The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-04-05

| tistic center. and Mitchell conceived the
| idea, which was encouraged by the
| public-spirited citizens. OF building q
great observatory. There was slender
foundation for this project, since, judg-
| ing by our present-day standards, Gin
cinnati at that time could boast of COM
| paratiyely little wealth. but Mitchell
made his ardent spirit compensate
| largely for the lack Of money. He
| dashed off to Europe, and In IA weeks
| visited London, Paris and Munich
made contracts for what instruments
| he desired, and was back teaching his
classes. He went over the country de-
| livering astronomical lectures, in which
| he was remarkably successful, attract
ing and holding great audiences wher-
| ever he spoke. He planned his obser-
vatory, made the contracts. superin-
| tended the details OF construction. and
| at the same time of11ciated with the
| Dudley Observatory at Albany, N. Y.
He also perfected remarkable astro-
nomical instrument in which electrici-
| ty was employed for the first time and
| by the aid Of which he was able to
mark one-th housandth of a second of
time, giving measurements hltherto
unknown in astronomy. He was, be-
| sides this, a popular and accurate
| scientific writer and among his BOOKS
which are still highly regarded, are
| ''Thc Planetary and Stellar Worlds" a
popular astronomy, and Treatise on
Algebra" He was a native Kentuck-
| ian, having been born in Union Coun-
| ty, Ky, Aug 90, 1910. He had begun
| life as a clerk in store in Miami, y.
| He was intensely devoted to the Union
eager to be of service to the country
and was commissioned a Brfgadier-
General of Volunteers in August. 1851
While McCook and Crittenden were
perfectly willing to remain In camp
organizing, drilling and disciplinin3
| their divisions, Michel was eager to he
at the actual work OF putting down the
| rebellion, and he reflected only too we'll
| the impatiencc Of the men under him.
A man of his character and achieve
ments fully conscious of his own mer-
its, was not at all likely to think all
| wisdom and all knowledge were in the
| brain Of his superior officer. his junior
| in years. and who up to- the outbreak
Of the war had held nd higher Office
than that Of Major tn,the Adjutant-
Generals Office at Washington. This
was not military nor subordinate, but
it was exceedingly natural, and a man
Of Mitchers temperament gould hardly
be expected to feel otherwise than ter
ribly restless under Ruelfs long mac
ton. He strained the leash IN which
Buell. held him back to the utmost. and
probably committed the most fag~ant
cising his superior to the public men
in Washington with VIII m he was on
terms Of intimate friendshin. Mitchell
had no doubt that 1t was BuelPs duty
to advance upon Johnston at Bowling
Green. nor had he any doubt that
Buell's preponderances of force was
such as to render that movement bril-
liantly succe -sful. Mitchell kept his di-
vision constantly advarnei as far to
the front as he was permitted to- co.
and he was I'm readiness to spring the
moment he was unleashed. This came
with the news of the investment Of
Fort Donelson, and Mitchell led his di-
vision forward with rush for Nash
Vile On the morning OF Feb. IA, 1852.
Mitchell led out on a swift march
straight through Mumfordsville toward
Bowling Green. The mud of which
Buell. had been complaining all VIM
ter was little obsta~le to Mit"hel and
the men whom he commanded, for by
the next day he had reached Green
| River. opposite Bowling Green. 1here
| they found the bridge burned, and
Mitchell displayed his extraordinary en-
ergy and resourcefulness I'm the steps
| he took to reconstruct the bridge and
| throw his division across. He also
| found time to issue the following con-
| gratulatory order to his troops upon
their first achievement:
COngratuIatOry Order.
SOLDIERS of the Third Division: You
| have executed a march Of 40 miles in
| 281h hours. The fallen timber and 9TH
er obstacles opposed by the enemy to
| your movements have been swept from
your path. The fire of your artillery
and the bursting Of your shells an
nounced your arrival. Surprised and
ignorant OF the force that had thus
precipitated itself upon them, they fled
| in CONSERVATION.
| 'Tn the night time. over frozen
rocky, precipitous pathway, down rude
steps for so feet, you have passed the
advance guard. cavalry and infantry,
and before the dawn OF day you have
entered in triumph position of ex-
traordinary natural strength. and by
your enemy proudly denominated the
Gibraltar OF Kentucky.
| with your own hands. through deep
mud, in drenching rains, and up rocky
pathways next to fmpassable. and
across a footpath of your own con
struction, built upon the ruins of the
railroad bridge. destroyed for their pro-
lection by retreating and panic
stricken foe, you have transported upon
your own shoulders your baggage and
camp equipage.
| "The General commanding the De-
partment, on receiving my report an
make to the officers and soldiers under
my command the following communi-
cation:
Soldiers who by resolution and en-
ergy overcome great natural difficulties
have nothing to fear IN battle. where
their energy and prowess are taxed to
far less extent. Your command have
exhibited the high qualities of resolu-
| ton and energy in a degree which
leaves no limit to my confidence in
them in their future movements.
by order OF
brig Gen. Buell.. Commanding De-
| partment of the Ohio.'
Soldiers: / feel perfect confidence
that the high estimate tplaced upon
your power. endurance. energy and
heroism is just. Your aim and mine
has been to deserve the appreciation Of
our commanding officer and OF our
Government and our country.
II trust you feel precisely as does
your Commanding General that MOTH
ing is done while anything remains to
be done.
'By order of =
BRIG. Gen. o. NJ. Mitchel. Command
ing"