St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1903-08-19
Gen. Charles A. Woodruff.

| 4 he many fr1enQS OF COl. WOODRUFF
who was born in West Burke and ha
been frequent visitor to St. Johnsbury
will be interested in the following news
paper comments by two of his friends
Editor Bigelow of the Portland Ore
gonian and Editor Benedict of the Bur
lington Free Press:
On July 26 Col Charles A. Woodruff
subsistence department, U. S. A., was
placed on the retired list with the rank
of brigadier general. He is but So years
of age, but he has been promoted and
retired with 80 other colonies of the
army whose service dates back to the
Civil War in order to confer rewards
upon officers who served in the Army oil
the Union and who were approaching
the retirement age.
General Woodruff entered the Union
army as private in the Tenth Vermont
Volunteers in June, 1862. He was Sc
verely wounded at the battle of Cold
Harbor in June, 1864. He was gradu.
ated from West Point military academy
in 1871, was brevetted for gallantry in
action against Indians at the Big Hole,
Montana. August 9, 1877, where he was
three times wounded, winning the warm
praise of his commanding officer, the late
Gen. John Gibbon, U. S. A. He was ap-
pointed captain in the subsistence de-
partment in March, 1878, and was
stationed for about five years at Van
couver barracks, during which time he
made many friends among our citizens.
The outbreak of our war with Spain
found him stationed at New York city, a
full colonel, where he remained until the
close OF that war, when he was ordered
to Manila as commissary general Of the
department of the Philippines. On his
return, after three years. service, Colonel
Woodruff was appointed chief commits
sary of subsistence at San Francisco,
which post he has just surrendered to
accept retirement with we'll deserved
promotion. In the Al years that have
elapsed since June, 1862, General Wood
ruff has fought under Grant against Lee;
he has fought Chief Joseph under General
Gibbon; he was tour times wounded
when serving in the line. As commissary
of subsistence he held the most RESPONSE
BILE place in his department during the
Spanish War, for he purchased and
shipped the supplies to Cuba. In the
Philippines Colonel Woodruff obtained
the warmest praise from both Generals
Macarthur and Chaffee for his official
ability, and he made most able and
eloquent speech in defense of Gen. Jacob
H. Smith when that officer was tried by
a military court for his proceedings in
the island of Samar.
His Al years OF duty in war and peace
have been years of unbroken honor and
usefulness; he has earned his promotion.
May he live long to enjoy the leisure it
brings with it.-[Portland Oregonian.
This truthful and appreciative sketch
probably came from the vigorous pen of
our friend and editorial brother Lucius
Bigelo W, of the Oregonians staff. Gen
eral Woodruf's father, Erastus Wood
ruff, was the high baliff Of Caledonia
county before the Civil War, and we
have heard that he was once called upon
by the United States marshal to arrest
and return to captivity fugitive slave.
Instead OF obeying this demand he sent
his son 1.-THE present genera) with fast
horse and buggyto takethe negro across
the line into Canada as speedily as pos
sible, which was done. Mr.. Woodruff ia
this matter obeyed both the prompting
OF his own humanity and the Vermont
Statute which forbade any State officer
to assist in catching fugitive slaves under
a heavy penalty. The Southern editors
and planters made a great howl against
Vermont for multiplying United States
Statute; but not long after that they
were declaring that their chief allegiance
was to their respective States instead OF
to the United States; defying United
States laws, and firing on the flag
| Burlington Free Press.