The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-12

William Stark RoSecrans was born in
Kingston, Ohio. Sept. 6, 1919. He was gradu-
ated at the United States Military Academy
in 1872, standing fifth in his class, and en-
tered the corps Of engineers as brevet sec
ond lieutenant. He served for year as
assistant engineer in the construction of
Notifications at Hampton Roads, Va, and
then returned to the Military Academy
where he remained until 1911, as assistant
professor, first of natural and experimental
philosophy and then of engineering. Sub
sequently he served as experimenting en-
gineer in the repairs of Fort Adams, r. l.,
on surveys of Taunton river and New Bed
ford harbor, improvements of Providence
and Newport harbors, and at the Washing
ton navy yard, until April /, 1854. when he
resigned, after attaining the rank of first
lieutenant He then established himself in
Cincinnati. as an architect and civil en-
gineer. In 1855 he took charge of the Camel
Coal Company, Coal River, w. Va, becom-
ing in 1856. president of the Coal River Navi-
cation Company, and in 1857 he organized
the Preston Coal Oil Company, manufac-
turing kerosene.
At the beginning of the civil war he volun-
teered as aid to General George b. McClel-
Ian, who was then commanding the Depart
ment of the Ohio, and assisted in organizing
and equipping home guards He was APP
rank of colonel, on June 8, 1861. and on June
10 was made colonel of the Twenty-third
Ohio Volunteers. Soon after organizing
Camp Chase at Columbus. o., he received
a commission as brigadier general in the
regular army, to date from the 18th day of
May. 1861, and he took the field with COM
mand of a provisional brigade under Gen.
Mcclellan, in western Virginia. His first
important action was that of Rich Noun
General McCiellan's cali to a higher com
mand, Rosecrans succeeded him on July %
in the Department of the Ohio. which con-
sisted of western Virginia, Ohio, Michigan
and Indiana. He had command of the ma
tional forces, and defeated General John B.
Floyd at Carnifex Ferry. Sept 10, 1861, and
ing in western Virginia. These services
were recognized by unanimous votes or
thanks of the legislatures of Ohio and West
Virginia, and in May he was ordered TO
report to General Henry w. Halleck. be-
fore Corinth, and given command of Gen.
Eleazar A: Payne's and General David
sissippi, with which he participated in the
siege of Corinth. TIe succeeded General
John Pope in command of the Army of the
mississippi and with four brigades fought
Vhe battle of Iuka, on the 18th of September,
where he defeated General Sterling Price,
after which he returned to Corinth. where,
anticipating an attack, HI fortified the town,
and on the Sd and 18th of October defeated
the Confederate army under General Earl
Van Dorm and General Sterling Price, which
he pursued for forty miles, when he was
recalled.
SUCCEEDS GENERAL BUELL..
On the 25th of October he was sent to Gin
cinnati where he found orders awaiting
him to supersede Gen. Don Carlos Buell.,
and was made commander of the depart
ment of the Cumberland, which was to con-
sist of whatever territory south of the Cum
berland he should wrest from the enemy.
This command he held from the 9th of Oc-
tober, 1862. till the 18th of October. 1863, and
during that time conducted a campaign re-
markable for brilliant movements and
heavy fighting.
After recognizing his army and provid-
ing twenty days rations at Nashville he
advanced on the Confederate forces under
General Braxton Bragg. on Stone river,
Dec. 80, 1862. On the following morning the
Confederates attacked the right wing of
the national army and drove il back. while