Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-02-27
BRAVEST OF BRAVE.
General Alfred PleaSonton Dies
in Washington, D. c.
Saved the Army of Potomac-His
Last Days Unhappy.

Alreu ieasonton. one 81 the most ulStln-
guished cavalry officers on the Union side
during the late civil war; has Just died in
this city. His death resulted from system
worn out with activity and work. For the
past SIX years he had lived the life
of II recluse, surrounded by his books
and enjoying the society of few
friends of his army days. General
Pieasonton had been great sufferer. Some
time ago he underwent several painful sur
gical operations. rendered still more painful
10y the fact that he refused the aid of anaes-
thetics. He was confined to his room in
curious little old-fashioned boarding house,
known as the Gleason house at BOB l. street.
He went there to get away from visitors.
He received pension Of S240 a month.
This was for II time his only income. but less
than 10 years ago Il sister wilcd him 500
600.
Alfred Pleasonton was born at Washing
ton, ID. c.. June 7. 1924. of n family long
resident in that region. and was graduated
ut West Point in 1914 Later he served on the
western frontier, and won distinction ut
Palo Alto and Resaca de Ia Palma, taking
part in the charge of his regiment in the
last named battle. and winning brevet for
bravery on General Taylor's recommends
ton. His occupation for many years
was lighting the Apaches, Navajoes,
Utah and Sioux Indians, the Semi.
noles in Florida and the Oregon In
III tlit toulst VI WIS
he became Acknowledgement on the staff OF
General W. =. Harvey. He was on the way
to return to his company in Utah when Fort
Sumter was fired upon. but on receipt OF the
news returned and was employed with
headquarters at Wilmington, Del. to raise
force to protect the railroad lines between
New York and Washington. He raised u
full regiment of u thousand men in less than
a week, organized and equipped them. The
regiment requested General Scott to assign
PcasOnton as its colonel, but the only re-
ply was an order to rejoin his company.
After Bull Run he was summoned to Wash
inston. which he reached in command of
the "a Dragons in the fall of 1861, having
marched 100 miles from Utah to st. Joseph
before they reached a railroad. He served
through the Peninsular campaign under Me-
Clellan, and for brilliant work, especially ut
Malvern Hill. and for covering the re-
trea. from the Chickahominy was made
rgadier-grneral of volunteers. On the
arrival of the army in Washington, Mcclellan
gave him the command of all the cavalry and
hose artillery At South Mountain, Antietam
ana Fredericksburg he was active, and in the
brief and dismal charlottesville campaign
he had the fortune. at Il critical moment. to
succor Towards corps. on the 18th, when
StOnewall Jackson, in one of his daring ana
admirable assaults. had ''surprised II, not
withstandins Towards receipt of frequent
warnings from Pleasonton and other COM
Pleasanton was in command of |
two mounted regiments and battery, when |
he reached the point where the fugitives
We're rushing in wild confusion to the rear.
He hastily gathered all the guns he could
get and manned them from his own force
and the third corps batteries, but there was
no time to load or aim, for the con-
federates were close upon them. The
only thing possible was sacrifice, and in II
moment Plcasanton ordered Major Peter
Keenan,. commanding the 9Th Pennsylvania
cavalry to charge with, his 400 men upon |
the No. 600 .cUcls who were advancing with |
yclls Of assured triumph. keenan, accepted
the glorious sacrifice with q smiling an |
swer General, will do it, and he ana
his 400 swept down, were annihilated, but |
saved the whole army from destruction and
capture. This was May 2, 1868, and Keen
as the charge of the GOO at Balaklava, but
far better, because it was in n great cause,
and was of mOmentous importance to the |
Union.
Pleasanton showed here the characteristics
of u great general, such as possessed by |
Mcclellan would have made the Peninsular
u success, or later would have
made Antietam the decisive battle of the
war, instead of Gettysburg. Pleasonton's
service Mt this imminent juncture brought
from Congress and the country
Afterward he was placed in command of tho
cavalry of the army of the Potomac, and
opened the great Gettysburg campaign. His
swift work in following up and frequently
StuartS cavalry at Beverly Ford
and Brandy station, June 0. 1868, and ut
and Upperville, was marked by
the best qualities of a cavalry commander.
President Lincoln appointed PleasOnton
of volunteers to date from
June %, and he was brevetted colonel in the
regular army July 9. He commanded the
l,.,- f.ntt, pI,,r al tn,
winter of 1864 n committee of Congress re-
commended him for general of the army of
the Potomac. He was, however, sent to
Missouri, where under Rosecrans he led the
cavalry in expelling from the state General
Sterling Prices army. After the war he
was brevctted brigadier-gcneral in the regu-
lar army, and he resigned in 1863. General
Pleasanton was appointed by President
Grant collector of internal revenue for the
Fourth district of New York. and in Decem-
Der, 1870, Grant made him commissioner of
Internal revenue, hut suspended him in
1871 (under the tenure of office act) because
Of his quarrel with Secretary Boutwell,. He
was afterward for some years presi-
dent of the Terre Haute and Cincin-
natl railroad. In 1883 he was restored to the
army, with the rank of colonel and this was
followed by his retirement.
Since then he had lived a recluse life at
private hotel in Washington, and great phys
ical suffcrngs had somewhat embitttered
his temper,and he felt that he was forgotten
and his country ungrateful.
General Pleasanton had passed through
l05 engagements. including several of the
greatest battles of the war. without receiv-
ing wound. He never had the opportunities
that Sheridan had, or made, the picturesque
display that Custer did but simply as Il caval-
ry general he was the equal of any other in
the Union or confederate SERVICE and Sheri-
dams work at Winchester was not on the
whole so remarkable as Pleasanton's check
Of Stonewall Jackson at Charlottesville,
when he certainly saved the army OF the
Potomac from immediate destruction.