The National tribune., 1888-12-27


the rebellion broke out, but. meanwhile, being
a member Of the New England Guard, Of
Boston, he dropped his studies to serve with
that crack corps At Fort Independence, in Bos-
ton Harbor, thus relieving the Regular gar
rison Of artillery, that was enabled to go to the
front
He was private in those days Of The three
months service, but as soon as that was at an
end he was appointed First Lieutenant IN the
2fth Mass, the whole roster of officers IN which
regiment was made up from the New England
Guard.
Isis first service in the 9th Mass. was in Gen.
Burusides expedition TO the North Carolina
coasr, and the capture Of Roanoke Island and
New Berue. Just after the New Berne campaign
BE was made Adiurant Of the regiment. When
the regiment went away TO Florida TO the cam
paign there, that ended with the battle Of
Oiustee he was retained by disability at New
Bene, and Gen. French carried him OF 10 the
Army Of the Potomac where be was under ire
at Gettysburg.
firing OF staff service, he went hack to bis
regiment then near Yorktown, Va. He was
left IN command Of the 40 men who of all of
regiment did not Te-enlist veteranize - and
then, when the Army Of the james was organ
lied, his regiment became part Of the division
commanded by that glorious soldier and gen
ueman, Alfred H. Terry, that Col. miles
OReilly HalpiDe has immortalizcd in song.
Gen. Terry al once grabbed at the boy Major
he was promoted then-and made him Ord
nance Officer Of the division that the writer,
with his fsther and two brothers, served in.
When Gen. Butler landed the Tenth and
Eighteenth Corps at Bermuda Hundred, fight
ing began the very day after, May 3, 1861
and u was hot and heavy day and night, for
good four months.
The Tenth Corps then was so far advanced
toward the rebels that the piekets were not
more than 20 yards apart at one point, and the
rellefs had to do some mighty cautious work
10 get 10 the places designated. Gen. 0rdway
then was a boy in figure as be was in years,
and while bis ordnance duty on the staff might
veil have given him excellent excuse for keep
ing out of range in the rear, / never saw a ight
that Bermuda Hundred front that did not
see bin slashing about on his big horse
s0ur sizes bigger than he in proportion.
The men Of the division admired him for his
oashEns gailaHtry, and al the officers loved
tbe handsome boy Major; bat al hands often
thought he lacked sense or good judgment al
times, for when Terry gave him an order 10
carry, lie took the short cut straight 10 the
point he was sent, and often right between the
lines of FIRE.
In that year OF constant Hattie Of the Army
Of the james, Ordway was advanced in rank,
50 that when be returned. In November, 1854,
frem sick-3eave, be was LjeUtenan Colonel Of
his regiment and assumed lis command, as well
as the command o. the base OF supplies II Ber-
mnda Huudred-the Army of the James being
then at New Markes Crossroads close BY the
lntrenchments that eavir0ned Richmond Very
soon after be became Colonel Of bis regiment.
and IN March. 1865 he was breFetted Briga-
dier-GeneFai Of volunteers =" for gallant con-
duct throughout the war" Thus he had only
just passed - years of age before he had won
his stars and the only other officer / can re-
member uow who won them SO young in life
Is Gen. James :. wade. now Colonel 5th o. =
~ 81 gf frs I u ff.To
Cav. was bFeyested Brigadier-General in Feb
rnary. lo65 just before he was y years of age.
IN TO general engagements IN which be par
tcipated, besides numerous minor engage
ments, be was never wounded, although he was
mt twice, and each tine by a fragment Of
shell. Once a shell exploding so near that his
eyes were almost burned. threw a fragment
against his left shoulder that flung him from
hls saddle after teariuE his blouse and ripping
on ms shOuiuer-strap. Another vagrant she'll
fragment hat him III the breast, bat left no per-
m8neHt injury.
When our troops entered Richmond, April g.
1860, Gen. NeItzcl designated the Path Mass as
the provost guard, and its boy commander was
placed 10 special charge Of Libby Prison aud
Castle Thunder. Very soon alter Gen Ordway
succeeded Gen. Masseua T. Patrick as Provost
Marshal General IN Virginia, and when his old
reg meut was mastered oHt-the last regiment
Of State v5luuteers-in February. 1856. he was
Alter his military life he settled in Rich
mond, Va, where his old chief-Gen Terry
was then commanding and became prominent
IN civil aIaFTs. becoming an Alderman In the
old Capital Of Virginia and later a candidate
for Congress. In his latter ambition he was
defeated
Marrying la Richmond. he became identified
with people there, and was made Secretary OF
the granite company That quarried out al the
stone used III constructing the State War and
Navy Department building here.
Since about 1879 Gen. Ordway has made
Washington his home. BE is residing now at
Ne 1858 Twentieth street. and has been prom
inent in many ways, particularly in matters
relating 70 national displays. During the
years when Gen. sherman and Gen Sheridan
commanded the Army, and those officers were
frequently called upon 10 organize and control
such grand parades as the funeral escorts of
President Garfield and Gen. John A. Logan.
each Of these great commanders called Gen.
Ordway 70 his aid, aud, as / wrote recently. IL
was the knowledge Gen. Sheridan had Of ord
ways executive as well as administrative abil-
atty that procured the latter his present com
mission as Bngadler-GeneTal commanding the
National Guard Of the District of Columbia.
IN this latter com mission. coming as II does
from the President, Gen, Ordway holds army
rank next after Gen. John r. Brooke. q. s.
Army and above all igadier-Geuerals who
hold commissions from the Governors Of the
several States.
Most men have a fancy for collections of
one SORT or another. Some run 10 coins and
others TO paintings or engraviugs. Gen. ord
way is collector Of photographs Of men
VINO wore the silver stars Of general officers in
Union army, and THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE has
been many times indebted TO him for the loan
oil some portraits Of men that our veterans
served under IN days now long gone by He has
the most complete collection Of the kind in the
country and he must have spent several tbou-
sand dollars ia gathering those he has in
hand, and they include brevets" as well a.
those who drew pay as general officers. He i
rather small IN stature and slight in build. but
mounted, AS the writer saw him during the DAYS
Of the W2r, and again recently while he headed
the parade Of his brigade on Thanksgiving
Day, be looks every inch the soldier that he
proved himself
Rear-Admiral John Lee Davis. who was
placed on the Navy retired list ia September
Of last year, would never be taken for man
VINO Is % years Of age, for his tall figure is So
tim and youthful, and his manner and con.
Fersation SO genial aud buoyant, that he gives
Stranger the idea that be is a man of not
more than - years, at the outside Born in
northern Indiana Sept. 3. 1925. when that Sec
non was the frontier aud full Of Indians that
not long before had been arraved under the
British Tag ~ arms against as he was apnoint
ed Mldsbipman for that State Jan IaaI
when but little over IS years of age. and was