The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1903-08-13
CHARLES A. WOODRUFF.


The Portland Oregonian comment.
ing on the retirement of that we'll
known Vermont soldier Col. Charles
A. Woodruff, from the regular army,
says:
On July 26 Col. Charles A. Wood
ruff, subsi stence department, U. S. A.,
was placed on the retired list with
the rank of brigadier- general He is
but fifty eight years of age, but he
has been promoted and retired with
thirty two 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 of
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 severely wounded III tho
battle Of Cold Harbor in June, 1864.
He was graduated from West Point
military academy in 1871, was brevet-
ted for gallsntry in action against
Indians at the Big Hole, Montana,
August ., 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 appointed captain in the subsis-
tence department III March, 1878, and
was stationed for about five years at
Vancouver 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 yeras' service,
Colonel Woodruff was appointed chief
commissary OF subsistence at San
Francisco, which post he has just sur
rendered to accept retirement with
. we'll deserved promotion. In the
forty one yeras that has elapsed since
June, 1862, General Woodruff has
fought under Grant against Lee; he
has fought Chief Joseph under Gener-
al Gibbon; he was four times wounded
when serving in the line. AS com.
missary of subsistence he held the
most responsible place in his depart
ment 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 a most able and eloquent
speech i'll defence of Gen. Jacob H.
Smith when that officer was tried by
a military court for his proceedings
in the island of Samar.
His fortyone years of duty in war
and peace have been of unbroken hon
or and usefulness; he has earned his
promotion. May he live long to en-
joy the leisure it brings with it. ~
The Burlington Free Press quotes
the sketch and suspects that 1t comes
from the pen of Lucius Bigelow, of
the Oregonian staff. Commenting on
the subject the Free Press further
says:
General Woodruff father, Erastus
Woodruff, was the high sheriff 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 command he sent his son
ltbe present general with fast
horse and buggy to take the negro
across the line into Canada, as speed
lily as possible, which was done. Mr..
Woodruff in this matter obeyed both
the prompting of his own humanity
and the Vermont statute which for
bade any State officer to assist in
catching fugitive slaves under heavy
peualty. 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 the United States,
defying United States laws, and firing
on the flag.
LIEUTENANT GENERAL MILES