who was
Miss Annette Henry of that city, braved
the hardships of the lumber camp and
laid the foundation of that enormou,
business of which he is now the head
He then became II member of the firm
of Moore IL Alger of Detroit, and then
the head of that of X. a. Alger Il Co.
and later the firm became Alger, Smith
IL Co, one of the greatest lumber firms
in the land. General Alger was the
pioneer in the business of numbering 10y
steam, and from his little logging rail
way grew great system which has
since led To the building of the Detroit
J Bay City Il Alpena X. r., one of the
best and most successful local roads i'm