Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-21
MILITARY
Secret of the Long Lives of Old
Soldiers.
Portland o~regonian.

Portland Oregonian.
The death of General William b. Frank
lin at so removes from this world the last
surviving rorps commander OF the original
Army of the Potomac as II was organized
by General Mcclellan before he departed
from Washington for his ill-starred "penin-
sular" campaign OF 1852. With the excep-
tion OF Fitz John Porter, who commanded
the Fifth corps, General Franklin, who
commanded the Sixth corps, was McClel-
lan's ablest lieutenant. He graduated at
the head Of his class in 1913; he was dis
tinguished in the Mexican war, and as
commander Of the resrguard OF the Army
Of the Potomae in its retreat from Rich
mond TO the James river, General Frank
lin displayed all the best qualities OF a
military engineer and an able commander
81 infantry at Savage station and White
Oak swamp in standing OF the assaults OF
General Magruder and Stonewall Jackson.
He was distinguished at South Mountain
and at Antietam. He personally begged
Mcclellan to renew his attack on Lee the
morning after Antietam. but to no pur-
pose.
General Franklin was relieved from com-
msnd after Fredericksburg. where he COM
msnded half OF Burnside's army; he was
General Banks military adviser and execu-
tive in the Red River campaign OF April,
1854, In which ne was wounded. In July.
1864. General Grant in vain urged the ap-
pOintment OF General Franklin, who was
his classmate. for command OF the army
TO operate against General Early in the
Shenandoah valley, saying: Il know him
TO be capable and believe him TO be trust
worthy" Stanten and Hslleck opposed the
appointment. and it was given to sheridan.
General Franklin, lk Hancock, Porter,
Chiffon, Warren. william F.. Smith, Slocum.
Meade. Hooker, Couch and the rest Of Nc
Clellan's inner circle Of military friends,
was an unfinching democrat all his days,
but there was nothing remarkable in this.
for az the outbreak OF the civil war the
only ohicers Of the regular army that were
not democrats were General Nathaniel
Lyon, General Doubleday. General Hunter
and General Slxton.
The wonderful. thing about these regula-
officers Of the civil war is their longevity,
Generals Franklin and Smith have Just
PASSED away at 50. Generals Tower. Getty.
Gilbert. Wright, Abercrombie, Buell.. Howe,
]. J. Reynolds, Schriver, Van Niiet, Hun
ter. Hatch. Rosecrans. Newton. Patrick.
Johnson, Palmer. Paul. Humphreys, Augur
all lived 20 be nearly so, and several OF
them were considerably past so at death.
General Greene lived 10 be sS. General
Harvey was about SO. General Rueker,
who entered the army in 1881, and Major
Austine Of the class OF lSSS, are the oldest
men on the retired list. which includes also
General y. J. Dana. who graduated In
1S4s, and General Thomas J. Wood. who
graduated in lS45. General o. h. Willcox
Is about SO. and General Alexander s Webb
is in his 18th year.
Old soldiers are as a rule long lived folk.
This Is due 10 the fact thai they start
with sound constitutions, receive a fine
physical training in youth and lead largely
outdoor lives. or AZ least they did before
the civil Ear. when there were no railroads
y earTy an omeSr 10 his military station.