The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1899-08-05
HE FOUGHT HIS LAST BATTLE.
Death of Brighten. Nelson Cole. q
Gallant Soldier of Two Wars.
mt st. Louis.

st. Louis, Aug. 2.-Brig.-Gen. Nelson
Coie. Il hero of two wars. died at his
home. No. 1927 Waverly place. Monday
afternoon at 3:15 o'clock. after an ill.
ness which began at Charleston. 5. G.,
last winter. resulting from camp life.
H. made a gallant fight Tor life. He
was unconscious since Friday. His
vitality was wonderful. ana Ii was
! characteristic of the man that in his
Gc,Irium he often said: Il am going 10
gel well and clear out the Philippines
of rebels"
Miss Ellen Baker. n nurse. was Gen.
CClc's faithful attendant. and besides
there were present at the bedside in
the last hours Doctors saunders. Car
pentcI and Robinson: Mrs. Cole.
Frank Cole. Arthur +. Cola, Mrs. .Au
gust Miller and Mrs. Charles ii. Hokn.
the children. and several grandchil-
dron and relatives. One son. Lieut..
George w. Cole, is now i'll Cuba with
his regiment. the Seventh cavalry.
Gen Cole was born in Duchess county
n. Y, and arrived in ST. Louis in 1854. He
entered the government service as a cap
tam of Company \. Fifth Missouri volun-
tecr infantry in the civil var. for Il three
months term. serving ander Gen. Free
mont. on April p, 1851. he was assigned
to duty at the ST. Louis arsenal. After
participating in the capture OF Camp
jackson. he WAS put i'll charge of an eX-
petition to southeast Missouri on May ~.
Later he was transferred cor three years
service. on June 10. 1851. to the First Mis-
Scuri volunteer infantry. which was later
Known as the Missouri light artillery.
MIR Cole was commissioner major OF
this regiment on February ~. 1852. was re-
commissioned major in 1865. and In Octo-
Der Oh that year he was transferred to the
SecOnG Missouri light artillery as lieuten-
an colonel. being promoted later to co..
Onel.
Gen. Cole saw active service in Missouri
and Arkansas: WAS wounded in the left
jaw at Wilson's creek. and participated in
the fights ut Little Blue. Lexington:
Wcstport. After the battle OF Wilson's
Creek. he returned to 81. Louis and or
CARRIED a battery on a vacant lot near the
OH Bellefontaine road.
He remained at Nick$bnrg from June !,
lNS. having made a personal request of
Gen. Grant. until after the surrender. and
h. wing later reported To- G-l. Schnfield
Was soon in pursuit Of Price on his raid
through Missouri. When Gen. Schoiie!d
went east Col. cole was made chief of ar
tilicry ON Gen. Alfred ~PleaSanton's staff,
anG after Gen. Dodge relieved Gen. Rose
Grants served in the same capacity under
thu new commander.
After the civil war the =. Louis sol.
di'" was put in i the Powdc.
I,tVcr expedition in the northwest Indian
country. returned to Fort LraVenwnrth
in tho fall and was mustered out Novem-
be" l.. ISIS. having seen nearly five years
of continuous service.
Wher Congressman Pearae and Joy
III gee Col. Coles appointment to a gem
eralShip. Gen. SchoIield said frankly that
no better selection could ne made fo-
bIIgadier general. These words SChoricli
repeated TO the president. adding that 10
better brigade commander cGull be found
in the country. Gen. Turner. ColOnels
BloGEett, Hodge and FordyCe and nun
d'eis of others sent letters aid kilograms
to the department at Washington in be-
half %. Gen. Cole. Maj. Pearce said il
his connection:
"A lack of knowledge how to handle a
larG" body Of troops. since Missouri is eX-
peCtcd L" FURNISH 800 men. would be al
most certain to cause many deaths in
handling men in real war. After the civil
wa" he remained in the army and took Il
brigade out I" protect the Union Pacific
road from III" Indians"
This was Il perilOUS feat. as in those
days there Were no railroads west OF
Omaha. and his l.mn men. picked from the
artillery service and equipped as cavalry
men. Were at one time surrounded by l5.H0
Sioux, ChcyenneS and Ara pahoeS. when
encampcd on the Yellowstone river. With
the assistance uf the Twelfth Kansas cav
airy the mission proved successful. and
the men Were. mustered out i'll Benton
park. St. Louis.
Three years ago Gen. Cole NJ Congress-
man PcarCe took a trip around the worl /.
Hong hong was their itinary. and th"v
expected visit Manila. The war with Japan
was on. however, the JAPANESE line OF
steamships had stopped operating and the
Philippines "trip WAS declared of. Cole
said h" proposed To Sc" the philippines ii
M had to max" 4 special trip. Little dIi
he think they would he the seen" of war
fare with United States trop pS engaged.
As Il business man Gen. Cole made MANY
friends. being half owner # the Cole ~
Glass Planning Mill. Mr.. Glass died two
years ago and only recently Gen. Cole
wound up his partners estate.