Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-22
A GALLANT OFFICER.

A GALLANT OFFICER.
Secretary Of State Fosters Record During
the War.
Rich as Is the cabinet Of President Harrison
in the matter OF military records, there 10 noe
one of the distinguished members who served
the country with greater fdelity or energy be-
tween the summer Of 1861 ana that other
brighter summer that came In 1866 than did the
Secretary of State-Gen. John W. Foster There
was o disloyal minority In Indiana In those days,
but il was necessarily weak when such mon 90
Gen. Foster weraprominent in the affairs Of the
state. Like 50 many Of those hoosisrs who
achieved fame in the Union army, Cen Foster
was prscticing law when the exultant yslls Of
secession called more than two millions Of men
from northern homes 10 do battle In bahah Of
the nations existenoe. Neither the rich emolu-
ment that sprang from . well-estAbliahed bud
meas nor the prospective wealth which sssmed
70 be within easy reach had Weight In John W.
Fosters mind when duty on thaothH DO
Of the balance.
BELIEVED a pqeuPLrEh
II was in ls6l-when The year wss shsul haiS
gone-that John W. Foster closed his No beoas
and accepted . commisdon - major of ths
twenty-fifth regiment Of IndiAm volunsssrA
With the change oame great Responsibilities,
some of them heavy enough 10 lastly discour-
age man who had no previous military eIpsr-
fence, but they did not trouble Maj Potter
cans did at that time b tsok mp he study Of
tactics and the art Of vax, - In Q remark
ably brief period had mastered ths Asta[s upon
which he sfterwsrd built . soldierly rcputs-
ton, From the beginning Of bis service be
realized the advantages ofqhorousn discipline,
and IL his grfr1f thnf tha
ment and made Il such . nsefui organization,
the sluggard and the malfngsrer occasionally
protested against being compelled 70 do duty,
bat without avail. Ma. PostsrS tdcas Of dis
ordinates; he practiced them kirnsalf q al
times and under all circumstances
As soon as the tventy-hfth was ready for the
field II was ordered TO Missouri Con Prices
army had achieved success at Lexington and
WIS threatening St Louis. To check the nd
mont put his hastily aggregated forces 70 the
front and soon found himself in rapid motion.
Price preferring 10 run rather than dght In
this pursuit Maj. Foster did his whole duty,
earning the respect OF his regiment and Of all
who saw beneath his modesty the weil-tempered
courage which was such marked characteristics.
GALLANT CONDUCT AT cAIso.
Cairo was the next field OF operation and
from that point commenced the movement
against Fort Henry and Fort Donaldson Maj.
Foster was IN position when his regiment
opened the engagement at Donelson, and in the
celebrated charge upon the fort, led by Gen
Smith, the twenty-fifth was prominently val
orous. When the regiment started into the
light at Shiloh IL commanded by Lieut.
Col Morgan, but before the engagement bad
progressed very far Col Morgan was seriously
wounded. The history OF the two following
days is blood-red, and through those trying
hours Maj. Foster bore himself in such q man
ner rs TO earn all the appreciation which was
showered upon him by his regiment and his
superior officers. Again and again oil through
that disastrous Sabbath were his lines broken
by the weight OF superior numbers and each
time. with tho colors IN his hand, did tho
plucky major rally the twenty-fifth until the
rebels retreated. The promotion 10 the leu
tenant colonelcy-Lieut. Col Morgan had been
moved up one step-vas the natural sequence
to such gallantry.
HUNTING GCKRnfrL.AA
After the siege Of Corinth and the occupation
Of Memphis by the Union troops Col Fostsr
went home on furlough, but found things In
more disturbed condition there than ~ the
front The guerrilla troubles In Kentucky we're
most serious. He immediately rendered hn
services to assist In driving the bushwhscken
out Of the state. While thus engaged be wss
commissioned colonel Of the sxty -Afth indiana
aud assigned 10 the command Of that part Of
Kentucky lying between the Green and Gum
bertrand rivers. Here his position was one a
great responsibility, but 20 impartiAlly did BE-
adrninister justice and 20 successfully did be
uphold the national honor that men Who hatsd
him personally, because he stood betwsen thsn
and respectable people, accorded him praise Tor
his integrity. Guerrillas removed themsa1v0
from the vicinity Of Col Foster With al hAstA,
which saved him the trouble OF removing thau.
HOB RAIsr ron xrTIotxHox
When Gen. Burnside commenced mailing
his arrangements to t.ks posssudon Of Iase
Tennessee he ordsted COL Fosters resimsns -
campaign he wss assignsd 70 the most rsspoud-
BILE position, commanding 81 times brtg.dss ao1
divisions, and he was never found - fault H
was the first commander 70 take posseeu1oe q
Knoxville and % such rsosived trsmendess
ovation. In all Of thess positions Dol YostS
never failed 10 secure ths rsspsos and cont
deuoe Of his superior o1aosn- Con BprnAds,
in particulax, highly sstsemed his judgment enA
courage and repossd implicit oonhdsnos In bis
military sagaciiy.. 30 much 20 thaa b oords-
brissdisr generals oommisaion, ths rscen-
mendation being juss - hssrsly tndonsd By
Gen. Grant
Not only thsss omosrs. but osn- ssursis
highly appreciated his worth. Ths latter Of
them the following eomplimsnAaFy iadosS-
ment;
an approving this rssisnsssa esn.s -
main from expressing my dssp rsresm ~
ing with 90 tnselligsnl snsrDsde and brsve ..
the businsss and hnily ipterssb which
feared would soonse e n4sr deprive The army
Of the services al Dol Foster, yet aftsr 90 long
end faithful ssrvics b. should be, think. ~
lisved under shs eiFvunstanoeA His los. how
ever, vill b ssv..sly ssls n Nh corps and hi
place lard 10 ~"
Col Ios>sr. sfssr 40 nenshs' sssy a bona
sst>ling his h&hsr's ssoH4s, rs-sn1srsd Ne 80
VICE In Nay, 1ee< - ooloesl Of The one bun-
uainsd n co9nan4 q - rsginsns I'll u -
musesrs1 ous q serv1ea. HI ntizs psrigd q
aEny sss1ss - shsss ysHs - ssaf nsufhA