Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1900-08-10
WAS A BRAVE SOLDIER.
Fine Record of Hon. A. B. Darragh of
st. Louis.

III
? The Grand Rapids Herald of last Mon
day contained the account of an inter
view with Major James q. Mcbride, Q
brother officer of our nominee for con
gress, as follows:
} Major James G. Mcbride, secretary
and manager of the Nelson. Major Furn.
iture company, is close friend and
warm admirer of A. b. Darragh of ST.
Louis, who was recently nominated for
congress by the Republicans of the
Eleventh district. Both men were born
in the town of Monroe, Mich, and are
nearly of an age. They went to school
together and grew up to young man
hood as intimate acquaintance.
In a reminiscent mood yesterday,
Major Mcbride told of many experiences
which his friend and he had passed
through while fighting together as
brother officers of the same regiment,
the famous Ninth Michigan cavalry ,one
of Clusters brigade in the Army of the
Potomac.
"Mr. Darragh," said Major Mcbride,
"eplisted first in the Eighteenth Michi-
gan infantry and was later transferred
to the company of which l W as the cap.
tain in the Ninth cavalry. Before he
left the state he had been promoted to
be orderly sergeant of the company and
at the first opportunity he was given
second leutenant's commission. He
was later made adjutant of the regiment
and when l received my appointment as
major he succeeded me in command Of
the company in which he had enlisted
as private
HE is the only man in my whole
army experience of whom think | can
say that he really enjoyed a fight.
good many men have said that they
were hungry for that sort Of thing, but
Darragh, although he never said so
himself, | really think enjoyed battle.
However, that may be, he certainly
never missed one whenever he could |
possibly find an excuse for getting into
action. He certainly was one of the |
bravest men ! ever knew.
Zone particular instance of his BRAY
cry and GOODNESS occurs to me just now"
continued the major. 1T happened |
while on our march with Sherman to
the sea. Captain Laid, one of the best
officers in the regiment was selected 10
make an expedition some 50 miles from
our line Of march and destroy bridge
and tear up some track He selected as
his companion in the desperate enter
prise, Captain Darragh, and the two
captains with their companies set out.
During the march TO and from the point
toward which they were marching, the
little command was surrounded by the
enemy half dozen times, and men who
made up part of the command told me
afterwards that only Ladd's and Oar
ragh's GOODNESS and courage pulled them
through. In one encounter, in order 10
escape the Gordon thrown around them
by the enemy, these two officers led ;
their $50 men against whole regiment
and succeeded in cutting their way ont }
and when again surrounded, the com 7,
mand still led by these indomitable lead '
ers, cut their way through two regiments I
Of the rebels The expedition took two
lays and the days and nights were filled g
with continuous fighting. e
"In fact, it was generally understood II
hat whenever anything particularly
hazardous or desperate was under foot {
)arragh would get the detail and he :
lever tiinched, no matter how great the l
hances for failure or death seemed 70 j
,e.
Captain Darragh is man OF unusual
bility. He is graduate of the literary a
department. of the University of Mich. 81
AN ana studied law under ex Governor
Blair of jackson, where he was admitted
o the bar. Governor Blair knew his y
ecord in the war and was very much at r,
ached to Captain Darragh up to the
ime Of his death
MIR. Darragh is the soul of honor.
While serving as a member of the state
legislature an attempt was made to in
uence his vote on the senatorship i,
through the agency of his friends, but ;,
aving made up his mind as to who was >.
ne best man for the place he was ada. .
lant and could be moved by absolutely :,
o considerations whatever. II elected
g will certainly represent the Eleventh
istrict of Michigan in an able manner"
K
Arcadia Farmers Club %,
Inc Arcadia Farmers CLUB met with sa