The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-18
Served with Distinction I'm the Mex
Participated I'm Many Battles.
COMPLIMENTED BY CONGRESS
FOR CHECKING sTONEwALL JACK
son AT CHANCELLORsvILLE
Died on the Funeral Day of "Jo" shel.
by, the Great Southern Cavalry
Leader-Why He Lived a Reciuse.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 17.-General Alfred
| Pleasonton. OF the most distinguished
cavalry commanders OF the late war died
at his apartments in the Greacon House in
this city about o'clock this morning For
the past seven years he had lived an al
most hermit's life. not moving out OF his
| apartments and denying himself to all per-
| sons save a few of his most intimate
| friends. He felt that he had not been well
| treated by the government after bis dis
| tingushed services i'm the war, and this,
| together with III health. preyed on his
| mind and made him rather eccentric. His
| only attendants were his private secretary.
Mr.. Murphy, and Henrietta Roane. faith
| full colored nurse, who were with him when
he passed away. Up to three weeks ago he
| would not even have the attendance OF
| physician. Dropsy, the effect Of wounds.
| and age and the grip caused the end. IL
| was the wish of his army friends that Gen.
| eral Pleasonton should be buried with ap-
propriate honors at Arlington. but his last
directions TO his nurse were that he should
be buried with the other members Of his
family in the Congregational Cemetery.
This wish probably will be respected.
HIS ARMY RECORD.
| Alfred Pleasonton was born in Washing
| ton, ID. c., June Z, 1924. He graduated from
West Point in ls44. and entered the Mexican
war a second lieutenant. AT the battles
of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma he
was distinguished, and was breveted on the
recommendation of General Taylor for his
| gallant conduct I'm the charge OF Mays
| squadron of dragons, in which he held a
command. which resulted in the capture
of General LIE Vega, many prisoners. and
| a battery of nine guns. He served under
| Taylor until the war closed, and was or
| dered to California, where he remained until
| 1850. He was afterward assigned 10 General
| Harneys command. and served under that
| famous Indian fighter until the hostile
| tribes composing the warlike Sioux Nation
| were subdued. Later on Pleasonton was
made chief of the staff to Harney. and was
| with him in the campaign against the Or
| egon Indians and after their complete sub
| lection remained I'm oregon until 1862 when
| Harvey was ordered TO Washington. Pleas
| onton accompanying him. In March, 1851.
| Scott ordered Pleasonton TO Otah, there 10
| join his company, and while detained at st.
| Joseph Mo-, for want OF transportation,
| the news came of the firing on Fort Sum-
| ter. He returned East at once and raised
| and equipped a regiment of loo :s.sn In
Delaware. but was ordered back TO Utah
After the first battle of Bulls Run. how
ever the troops stationed in Utah were
ordered TO Washington, mir wnieh ne reashee , 90
| his regiment. the Second Dragons. which
| when the Army of the Potomac moved 10
| Yorktown. formed part OF IL, and served
| with headquarters and on detached service
throughout the campaign. and rendered
such erent S seTy9e snnt nane ine Pess
| anton was promoted 10 be brigadier gen.
| eral of volunteers. his rank at that time
| in the regular being that OF major. few
| days after his assignment TO the command
| OF a brigade of cavalry, he distinguished
| himself in the second battle OF Malvern
| Hill, capturing many prisoners ana snow
| ing his ability TO fight cavalry in largs
| masses. He covered the retreat OF the.
| army from the Chickahomi1y, ana wasl
1 no 1St embark Yorktown
| TO Washington.
on his arrival at Washington he was as
| signed to the command of all the cavalry
| and, horse artillery OF the army. and IL
| was from this time that the Union cavalry
| began its career of distinction and glory
which IT held to the close of the war. Start
| ing in advance Of the army from Washing
ton, with only one brigade OF cavalry and
ton defeated the enemy at Poolesvile,
| Barnesvile. and Frederick City, and
| brought him to bay at South Mountain. At
| cavalry organized into four brigades and
| with four batteries OF horse artillery, he
throughout the battle. When the enemy
treated he took the advance, lighting the
enemys cavalry at Martins6urg Purcell
| Roads. Waterloo. and other places. being
| invariably successful
| STONEWALL JACKSON'S LAST FIGHT
In the campaign of Chancellorsville.
| Pleasonton went into the field with onsp
small brigade of cavalry of three regiments
and one horse battery, but 1t was his good
| fortune to be at the critical part OF the
field at the proper moment; that is. when
the Eleventh Corps became panic stricken
and ran away when Stonewall Jackson at
tackled them, on the I'd of May, 1868. In
reference to this action the joint committee
| of the two houses of Congress on the con-
| duct of the war report as follows:
About o'clock in the afternoon rat
| tling fire of musketry was heard on this
| right. but nothing indicating very serious
| engagement. Almost Immediately, how
| ever, from some cause not fully evident
| from the testimony, the extreme right di-
| vision OF the Eleventh Corps was stam-
| peded, and flying along the line OF the
| Eleventh Corps. threw the whole corps into
| confusion and swept IL from the field Steps
were at once taken to arrest the fugitives
ana prevent the panic from extending TO
| the entire army. Berrys division OF the
| Third Corps and brigade OF the Second
| Corps were directed To cover the rear OF
take and hold the position they had aban-
| doned This. however, they were unable
| To do the enemy occupying IL In great
| force before our troops could reach IL.
lit will be remembered that hours before
| General SickleS with two divisions OF his
corps had been ordered 10 advance for the
purpose OF operating against the column OF
the enemy under Jackson. The giving way
of the right left General Sickles in very
| exposed and critical condition. but upon
| being informed OF the condition of affairs.
| he at once took measures TO withdraw his
| force. which WAS successfully done ana
| without much loss. The enemy under Jack
| son continued TO advance after the panic
| stricken troops until checked by General
| Pleasonton, who had collected and brought
| into position some artillery for that pur-
| pose. Although a cavalry officer. he ham
| died the artillery with exceeding great
Judgment and effectiveness. His skill. en-
ergy daring and promptness upon this oc-
| casion contributed greatly TO arrest the dis
| aster which for time threatened the whole
army His conduct on this and other Oc-
casions marked him as one OF the ablest
| generals in our service. and as deserving OF
far higher consideration than. for some
cause. he appears To have received. IL was
during this attack the rebel General Jack
son was mortally wounded. The enemy
were repulsed with great loss, and active
operations ceased for the night
| Pleasonton was now placed in command
| of the cavalry corps of the Army OF the
| Potomac. and the campaign OF Gettysburg
was opened 10y his crossing the Rappahan-
| mock and attacking the enemys cavalry
under Stuart at Beverly Ford and Brandy
Station, June 2. lS63 lie had 5000 cavalry.
| 1900 infantry ard thirty-slx pieces OF artil-
/ lery. Stuart had 1890 cavalry and upward
/ of forty pieces OF artillery. The battle be-
| gan at > o'clock i'm the morning and lasted
until o'clock in the evening. BY this ac-
| tion Pleasonton ascertained the design OF
| General Lee 10 move into Pennsylvania.
having captured official correspondence ln-