The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-08-16

Washington, Aug. 15.-Since his &C
cession to a cabinet place in repub-
lican administration there has been
renewed interest in the history or
Luke Wright, of Tennessee. democrat
and four years a COME derate soldier.
Gen. Luke Wright" has long been
the familiar designation of the new
secretary of war. Those unacquainted
with the facts of his career have nat
urally been inclined to ask when and
where the distinguished Tennesseean
obtained the title of general, and
many of them would be surprised to
learn that he was never military
general. He was never militia Off
Ger and the only war in which he serv-
ed, that between the states, 1S61-1S65,
ended when he was but nineteen
years old.
Incidentally it is remarked that no
state has produced so many generals
as Tennessee. 1t is not very well
known outside of the state that it is
the habit of Tennesseeans, abbreviat-
ing the formal title for their states at
torneys-attorney general-to call
general
So it has happened that this title
applied to Luke Wright has caused
guessing and confusion in the minds
of those who did not know the Ten
nessseean.
Until he was appointed secretary OF
istration from the south was John c.
ic.
sioner of internal revenue, who sue
ceeded John w. Yerkes. of Kentucky,
who resigned last autumn. Luke
Wright is the second confederate vet
eran to go into the cabinet of a re-
publican administration, the first be-
ing David M. Key, also a Tennessee can
who was in 1877 appointed postmaster
general by President Hayes. Key had
been a lieutenant colonel in the con-
federate army.
He did not remain long in the cabi-
net, as he was soon transferred to the
federal circuit bench. In the two
Cleveland administrations there was
only one ex-confederate in the cabi
net, Hilary A. Herbert, of Alabama
secretary of the navy. Augustus H
Garland, Of Arkansas, attorney gener.
al in the first Cleveland administra
ton, was identified with the confeder
ate states, but not in a military way
being a senator from Arkansas in the
confederate congress.
Fought Throughout War.
Luke Wright started fighting under
| the stars and bars at the very begin
ming of the war, when he was but fiji
teen years old and kept it up until the
| last armed organization in gray sur
rendered. He was student at Bing
ham school, North Carolina, when in
the spring of 1861 the Southland was
| ablaZe with ardor for war at the same
time the northern heart was fired fol
the fight. He was swept along in the
tide of martial enthusiasm and enlist
ed as a private in battery command
ed by his uncle, John w. Eldridge
who afterward became chief of artil
lery in Gen. A. P. Stewards corps.
In the same battery was his broth
err Eldridge E. Wright, as second lieu
tenant. Wright became captain of the
battery and was killed at the battle Of
Murfreesboro. Almost at his side
when he fell, fighting with him. was
young Luke Wright, not yet seventeen
years old. Veterans recall Capt. Ell
bridge Wright as one of the most bril-
liant and promising young officers O.
the army.
Luke continued in the artillery tt
the close of the war. After the Ten
nessee campaign his battery was sen
to Mobile. where with it he took par
in the long defense of the Gulf City
He was for time in the Georgia cam
paign, was wounded in the head a
Jonesboro and was a month in hospit
al at Mason. He fought with his bat
terry at Kenesaw Mountain, where h,
saw killed, struck down by she'll TIL,
fighting Bishop Gen. Leonida
Polk
Luke Wright was second lieutenan
when his battery surrendered will
Gen. Dick Taylor at Meridian, Miss
The Wrights We're thoroughly commit
ted to the southern cause. His fathe