Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-03-09
The Last Division Commanders.

OF all the division commanders who
led the armies in the great Civil War.
only one is now left, and he is a Maine
soldier, Gen. o. o. Howard, now resid-
mig at Burlington, VT. 1t is the death
of Gen. John NJ. Schofield which leaves
our braye old Maine veteran the pos
Schofield was one of the ablest of the
Union commanders and his service has
given him a secure place in American
history. He was born in Gerry. N. Y,
in 1881, graduated from West Point in
1S49. and served continuously until re-
tired by the operation Of the age limit
in 1895. In recent years, General Scho-
field has spent most of his summers at
Bar Harbor, and most of his winters at
st. Augustine. Unlike many Of the
greatest and bravest generals of war.
General Schofield had no glaring errors
in his record which, on the contrary, is
filled with a list of unusual successes.
He commanded the little army which
Sherman sent back to join Thomas
after he had determined on the march
to the sea. Schofield's retreat on Nash
vile was one of the most mastery
pieces Of strategy during the war. He
would have been caught in trap if the
Confederate commander had been
holder. He commanded at the battle
Of Franklin. which was one of the
bloodicst battles of modern times. The
Confederate dead left on the field were
more than Mcclellan slew in his seven
days battles around Richmond and
were greater than in any single days
combat in the war or almost any other
war. The Confederate loss was 50 ter
rible in men and officers that it was
sheer madness for Hood to press on to
his certain destruction at Nashville.
After the war Schoficld was in many
positions of responsibility, serving as
Secretary of War under Johnson after
the close of the controversy over STAN
ton. He received the grade of lieuten-
ant general, the first to be so honorcd
after Grant. Sherman and Sheridan.
and it was well deserved. In peace and
| war he was a man of admirable parts.
and his contribution to the literature Of
the war is one of the most interesting
cxtant
General Howard. whom the death of
General Schoficld leaves as the sole
surviving division commander of the
Union army. was born in Leeds. over In
Androscoggin county. in 1880, graduated
from Bowdoin in 1850, and from West
Point in 1854. After leaving West Point
he was stationed for time at the
Kennebcc Arsenal in this city aud also
served for several years as instructor
of mathematics at West Point. He
was n lieutenant when he received his
commission as colonel OF the Third
Maine regiment. which went to the
front from this city I'm 1861. the rcGf-
mcnt Of which the late Colonel Staples
Of this city afterward became COM
mander Howard was rapidly pro-
NOTED through the grade Of brigadier
general to major general. General
IToward's record in the war was a not
able one. and since his retirement from
the army he has devoted most Of his
efforts to educational work in the
border states. having founded. in 1S95.
tho Lincoln Memorial University i'm
Tennessee. Like General Schofield. he
has written numerous books and has
been 4 popular lecturer. He has given
his native town of Leeds a soldiers
monument and served as it's orator
upon the occasion of the celebration Of
its centennial few years ago. Last
spring he was the Memorial day orator
at both Skowhegan and westbrook.
Tho New Age warmly commcpIS the