The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-09-17


table hermit in Washington city. He
occupies small room in the old Grea-
son House, and for months together is
seen only by those who attend to his
daily wants. He was almost a hermit
when the bill came before congress to
retire him as brigadier general.
He had been major general in COM
mand of the cavalry corps of the Army
of the Potomac; he had fought the first
real cavalry fight of the war at Brandy
Station, June 10, 1868; had met and
thwarted the advance of the enemy upon
Gettysburg, holding Lees army in doubt
and allegiance until Meade's infantry
came up to fight the decisive battle of
the war, and had never been found
wanting when duty and patriotism re-
quired his presence either in camp or in
the field. He won his spurs as far back
as the battle of Resaca de la Palma in
the war with Mexico, when as lieuten-
ant and adjutant of Colonel Mays bat
TALON he earned well deserved special
mention in the official reports of that
most remarkable engagement. General
Zachary Taylor. afterward president
"Old Zach"-was especially fond of
him, and in recognition of his gallant
services recommended him for brevets
and promotion.
For all this and subsequent work as
commissioner of internal revenue and
subtreasurer, he fully expected the rank
of brigadier retired, and when congress
merely gave him the rank of retired
major of cavalry he felt it keenly. Even
this much, it is said, was due to the
strenuous exertions of ex-confederate
congressman who had known him il
''the old army before the war;" He was
born in Washington, June z, 1924, and
was graduated from West Point in 1914
in the same class with General Grant.
He entered the army after the usual
leave of absence on Nov. 8, 1916, re-
ceived commission as second lieutenant
in the Second dragons, with which he
was ever after identified. His record
shows several promotions for gallant
and meritorious conduct" beginning at
Palo Alto and ending with the last con-
fiict with Price in Missouri. His record
during the civil war was uniformly
brilliant, as all readers know, and he
was commissioned as major general for
important achievements, and with the
applause of the whole nation. Yet he
was retired with his old regular army
rank-major of cavalry.
General Pleasanton is said to have
never sworn profanely in his life, but in
his early service he always used the
name of his commanding general as an
oath-so his ''Great Scottr' of Mexican
war days has become a national excla-
nation. A few years later he began to
swear by historic names, and his "Great
Caesars ghost!" has likewise taken the
public fancy. A few years ago his
brother started the laughable "b!ue
glass cure" craze, and the general was
terribly annoyed by its attribution to
him. ''Great Scott, SIR" he would ex-
claim. sNo, sir. I am not the man. No,
sir. That is my brother, a militia ma
jor general, who lives in Philadelphia.
Great Caesars ghost, man, what do you
take me for? Who do you think I am?
Great Caesars ghost, no, sir!''
He was especially exasperated in Paris
when scientists called to ask him about
it, for, as he once expressed it: 1.-THE
people here and over there seemed to
know more about blue glass than they
do about the men, the real men, who
commanded our armies during the war.
Confound 'em! Blue glass? No, sir!
Great Caesars ghost, confound 'em?'
He was never married, and though
uniformly courteous to ladies expressed
decided preference for the society OF
men. His only companion for several
years was Mr.. Greason, or, as he called
himself, could Greason," the lrishman
who kept the hotel. Since that PERSONS
death the general has steadily grown
more reserved. He treats old comrades
with politeness, but does not return
their calls or answer their letters. Some
years ago he gave up smoking. He
never used liquor to any great extent,
he cannot ride horseback now, and his
sole pleasure is in reading.
Domestic Servant Statistics.