The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-11-29
LOGAN; NOT MILES.

The New YORK Tunes has column
article claiming that the services of Gen.
Nelson a Miles during the civil war were
''more remarkable than any other officer,
regular or volunteer, who took part in IT,"
Gen. Miles is an admirable soldier. but 10
is absurd TO pretend thst he is the first
soldier of the volunteers that fought in the
civil war. Gen. Miles was staff officer in
McClellan's Peninsular campaign of 1862;
he was a lieutenant colonel at the end of
that campaign. and was distinguished at
Antietau.
He Was q colonel at Fredericksburg De-
was q colonel at ChancellorsvilIe,
and was again wounded. He COM
mandsd 9 brigade in Gen. Barlow's
division in the Wilderness campaign OF
1854, and he commanded division In the
Second corps. under Gen. Humphreys, in
Grants last great campaign Of 1866.
Now this 10 fine military record, but 1t
does not justify the claim Of the New
York 7igaes that Gen. Miles was the finest
soldier contributed by the volunteers 10
the army of the Union. The finest SOL
der contributed by the volunteers
10 the armies of the Union was
Gen. John 4. Logan Logan fought
as private soldier. although q congress-
man. at the first Bull Run; be resigned his
place in congress 10 accept the colonelcy
OF the Thirty-frst Illinois volunteers;
he was severely wounded az Fort Donel-
son he was made brigadier general March
q, 1862, and made major general of
volunteers November %. 1862 He was
distinguished during Grants Vicksburg
campaign. and he and Gen. Croker, of
Iowa. won the battle of Champions Hill,
which decided the fate Of that campaign.
Gen. Grant in his Memoirs" says that
Logan and Croker were equal to any
military command or emergency. and at
the battle OF Atlanta, July y, 1864.
when Sherman was two miles distant
Gen. Logan. at The head Of the Fifteenth
corps. charged the victorious enemy, re-
stored sherrnan's broken lines, and saved
thedsy. July p Gen. Logan inflicted on the
enemy terrible repulse. and If we may
accept Grant as a judge who was FIRST
class volunteer soldier, Gen. John A.
Logan was the first volunteer soldier Of
the army of the Union.
Logan. Croker and John f. Smith are
named by Grant in his Memoirs" as born
soldiers. II Gen. Logan had had the Sci
entiac education of Sheridan he would
have been another Sheridan. He had
the same dashing, determined,
resoluss, heroic courage and aggressive
ness in battle; he had the same mag
netie power over his men, as was won
derfully shown in that great battle
before Atlanta. when Hood split the
army Of the Tennessee and Mcpherson
vas killed. Logan rallied the Fifteenth
army corps. reunited IL and personally
beaded the charge which restored Sher-
mans line Of battle. when If he had failed
sherman would have been among the
back numbers" OF the civil war with
Buell.. Mcclellan, Burnside, Rosecrans.
Hooker and Meade.
Logan was Of pure Irish blood on hrs
fathers side, while Sheridan was Of Irish
psrensags on both sides. Both bad Irish
pugnscity. the Joy " the conflict. and vet
both had military instincts that are not
Irish characteristics, Tor both were men Of
enormous industry and application, In
donitsele workers, night and day. prepar-
Ing Tor success Logan. lacking Shsridan's
scientific training for war. had Sheridan's
virtues Of leadership. Tie was always at
the point Of danger: always fearless; al
ways puEnaeious. and yet he was careful
to neglect nothing that would give his
men the victory, be vas solicltous OF their
comfort before and after the battle. Gen.
Niles Is the great volunteer soldier Of the
EasL bat the West eaa more than match
him In Gen. IoAn A. Logan.