Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-17
GEN.. BIRD RETIRED.
HIS RECORD UNUSUALLY BRIL-
LIAET AND HONORABLE.
Brevetteddl Forr Times for Gallant
Services in CIVIL WARTIME Work
in Charge Of Transport Service.

reached the age of sixty-four years, today
was placed, on the retired list by operation
of law. Few officers of the army have seen
longer more arduOus service than Gen
eral Bird His record is unusually brilliant
and honorable. At the outbreak of the war
of the rebellion he entered the volunteer
establishment as first lieutenant list Della
ware Volunteers. and in May. 1885, he was
mustered out as colonel of the LIST United
States Veteran Volunteers
Gallant Services.
He was brevetted four times for gallant
and meritorious services at the battles Of
Fredericksburg. Spottsylvanfa and Peters
burg. At fredericksburg he was wounded
In the face and at the battle of Petersburg
he was shot in the groin. the bullet passing
entirely through his body. While this
wound was stiil open the governor of Della
ware insisted upon his accepting the ap-
pointment of lieutenant colonel and COM
handing officer of the 9th Delaware VoIun-
teers, 1t being absolutely necessary that
some officer who had had experience in act
i've service should take this regiment
There being no one else available Colonel
Bird consented to serve and took command
or the regiment during September, 1854, and
remained it's commanding officer during
most of its term of service. During March,
1853 while stationed at Harpers Ferry. his
regiment. together with the 18th Pennsylya-
MIA Cavalry. under command of Colonel NJ
A. Reno of that regiment. was detailed to
make scout through Loudoun county Va.
with a view of destroying supplies to pre-
vent them from falling into the hands of
the confederate army. On March 81 he
was engaged with part of Mosby's COM
mand at Hamilton. Va. On returning from
Loudoun county in the spring of 1865 he
was ordered to take station at Winchester
Va. where he was put in command of a
brigade consisting of the 1st, I'd and 4th
regiments of Hancock's corps.
Guarding the Gaps.
On the arrival of the colonel of the 4th
Regiment Colonel Bird was detached with
his regiment and the ID Regiment and a
squadron of New York cavalry to guard
Ashbys and Smokers gaps to prevent any
portion of General Lees army from enter
ing the Shenandoah valley throu-n those
gaps.
In the early summer of 1865 Colonel BIRD
was ordered by General Hancock to nre-
coed to the battlefelds of Fredericksburg.
Wilderness and Spottsylvania Court ouse
to bury the dead lying upon those fields,
which was done in three cemeteries, one on
the right of the Wilderness one on the
Orange Court House plank road and one al
Spottsylvania Court House. During all of
his service in the 9th Delaware Volunteers
and the LIST Regiment of Hancock's Veteran
Army Corps Colonel Bird was suffering
from the wound received in front of Peters
burg. which wound remained open its en-
In the Regular Army.
In May, 1896, he was appointed I'd Lieu
tenant of the 18th Regular Infantry. and
served with that regiment and afterward
with the 23d Infantry on the western from
tier until March, 1852. when he was trans
1erred to the quartermaster's department,
with which he was actively connected up
10 lew months ago, when he was pro-
noted brfgadier general in recognition of
his signal services during the civil war
the Spanish war and the troubles in the
Philippines
In 1898 he was transferred to duty in the
Office of the quarternaster general in this
CITY, ana placed in charge of the supply
ana transportation branch On the break
ing out OF the Spanish war he was put in
special charge of the division of water and
rail transportation. during which time he
organized and was directly in charge of the
new branch of the quartermaster's denart-
ment known as the transport service. AS
such he was responsible for the movement
OF troops by rail and by transports to our
various island possessions.
The Transport Service.
The transport service consisted of TWEEN
ty-siX owned vessels, purcha sed from vari-
Gus parties, and liz chartered transports
The troop transports. especially those own
ed by the government We're fitted up in the
most improved manner for the comfort of
the troops. the fittings including sleeping
apartments. galleys. lavatory. bathing and
water closet facilities. electric. ventilating
and refrigerating plants. This transport
service has become so complete that 1t is
the pride Of the army and a surprise to the
principal nations Of the world many of
them having sent representa- tiyes to ex-
anime the ships. and upon request they
have been furnished with plans and specifi-
cations of the same
The transport service has carried to and
from our Island possessions about 5000
officers and soldiers. $4,000 civilian en-
ployes, 5000 animals 255O0O tons of
forage, hay and oats and GA 1923 tons OF
freight and 4, 739 $40 packages and pieces of
baggage
OF all the officers, soldiers and civilian
employees carried the records show that not
one has been injured on account of nayiga-
ton or owing to faulty construction of the
fittings of the ships.
In addition to handling troops by water
Gen Bird has been in charge of the rail-
road division of the quarterma ster's de-
partment, which moved during and since
the Spanish war about 7Ss.OO0 officers and
men, 141O animals. and 100000 tons Of
supplies.