The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-07-10
59nBnl Bnktatp 41naporr.

OF Headley's artists in behalf of the great
French soldiers. Military critics have
sad that Logan lacked the contemplatiVe
disposition to make him a successful
pIanner OF campaigns; that he was moth
ing OF strategist, and that he would
have failed as the supreme officer of an
independent command. This may be all
true, although it is half answer to it all
that he never was tried in this capacity.
But as the commander OF any numbe of
troops IN action he certainly had no su-
perlor in the War of the Rebellion. He
was ut his best when leading a command
to action, or better still, in action. He
never said go" but always ''come." lie
was both an example and an inspiration.
with Logan on the front of the line
carrying his hat in the air on the point of
his sword, determined to roIte the enemy
by swearing il not by firing, it was hard
for any OF his men to be less than good
soldiers. He seemed at times to be drunk
with enthusiasm, which was the only
form OF lnebriety possible to him in the
army, as he was during his military SerV-
Ice very temperate, II not totally abStlnent
as to ordinary lntoXicants. The air of
battle seemed to mount to his brain like
fumes OF wine, and with nearly the same
outward effect. But he never lost control
OF himself in the widest delirium of war.
lie Kept his command under absolute
control and always seemed gifted with
the power of omnipresence while his
troops We're in action. He rode his lines
constantly, and always i'll front. once he
thought he saw a little talterng of small
portion of his troops under heavy ire,
and he called to one Of his staff officers to
stick a flagstaff in the ground, with
flag on 1t, and see ii the boys wouldn't
rally round It." And they did. He
would stop in the intervals of battle to
talk to the boys of his old regiment-the
Ihirty-hrst Illinois-and to tell them
that they had been doing so well that he
would write home and tell their mothers
what good soldiers they We're.
The following incident came under my
own observation, and | have heard it
many times attested by General William
/. Clark, who was Adjutaut-Cieneral of
the Seventeenth Corps at the time, and
was present when it occurred. Clark
was splendid officer; he is now. as he
says, either very rich or very poor''-he
doesn't know which-in mining venture
near Pueblo. Col. one OF the hot little
battles of the Nicksburg campaign was
fought near Raymond, Miss, on the 18th
OF May, 1853. 1t resulted in a loss of
about 100 killed and 500 wounded on each
SIDE. General Mcpherson was in COM
mand. Alter some desultOry firing on
each side Logan dashed up to McPher-
son and with agitated voice and manner
said TO him: General, let me take one of
my regiments and go right over there'-
pointing to where the Confederate firing
was the hOttest-''and clean out those
sons Of" Mcpherson replied with
pleasant smile, OF which no battle could
rob him: Logan. guess you don't know
how many of those sons of -, as YOU
call them, there are over there" There
amt enough OF 'em to whip one of my
regiments. "a es there are" said Me
Pherson, who had ridden the lines under
tantalizing fire an hour before. "Gregg's
whole division, the best in Pemberton's
army, Is there" Logan protested that he
didn't care d-n for Gregg's division
he could lick" it with one regiment.
The parley soon ended by Mcpherson
suggesting that Logan take a good-sized
brigade, instead of a regiment to clean
out" the bad people in front, and that
Mcpherson himself would take another
good brigade and strike them in the
flank Both movements We're bravely
executed, and the Contederates had to
give way to avoid being sandwiched be-
tween the two. 1t was a very handsome
victory. The Union troops marched into
Raymond that evening singing John
Browns Body" with Logan as one of the
mounted choristers. Mcpherson and
Logan met after the battle. well" SAID
the former TO the latter, as if he had the
joke on him very decidedly; don't you
VLAhA IHeIe were 70 many sons OF -- Tor
one of your regiments?" Logan laughed
and replied: NO; it would have been a
tough job, but think l could have done
It," Mcpherson was grand soldier and
a vigilant commander. He rode like a
centaur, and went through the fiercest
storm OF war unvexed and unrutfled. An
act of recklessness in front of Atlanta
cost him his life, and at the same time de-
prived the army of one of its most prom
Using Officers Mack" in St. Louis
Globe-Democrat.