The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-10-23

for a wear past. ready to fall before the
cnset Of any malignant disease that
should find him out Nothing remains
but to bury him. Bot he win not sooa
be forgotten by The people Of his State or
country
Saws the Philadelphia 7Smss: General
fIartraEff's history is an interesting study
for the young men Of today. He was
born near the home in which he died IN
1880: graduated at college in 1853. and
was admitted to the bar in 1889, but he
never devoted himself to the practice Of
bis profession. In 1861. when the war
bugle sent its shrill blast throughout the
land. he was serving as Deputy Sheriff IN
Montgomery county. and he was among
the frst to respond to the call for troops
He was chiefly instrumental in raising
the Fourth Regiment of Volunteers and
was commissioned as its Colonel. Being
one Of the earliest regiments mustered
into the service, its term expired on the
day before the first battle Of Bull Run,
and in disregard cf the appeal Of its Colo
mel il marched to the rear to the music
of the enemy's cannon" as General Nc
Dowell stated in his report Of that disas-
trous conflict. Colonel Harfranft bade
his unwilling soldiers farewell and vol
unteered to serve on General Franklin's
staff during the engagement. Soon after
be again appeared on the field at the
head Of a new regiment, the Fifty-first,
with which he participated in General
Burnside's Beaufort expedition. AT An
tietam it was Hartrane and his regiment
that carried the stone bridge, and both
made creditable records at Fredericks-
burg. Next he joined Burnside in the
defense Of Knoxville, and then hejoined
Sherman at Vicksburg and after the sur
render he was with the advance on Jack
son, Mississippi. He was back to the
Potomac army in the winter of 1864, and
rose to the command of brigade in the
Wilderness battles. Soon alfer he was
made Division Commander, and won
his Major Generals stars by his heroic
recapture Of Fort Steadman in front of
Petersburg. Thus from Ball Run to Ap-
pomatiox from the.bloody battles Of the
Potomac to the victories of Beaufort,
Knoxville and Nicksburg, General Hart
ranft made lustrous records for his COM
mands in every grand division Of our
armies. His ambition as a soldier was
simply to perform a soldiers duty, and,
although his name is not associated with
separate commands, it viii be ever mem
orable with such names as Meade, Han
cock, Reynolds and other Pennsylvania
soldiers whose skill and heroism enrich
the annals of the State Soon after the
war General Hartranft was rendered a
cclonelcy in the regular army, but he de-
clined il, and from 1879, when the Ma
tional guard Of Pennsylvania was reor-
ganized, he has been the Major General
commanding, and the distinction was
accorded him as with one voice by the
soldiers Of the Commonwealth.
General Hartranft's political career be-
gan soon after the close of the war. In
1865, without any effort or desire of his
own. he was nominated as the Republi-
can candidate for Auditor General. He
had not been a candidate for the nomi-
nation, and only an unexpected factional
complication in the convention thrust
aside John A. Hiestand, the generally ac-
cepted candidate, and forced HaItranft to
forego his then Gubernaiorial expecta-
tions for the following year and head the
ticket. He was elected was reelected
in 1868 and was thus the harhinger OF
victory for Grant in November, and the
death of DR.. Stanton, the Auditor Gener-
al-elect in 1871, extended Hartranft's
term in that Office for one year beyond
the two terms for which be had been
elected. Ia 1872 be was nominated for
Governor, and was elected over Mr..
Buckalew after one of the most desper-
ate, bitter and vituperative contests in
the history of the State In 1875 he was
reelected over Judge Pershing. He was
chosen Governor in the evil days Of po-
litical decentralization in Pennsylvania,
and when it was most difficult role to
meet The exacting demands of potential
party leaders with fidelity to public trust I;
but in all the severe and angry political
conflicts Of his two Gubernatorial terms
he well maintained his private and pub
lie integrity. Soon after his retirement
he removed to this city, where be was
made postmaster in 1879 and was promo
ted to Collector of the Port in 1850, where
be served creditably until the change of