The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-10-21

Maior-General. He was Familiarity
known among the troops at Cairo as
"Col. Mike" end his regiment as the
Bloody 18th"
Lawler was a farmer near Shawnee
town, ILL.,, when the war began. Leav-
ing his plowshare in the sod," he
fastened to offer his services once more
to the Government he had already
served with honor in Mexico, first as a
private in the I'd ILL.,, and subsequently
as Captain of cavalry company.
He was of a jovial disposition, lover
of good stories, and frequently INDUCED
himself in spinning yarn of his own
for the amusement of his intimates.
He stood over six feet in his stockings,
but was so stout he looked several inches
shorter. Full dress and regulation uni
form were his special aversion, his usual
dress being blue,jeans, hickory shirt,
with turnover collar, and no tie. His
sole ornament was plain gold collar
button.
In camp he left things mostly to his
staff, of whom he was not exacting. So
long as the command got there when
there was business to be done, the details
did not interest him. But in the field
and in presence of the enemy it was
easy to see why "Col. Mike" won his
stars. He was an exceptionally we'll
informed and able tactician, absolutely
fearless, and with stolid tenacity that
never let 60.
His first great military achievement
was at Fort Donelson, Feb. 10, 1862,
where, although badly wounded early in
the fight, and having lost over half his
fine regiment and fired away all his
ammunition, even that on the bodies of
the dead and wounded. he retained COM
mand of his regiment and doggedly
held the ground on the right of the line,
supporting Schwartz's battery, which
covered the road by which the Confed-
crates sought to escape toward Clarks-
vile.
With bayonets fixed this little rem
nant of brave men, led by the old hero,
holding up his wounded left arm with
his right hand, awaited calmly the on
set of the enemy. already closing on
them for the death struggle, when the
18th and 25th Ky. were sent in to re-
lieve them and the gallant 9Th Ill. on
the left of the battery.
When the strain was relaxed Lawler
went to bed with wound that kept
him disabled until after the battle of
Shiloh, and left him with his left arm
permanently crippled.
His second great service was at Black
River Bridge during the advance on
Vicksburg, where he captured brigade
as large as his own, behind cotton breast
works and defended by artillery, his
brigade wading through bayou waist
deep in muddy water to get at the
enemy. Capt. Henry Noble described
the old hero in that affair as wading on
foot with his men through the Shiny
water, and storming the rebel works,
laughing gaily, like boy at frolic."
Lawler was then somewhere about his
Goth year.
In a letter written to me few days
afterward, Gen. Lawler said "I only
had a few men, but they would fight
from taps to taps" A favorite saying
had been: "No man has right to en-
list who isn't willing to fight in his
sleep"
/ recall comical incident n con-
nection with "Col. Mike" that hap
pened at jackson, Tenn, in the Sum-
mer of 1863. He was then in COM
mand of brigade composed of the
Sth, 18th and 30th ILL.,, another in
fantry regiment and a battery.
The Headquarters of the brigade were
in grove in front of the mansion of
Col. Campbell, on the west side of the
town. A large hospital tent was used
for Headquarters, and was surrounded
by wall-tents occupied by the General
and staff My cot was in the Head
quarters tent and the two HEADQUARTERS