The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1898-07-08
iFROMFARM TO ARMY.
GENERALS WHO WERE FARMERS IN
6oYHooD DAYS.

City Born.
Many of Americas most famous
generals were born and raised on a
farm. They started on their career of
fame when they quit the country.
This probably was because no gen.
eral can become well-known by stay
ing on a farm. Nelson A. Miles
realized this when he left the farm
on which he was born, in Westmin-
ster Worcester county, Massaehus.
etts. and went to Boston to clerk in
grocery store, at the age of Is. He
saw the war a-coming, and prepared
for it by joining the military and read
ing up on tactics. When the time and
opportunity came, he was ready.
Grant, too, was farmer He was
born at Point Pleasant, Clermont
county, Ohio but while a yearling his
father, who was a tanner, removed to
Georgetown. Grant detested tanning,
but he liked agriculture, and any
thing that had to do with horses. He
worked on a farm until he was ap-
pointed to West Point.
Sherman, on the contrary, though
born in the country town of Lancas-
ter, Ohio, was the son of a lawyer.
When his father died he was taken
into the Ewing family-Thomas Ew-
ing being United States Senator-and
prepared for the Military Academy.
Garfield, however, was a farmers
boy of Ohio and he graduated from
the farm to the towpath. When the
war came he was in Congress. hut
unlike a good many political generals,
he proved equal to the commission he
held.
Ormsby Mitchell, the astronomic
general, was born on his fathers farm
in Union County, Kentucky, his faith
er having moved into that state from
Virginia.
Sheridan's birthplace is in doubt.
Some authorities say that he was born
in Albany, and others that he was an
Ohioan by birth. Whatever his birth.
place, he was appointed to West Point
from Ohio, and he made himself what
he was
Custer was born on a farm at New
Rumley, Ohio, and did the work of
farmer until he was old enough to
go to the military academy.
Schofeld's birthplace was Gerry,
Chautauqua County, New York. His
father, a pastor, moved in 1913 to lii
nois, and there the son worked on
farm until he reached the age for
military education.
Burnside was born in log cabin at
Liberty, Mo-, and as boy was far.
mer until he learned the trade Of
tailor.
Halleck was born in Waterville,
Oneida county, New York; Thomas in
Southampton, Va; Hancock in Mont
gomery county, Pa; Butler in Deer
field, n. H.: Rosecrans at Kingston,
Ohio; Pope at Kaskaskia, ILL.,; Logan
in Jackson county, ILL.,, where his
father was a doctor; Crook near Day
ton, Ohio; Fitzpatrick near Decker
town. n. j.; Lew Wallace at Brook
vile, Ind; Hooker at Hadley, Mass;
Franklin at York, Pa; Slocum at
Delphi, Onondaga county, N. Y; the
fighting McCooks on an Ohio farm;
Stoneman in Chautauqua county, N.
Y; and Howard at Leeds, Me.
OF the city born generals, Merritt
and Fhil Kearney are products Of New
York city; Mcclellan was born in Phil
adelphia; Fremont in Savannah, Ca;
Mcdowell in Columbus, Ohio; Alfred
Pleasanton in Washington; Terry In
Hartford, Conn; while Meade was
born in Cadiz, Spain, where his father
was a representative of the United
States.
Shafter was born on a Michigan
farm. Oates, one Of the new brigad'
iers, was born on his fathers farm in
Bullock county, Ala. and Harrison
Gray Otis, of California, another new
brigadier, was born on his fathers
farm near Marietta, Ohio.
! OF the new major generals, Cop.
piDger and Sewell are the only foreign
born, they having come from ireland.
Graham, the senior major general,
was born in Washington, and Breck-
enridge's parents, at the time of his
birth, lived in Baltimore.
Turning to the navy, the most con.
spicuous figure of the day, Acting
Rear Admiral Sampson, was born on
a farm near Palmyra, n. Y, aud
worked hard all of his boyhood days.
Sigsbee was born, too, on farm in
Albany county, this State. Dewey, on
the contrary, though born in a small
Vermont town, never held the plow,
his father being doctor, and fairly
well off.
Pay of Certain Army Ofiicers Increased.
The army regulations have been
amended so as to provide that the fol.
lowing named officers, in addition to
those whose pay is fixed by law, shall
receive pay as mounted officers:
Officers of the staff corps below the
rank of major, officers serving with
troops organized and equipped, au.
thorized aids duly appointed, officers