The National tribune., 1888-07-19

boy, it was the cavalry that saved that field for
Pennsylvania, and Buford commanded the
cavalry, supported by Reynolds"
As the General seemed in the hUmor for talk
ing, | reminded him of conversation l once
overheard between himself and Gen. Buford
few days after the battle, in which Pleasonton
was explaining to Buford that he had recon-
mended him and Gregg, as well as Custer and
Fitzpatrick, for promotion to Major Generals.
Yes" said the General with animation, g l
remember that distinctly. / kept telling Meade
he had better hurry his own mems promotion,
because we all expected the Western fellows
would come in with Grant and they were
Stanton's favorites, they would rank us out of
our commands when they got into our army.
Meade always said that he had made the rec
concentrations and did all he could to secure
the promotions; but, You know, Meade was not
the man to press such matters. Besides, the
War Department was always working against
the old Army Of the Potomac. Stanton was
afraid of as Union Generals who happened to
be born little bit South. | am a native of
the District of Columbia, and Buford was from
Kentucky"
l interrupted here, saying: Buford was as
stanCh loyalist as Thomas or any other
Southern man. l belonged in his brigade, and
was attached to his headquarters long enough
to become satisfied of this fact and, like every
body else, became quite attached TO the genial
old Kentuckian."
Well" said Pleasonton, "Buford died here
in Washington of broken heart. This is the
way it happened" said the General, as he drew
up closer to me and began to tell the story in
an earnest and half-cOnfdential manner: You
know, of course, how dear to the old soldier
of the Regular Army is the question of rank
1t is a subject ever uppermost in his mind and
heart Whenever Buford and l got together
long enough to talk we would get on this sub
ject of rank aud promotion. | told him that [
bo1 o{fSai L. Cd do hot bo
titled to his TWO stars for his Gettysburg fight,
the first day alone and said that Meade always
agreed with me as to that. One day, when
talking together, ! said jokingly, Say, Buford,
whenever the Government at Washington
hears that we are dangerously hurt and are
sure TO die they will give us our rapk. They
are afraid TO trust us Southern fellows too far
"Buford laughed good d-naturedly about this
at the time, but he never forgot it; and as he
got full Of rheumatism down OH the Rapldan,
kept brOoding over the matter. SO one day l
told him to go up to Washington and put him
self under the care of the doctors.
" Ny idea at the time" said the General,
was to have Buford in Washington, whore
we had arranged that our friends III Congress
would get to meet him personally. He was too
much of a soldier to hunt up political influence
himself, SO Meade Gregg aud some more of us
put up this scheme; for we all knew if tho
President could but see and talk with him it
would overcome Stanton's suspicious, for to
know Buford personally was to love him.
We'll, l had on my staff Surgeon who was
one OF those good-hearted, earnest fellows who
wanted to do all they could, but at times al
lowed zeal to override discretion. / sent this
Doctor along with Buford because he had some
political acquaintance-nOne of the rest of US
had. Buford got to Washington, and instead
of hunting up his friends shut himself up i'll
his room and was soon down sick Ia bed. He
was away from the army and lonely. There
was nothing serious the matter with him. The
Doctor attended him occasionally, but put IN
most of his time at the Capitol among his own
friends, or getting up delegations to call on the
President in the interest of Buford's nOmina-
! tion One day it occurred to this fool Doctor
to tell the President that Buford was liable to
die Either the President or Stanton inquired
particularly as TO Buford's chances of recovery,
and also as TO the prospect of his dying. The
! Doctor lad heard my joke to Bpford, and his
/ pleasant way of taking it made the Doctor
! think that 10 e2aggerate his illness would has
/ ten bis promotion So one day, with this pur-
! pose in view, he rushed to the War Depart
/ mont in great distress and told the President
/ and Secretary that Bulord would surely die.
4 He told me subsequently that he did not say
1 he would die, or that it was likely to occur
soon.
The President, after conversing with Stan
4 ton, authorized the Surgeon to say to Buford
] Iudb Nc SHOuiu nave MS I30k al once. Will
cut any other thought than that he was doing
a kindness for his General, the energetic little
! Surgeon rushed 10 Buford's house, unceremoni-
ously entered the sick mans room and bat
antly announced the good news to him.
The Doctor told me with some show Of feel
/ ing when | questioned him regarding this"
said Pleasonton, " that Buford looked at him
! from his bed in dazed sort of way, and with
! out uttering a word of thanks turned his face
4 to the wall He imagined the General was 50
overcome by the good news that he had SIM
/ ply turned his head to hide his overlooking
feelings of gratitude, and, therefore, did not
/ disturb him for while.
When he went 10 him a few moments af-
terward, he found that Gen. Buford had died a
| Major General.
. knew Buford intimately. and there never
has been any doubt in my mind that the
thought occurred to him at the time he was so
depressed in spirits that the Doctor had salts
fed himself and the President that his case was
hopeless and the President had agreed to
crafty his wish at the last hour. So he turn
ed his face to the wall and died without saying
| q word"
ITO be continued.l