The National tribune., 1907-11-28
TRIBUNE WASHINGTON

before with the intrepid charge Of the
lCaptain of Dragons against, the gates
OF Mexico. kearny did not perhaps
possess all the qualities of a General
l1n-Chief-at least, he never had the op-
Iportunity of displaying them-but he
was an admirable lieutenant. Vigilant
luntlr1ng, always ready to take the lead
he could not bear inaction. Battle was
his element. When balls began to whis-
tie his eagle countenance and clear eye
assumed reSolute expression which in
lspired confidence in those around him.
He was naturally faultfinding and caus-
tic, but his high-toned mind and gen.
lerosity of heart made compensation for
the defects of his character. Frequent
| ly quarreling with his chiefs, he knew
how to make himself beloved by his in
feriors, and was always true to his per-
sonal friends, among whom the author
is proud in being able to count himself
Philip Kearny stands in the front rank
among the most illustrious victims of
| this fratricidal war by the side of Nc
Pherson, Sedgwick, Eayard, Reno, Rich
ardson and their gallant adversaries. y.
| s. Johnston, Jackson, Stuart and A. p.
Hill"
circumstances of Kearny's Death.
Capt. James H. Haynes, 55th Va, says
he was on the skirmish line at Chantilly
III cuSe VI d uSIlS pldtt Will a
clearing in front. 1t was raining heav-
lily and growing dark, when Kearny rode
suddenly up on the line, and asked what
troops they were. Seeing his mistake.
he turned and started across the open
ground to escape but was fired on and
killed. The body was brought into the
lines. and recognized by Gen. A. p. Hill,
who said sorrowfully, Poor Kearny,
he deserved better death than this"
The next day Gen. Lee ordered that
the body be carried to the Federal lines
and in note to Gen. Pope he said:
1.-The body of Gen. Philip Kearny was
brought from the field last night, and
ward under a flag of truce, thinking the
possession of his remains may be con-
ISOLATION to his family
Pope Retires to the Defenses.
On the morning of Sept. 2 Pope be- |
gan to march his columns back by the |
several roads to the strong lines of forts |
upon which Mcclellan had spent so
much of the strength of his army in |
the previous Fall and Winter. Many |
reasons combined to bring about this
decision. Sanguine, brave and Jealous
weight that few man IN history could
have borne. The people of The North |
could not comprehend cne splendid re-
sstance he had made against Lees over
numbers, nor how successful
ly he had held Lee at bay upon the
Rappahannock. That Popes army
should be then at CentervilIe was only
what Pope and Halleck had expected
from the first. and was repeatedly ex-
pressed in the dispatches and orders
which passed hetwe, n thent. The public
mind was not at all prepared for this.
however especially from an account of
the Inflammation given it by the Nc
Clellan coterfe. A year later it was to
see Lee and Meade make such frequent
passages between the Rapidan and
Centerville that they began to be jocu
larly spoken of both in Washington d1j
Richmond as the weekly stage line he
tween Orange Court House and Alex
andria under the management of Lee
& Meade. The people of the North
en- back to the outskirts of Washington,
with his triumphant enemy in plain
sight of the Capital
The Mcclellan clique did everything
to magnify this failure of Pope, and TO
distort the truth. 10 the injury .,f Pope
and the vindication OF Mcclellan. l.
Pope was absolutely exhausted by His
efforts 10 secure obedience
of his orders for prompt action from
some of the commanders OF the Army
Of the Potomac, who were determined
that he should not succeed. Had all
the corps and division commanders
shown the devotion to country Of Kear-
ny. Hooker, Reno. Stevens. Reynolds.
Mcdowell, Banks. Augur
and Geary he would undoubtedly have
maintained himself at Centerville and
speedily began return blows. which
would have sent Lee back toward Rich
mond on march quite as rapid as his
advance. But what could Pope hope
for when there were commanders in
l.. 90 Dot |
who deliberately marched his brigade
away from the fight and remained so
he whole time, defying Pope's orders
and sneering at his generalship? So far
from Griffin having to suffer for this
nutinous conduct, he remained in the
army, rose to the command of a divi-
sion in the Fifth Corps, and finally sue