Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-21

stoned brevet brigadier general. In 1866 he
was bank controller. and was elected a
member of the Forty-second. Forty-third
and Forty fourth Congresses. He was ten
dered by President Garfield the mission to
Paraguay and Uruguay. the mission to
Denmark and the office of chief of the bu-
reau of engraving and printing. all of which
were declined.
He was elected governor of Wisconsin in
lSSl and served for three terms. a distinc-
ton never accorded to any citizen of the
state with the exception of Gen. Lucius
Fairchild. When Gen. Harrison became
President in 1889 he called Gov. Rusk into
his cabinet as Secretary of Agriculture.
Gen. Rusk was a man of powerful ply
sique, being six feet three inches tall and
heavily built. In his earlier career he was
a stage driver,
He was a man OF abrupt, homely speech,
but of a warm heart. He had been a candi.
date for a much higher place when he was
offered the Cruguay-ParaGuay mission. He
spurned the proffered position. saying:
Where in - is Paraguay? L will go
home and run for governor of Wisconsin" :"
Nobody supposed when he made this re-
mark that he could get the nomination,
but he did get it three times. His action
during the Milwaukee labor riots of 1886 in
ordering the militia to fire on the mob,
which was done. with fatal effect. increased
largely instrumental in his nomination and
election for a third term as governor.
Gen. Rusk's Military Career.
Gen. Rusk had an interesting war record
and was honored by the veterans of the
war. He was thirty-two years old when
he entered the service of the Union. In
response to his efforts the twenty-ffth Wis
consin regiment came into military exist
ence. 1t was mustered in in July. 1862, and
Rusk might have been its first colonel. He
declined the preferred commission, though,
and contented himself with a majors rank.
He did this because, as he afterward said:
II did not think l was competent to take
command of a regiment, or that / had the
experience necessary in military matters to
fit ME for any rank higher than that of
major. which. at that time, 1 regarded as
more ornamental than otherwise" From
the beginning he plunged heartily into the
duties of his position and a matter of
fact was really commanding officer of the
regiment. In but a little while he was pro-
NOTED.
He was a fighting colonel. On the 22d
day of July, when Mcpherson died, Col
Rusk lost nearly one-third of his comma nd
and the command came dangerously near
to losing its colonel. With characteristic
bravery he rode beyond the skirmish line
in search of information and suddenly
found himself surrounded by a rebel de-
tachment. He was ordered to surrender
but he did not feel called upon to obey
Bullets tipped all around him, his horse
was killed. his sword was lost, but the colo
mel reached his comrades. A wound in one
leg testified to the warmth of the corner
from which he escaped; at least one dead
rebel was silent testimony to the coloners
skill with a revolver.
OF all the many exciting experiences in
Gen. Rusk's military career none are more
worthy of note than his famous crossing
of the Saukahatchie river, in February
1850 Gen. Mowers division was moving
rorthward from Beaufort, and as Col.
RuSkS regiment was in Gen. Mowers di-
vision, why of course. 1t was moving north
ward also. There was great rivalry among
the divisions as to which should reach the
river, and in the race Mower Was victorious.
In the lead was the brigade to which Col
Rusk belonged, but because the brigade
commander happened to be temporarily alb
sent Gen. Mower ordered another brigade
to the front. Col. Rusk was extremely in-
dignant when he heard of the order and
made warm protest against any discrimina-
ton because Of the brigade commanders 8
absence. He did not want, said he, to be
cheated out of the lead.
The protest was for a while unavailing
Another brigade went to the front. BY
and by 1t was apparent to Gen. Mower that
the crossing was not under his control so
he sent an aid to look up that colonel
who was so anxious to get to the front
Col. Rusk was in the generals presence
almost instantly and soon as he knew
what was required of him proceeded in
Stantly TO do most dangerous and daring
duty. Down the narrow and shot-swept
causeway charged the regiment Rusk at
its head. Down dropped the brave men by
scores. scrap of shell disabled the COL
onels horse. but that did not prevent the
colonel from leading the charge on foot,
So terrific was the cannonade that Gen
Mower and his staff-who had tried to
cross in rear of the column-were compelled
to dismount and retreat until Rusk and his
boys had possession of the crossing 1t was
the capture of this crossing that made the
colonel brigadier general.
Gen. Mowers Comment.
Scarcely had Col. Rusk returned to camp
after performing the most meritorious work
in even his war record when he received
orders to report at once to Gen. Mower
II was in doubt as to the kind of a recep-
tion l was going to get" said Gen Rusk
when telling the story of that interview.
"Mower used TO get little full sometimes. &"
There was no lack Of warmth I'm the recep-
ton accorded the colonel
Said Gen. Mower: II sent for you because
you are the only man in this army or in
any other army that | ever saw who could
ride further into hell than Mower. / want
you to take drink with me-"
The offer was declined because Gen. Rusk
never drank intoxicating liquor in his life