The Irish standard., 1908-11-28

pursuits. Ho was tho iil-master Of !
his boyish companions at school and
headed them in many Juvenile skirri-
ishes and exploits.
He never gained the opportunity
and advantages Of a college or univer.
sity education, but he made up for this
by tho Industrious and pcrseverjng uso
OF his opportunities in later Ike. 81
that hc camo to be recognized as an
excellent classical scholar and even
linguist.
His youthful attention was early
drawn toward AmerIca-as indeed. in
the case with nearly all Irish boys. in
tho instance Of young Shields lie was
spurrcd to cmigratc by the couns:ls Of
an uncle who had seen service in tho
revolutionary war. and who had writ
ten to tho mother telling her That is
james did not leave the country ne
would surely bo shot r.. hung as rob
'ei! III 1923 when ~ years cf age.
James Shields set out for America. Flo
first landed at Quebec. The uncle who
had counseled his leaving Ireland AID
from whom he naturally expected ard
and counsel. was dead, and he was
thus left to his own scanty resources.
llo made his way to the states, and
pushed westward to Illinois, until no
reached Kaskaskia, then tho capital OF
tho state, and it was there he com.
menced his career. first as a schoq
teacher. employing his leisure hours in
reading law. That he made good use
of his time. and had the knack Of max.
Ing friends. may be judged by his early
election as a member OF the lcsisla,
ture.
Shields had been admitted 70 the
bar in 1882 and was elected to the leg.
is!ature in 1885. In 1871 he was elccted
auditSr and i'll 1s43 he was elected
judge of the supreme court Of Illinois
pretty rapid promotion for the youns
11ishman.
He quickly entered the arena Of mas
tional renown. President Polk ir. 1s45
appointed Shields commissioner Of the
general land office in Washington, and
when the war with Mexico was de-
clared Shields offered his services and
was appointed brigadier general Of
vollfnteeers-this in 1876. His mill.
tary career in the campaign in Mexi-
CO l scarcely need recall. 1t is to he
found in the history of that war and in
the official reports Of the chiefs of the
army. His dash and bravery as well
as his signal military capacity wsre
shown in every engagement from Ger
ro Gordo to Chapultepec and the City
of Mexico.
He was reported by General Scott in
dispatches as fatally wounded at Ger
TO Gordo, a ball having passed "clean
through his body. Happily the skill
and dextcrity of a Mexican surgeon
a prisoner-savel him. Some accounts
say this surgeon was an Irishman who
had seen service in the French army.
This brings to mind an incident in the
generals later life. During a visit to
Chicago on a lecturing tour l intro.
duced the general to some Of the
sights" among other places to the
board of trade, Of which l was then a
member When the fact became whis-
pcred about that General Shields was
on the floor the pits" were quickly de-
serted, the operators evidently being
eager to testify their respect or graft
fy their curiosity. AS he stood ac-
knowledging the salutations of the big
throng around him, a member Of the
board shook hands with him, saying:
General, do you remember me?" The
general evidently did not and said so.
Don't you remember the soldier wtc
tore OFF a piece of his shirt to stanch
the blood from your wound when you
lay ON the field of Cerro Gordo%
Sure enough Il was the very man. He