Arizona republican., 1893-12-28
GALLANT JACK ADAMS.
The New Commander in Chief of
the G. A. r.
A Massachusetts Man Who Has Reason
to Be Proud Of His War Record
One Of New England's Brav-
est Soldiers.

Capt. John Gregory Bishop Adams,
as his full name reads, the new COM
mander in chief of the Grand Army,
was born in Groveland, Mass, and will
be ffty-two years old the 9th day of
next October. He was educated in the
public schools, and before he was
twenty years old enlisted in Maj. Ben
Perley Poore's rifle battalion, which
was subsequently merged into the
Nineteenth Massachusetts volunteers.
In March, 1862, he was made orderly
sergeant.
Through all the seven days fighting
on the peninsular Sergt. Adams was
conspicuous for his bravery, and when
the misled army rested on the James,
his gallantry had won for him second
ieutenant's commission.
1t was at the battle of Fredericks-
burg, December 10, 1862, Lieut. Adams
displayed the most conspicuous gal
lantry of his military career. Nearly
dozen color bearers of his regiment
had been shot, and at last he seized
both standards and brought them off
the field himself unscathed. This act,
placed him in the ranks of the
recognized heroes of the war.
At the battle of Gettysburg the Four
teenth Massachusetts was sent to sup
port Gen. Sickles in his terrible peach
orchard and wheat field fray on the I'd
of July. In this battle Lieut.. Adams
was the ranking first lieutenant in his
regiment, and took command of COM
pany I.
While leading his men he received
two desperate wounds in the groin,
either of which was supposed to be
mortal. He was borne from the field
to die, and the surgeons gave up his
case as a hopeless one.
Yet, by splendid constitution and
indomitable pluck, he rose from the
grip of death. recovering rapidly, and
in November was again with his COM
mand before his wounds were fully
healed.
In fact, those wounds never fully
healed, and as late as the summer of
1888 he was Frustrated almost tC
deaths door by the breaking out of
the wounds afresh.
They had several times previously
caused him serious trouble and inca
pacitated him for active and lucrative
positions.
After Gettysburg it was Capt Adams,
and no man better earned such promo
ton. During the Wilderness campaign
of 1864 Capt. Adams was at his post
and served with high spirit and de-
voted loyalty. He waf the 'life'' of
the regiment and an inspiration to all
less sanguine comrades.
| 1t was the bad fortune of the Nine
teenth Massachusetts, to be mostly cap
tured at Cold Harbor early in June,
and Capt. Adams was among the pris-
oners. For nine months he suffered in
southern prisons.
Capt. Adams was first sent to Libby
prison, and after three months there
was transferred to Andersonville, but
was kept there but brief time only.
He was sent to Macon; thence to
Charleston, where for five months he
was kept under the fire of Gilmore's
guns, retaliation to which the con-
federate authorities subjected large
number of union officers.
When the Charleston officers had ex-
posed Capt. Adams to the fire of his
own comrades in arms to their salts
faction, or the retaliation had been
sufficiently accomplished, he was sent
to Columbia, where he remained until
exchanged.
Last year he was prominent candi-
date for the republican nomination for
lieutenant governor, and though he en-
tered the contest very late came near
securing the prize. He was the first
recruit mustered into Post 5, of Lynn,
was three times chosen its commander
and was one year department COM
mander of Massachusetts,. He has
been for many years president of the
Association of Survivors of Rebel Pris-
ons, and is president of the trustees of
the Soldiers Home.
Capt. Adams not only has frst-class
war record, but he is man of strict
integrity, of clear, sound Judgment and
shrewd observer, of practical expe-
rience and marked ability. In all his
positions, military and civic, he has
won the respect of his superiors and
the esteem of his subordinates. He
has twelve times been delegate to the
national convention of the G. A. r. In
1868 he was chosen by the electoral col.
lege of Massachusetts, messenger to
carry the electoral vote of the state to
the national capital in 1858 on the frs
election of Grant to the presidency.