The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-11-22

General Jeremiah McLain Rusk was
born In Morgan county, O., on June IL,
1880. His father was Daniel Rusk and his
mother Jane Fakner Rusk. He received
public school education. When he was
IA years old the support OF his mother and
sisters fell upon him. He worked on the
home farm until he was IS years old. and
then he engaged in driving a stage be-
tween GAINESVILLE and Newark.
In 1853 he removed TO Vernon county
(then called Bad Axe county,, Wis. mar
ried and opened hotel. He was elected
sheriff and to other local offices and began
to take an active interest In county affairs.
In 1861 be wes elected to the Legislature,
where Qua of bis first acts was to have the
name Of his county changed from Bad Axe
TO Vernon.
As . Soldier.
In Jnly, 1862, he enlisted In the army,
and was made major Of the Twenty-ffth
Wisconsin regiment. He was offered
lieutentant colonelcy. but preferred being
n major. He was present at the siege OF
Vicksburg, and at Helena (Jan. Is, 1869
he was made lieutenant colonel for gal
liant conduct. In 1868 he Joined Sherman's
forces and took part with distinction in
the Meridian campaign. At the battle OF
Decatur, Ga. Gully %, 1850, Colonel
Montgomery. of the Twenty-fifth, who
was in command of brigade, was
wounded In the arm and captured.
Rusk commanded his regiment until
Montgomery was released from prison.
He continued to serve with Sherman until
the close of the war, and commanded the
advance of the Seventeenth corps in the
famous march to the sea, serving as
brigade commander. AT the battle of
Salkehatchie he led the advance upon the
enemy's entertainments and carried them
by assault against heavy odds. For his
services on this occasion he was made
brevet brigadier general of volunteers at
the close OF the war.
In Politics.
At the close of the war General Rusk
was elected bank comptroller of Wiscon-
sin for the term of 1S66-67, and in 1867 was
elected for another two years term. In
1870 he was elected to the Forty-second
congress, aud was reelected to the Forty
third and Forty-fourth congresse !, serving
from March 4, 1871, to March 8, 1877 Dur
ing his career In the house he was the
leader of the Wisconsin delegation, and he
was earnest in his support Of the arrears
of pension bill.
In May, 1851, General husk was nomi-
mated to be charge d'affaires for Paraguay
and Uruguay. but he declined the appoint
ment. He also declined to accept an ap-
pointment as chief of the bureau Of en-
craving aud printing. In the fall of 1881
he was the Republican candidate for gov
ernor of Wisconsin. and was elected by
plurality of 1l,967. He was re elected in
1854 and 1886 His terms OF service covered
the period from January, 1882, to jan
uary, 1889, and he proved himself to be an
able governor.
During the anarchist troubles in tho
west in 1856, he distinguished himself by
putting the movement down from the
very start He ordered the militia to fire
on the mob when they attempted TO de.
stroy life and property. His action was so
prompt and vigorous that it put stop to
anarchism in Wisconsin, and brought him
applause from all parts of the country.
He was a andidate for the nomination
for president In 1883. His canvass was
conducted with dignity, but he received
only the support Of Wisconsin In the con-
vention, and withdrew after the third
ballot General Rusk was secretary of
agriculture throughout the administra-
tion Of President Harrison.