Omaha daily bee., 1888-02-28
Colonel Alexander Cha mbers.

Colonel Alexander Chambers.
Colonel Alexander Chambers, who
recently died in Texas, was brother
of Major Chambers, of Omaha, and was
well-known in this city, where he once
resided. The following sketch of his
career, taken from the San Antonio
Express, will be read with interest by
the many friends OF the deceased in this
vicinity:
"The deceased gentleman had been
in San Antonio but short time,
whittier he had come to pass the cold
season, hoping that the climate would
allay malady which was only acceler-
ated by the rigor of n northern winter
in Wyoming territory, where he was
stationed in command of the Seven
teenth infantry with headquarters at
Fort ID. A. Russell. The death of Col
onel Chambers will create great regret,
not alone in army sircles, but in civilian
also. No officer could be more endeared
to his subordinates or more loved by his
fellow officers. He was chivalrous to a
degree, OF dauntless bravery and gener-
Gus sympathies, possessing rare social
attributes that made him universally
popular. and vas a soldier and IA man in
full sense of the phrase.
York in 1888, and entered the United
States military academy at West Point
July1, 1S49, 9,grauduating on July l, 1858.
On the same date he was promoted in
the army to brevet second lieutenant of
infantry. and after serving IL short time
in garrison at Fort Columbus, New
York, he did frontier duty and scout
ing at Fort Columbus, New York. he
did frontier duty and scouting at Fort
Mcintosh, Tex. He received his COM
mission rs second lieutenant of the
Fifth infantry on March 3, 1866. He
then escorted Captain Pope's artesian
we'll expedition in New Mexico. and was
engaged in skirmish near the mouth
of Delaware creek, New Mexico. A
brief time after he was in the Florida
hostilities against the Semiole Indians.
In 1857 he was appointed adjutant of
the Fifth infantry and did frontier duty
on the Utah expedition. In 1859 he
he was promoted to the first lieutenancy
of his company, and during the two
years that followed he was in the march
TO New Mexico and on the Navajo
expedition, also serving during the re-
bellion of the seeding states on muster
ing duty in Iowa. Tennessee and
Mississippi. On May l5.ls6l he was made
| captain of the Eighteenth infantry and
| where he was twice wounded. He was
| also in the advance upon and siege of
Corinth. For his gallant and meritori-
GUS service at the battle Of Shiloh he
| received the brevet rank of major. Dur
| ing September, 1869. he was in the
reconnaissance from Burnsville, Miss.
to Juka, Miss, and in the battle of Juka
he was severely wounded. In that bat
tie he again distinguished himself, his
guerdon being the brevet rank OF lieu
tenant colonel He was in the Vicks-
burg campaign, and at the siege Of
Vicksburg was promoted to to brevet
colonel for his gallantry. He was next
in the reoccupation of Jackson and af-
terwards in command of brigade in gar
rison at Vicksburg. From August,
1868, to April, 1865 he was brigadier-
general OF the United States volunteers,
and from that period until the close of
the war he was actively employed and
was part of the time judge advocate of
the district OF Nebraska and the depart
ment of the Platte, being brevetted
brigadier general for his services at the
battle Of Champion Hills, and Meridian,
Miss. He was transferred to the Twen-
ty-seventh infantry September 81, 1866,
and made major of the Twenty-second
infantry March s, 1876. In 1869 he was
transferred to the Tenth infantry. On
| October %, 1876, he was promoted to the
| infantry; in 1877 he was military at
tache to the United States legation at
tache at Constaninople, and in 1885 re-
| ceived a cOlOnel's commission in COM
mand of Seventeenth infantry, which
| he held up to the time OF his death. In
| 1877, Colonel Chambers was sent by the
| United States government to observe
the movements of the Turkish troops in
the Turcoo-Russian war, and was pres
ent at the famous engagement at Shipka
Pass, in SEPTEMBER OF that year.
In 1875, the deceased gentleman, then
major Fourth United States infantry,
was at Fort Fetterman and accompanied
the expedition under General Crook
against the Sioux Indians, in command
| Of tho infantry battalion on that expe-
dition. He was present and took part
in the engagement with the Indians in
the "Rosebed," where the command
was attacked, and was afterward COM
| mended by General Crook, in his report
OF the expedition, for his gallantry and
efficiency and the assistance he rem.
dered in preserving the command from
destruction against the overwhelming
force of the enemy. 1t was in this en-
gagement the battalion OF infantry com
manded by Colonel Chambers, used, fol
the first time, the new Springfield rifle
which had just about that time beer
placed in the hands of the United Statei
troops, and such was the rapidity of the
fire poured into the Indians. the rife
barrels became SO hot that many OF the
men had their hands burned in hand
ling their guns.
sage cannot wither it nor custom
state its infinite variety" Flesh il
hardly heir to an ache or pain which