The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-12

January was placed in command of the
department of the Missouri, and turned
back the Confederate invaders of that
State under General Price. His services
at the battles of Iuka. Corinth, and Muir
freesboro were of special Importance, and
he was breVetted major general United
States Army for gallantry at the battle
of Stone River. He was mustered out of
the volunteer service in 1866, and March
Is. 1877, resigned from the Regular Army
lie declined the nomination of governor
OF California, and afterwards of governor
of Ohio; was United States minister to
Mexico 1863; was interested in various
railroads, mining, and manufacturing en-
terprises; was a member of Congress-
from California 1SS1-S5, and in June of the
latter year became Register of the United
States Treasury. He was appointed
brigadier general, L. S. Army. February
q, 1889 and was placed on the retired
list the same day.
During his term office in Washington
lasting over eight years, Gen Rosecrans
lived with his two daughters In Willard S
Hotel. and after office hours could al
ways be found either in his rooms or the
lobby of the hotel. His home life was
very pleasant and he was constantly be-
sieged with visitors, especially his old
comrades in the Army and the men who
fought under him, and his appearance in
the lobby of the hotel was the signal for
the gathering of a small knot of con-
gressmen or officials of the Government,
with Gen. Rosecrans as the central figure
of the group. and always ready with a
good story or an interesting yarn of the
war. His stories were usually original,
brief and as full of point and pith as
those OF Lincoln, the greatest of AmerI-
can story teilerS, and even teaching a
moral or subject to application to some
incident or character the general desired
to illustrate
1t is doubtful if there was ever head
OF department in this city who was so
popular and universally admired by en-
rpioyes and those who had dealings with
the department as Gen. Rosecrans. He
was punctual and punctilious, never for
getting an engagement nor allowing those
about him to fail in an appointment, and
while exacting in the respect that a clerk
should do his duty, was undeniably just,
and no one under him ever suffered for
another's s fault He was easy of approach,
greeting everyone pleasantly and refus-
ing none an audience, and always had a
joke, good story or a pleasant word for
even the humblest clerks in the office
whenever they had occasion to approach
him. In his official dealings he never
wasted words, coming to the point with a
soldleriy directness that did not permit
his meaning to be misunderstood
While in office he was hale and hearty
up TO the time Of his illness that result
ed in his resignation in the beginning of
the second Cleveland Administration. and
rarely If ever, missed a day at his desk
from any cause.
One trait of Gen. Rosecrans that stood
out strongly and gave a keynote to his
character was his charitableness. II is
told of him that more than half of his
salary went in aims, and from the old
comrade in straitened circumstances who
asked for the loan of several dollars to
the mendicant at the Treasury door or
in the hotel corridors who begged for
pennies, none ever asked of him and left
empty handed. His office was crowded
with visitors during the day, many com
ing TO give him a friendly greeting es-
pecially old friends who were passing
through the city. Many of his visitors
came in seedy and threadbare clothing
and the sharp eyed clerks always saw
an exchange of greenbacks from the
General TO his impecunious friend, but
MS greeting to these men was always as
pleasant and hearty as if they were max
ing their first call in broadcloth. or all
the great men who have served their
country in the Capitol none is better
remembered that Gen. Rosecrans for his
uprightness, good nature and charitable
ness.