The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1896-11-16
ARMY SOBRIQUETS
Generals In the Service Given Mechanics
by the Soldiers.
GRANT HAD MORE THAN ANY
Sometimes the Appellation Came from
Brave Deeds and Again from
the Reverse.

From The Topeka Capital
The Temptation to turn the foibles or
flaws OF their commanding officers INTO
more or less euphonious nicknames was al
most Irresistible among the volunteer SOL
diers. The regulars" never thought or
doing anything so independent. A regular
army officer had always seemed TO them
10 be n little tin god on wheels and II
would have been sacrilegious to suggest
such an indlgnity. The volunteer soldier
was made out OF different kind Of stuff
His duty done, ne considered that he had
right to do and say what he pleased, and
he proceeded aouq those lines. This re-
markable propensity for niclSnaming the
generals and other commanding officers
sometimes got them into trouble. but they
soon got out and went on wasting the
gray matter of their brains In evolving
other sobriquets yet more distinctly In
sultlng or complimentary, as the case
might be-
If an officer was n favorite his sobriquet
expressed Il. If. On the other hand, he
was naughty and overhearlnG, and made
himself obnoxious, the handle" he got WAS
decidedly descriptive Of his particular fail
ing. When the veterans get together they
talk OF their old commanders and like
the echo from the past. the wartime"
names are used again
General Grant had more nicknanles than
any other officer IN the war of the rebel
lion His inltials-U Satisfactorily forced
upon him by West Point professors. were
prolific Of sobriquets. Uncle sam" was
one Of his titles; United states" Grant
was another richly deserved. After The
ponclson episode the boys insisted on cali
ing him Unconditional Surrender Grant
"Old Three Stars" designating his rank as
lieutenant general, was D. farorste appeila-
ton for him. and when fighting the insidl-
Gus foe to whom his intrepid soul at last
surrendered. he became endeared 20 the
world as the silent Sufferer"
General Thomas Jackson won his soori-
quot at Bun Run. When the confederate
troops were almost routed ana ready to
give up. one Of the commanders urged them
to emulate the example Of Jackson. who
was standing the onslaught like n stone
wall" History has almost forgotten that
he had any other name.
The McCooks. seven IN number. were
scattered around IN the army and navy,
and were such desperate partsans that
they will 80 down lu history as "the fight
ing McCoo6s." Fighting Joe Hooker
was a nickname that Hooker detested, for
It was given in derision at first. ana he
threatened 70 prove It's aptuess IL anybody
ever used 1t IN his presence.
General George IL. Mcclellan was a prime
favorte with everybody. and was familiar
Is addressed as Little Mae" lie was also
called the Petite Napoleon" ana tho mod
crn "Belisarius Franz SiHcl. the jolly
German general. win always be remerft or
ed as "Dutchy." while General Albert
Sykes was always "Sykesy" among his
mon. General Eosecrans's name was also
twisted into "Rosey." General Judsou Kill
patrick got his name shortened into -Nil,'
and WAS sometimes called the raider by
hts enemies
General Ambrose y. Burnside who was
at first q colonel in the First Rhode Island.
was dubbed "Eho4y," then because of the
faucied resemblance he was sometimes
called Kaiser william. General John Pope
was known as ''Saddlclag john" because
he said his headquarters We're in the sad
die" BE ause Of his spectacles General
George q. Meade was dubbed 'fouv-eycd
George" and "oll four eyes" General Iiv-
ing Mcdowell was denomuated Pope
which title was not meant as a mafk q
honor. Tie boys said that he issued more
bulls than the pore of Rome. They added
parenthcticaly that Pope's headquarters
were in the saddle. and McDowchs head
IN "a basket most Of the time.
General sherman HAD "a dozen Titles, but
those most commonly known We're Uncle
Billy" ana cold Teeumseh Tho dastng
Custer. because of h.s Ions yellow curls
were yl"i 'Ringiets' in civilization. The
Indians dubbed him name which meant
Long Hair" General Buffers picture
SHOW that tho appelation "C9cloye' Uas
not misuomcr lie was also called
spoons" and "PicayUue." General Philip
Kearney. who lost an arm fl the Mexican
war. was known as "Oue-Armcd PnN" and
Gallant Phil General W. r. Smith
was known as cold Badly"
General Philip sheridan. whose height
was not commensurate with his ability
was called Little PhiI and sometimes
Jack OF clubs" General Winfield Scott
Hancock was dubbed superb" by Meade
after his splendid repulse of Longstreet at
Gettysburg General Andrew ~ Hum
phrcy, a distinguished engineer. was known
o. "OlJ MathCmatics.' General Logan was
sometimes called BLACK Jack" because OF
his brunette style. lie was also called "Old
War Eai1e" Jack OF Spades and "Black
Eagle of Illinois" General Henry W. Hal