Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1895-12-06

The tNa1kS OF UllllOUS ycG W Dcs
Soldiers seldom meet death in the dramatic
manner pictured on the stage. They go
down somehow between tho beginning
and the end of horrible heller skelter
strife, the manner of it being only in rare
cases noted by their comrades The high
est glory for them is to be borne on the
roll of honor like the first gronadier OF
France, "Dead on the field Of battle
With leaders tho fall is the moro likely to
be noted. Eyes are upon them, and they
have personal attendants. Both friends
and foes mark the manner of their death.
On the Union side in the civil war there
were IS generals killed by the enemy's
bullets while in active command. Most
oil died dramatically, yet only 10 fell in
the charge. The only army commando
killed, Tell while accommodating, under a
chance shot-MacPh erson. OF tho three
corps commanders Reynolds and Sedgwick
were struck down at long range. Reynolds
was engrosscd in directing troops how to
meet the enemy. Sedgwick was killed
while stationing cannon on the front line.
Mansfield was shot from his horse at An
tieta1n rs he was about to call upon his
mon to charge. He was at the front look
ing over the ground. Strictly it is not tho
place of an army or q corps leader to head
a charge. The duty belongs to division
and brigade generals. OF these IL were
killed and 10 went down on a charge, the
hottest corner Of battle except forlor,
and stubborn defense against the enemy's
charge.
Tho first division commander in the
army to foil in charge was General Isaac
I. Stevens. At Chantijly, Sept. 2, 186s-aD
affair between detachmonts, rather than
battle-he led his division forward regi-
mept by regiment. In the Seventy ninth
Highlanders five color bearers went down
in quick succession. Stevens took tho flag
from the last to fall, and calling to his old
regiment, "Highlandors, my Highlanders,
follow your general" rushed forward. At
tho moment Of victory bullet entered his
temple His hand still firmly grasped tho
staff, and in falling the colors we're twisted
aud wound around his head and shoulders
like a shroud.
At the head of single regiment also
General Thomas S. Williams foil at Baton
Rouge. He commanded division, which
was all tho Union force present on the
field. In q gallant charge the Twenty
first Indiana lost all its field officers, even
to the adjutant. With his sword poised
Williams galloped through the ranks Of
the Indianians shouting: "Boys, your off,
GERS arc all gone! will lead your Be-
fore the cheers which greeted the brave
words had died away his sword arm sank
limp at his side, and he fell from the sad
die, shot through the heart. The victory
was won, hut its hero lay dead.
In tho very whirlpool Of battle at Chan
oellorsville General Hiram G.. Berry wns
killed. Sent by Hooker with his division
to stop the triumphant march Of Stone
wall Jackson's battalions, he carried out
to the letter this spirited order from Fight
Ing Joe: "Go in, general. Throw your
men into the breach. Don't fire a shot.
They can't see you, but charge home with
the bayonet" For three hours after the
ground was taken Berry held it against
repeated counter charges, and his men
slept on the field. Next morning Jack
sons men came on again furiously.' Leav-
ing two brigades to hold the works, Berry
took the third and led it forward at charge
bayonets. Several charges were made from
point to point, and at last the gallant
leader was shot dead.
Gray haired Wadsworth fell at the Will
0ernesS IN nearly Cne same manner as VII
liams and Stevens. He led but handful.
Gaining upon sOmosCran8e troops tO cnarSo
In support of his division, he saw them
hesitate. In order to inspire them for the
occasion he spurred his horse up to the
Confederate breastworks and leaped him
over into the ranks Of the enemy. It was
gallant, but suicidal. He was Instantly
shot dead, and his body lay within the en-
emy's lines. General ID. A. Russell was
killed at Cedar Creek at the head of his
full division. A division Of another corps
was repulsed after breaking through the
Confederate line of battle, and Russell led
all his troops forward, striking the flank
of the enemy at the breach. He fell in
the charge, but his men restored the broken
line. .........=.
Antietam was u field Of bloody charges,
but no division commanders fell there in
the heat of forward dash. Rodman was
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