New-York tribune., 1903-01-30
TRIBUTE TO GEN. WAGER SwAYNE.
A Classmates Sentiments-Those Closely
Associated with Him.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: In the autumn of 1852 one hundred ana
,,,antv freshmen formed the entering class or
1856 at Yale College. Several of these youths gave
no special promise of what they were TO become
in later life. Among them was Wager S"a9he'
fair of countenance, having an open, honest ldce'
and curly brown hair. He was one VINO ea'"'
formed acquaintances. and soon was known
throughout the class warm hearted eaAh0
friend and a good companion.
Nothing of special interest occurred during the
four years, except that Swayne was oecon'ine
more and more attached to the class. and 1t was
being more closely bound to him. When Grass
hooks and pictlres were being talked about In the
early part OF the senior year Swayne as IL win
one consent. chosen committee 10 ~
charge of the securing of the pictures OF the CLASS
An artist of New-Haven, Mr.. Mouithrop was one
Of the first who began the making OF pho'osi dp
of q cabinet size 1t was work of no small laool
TO get days appointed by the photosraphei' ~
also the Of classmates assignee 10 ms
days and then to obtain the promise vi eh
r,enher of the class to be ready to take MS APP
,,oir+ad sitting I well remember the weary walks
which our classmate took in the endeavor TO ac
complish the work. and how patent ne was "
meeting the excuses of classmates LOT ldiiuie "
annear at the time named But the persistent dill
gence the responsiveness and the unfailns eoou
nature of Swayne triumphed and at graduation
we had the pleasure of seeing ninety-se'eh 49,
of classmates in class books for WHICH we Oil
owed Swayne our thanks
was
natriotic as Swayne should be found ready TO neht
for his country in the Civil War. He raised d
regiment the 4Sd Ohio. of which he became tie
lieutenant colonel and was a COMMANDER uIueI
General w. T Sherman in his march from Ed9'eih
Tennessee to the ocean. In crossing South caro-
,ira IN the march northward the Confederates
made a stand at the river Salkehatchle, ana oe-
layed the onward march of our vanguard S"aShe
rode out to the 'front.' encouraged our poys 10 clo'
the river under fire. which they did with rush
leg which required amputation' so thal ai'ei
ward he had TO use crutches. His bravery was re-
varded by Congress- which made him major
general for gallant and mertorious conduct uuii"s
the 49,,
After the war his large heart discerned the
D,re+ched condition of the freedmen, and ne was
one of the first if not the first. to gather lheIh
into schools, where they were taught 'he ruui-
nents of an education. General SWayne was aP-
nointed the commander of a large district IN the
co,,+h for the rurpose of organizing the freedmen
under the Freedmens Bureau. and did loyal service
for the freedmen and their children
Returning home he resumed the practice of the
law in Toledo and thence removed 10 Ne"-i o1N'
where he became the counsel for important COM
panies But he rot so wholly engrossed IN ms
work that he overlooked work for the church'
temperance and missions. he atten1eu ft boio Ge.
georges Church for years and thea ST BaTtholG-
news He often spoke in behalf of the Church
Temperance Society. and was ulleceul @ U VI m an
American Tract Society lie was : eEeL ~ on on5 @
fnching advocate of justice. good ctizensnp a ana
SIrv to
christian character and hopeful courage were not
overwhelmed by the stress of city life ana ne pore
an I.ntarnished name through ii all
But TO his classmates he was charnlIns Iost,
whenever any of them crossed ms threSllolI-
can recall a short visit made in his nome "heIe
I vas treated like a brother. His presence WIN
rs AT our class meetings source OF unalloyeIu
meetings once shortly after the war, ana also,
again at last the forty-nfth anniversary
of our graduation. Here, as d presiding oIncel,
he was Particularly solicItous that We should near
from all members of the class present. ana looh
ms ali into his heart. A at the alumni meet
ing in 1876 will never be forgotten General SWdyhe
was seated on the platform as guest ana hdu
made an earnest speech which kindled the pa,
triotism Yale spirit OF us all aId theh cdil
was given for Colonel Luke NJ. F1n!ay, a Grass
mate from Memphis. who was making ms nrst
visit TO New-Haven after the Civil War. AS ne re-
sponded and coming to the platform, I IIei-
eraI Swavne saw him, his crutches, eagerly
went TO meet him, and escorted him TO the pat
form where with clasped hands they stood mo
r71ent the old flag a Union general ana d
colonel, renewing the Don1S Oh Ile
Union under the shadow of Mother Yale There
was a moment of silence, and then the alumni rose
I'm a body and made the old Alumni Han ring with
their cheers AND when Colonel Finlay declared
his allegiance TO the old flag and pointed TO II,
there was another ringing cheer. sucn as oio our
hearts good. Few such scenes occur IN man
lifetime as that which symboIlzed the re-
union of the North and the South at Yale Uni
versity- -. ..u,o.o-
Cemetery with the veterans OF the war, General
sheridan and others, while his classmates OF
1S56 al Yale count it an honor to nave studleu'
11Isved and toiled in life with such a man as he
S. M'NEIL keller, Class of 90.
New-Yor6, Jan. %, 1893.