The Irish standard., 1905-02-11
BORE TESTIMONY
Defenders of the Union, How
Catholics Proved Their
oyai:y and Devotion 10 Country
on the Sat,lefleli.


of the Civil war, mourned over it's
horrors and prayed for its cessation,
says Il Catholic historian. She also
gave to the Union army q roster OF
Catholic officers of unsurpassed
gallantry. of whom but few Of the
most prominent can be mentioned
here. There is not one of them Of
whom all Americans may not be proud,
both for their gallant records as
soldiers and for the spotlessness Of
their lives.
At Murfreesboro were two great
Catholic generals, Rosecrans and
Sheridan. Here Sheridan saved the
day for the Union army, returning to
ItOsecrans with the handful left after
his desperate dash, with the laconlc
remark, Here's all that's left"
Little Phil'', the undefeated, did not
win his best laurels until the battle
of Cedar Run. 1t was his generalship
there that drew from the taciturn
Grant the comment: 1T stamped
Sheridan, what have always thought
him, one of the ablest generals" For
this Sheridan received the thanks of
Congress and the rank of Lieutenant
General. Later he was General of the
Army, a title that passed away with
him. He was the nineteenth to bear
that distinction. The dashing cavalry
leader needs no encomium upon his
bravery here, and the history Of the
great general and soldier is we'll
known; but let it not be forgotten that
Sheridan was a loyal devoted Catho-
lie, noted for his piety no less than
for his courage. Even cold, unemotion-
al encyclopedias pay tribute to his
devotion to his beloved Church.
But to return to Murfreesboro. Up
on the staff of General Rosecrans was
an acting Adjutant General, Julius P.
Garesche, "true and prudent, dash
ing and fearless, a hero of the Next
can War, but six weeks enlisted in
the Civil War, but who had already
displayed qualities that marked him
Il great soldier. OF him General Sco-
field said: "All give him the highest
character as an officer, Il gentleman
and Il devout Christian" He had re-
ceived supernatural warning that he
would lose his life in his first battle.
The day before the battle of Murfrees-
borO an observer writes:
''t;aresche was sitting alone, aside
at the foot of one of t::e trees. lean
ing against ii. In his hands, partially
concealed by the flowing folds Of his
oyercoat, there was Il little book, 1.-The
Imitation of Christ" He carried it in
his pocket habitually. Few had OBJ
served his custom. Yet he was as
stralthy as Il woman with Il sweet
mi>Sive from lover. Had he dreamed
that he appeared in the least osten-
tatious he would have bluShcd to the
ttulIDlSS. llc DOhStt llCCNiN VNSl lIS
book: his lips uttered inaudibly; the
index finger of the right hand de-
scrbcd the imaginary cross with
which men of his faith symbolic their
faith. He was 10 more conscious that
lie was observed by mortal man than
little child is of crime. He COM
muncd upon the battle field with his
God The witness was overwhelmed
with indeScribablc emotion. Garcschc
felt that lie was Il doomed man. " IT
Morning Of the last day Of the old
year dawned brightly. \ thin mist
tluated along the channel of the Stone
River. Otherwise the horizon was
clear \ little later High Mass was
celebrated in the little tent opposite
the Generals marquee. IS General
Rosrrrans knelt humbly in one corner
of his tent; Garesche, no less devout,
by his side: Il trio of humble soldiers
mecEly knelt in front of the tent
groups of officers booted and sp,lrrcd
for battle, with heads revcrentially I'M
covered, stood outside and mutely
muttercd their prayers. What grave
anXicticS. what exquisite emotions
what deep thoughts, moved the hearts
and minds of those pious soldierS!'
y few hours later II shell fired at
the little company of officers struck
but one-Gareschr. For Il few NOM
cnts his hcadlesS body remained erect
in the saddle beside Rosccrans, then
it fell. One of the bravest and purest
of men in the army had received the
summons for which he had prepared
that morning. when he received Com
munOn.
"TAe leader and his aid bent low.
The altar lights were all aglOw.
The consecrateu hands upborc
The blessed Sacrament once more,
The Truth. the Life. the Hope. the
Way.
TO Hcsecrlns and Gareschc
cat eve the leader bent alone.
But not to utter fuitllcss moan
He knew the Lord of Hosts lr;l given
One crown for earth and one fer
Heaven
For Rosecrans, the hero's bay:
The aureole, fol Garesch"."