The Somerset reporter., 1905-05-25
Gen. Oliver o Howard

The honorable record of Gen. Oliver
.. Howard is well known and highly
appreciated by the people of his native
State and the whole country, yet 1t
seems appropriate that biief alusion TO
some OF the salient events IN his dis
tinguished career as citizen and a
soldier ehonld at this time be made, in-
asmnch as our people are to have the
high privilege and great pleasure of see
ing and hearing him speak on Memorial
Day, Tuesday next
O'lVeT Otis Howard was born in Leeds,
Maine, IN November 1880 lie was
graduated from Bowdoin college In 1850
and four years later flom the u >.
Military academy at West Point n. Y.
The breaking out of the southern rebel
lion found him at " est Point as in
struetor of mathematics He resigned
that position to take command of the
Third M ane Volunteers, one of the first
and best of Names regiments. Mem
bers of the Third Maine delight to recall
his connection with that regiment and
the discipline and efficiency his knowl-
edge of military affairs gave TO that OF
ganization before he was called to a
larger command by promotion. We
quote from one of these;
''At the first battle of Bull Run,
fought July 21, 1861, Col. Howard had
command OF the brigade consisting of
the Sd and 4th and 9th maine and I'd
! Vermont regiments By a rapid march
the brigade reached the battle front ia
time to meet the re-enfOrcements under
Johnston who had already turned the
Union right and forced it back upon the
center. Ibis was the brigade's first
! baptism of fire and cool and brave as
/ Col. Howard was it was impossible for
him to hold his brigade in line after the
stampede began
He was promoted to brigadier general
of volunteers for his gallantry at this
| fight although losing one to the Union
| forces. The date of this promotion was
Sept. g. 1851.
! he was twice wounded, losing his
| right arm at Fair Oakes while leading
his brigade. AS soon as possible he re-
turned to the front and WAS placed in
command of division in the second
corps. At the disastrous battle of
fredericksburg and later at Chancellors-
vile under Hooker he exhibited the
valor of true soldier and ability is a
general.
| In November 1862 he was promoted to
Major General of volunteers and placed
in command of the 11th corps which he
commanded at Gettysburg and with
which he was transferred to the army of
the tennessee in December 1858, partici-
pating in the invasion of Georgia and
Sherman's march from Atlanta To the
sea" " In this renowned march, one of
/ the great strategcal movements of the
war he commanded the right wing of
| Sherman's army.
lie became brigadier general of the U.
S. army in December 1864 he organ
lied the Preedman's bureau and had
charge of it from 1865 to 1874 In 1877
he led an expedition against the Nez
! Perces Indians and in 1878 against the
Bannocks and Piutes. In 1872 he was
superintendent of the U. ;. Military
Academy at " est Point In 1886 he re-
ceived promotion to Major general OF
the u. S. regular army and but for his
being older than ten Schoheld and
thus reaching the retiring age, "a years,
a few months before him, might have
attained the highest rank, the general
/ in command of the United states Army.
/ He has since his retirement done good
service in several places of trust con-
nected with the army and has done
some very creditable work in the literary
| field.
Maine is justly proud of her son,
General o. O. Howard.