The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-07-05


triotic airs, and appealed to the stalwaI
young men of the neighborhOod. In
few days Company A of the Seventeent
Indiana Volunteers was enlisted, and Il
a few weeks an entire regiment was OF
ganized. Gov. Morton stepped in her
and suggested to the young lawyer
whose family needed his constant care
that it was hardly just to ask him u
give up the civil Office to which he ha,
been elected, and offered TO send som
one else to take his place in the field
Harrisons answer was prompt and h
the point. Il have recruited this regi'
ment, and would ask no man 10 e
where l would not go myself" h,
said. Thus began his military service.
HIS BRILLIANT RECORD AS A SOLDIER.
Harrison's command was a splendit
body of men but they were wholly igno
rant of military usages, and the task ot
bringing them under sOldierly discipline
and drilling them in the use of theil
arms was one to test the metal of a vet
eran. Their young Colonel acquitted
himself handsomely, however, and when
tafter rendering rather uneventful ser
vice in Tennessee and Kentucky the
regiment was sent TO join Sherman in
his march TO the Gea, II was one of the
most efficient in the entire army. The
regiments record with Sherman was a
spendid one. 1t was selected to lead the
assault at Resaca May 10, 1864, and the
duty was superbly performed. With
their Colonel at their head the gallant
Indianians struck the enemy's lines like
cyclone and captured the only guns
taken in that campaign. AS they reach
ed the batteries and leaped among the
cannOueers, his soldiers have story that
Col. Harrison seized a Confederate gun
ner by the hair and threw him clear
over caisOn. 1t was after this memor
able charge that Gen, Hooker rode up to
the young Colonel aud said, "By God,
Ben Harrison, l will make you Briga.
dier for this days work." and he kept
his word. He wrote dispatch to Sec
retary Stanton prasing Harrison for his
courage, foresight and wisdom, and urg
ed his promotion. Harrison was brevet
ed Brigadier, and commanded his brig
ade at Peach Tree Creek, where he was
again enthusiastically commended for his
valor. Soon afterward he received his
commission as full Brigadier General.
He took part in the siege aud battle of
Nashville, was present at the surrender
of Johnston, and with his command par
ticipated in the great review at Wash
ington at the close of the war.
HIS SUCCESS AS A LAWYER AND POLITICAL
LEADER.
While General Harrison WAS in the
field in 1868, confronting the armed enc
my, the Democracy of Indiana, carrying
out its policy of hostility toward the
Union soldiers, obtained a decision of
the Democratic State Supreme Court de
clarng his office of Reporter vacant. In
1864 the loyal Indiana Republicans re
nominated Harrison for the post from
which the Democrats had ousted him.
Under orders from the War Department
General Harrison reported to Governor
Morton for duty on thirty days leave
after the fall of Atlanta, made Il splendid
canvass of the State and was triumph
antly elected for another term. Then
he returned to the army and served un
til the close of the war. In 1868 General
Harrison declined re election as Re
porter of the Supreme Court, and devot-
ed himself solely to the practice of his
profession. He was conspcuously sue
cessful, He engaged in important cases.
won high fees, and earned reputation
as leader of the Indiana Bar.
In 1875 General Harrison became a
candidate for Governor under circum-
stances which -c,aect upon him all the
honor of leader OF fUIiOrn hope, even
though the SUCCESS of victory did not
crown his brow. The nomination came
to him under peculiar circumstances.
The regular party nominee, Godlove
Ortiz. had withdrawn from the tickat,an
the State Central Committee chose Gen.
Harrison to fill the vacancy. The Gen
eral at the time was absent from the
State, and was only apprised of the hon
or thus thrust upon him by telegram
which met HIM on the return journey.
He had declined the nomination before
the meeting of the convention which
named Orth, but in rendering 1t to him
again the committee said: THE nomina
tion was made for no other purpose than
to subserve the best interests of the Re-
publican party in Indiana, and i'll ten
dering 1t to you we do so with the as.
surance that you will receive the united
and earnest vote of the entire party.
The nomination was entirely unsought
and undesired, but it IVES accepted in
terms that indicateded sense Of public
duty. Having accepted it, the General
threw himself into the campaign with
his usual energy. He canvassed the en-
tire State, addressed immense audiences,
was everywhere received with the ut
most enthusiasm. but he was not elected.
1t was the year of Tilden and Hendricks,
But though unsuccessful in one sense,
the campaign greatly extended General
HarrisOn's acquaintance, enlarged his
popularity and won him recognition as
the coming man of his party. He polled
nearly 5000 votes more than the general
average of his ticket, aud after the
October election he was in great demand
as a speaker in the campaigns in other
States in the East, where he strengthen
ed the good impression already formed
of him.
Again, in 1880, he took leading part
in the campaign, and when it was found
that the Republicans had carried the
Legislature he became at once the lead
ing candidate for United States Senator.
The voice of the party was unanimous
in favor of the man who had been fight
ing its battles 80 long and who had been
a leading figure in its history since 1856.
His nomination was foreshadowed, aud
when the caucus met no other name was
presented. His election gave the liveli-
est satisfaction to Republicans through.
out the State.
HARRIsoN's TERM IN THE SENATE.
Sanator Harrison took his seat in the
O. sAI. -GaI1 a