The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-09

DUPONT's ARMY CAREER.
Had the Best Equipped Battery in the


In 1861 two classes were graduated from
the United States Military Academy at
West Point, At the head of the first stood
Henry Algernon Dupont of Delaware.
Graduating, as he did, first in his class,
Henry Dupont could have gone into the
corps of engineers. But he could not sit
in an easy chair and well-carpeted Office
with war going on at the very city gates.
So Dupont declined the commission in the
swell corps of engineers and chose the ar
tillery instead.
He gave up his graduating leave of three
months and joined his battery. His COM
handing officer was a fine old-time soldier,
whose zeal had been nearly dry-rotted in
the long, dull wait for promotion for twenty
years. Dupont wanted a command of his
own. In the early autumn of 1861 he at
tanned the height of his ambition, the COM
mand of light battery. He was scarcely
more than 81 then, but he had the finest
six-gun battery of twelve-pounders in
McClellan's army. And such horses! The
Government needed both zeal and friends.
but friends particularly. Delaware marked
the southwest border line of slavery.
Simon Cameron was Secretary of War.
The Duponts had been Democrats for three
generations, but they put the Union above
party then. So, when old General Dupont,
veteran OF 1872, came into the Secretary s
office with a slender, well-set-up, black
eyed youth, one day in September, 1861,
and said, Cameron, I've favor to ask of
granted in advance" The favor
wanted was permission for the young
gunner to add $25 or $50 out of his
own pocket to the sum allowed
for artillery horses, in order that his bat
terry might be horsed as he wanted it,
and as, two months later, that battery
went by, the general commanding, at the
trot, in double column of sections, every
one of its 156 horses a blooded bay, the
handsome boy heading it was called up to
receive the compliments of General Nc
Clellan and of the venerable General Scott
himself, he bowed low with gratifed pride
when General Mcclellan said: yours is
and equipped that l have ever seen, Mr..
Dupont. 1 know it will give a good ac-
count OF itself in action"
WE'LL it did. Dupont's men knew that
whatever money would buy for their COM
| fort they were sure of, but they also were
aware that in action they would have the
post of honor-that of the greatest danger.
Within the year the two famous "gun-
ners' in Americans the light artillery is
called abroad-were Captain Henry AL
| gernon Dupont of the Union Regular
Artillery and Major John Pelham, his old
| time classmate, of Stuart's Horse Artillery.
| Dupont and Pelham fought their guns
alike; they both pushed them right out
on the skirmish line. At all the great
battles in which the Army of the Potomac
were engaged the ring of Dupont's brass
twelve-pounders were heard. He was
! breveted four times for distinguished
services and gallantry in action" When
the war closed he was a brevet col onel
and brigadier-general. He could have
had the actual rank three times, but he
would not leave his guns-the guns
he had made famous on twenty
| stricken fields. Just after Charlottesville,
when Merritt and Custer were jumped, one
from first lientnant, the other captain,
to the rank of brigadier-generals, Dupont
] was offered the same grade. mop he
| said; "IlI stick to what understand
best" When the war closed and peace
was made, Henry Algernon Dupont hung
| up his sword and took up the business OF
the great powder factory. At his princely
home on the Brandywine he dispenses the
most charming hospitality to old comrades
who were in front of his guns and those
who supported acknowledgment Post.