Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-04-11
THE DEATH OF GEN. FIELD.
A Soldier Who Won Distinction - . Com
mander in the Confedernta ARM.

/ Z. Dl0tlnCt100 Com.
mander In the Confederate Army.
Gen. Charles W. Field, who died in this city
last Saturday night at $50, was . distinguished
confederate veteran Of the civil war. He was
appointed to West Point by the President in IsA5
and graduated in ls49. twenty-seventh in his
class. Among his classmates we're Gems. Gil
more, Parke, Baird and Tidball of the Union
| armies. and Mcintosh, williams, Barton, Bev-
erly Robertson and others of the confederate
| service. he entered the second cavalry a.
second Lieutenant, then the crack regiment Of
| the United States army. Gen. Field was a dis
tinguished cavalry officer before the war. and
| was assistant instructor in this arm at West
Point from 1856 to 1861. He was made cap
| tain In the old army in January, 1861, but re-
| signed in May, 1861, to join the rebellion.
In the confederate army Of Virginia be was
at hrst lieutenant colonel OF infantry, but in
the summer Of 1861 he was made colonel OF q
virginia cavalry regiment Early in 1862 he
was promoted to brigadier general, and bore .
conspicuous part in the confederate operations
| on the peninsula against Mcclellan, and in the
subsequent battles on Bull run. where Gen.
Field was terribly wounded. He suffered for
eighteen months from this wound. During
this period Of partial inaction Gen. Field was
employed on court-martial duty, and Tor sew
eral months was superintendent OF the con-
federate conscript bureau at Richmond.
Early in 1864 he was made a major general by
President Davis and took command OF d.
vision in Longstreets corps. Gen. Field was
held in high esteem by President DAVIS and
Gems. Lee and Longstreet He was an active
participant in all the subsequent affairs Of the
war in Virginia from Wilderness to Appomat-
tox, where he surrendered with Lee, Long
street and the others. Gen. Field was several
times in command Of the corps, and COM
manded for time in front Of Gen. Butler, north
of the James
Gen. Field was q democrat, though not an
active politician. He was doorkeeper Of the
forty-hfth and Forty -sixth Houses, and was
candidate for doorkeeper Of the present House,
but was defeated. President Cleveland APP
pointed him superintendent Of Hot Springs,
Arkansas where he remained for four years.
After the war he went to Egypt, where for two
years he was q colonel in IsnlaiPs service, but
returned to America. About two years ago
Secretary Proctor appointed him to succeed
zen. .Cadmus Wilcox as an assistant to Mr..
Leslie j. Perry, who, as member OF the board
OF publication In charge Of printing the rebel
lion records, has been assigned the duty of
compiling the records relating to prisoners of
war. On this work Gen. Field was engaged
until he died.
Maj Davis, Mr.. Perry and Mr.. Kirkly the
board with whom he was associated. speak in
highest terms of the deceased. Mr. Perry said
to STAR reporter: Gen. Field, though a man
OF war, was the most lovable char acter ever
met. Being my close associate in our records
work had come to know him intimately. He
was the very soul of honor. without guile of
any kind. Simple and unpretentious in habit,
modest and unassuming in manner he cared
little for the great world, but was wrapt up in
his famly-a beautiful wife and two brilliant
cons. He has often said to me that he only
lived in them His personality had made great
impression upon me.
The funeral services took place this after
noon in Epiphany Church, conducted by Rev.
Dr. Mckim. The remains were taken to Balti-
more for lnterment. The honorary pallbearers
were Gen. I. L. Casey. chief of engineers u. s.
A.; Gen. Robt. Williams, Gems. Forney, Maury
and Heth. ex-confederate offcers Mai. G. b.
Davis and Capt Leslie j. Perry. The active
pallbearers were members of the Confederate
Veterans Association Of this city, who attended
the funeral in body. The Sons of the Revolu-
ton were represented by Gen. T. C. Butter.
field.
Mrs. Field, the widow will reside hereafter
with her son Charles. who is a lawyer in Bilti-
more and at present a member OF the Maryland
legislature. She was member OF the cele-
brated Mason family Of Virginia. The other
son, l. Mason Field, is an ensign in the navy
and now stationed at Montevideo.