Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1901-03-21
SKETCH OF BENJAMIN HARRISON
His Distinguished Career as Lawyer,
Soldier and Statesman.

Soldier anu Statesman
BENJAMIN Harrison came of diStin-
guished family. His grandfather, William
Henry Harrison, was ninth President Of the
United States, and his great grandfather,
Benjamin Harrison, was one OF the Signers
of the Declaration OF independence. The
family was among the hrst settlers Of Vlr-
ginia, but John Scott Harrison early in the
nineteenth century moved to North Bend,
Ohio. where the late eX-Presidemt was born,
Aug. 20, 1888.
Benjamin was the second son. With his
brother he was educated at College Lii
school, near Cincinnati, and at Miami Cni-
ve1stty, Oxford, Ohio, where he was gradu
aeed in 1852 He then studied law in Gin
cinnati, and was admitted to the bar in 1854.
He began the practice of his profession in
indianapolis, which had since been his
home.
For a lawyer of international reputation,
who is said to have earned fees as high as
$4,000, Gen. Harrison beginning was suf-
ticiently humble. Soon after he began to
practice he appointed crier of the Fed
eral court at a salary of $3.50 a day. This
was, in fact, the first money he ever earned.
Opportunities followed. Jonathan w. Cor
don, one of the leaders of the Indianapolis
bar, called upon young Harrison to assist
him in the prosecution of a criminal, tried
for burglary, and gave his Junior the task
of making the plea for the State. Young
Harrison mad taken ample notes of the case,
but when he rose to speak it was night and
the court house was dimly lighted, so he
could not read a note. He depended on his
memory and made such an eloquent and
cogent speech that he won the case. Ever
afterWard his speeches, as rule, were Inn
promptu.
Mr.. Harrison formed a partnership with
William Wallace, which continued until
1860, when Wallace became Clerk of Marion
County. The same year Mr.. Harrison was
chosen reporter of the Supreme Court of
Indiana by majority of $685. This was his
entrance into the political field. When the
Civil War began he assisted in raising the
SEVENTEEN Indiana Volunteers, and became
Second Lieutenant, although Governor
Morton offered him the command
BY the time the regiment got into the field
Harrison was it's Colonel. The command
was sent to Bowling Green, Ky, and was
brigaded with the Seventy ninth Ohio, and
the One Hundred and Second, One Hundred
ninth Illinois Regiments, under Brigadier
General Ward. Col. Harrison had the right
of the brigade, and his command at first was
occupied in guarding railroads and hunting
guerrillas. He spent all the time possible
in drilling his men, on the theory that every
day in camp should be a preparation for the
day Of battle. By this discipline he made
his regiment one of the best in the service.
When Gen. Ward was called to Nashville
Col. Harrison became brigade commander
and his brigade became part of the third d.
vision of the Twentieth Army Corps, under
Fighting Joe Hooker" In the engagement
at Resaca, Ca, when. Sherman led his forces
against Gen. Joe Johnston, Col. Harrison,
who had again taken command of the Sew
entieth, was one Of the first men to cross
the parapet in storming the enemys works.
Every day following brought an engagement
of some kind with the enemy. When the
Peach Tree Greek fight was over Gen.
Col: Harrison high praise for the efficiency
of his regiment. After Through and
canvass for recruits, Col Harrison returned
to Chattanooga and then to Nashville, where
late In 1864 he was placed in command of a
provisional brigade. When the battle of
Nashville was over he was sent in pursuit
of Gen. Hood. He took part in the grand
army review at the close Of the war and
June g. 1865, was mustered out as brevet
brigadier general.
On returning to Indianapolis Gen. Harri-
Grant campaigns of 1868 and 1872 he took
an active part, stumping the State for his
old commanderi n-chief In 1876 he declined
a nomination for Governor ON the Repubi-
can ticket. After the regular nominee had
Withdrawn he consented to run, but was
beaten. He was chairman of the Indiana
delegation at the Republican Convention of
1880 that nominated Garfield for President.
Garfield offered him place in his cabinet,
but he declined, preferring to be United
States Senator from Indiana, position held
from 1881 to 1887.
Elected to the Presidency.
In 1888 in the Republican Convention Gen
Harrison was nominated for the Presidency
receiving 544 votes to lis for John Sherman
and 100 for Russell A. Ager. He was elected
and served one term. but was defeated in
During President Harrison's term as Pres
dent the Behring Sea sealing controversy
between England and the United States
reached an acute stage. The American Gov
eminent claimed that under the purchase
from Russia 1t had not only exclusive right
to the seals on the Alaskan islands, but to
exclude our own citizens and people of other
nations from killing them within 100 miles
of the islands. After lengthy negotiations
between the two countries, the dispute was
finally settled by arbitration.
President Harrison was the prime mover
in bringing about the pan-American con-
gresS which met in Washington in 1SS9-9O
representatives of all the principal South
American countries being present. This
congress gave a great impetus to the reci-
procity movement, which was James g.
Blaine's favorite policy for extending Amer
lean trade with foreign countries.
1t was during President Harrlsons term
that the first movement was started for
new American navy. The desire of the ad-
ministration to push the construction of ar
mored vessels with guns of great power re-
suited in placing on the water the new
white squadron" which played such an i'm
portant part in the Spanish war.
Since he retired from the Presidency Gen.
Harrison took little part in politics He
resumed the practice of law and was identi-
fed with several cases of international i'm
1ortance. One was the Venezuelan arbitra-
case in Paris. for which, it is said he
-cceived fee of $4,000 from Venezuela
Gen. Harrison was always a staunch Pres
byteran and devout churchman. He was
on the committee that had in charge the
question of revising the Westminster con-
fession, which recently sat in Washington.
Gen Harrison was twice married His
first wife was Miss Caroline Scott, of Ok
ford Ohio. whom he married in 1853, and
by whom he had son, Russell B., and
daughter. who is now Mrs. James P. Mckee
She died in 1892 ait the White House In
Washington. His second wife was Mrs. Mary
Lord Dimmick. who was a niece and com
panion of the former Mrs. Harrison. They
were married April.7. 1895. One daughter
Elizabeth. was born of the union.
News of Minor Note.
1t is estimated that the wheat crop of
Australia will be about 100000 bush
els.
For the first time since the war, there
is not negro in the North Carolina Leg