Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-06-07

tree, one upon whom he could dc legate a
portion of the terrible war respon sibilities
of those trying years. General Buford
appeared to be. and in very truth was,
the highest ideal of the thoroughly edu,
Gated, experienced and talented officer of
the old army Of the United States.
When history is written. and the roll
of their names is called, men will be as
tcnished to know how large ma jority of
those professional soldiers of the old
army remained loyal to the federal gov
eminent. The minority who went with
their states into the confederacy did SO.
almost without exception, because they
mistook that course to be their pa amount
duty. They were not among tie cold
blooded conspirators who plotted to de-
stroy the federal union. At their distant
posts on the lonely frontier hey had
heard with dismay the tidings OF union
about to be dissolved; of states discor-
dant and belligerent. Reasoning from
the best lights they possessed. the sons of
the south in that little army went with
their states and their kin>folks into an
armed resistance to the power of federal
government; resistance which they
all with few exceptions deeply de-
plored. II was human nature for
them to act as they did under such cir
cumstances, and their generous country
men will in after years, when pas sion and
prejudice have burned out their fires. re,
member their vslor and American man.
hood on the battlefields of the war, rather
than the fact that their swords we re draw n
against the Union cause. Those who i'm,
agine the life of the cavalry officer of the
old army was one of ease, are greatly
mistaken. 1t was one of constant activ
ity. toll, danger and privation. In the
everglades of Florida, on the plains of
Texas, in the mountains of New Mex leo,
they marched and toiled and fought as
the vanguard of advancing civilization
Their noble deeds, their many conflicts
with savages who outnumbered them ten
to one. are today almost forgotten or re>
membered perhaps only in those farsoff
western regions where aged pion GERS love
to tell of the vigorous and unrelenting
campaigns of the old regiments against
the Indians, and of the armed pc ace their
activity and courage maintained on the
frontiers.
The pioneers of Texas speak with en-
thusissm yet of that October day in the
year '5S. when dashing Earl Van Dorm
with two hundred ssbres broke the power
of the COmsnche 10 his brilliant charge
at the Wichita village. Those in New
Mexico remember the courtly Fa1ntleroy.
the veteran Harvey; and Sumner, the
rugged colonel of the old Dragons. And
these old men can tell of ano Their, the
noblest of them all. a major of cavalry in
that old army, George Fl. Thomas, as
steadfast on the lonely plains of Texas as
when afterwards on a grander field be
won the name of Rock of Chicamsuga y
Time changes all things" sa, the old
English tale; most of all that little world
regiment. Old men 60, new men come;
some die, Others exchange; and gradually
the old interests fade as a new society
springs up. Men who have been promi
nent figures in the regiment become but
names to which no one attaches any very
particular ideas"
In the severe school of this old army,
General Buford was trained AMI nodded
tor the great part he bore in the greatest
conflict of modern times His vigilant
activity in Thcroughfare Gap just before
Manassas has been alluded to, when he
placed the army commander in possession
OF such information about the enemy, his
strength and initial movements. AS should
have enabled that commander, other
things being equal. to have won a victo-
ry. At Gettysburg Buford's part was
something the same. but vastly more i'm
portant. 1t enabled his commanding gen.
eral to win the great battle which hope-
lessly broke the confederate power. On
the first day of July. 1868. Buford's Wig
lance discovered a general advance al
the enemy. With two brigades of his
cavalry division he fiercely engaged THEN
advancing forces near the village of Get
tysburg and held them in check. Bu-
ford's activity had made him familia,
with all the surrounding country, and he
OWNED with his fine military genius that
Lee would endeavor to prevent Meade
from reaching and occupying the crest of
the ridge around Gettysburg. He felt
that victory would rest with the Union
army if it could take its defensive posi-
ten there, and he fought persistently and
fiercely with his noble command to hold
Lees advance in check, calling on Gem
eral Reynolds to come to his aid. Rev.
nolds' corps finally reinforced Buford, and
that day the entire army of Lee was held
back by the combined forces OF Buford
and Reynolds. thus preserving to Meade
and his army the field and key position
from which, after two days contest, the
great victory OF Gettysburg was won.
or other battles and skirnishes in
which he took conspicuous part, such as
Culpeper in August. 1868. pursuit of the
enemy across the Rapidan in September,
1868, cutting his way through the enemy
and rejoining the army north of the Rap
pahannock in October. 1868, and the
fight at Bristow Station, October, 1868,
only brief mention can be made He now
had long exercised the command of a
major general. and had fairly won as
commander of the First Cavalry division
of the army of the Potomac his right to
the double stars of that rank; i a fact his
promotion was then already determined
on by President Lincoln. His slightest
praise had become to be more valued by
his officers. than q brevet from the war
department, in such esteem was he held
with his own command. The First
Cavalry division" says Genera Merritt,
which his genius had created and per.
fected, the name of Buford was the syn-
onym of military excellence as a cavalry
soldier. The officers of the regiments
which were formed by his care were al
ways his warmest admirers. His disci-
pline it was their object to MAINTAIN; his
maxims were their rules; his reputation
has been by them considered as a part of
their own; his memory is che rished in
their hearts TO this day. and win be as
long az their hearts retain an atom OF
soldiers pride and honor. At the time
of his death the estimation in which be
was held by the men and officers of his
division was little less than lido airy. His