The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-07-13
COL MCCIIF3S Address on Major
General Merritt.
THE LEADER is A HERO NOW


The feature af tHe Fourth Of July
celebration ON the city OF Newport
was Che address OF Coll Mcclure in re-
sponse To the toast our General Com
mandiue The Army OF the Philippines
be orator said
The General Commandfne snr
rades and Friends After The elouuent
addresses of the speakers who have
preceded nee. I Zee, that any words THAI
may utter Will lau far short ~ doiug
justice To The ilustri0us subject "A
signed TO ne
our General COmmandiug the ArrnY
OF the Philippines, as We all well know
IS native of the Empire State. anG
was appointed 10 the Military Academy
in 1859 from Illinois. The course was
then OF five years duration. Ia 1850
be was graduated and became a brevet
second lieutenant in the old Second
DfagOOns-a regiment with a proud
history won in the Mex can war In
Io6Z he was promoted to a captaincv
IN the Second cavalry IN 1863 AT the
age OF 20 he rose to the rank of Brig
adler General of Volunteers, and two
years later when only 27. ne won
major generalship, and was assigned
to the command of a division in Sher-
eridan's Cavalry Corps. Army Of the
Potomac. These promotions were won
by distinguished gaIlanJry and mill
tary genius.
1t IS not necessary for me 10 dwell
upon his career as a soldier. His his
tory is written in the official reports
Of the great battles of the Civil war
and in the pages of cur National his
tory IN such glowing words that they
can never fade from the memory of his
admIring cOuntrymen At Gettysburg.
at Yellow Tavern, at Hawes' Shop, at
winchester, at Fishers Hill, at Five
Forks, and in the campaign ending
with the surrender of Lee, he won i'm
peflshaDle renOwn and made a reputa-
ton for generalship Unsurpassed by
any of our living generals The num-
erous prisoners, the battle flags and
the cannon taken by him attest the
truth Of what is stated
As Sheridan was Grants strong
right hand, so was Merritt Sheridan's.
1t is not in my power to paint in
fitting language his great deeds of
dash, gallantry and superb military
skill. They are known throughout our
land, and are an inspiration to our
humblest soldier
IL was my fortune to have been on
the staff Of the First Army Corps in
the Army of the Potomac, and to have
heard the golden opinions OF him ex-
pressed by our older generals. and to
have known the high estimate placed
upon General Merritt's ability by them.
The first time I saw General Mer-
ritt, that [ now recall, was at a review
Of the Cavalry Corps in 1863 He was
then young man with willow fig
IRE, clear rosy cOmplexion. a bright
eye, and he sat his horse like a Cen
-aur His military bearing. express
sion of cOuntenance resOlute and de-
ermined, and the peculiar grace with
which he took off his hat with a swing
% the left shoulder, where it rested
n his hand in returning salute.
caught the eye of officers and men as
we'll, and was often the object Of com
remark at the camp fire.
1t may be gratifying :or him to know
hat without exception his depart
mental staff, like those of his personal
taff. are to a man devotedly attached
o him, and are resolved to do their
evel best TO carry out his orders and
- ALS SutCGSS ~ MS cdHJ DdlSn III the
Philippines.
Nearly all of them have found since
hey became members Of his military
amily, that their bars have changed
o golden or silver leaves, or their
caves into eagles or stars. His friend
hip is like the touch Of Midas-it has
nriched and turned TO gold the rank
f those who have cast their lot with
is
We have burnt our bridges behind
s. We have east our fortunes with
hose Of our commanding officer We
re now embarked on a histOry-mak-
lg expedition, from which, if the gods
re favorable, and the hearty good
fishes of his staff and the army bear
'uit. success will perch upon his ban
ers and our commanding general will
sturn to his native land and receive
S highest rewards and the laurels OF
ictory from the hands of IS grateful
0untrymen.
Rev. Cressy, a Methodist parson who
a veteran of the Civil war, is chap
in for the Thirteenth Minnesota.