New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1903-11-28
BIOGRAPHY OF GENENRAL LEON
JASTREMSKI.
the I.a9nusport Inter State. Journal


JASTREMSKi.
From tire Lagausport Inter State Journal
Gen. Leon jastremski, Of Baton
Rouge. now "A candidate for the
Detlocratic guberuHtorial nomina
ton, Is the youngest son Of DR..
Vincent Jastremskl, an eminent
physician who settled in Louisiana
In the early forties Of the century
just passed. Upon the invitation
of the then Governor, Alexander
Mouton, DR.. Jastremski went to
Lafayette, the Governors home,
and was his family physician for a
number of years. The Doctor had
participated in the Polish insurrec-
tion of 1902, and emigrated to
France at its close. He completed
his studies at the renowned Medi-
ical University at Montpelier, and
for meritorious services during the
cholera epidemic of 1897 was
awarded medal by King Louis
Philippe. After his marriage and
several years of practice in the
South of France he decided to
move to Louisiana, and just prior
to the family's departure the sub
ject of this sketch was born. Leon
Jastremski received his first school
ing in the public school at Lafa-
yette, where he was reared. Sub
sequently, the family moved to
Abbevilld in the adjoining parish
of Vermylion. On the death of
his parents, the boy entered the
Office of the Meridional and served
an apprenticeship at the case In
July, 1861, he was barely II years
old, but the echoes of the first bat
tie Of Manassas had fred his
ardor and patriotism and he pro-
ceeded with companion to Camp
Moore, where he enlisted as a pri.
vate in Company E, tho Louisiana
Swamp Rifles, of the Tenth Regi-
ment of Louisiana Volunteers. A
few days afterwards, this splendid
corps of fighting men proceeded to
Virginia and were attached to Gen.
John B. Magruder's army on the
Yorktown peninsula. The young
soldier had attracted the attention
of Col. Marigny, and early in 1862,
the. Colonel ordered his promotion
to the vacancy which had occurred
in the position of regimsntal Ser
geant-Major, an arduous and re.
sponsisle one.
With his regiment he partic-
|pated in the fighting along the
Warwick river, the retreat of John
ston's army to Richmond, the oper-
atoms on the Chicahominy, the /,
battles of Seven Pines and of the
Seven Days. In the desperate night /,
|
charge made by the Tenth Regi- .
nent at Malvern Hill, he was taken
prisoner, but was exchanged one ,
month later in time to proceed with /
MS command in Stonewall Jack.
sons march to the rear of Gen. +,
Dope's army and to participate in
he second battle of Manassas, the
light at Chantilly, the frst Mary {
and campaign, the capture of Har- I
,er's Ferry and the battle of
sharpsburg. After this latter en- +,
,agement, Gen. jackson ordered ,
he filling of the vacancies among :
he line officers, and, on September ,
3, 1862, the youthful Sergeant |
Major was unanimously elected /,
irst lieutenant and captain Of Com
,any H Of his regiment. AT the i.
,attle of Charlottesville, May 3, II
1868, Captain Jastremski was se-
1erely wounded in the throat. He !
vas back in time, however, to go !,
With his command into Pennsylva-
lia, and to participate in the battle :
# Gettysburg and the other en- ,
yagements of this campaign, as !
veil as the fight at Mine Run, in
November, 1868. He foughtthrough |
he battles Of the Wilderness and
Spottsylvania, where, in the san !.
culinary struggle at the "BloodyI
Angle on May IL, 1864, he was