The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-10-08
GEN. u. +. KELLEY.

FIRST Virginia Infantry, ut Martins Ferry,
Ohio, October @, 1891.
a few weeks since announcement was
made through the press OF the serious
illness, quickly followed by the dealt,
Of Gen. B. I. Kelley, which occurred
near Oakland, Nd, July IL.
II is meet and proper therefore that
at tho assembling Of his old comrades,
Of men who were Immediately under
his command as colonel and as general
officer, they should take cognlzance OF
this and pay IL tribute to his memory,
which Is the object OF this paper.
venture to say there Is not man
present IN this assembly who was SO
fortunate as to have worn the blue dur
ing the evcntiul scenes Of 81 to rs who
did no: recall, after reading the an
nouncemcnts, the stirring events OF
thirty years ago with which this name
was identified or closely associated, and
in his heart respond, there has gone
another patriot over the river" From
the writer's knowledge OF the man it
would have been strange to him if
General Kelley had in this crisis been
found in any other position than as u
defender Of the government. In boy
! hood, youth and maturity his instincts
were martial. his bcarin. soltlieriv md
his pride men arravcd ior battle, These
qualities were prominent Mt n time when
military service was n part Of the duty
all ablc.boGied men owed TO tho State,
and general muster OF al! such de.
| demanded each year. Colonel Kelley
was the officer in command in Wheel.
| ing on such occasions within tho Nom
ory of the writer. and there is no doubt
that, though he was in another State
and in distant city, his love for the
soil and the people, witnesses of his
youthful success in command. when the
President called ior scyenty-tiye thou
sand men ior three months service in.
tiuenced his action, and when the
proiicr was made to him of the
co!onclcv OF the First Virginia Union
| regimcnt-the first rogiment raised
in Il slave State, no nromntlv nc.
ccptcG. and os promntlv tbrnw
up n G God no .ition and rrsnondcd in
person to mis- call of duty. tho,lrh Mt nm
aye at the time thatcycmnted him from
military service, In estimating n man
nothing fixes his yaluo 81 hioh ne sic.
cess, however accomplished. There is
much that occurs behind the scenes
with which tho public never bccomrs
acquainted. Persons usually estimate
the worth OF nm individual INV thn sur-
cess he a.taius. What Inns tended 70
that result they may not know mr. in,
deed, care. so long rs there is n nrnmi.
ncnt figure or leader mon whom, tnn;r
,udits and honors may he showcreI
As illustration OF this it is not ont of
place to mention an incident in tho n.
reer OF General Kelley. for tho don,,l.
purpose of showing TINT. while not odn.
Gated or trained for thc nroiossion Le
nevertheless nossesscd tho liahcst nn, ~
tiles OF Il soldier. And the tendency on
the part of the public TO confer
the honor on the iavorite for the time
being to the neglect It may be- Of tho
actual originator or s,,cce ssiul nrosoc,,-
Tor of the plnn. Whilc il Is NOT The mr..
pose OF the writer to dctract ono i iot,
from the valuable services rendc rcd bv
any one. or wish to Lessen tho honor
conferred in consequences. for tho mr..
nose of landing onv not Of Tho snb;oc,
Of his paner vet tho truth ia that lt''. ~
the very inception Of tho strncals
known ms the civil Wor General iSnIii,av
nrobohlv rcndercd more vnlnnhlo oil ~
The cause OF the Union more norticu.
jarly to tho wnstcrn mart oi V;r,in n
and the STATES Of Ohio and pennsvI.
vnlia, than any man prominent in com.
mond Mt the time - 80
If will bc rrrollccted Inv many boro
,hot General Mcclellan wns nlacoI u,
command al the Union forces r. La con. -.
ccntrated in western Virc;ni, TL;s
wns before blow had hcnn strucl.
save tho firing on Fart Snmtcr NJ
nlnn Of ram nnicn had beon aJo,+oJ
rhc Union streuoth in Virrinio , WV.
supposed to be- confined f. tho
conn,ics ri Tho ct,to hor,or;n'.
ON tho Ohio river and. ms m nlnmnn,
TINT mioht lionro in the contest rnuiI
n ~ hc ronntcd nnon SLor,,r 1 ai.o.
tho arrival Of c,I Kelly NJ Wboo NV.
he received general instructions *"
tclecronh from the GENERAL in cor ~
mnnd 70 oryanizc and 50 iar nc noe
siblc conin the mon ri flo connt;o5p p ro
fcrrnd 70 for thc nnrnosc nj JeforI;na
the virginia Hor1or Col Tolin.S,
Sras,inr tho situation ut o,,"o Sroni ;oS
Gthat IN dniond tho hordor Ia 'v ,rpn,,i,i
sn cHcst nnnrchinu into ,ho ;n "oi.r
VIII Tho lovol mon ~ tLo ps, II"vd H.
avon n tha r,nmn,o;nsH ME j., LIZ,
oninion was thc hes. w,y to nrotose
tbe border "anI i he wss s w o.eei
bv .ho Ohio md Indiana trnors ' La
would land his man onI moi!n .h 1e
mountains tho doions,v" u rrn ,'Ho T VIZ
sncanstion was odontni and Will, , t,,s
ss -, - III IL: "i'it .'e