The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-04-25
Uncle Dicks Career.

Richard j. Oglesby was born July p. 1924,
at Oldham. Ky. His parents had come from
Virginia; his mother was of English and his
father Of Scotch descent. From the latter he
obtained undoubtedly much of his frmness
and endurance-those qualities which car
ried him through so many vicissitudes, and
held him steady in his determination. His
father was originally a cooper and was
colonel of a militia regiment and a member
OF the Legislature. In June, 1888, the father
was keeping a hotel in Brownsboro, and dur
ing this year the cholera visited the locality,
and in a very brief time carried off the
father, mother. a brother and a sister. An
other sister and himself were taken to the
home of his fathers brother, who lived in
the village where the parents died. 1t was
but a short time before another brother fell
a victim TO the insatiate scourge cholera and
died on the bed on which young Oglesby
was lying.
After the death of his father he managed,
while with his uncle, TO learn to read. spell
and write a little, and to secure some
knowledge of mental arithmetic. This was
substantially all the actual schooling of his
life, except a three-months' term which he
took in 1s43 at Decatur. Ill. He worked for
his uncle. doing the labor. much of Ii mental,
which would be required of a boy in a small
village. IN IS MS III ~ Dt-
catur, ILL.,, and brought with him the future
Governor and two OF his sisters. Evidently
discouraged with Illinois the uncle at the
end of the year migrated back to Kentucky,
taking the nephew with him. The latter was
put out to work on a farm, and at the end
of another year the uneasy uncle once more
The migratory uncle remained one month
In Decatur, and then took his family and
the nephew was permitted to rest himself
for a whole year without emigrating. The
y yeaPa came 20 to Sit an to e some a atbe the =foc uIsls a Fhia
time he did not take his nephew with him;
he gave him his benediction and a dollar,
took up his line of march for indianapolis.
At this point in his life the future Governor
and senator had a silver dollar in his pocket.
his future before him and a walk of a hum
dred miles TO Decatur.
In 1Sio, by the advice of some of his rela-
trade. He selected carpentry and was sent
back to Kentucky. There he remained,
leaned s9d ;n the the t a9T5sr DID I'D 9 Psh1 Jobs bs r of , carpentry nISs
more TO Illinois, working at his trade when
be could find anything to do. In 1874. being
then twenty years of age he gave up manual
office of Judge Silas W. Robbins in Spring
field. Ill. In the autumn of 1S45 he was
Sullivan. MOultrie county. Here. for the
first time, he studied the statutes Of the
State and also the Constitution of the United
Safes. He had some cases at the spring term
and then returned to Decatur.
IN THE MEXICAN WAR.
During the Mexican war he enlisted in
Company c, OF the Eighth Illinois Infantry.
Colonel Baker in command. He was elected
second lieutenant. On his return from
Mexico he resumed the practice Of law at
Decatur until December of 1s4s, when he at
tended for three months the Louisville Law
School and received his diploma in the
spring of 1S49.
In the spring Of 1858 II was considered ad-
visable to place a candidate before the peo-
pie in the Decatur congressional district,
and the result was that he was chosen TO
make the run without there being a con-
vention.. He was beaten by the Democratic
In 1860. in order to aid In the election of
Judge to the United States Sem
ate, Oglesby consented to run for the State
Senate from the Bloomington district,
which had heretofore been Democratic by a
majority of 100. He consented: his OPP
ponent, Colonel Coler. was a strong and
po Pasf amount mani mere of ex ~HFg emit With Snfaf tne a rei
SUI that oglesby was elected by a majority
OF 240 votes.
which extended over a good deal Of time,
included several battles and was rewarded
by promotion of almost unprecedented rap
Illinois Volunteers. He was In command
for q time at Cairo and az Birds Point, in
Fort Henry and the battle OF Fort D0nel-
son. and was so severely wounded in the
second battle OF Corinth that the physicians
announced that he could not recover. He
was promoted 10 a brigadier generalship
after the battle OF DonelSon. His wound so
interfered with his movements in the field
that he was forced finally 10 leave the ac-
tive service.
General Oglesby presided over the general
court-martial held in Washington by which
Surgeon General Hammond was tried, and
finally was permitted by Stanton to resign
in order to permit him TO accept the nomi-
nation for Governor which had been ten
dered him by the republicans of Illinois.
but 1t was only after the nomination had
actually been made that the resignation
was accepted by the acting secretary of
war. The nomination was made in May,
1864. and in the following autumn he was
elected by a majority of some SO.cc0 votes.
He was active during this period in carry
ing out war measures. and at the close of
the war ne visited the troops in the field,
and after a long tour reached Washington
the afternoon OF the lith Of April. just in
time to be there at the contamination of
the work of the assassin Booth. He staid
with the President the night or his death
and accompanied the remains on the long
tour made by the funeral cortege on its way
to Springfield.
In November, 1864, General Oglesby was