The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1897-02-18
The Deat th of Sedywick,

The Death of Sedgwick.
A little before s o'clock ON the morn
ing of May ., the general mounted his
horse, and directed me and two other
staff officers to accompany him to make
an examination of the lines in our i'm
mediate front. This day he rode black
pony called Jeff Davis (given that
name because it had been captured in
Mississippi on the plantation of Joe
Davis, brother of the Confederate
PresidenO. 1t was turned into tile quar-
termaster's department, from which it
was purchased by the general on his
Nicksburg campaign. He was not well
Mt that time, being afflicted with bols,
and he took q fancy to the pony because
it had a remarkably easy pace, which
enabled the general to make his long
daily rides with much more comfort
than when he used the horses he usual
ly rode. Little Jeff'' soon became a
conspicuous figure in the Virginia cam
paign.
We proceeded to Sedgwick's com
mand, and the general had conference
with him in regard to the part his corps
was to take i'll the contemplated attack.
Both officers remained mounted during
the Interview. The gallant commander
of the famous Sixth Corps seemed par
ticularly cheerful and hopeful that
morning, and looked the picture OF
buOyant life and vigorous health. When
his chief uttered some words of COM
pliment upon his recent services, and
spoke of the hardships he had encoun-
tered, Sedgwick spoke lightly of the
difficulties experienced, and expressed
every confidence in the ability of his
troops to respond heroically to every
demand made upon them. When the
general-in-chief left him, Sedgwick
started with his staff to move farther
to the front
Our party had ridden but short dis
tance to the left when General Grant
sent me back to Sedgwick to discuss
with him further matter which it was
thought had not been sufficiently en-
phasiZed i'll their conversation. While
was following the road had seen him
take, l heard musketry firing ahead
and soon saw the body of an officer be-
ing borne from the field Such Il sight
was so common that ordinarily it would
have attracted no attention, but my ap-
prehensiOns were aroused by seeing
several of Gen. Sedgwick's staff beside
the body. As they came nearer 1 gave
an inquiring look. Col. Beaumont, of
the staff, cast his eyes in the direction
of the body, then loked at me with an
expression of profound sorrow, and
slowly shook his head. His actions
told the whole sad story. His heroic
chief was dead.
/ was informed that as he was ap-
preaching an exposed point of the line
to examine the enemy's position more
closely, General Mcmahon. of his staff.
reminded him that one or two officers
had just been struck at that spot by
sharpshooters, and begged him not TO
advance further. At this suggestion
the general only smiled, and soon after
had entirely forgotten the warning. In-
different to every form Of danger. such
an appeal made but little impression
upon him. His movements led him to
the position against which he had been
cautioned, and he had scarcely dis
mounted and reached the spot on foot
when bullet entered his left check
Just below the eye, and he fell dead.
AS his lifeless form was carried by.
smile still remained upon his lips. Sedg-
wick WAS essentially IL soldier. lie had
never married; the camp was his home.
and the members of his staff were his
family. He was always spoken OF IA
miliarly as "Uncle john and the news
of his death fell upon his comrades
with Il sense of grief akin to the sorrow
of a personal bereavement.
rode off at once TO bear the sad in
tellieencc to the general-in-chief. For
a few moments he could scarcely real
ize it, and twice asked. is he really
dead:" The shock was severe and he
could ill conceal the depth of his grief.
He said: His loss to this army is great
er than the loss of Il whole division of
troops" Gen. Wright was at once
placed in command Of the Sixth Corps. !
-"Campaigning with Grant" by Gen
Horace Porter, in the Century.