Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1890-05-23
THE LATE GEN. SCHENCk,
Anecdotes Which Show His Real Char.
acter,

Anecdotes Which Show His Real Char.
acter.
Like all men of strong convictions, az
gressive personality and extreme capacity for
making warm friends or bitter foes, Gen.
Robert c. Schenck, who died recently at
Washington, was the object during his life
time Of much exaggerated praise and all
equal amount of undue criticism. Perhaps
the greatest storm of abuse that ever poured
upon his head fell just after President Lin
coln had commissioned him brigadier general
OF volunteers at the outbreak < of the late civil
war. Schenck was a civilian, a lawyer, a Sue
cessful politician, an ex-diplomate; but of
military affairs he knew nothing, and those
opposed to him said so in plain terms. His
appointment was denounced in one leading
newspaper as an outrage on the soldiers, and
1t was suggested that he be turned over to
some orderly sergeant Of the regular army
and "made to drill like sixty for a month";"
It was only a little after his entering on
active military service that Schenck's critics
found a new occasion for reiteratinc their
original views. The general was engaged in
securing possession Of the Loudon and Hamp-
shire railroad. AT Vienna the train convey
ing his forces was fired upon, the engineer I'M
coupled the locomotive and ran away, and
Schenck's handful of men had to face a band
Of very eager and active opponents. Tho
truth of the matter, as afterward established,
was that the combatants on both sides dis.
played creditable courage and came out of
the contest with honor, but Schenck's en-
cmies declared that he had been ignominious.
ly routed. and sarcastically dubbed him the
"hero of Vienna"
The probable reasons why President Lin.
coin gave Schcnck his commission were two
in number. For one he knew tile man to be
able, aggressive and brave. And again he
considered himself under great personal obi
CATION. 1t may not be generally known, but
it is an actual fact that Mr.. Lincoln gave
Schenck tho credit of first naming him for
the presidency. In September, 1850, the for
mer addressed n meeting at Dayton, O., on
the poltial issues of that period. Allusion
being made to the subject Of the next presi-
dency, Mr.. Schenck suggested THAT if all
honest, sensible man was wanted, it would be
well to nominate the distinguished gentleman
from Illinois who had just addressed them."
However, if the beginning Of Schenck's
military career was not glorious, either
through lack of experience or want of oppor-
tunity, he showed conspicuous gallantry and
ability later on. At the second battle of Bull
4CIh, WIN LII CIlC CllIChcSU u JIG llBlU unu
urging his men forward, a ball struck his
right wrist and his sword dropped from his
hand. Says one Of the historians of the war:
'Soldiers still enjoy telling of the generals
rage and fearful imprvcations at the loss Of
his sword" He refused to leave the field
until lie had recovered it. The wound per-
manently injured his right arm, and for the
remainder of his life Gen. Schenck wrote
will his left hand.
When minister to England Gen. Schenck
became the target of a good deal of adverse
comment because he was reported to nave
published u book on poker playing for the
use OF the English aristocracy. "Poker
Bob" as he was afterwards called by his op-
ponents, never took the trouble to deny the
charge, but his friends claimed that he sim
ply wrote out the rules Of the game in COM
pliance with the request Of a lady. She had
the manuscript put in type int issued a few
copies Of the pamphlet for private circula-
ton,
Gen. Schenck spent the last years of his
life in absolute retirement. He gathered
about him q few old friends, but cared to
make no new ones. AS one of his biographers
says: Ellis enemies spoke of him as selfish;
his friends called him whole souled, generous,
big hearted, h~ospitable."