The Indianapolis journal., 1898-09-26
ARMY INQUIRY.

Concluded from First PaEe)
and is now a director of the Georgia Cen
trail. He was director in both of the great
expositions. He was one of four commissions
ers that built the splendid new Capitol in
Atlanta for one million dollars. Captain
Howell has been a member of four national
Democratic conventions, commencing in
1876. He was appointed consul to Manches-
ter, England, by President Cleveland during
his first term and declined the place on ac-
count of his business.
Col. James A. Sexton was born in Chi
cago. He enlisted in the civil war for three
months on the 18th day of April, 1861 When
seventeen years of age re-enlisted in the.
Fifty-first Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regi-
ment. May, 1862, he was commissioned first
lieutenant in the Sixty-seventh Regiment
Illinois infantry; was transferred to the
Seventy-second Illinois, accepting a cap
taincy of a company recruited under the
auspices of the Y. NJ. c. A, which became
Company d of what was known as the
First Board of Trade Regiment. He was
assigned to Ransoms Brigade, McArthurs
Division, Seventeenth Army Corps, Army
of the Tennessee, and participated in all the
campaigns, marches, battles and sieges of
that army. In the fall of 1864 the regiment
was assigned temporarily to Stricklands
Brigade. Ruger's Division, Twenty-third
Army Corps Army of the Ohio. On this
campaign General Schofeld commanded the
army on its retreat from Pulaski to Nash
vile. AS regimental commander Colonel
Sexton commanded this regiment at the
battles of Columbia, Spring Hill Franklin
and Nashville and throughout that cam
paign. Colonel Sexton was assigned to staff
duty, being detailed on the staff of Maj.
Gen. A. j. Smith as acting provost marshal,
Sixteenth Army Corps, and remained his
staff until Aug. IL, 1866 Colonel Sexton
then settled in Lowndes county, Alabama,
where he purchased p plantation. In 1867
he sold out his interest in the South and re-
turned to Chicago and engaged in the foun-
dry business under the firm name of ]. A.
& T. S. Sexton. After the Chicago fire, in
1871, the firm name was changed to and
known as Crbben, Sexton & Co. 1t has
been eminently successful. During Colonel
Sexton's army service he was wounded four
times and was mentioned in the reports and
general orders of his superior officers sew
eral times. Three of his sons enlisted In
the volunteer army for the present war
with Spain. Colonel Sexton has been pub
lic-spirited citizen and always active in ev-
cry effort made for the advancement of the
city and Improvement of its citizens. He
has been a Lincoln Park commissioner,
presidential elector, trustee of state insti-
tutions and is at present the president of
the board of managers of the Soldiers and
Sailors Home at Quincy. ILL., In April, 1889,
President Harrison appointed him postmas-
ter at Chicago. He was continued in the
office until he resigned, Jan. /, 1895.
Richard Weightman, secretary of the
commission, was born in Washington, Oc-
tober. 1916. He joined the Confederate army
in September, 1861, and served continuously
until May, 1865. He was paroled at Shreve-
port, La. For twenty years afterward he
resided in that State, the last thirteen hav
ing been devoted to journalism in New Or
leans. Since 1891 Mr. Weightman has been
an editorial writer on the Washington Post
About the middle of November last Mr.
Weightman was sent by his paper to in
vestigate and report upon the condition of
affairs in Cuba. His letters from the island
were in exact contradiction of the sensa-
tional reports then current. He reported
the Cuban civil government a mere thing
of buckram and the insurgent armies little
more than marauding bands, without CO.
hesion and of no military Importance.