Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-10-16
DEATH OF GEN. VIM. MALONE.


day, October Sth, of a stroke of paraly-
sis about days before, aged 6S years.
10 months, and days. The remains
left Washington at 80 O'Clock Wed
nesday morning for his home at Peters
burg. Va, where services were held at
o'clock that afternoon at st. Pauls
Episcopal Church. The pail bearers
were members of "Mahone's Brigade"
General Malone was born in South
ampton county. Virginia, December l,
1896. He graduated at the Virginia
Military Institute in 1847, and until
the beginning of the civil war was en-
gagged in engineering, having been en-
gagged in the construction of the old
Orange and Alexandria railroad.
He was a conspicuous character in
Virginia, and his remarkable career
during the war and since is familiar to
our readers-particuiar his career as
a prominent and influential politician.
After speaking favorably OF him as
military commander, the Baltimore
Sun says that while Malone could
lead men we'll in battle, he was not SO
nasterful when he entered the field of
politics as commander of the Republi
can forces in Virginia. He lacked tact
and was utterly without the faculty
and possibly the spirit of persuasive
ness. He antagonized every man
whose views did not agree with his
own. He was imperious, sarcastic and
revengeful and lorded it with a high
hand over his political associates, as
we'll as his enemies. Under the cir
it is not strange that his
party went to pieces after its first vic.
tory. Malone himself was responsible
for it's disintegration and destruction,
and when the voters finally got the
which they had long de-
desired to even up old scores with him
they buried him under a majority
which was the largest by which Vir-
ginia Governor has ever been elected.
But, despite his fail as a political boss,
General Malone will long be remem
bered in Virginia, and there will be
many in his native State who, forget
ting political differences and the cruel |
hatreds and bitter strife begotten by
his course as the Republican leader,
will respect his memory and lament
his DEATH"
SKETCH OF HIS LIFE.
We copy the following sketch of his |
life from his home paper, the Peters
burg H1deG-Appeat:-
"William Malone was born at Mon
roe in Southampton county, Virginia,
December /, 1926. He was educated at
,he Virginia Military Institute, grad
mated in 1847, taught school for two
years thereafter, and then entered up
ID the profession of civil engineer,
lis first service being as a surveyor on
,he Orange & Alexandria railroad
Subsequently he constructed the
0lank-road between Orange Court
House and Fredericksburg acquiring
of the topography of that
historic section which afterwards stood
lin in good stead during the cam
)aigns of charlottesville and the
Wilderness. Subsequently he was
charged with the building of the Nor
ok & Petersburg railroad as chief en-
,ineer, and on the completion of that
work became president of the compa
~, which position he continued to
hold until called to the presidency of
;he consolidated lines which formed
he Atlantic, Mississippi & Ohio rail
way
Immediately following the secession
If Virginia he was appointed chief
Iuartermaster of the Virginia forces,
3ut was shortly assigned in the line as
lieutenant colonel, and in May. 1861,
became colonel of the Sixth Virginia
Infantry. Several months later he
vas promoted to brigadier generals
commission and commanded the Nor
ok District of General Huger's de-
Seaboard by the Confederates in May,
1862. Until May, 1864, General Ma
lone commanded a Virginia brigade
of the Sixth, Twelfth, Six
Forty first and Sixty-frst Vir
yinia regiments, participating in all
The arduous campaigns of the Army of
Northern Virginia during that period
Ind rendering some brilliant services.
He received disabling wound at the
second Battle of Manassas, but was
again at his post before the Burnside
opened and was honorably
in connection with the bat
lie of Fredericksburg. In May. 1868,
;he general was elected member of
The State Senate, but only took seat
n that body in January, 1864, and
hen only for a few days, preferring
lis duties in the field to a political
life.
On May 6, 1864, he was assigned to
of Anderson's old division
of the brigades of Malone
Weisiger (Virginia), Wright (Georgia)
Posey- Harris, (MississippD Forney
Saunders (Alabama), and Perry-Finne
gan (Florida); and with this fine divi-
sion won distinction on many fields,
Ind especially in the campaigns
around Petersburg. For his memora-
ole victory at the Crater in July, 1864,
ne was commissioned by the war de-
partment as major-general, the Con-
president and secretary &C
knowledging his skill in handsome
terms. At Appomattox Court House
Malone surrendered his division in
tact, and gained a decided victory
over Miles, commanding a division of
The Second Federal Corps in spirited
the last of the war, at
church near Farmville on
The Friday before the closing scene at
The war over, General Malone en-
sered actively upon the affairs of civil
life. Having effected consolidation of
the railways forming the Southside
system, he gave to the consolidation a
vigorous administration until the
panic of 1878 forced the company to
sale. During these years
ne exercised potential influence in
public affairs in Virginia, and in 1879,
after political upheaval which he
was most largely Instrumental in or
ganizing and conducting, he was elect
I'd to seat in the United States SEN
ate and served as member of that
body from March. 1881, to March, 1887.
Since 1879 he had been continuously
,he chairman and virtual ruler of the
Republican party in Virginia, and was
on all hands as an astute
ind resourceful leader. His service in
,he Senate was stormy but marked by
h. Of his |