The Washington herald., 1908-02-24


suddenly OF heart disease at noon ysster.
day in the bathroom OF his home. lszl
Sixteenth street northwest.
His death was unexpected. he had beer
in the best of health. apparently. giving
no indication that the end Of his life was
so close at hand
Mrs. Saxton discovered the general In
dying condition in the bathroom. She
called a nurse. and in a few moments the
life went out of distinguished soldier
and an honorable citizen.
The funeral will be held at ? O'Clock
Wednesday afternoon from All Souls
Church. It win be held under military
auspices. and the burial will be in Ar.
lington Cemetery
Gen. Saxton is survived by two brothers
Mai. S. w Saxton. deputy commissioner
of labor. OF Washington. and George Fl
Saxton. assistant postmaster OF Lansing
Mich. One sister. Mrs. d. E. Rose, 0.
Chicago. also survives.
The deceased general was a membe.
of the Loyal Legion. and OF George A
Thomas Post, c. Ar
In 1861 Gen. Saxton welded Miss Ma.
tilda C. Thompson. OF Philadelphia. Nc
children were born TO them.
Native OF sIassachusetts.
Gen. Saxton was born in Greenfield
Mass October Is. 1924 He was not Ike
so many OF his confreres. made a soldier
| simply because of the need of his coun
try in time OF peril He took up In,
profession OF arms from choice.
There have always been soldiers fl
our family" he was wont to say.
He entered the Military Academy as Z
lad, was graduated therefrom IN 1870. ane
entered the service as a lieutenant OF ar.
tillery. He saw some service in the West
and in 1888 was assigned TO duty on m,
Northern Pacific Railway exploration ans
survey. lie made the bagometric profiIs
OF the route across the Rocky Mountains
on which the railroad was afterwari
built For this service he was warmly
commended by Isaac l. stevens. governo,
OF Washington Territory.
From time 10 time, until the civil war
Lieut.. Saxton was on the Coast Survey
and then he was sent 10 West Point as ar
! instructor in tactics. In speaking OF this
Gen. Saxton afterward said:
That was an interesting period in
West Points career. James Buchanan
was then Commander-in-ehief OF the army
and navy. John Floyd was Secretary OF
War. Mai. William j. Hardee was com
mandant Of cadets at West Point. and
Lieuts. Dodge, Williams. NIcCoOk, and
Fry were my associates in the tactical
department All of these men rose tc
eminence in their profession.
Meeting with Gen. Herdee.
I last saw Maj Hardee when he was
relieved from duty at the Academy. and
1 was on the way TO England to investi-
gate some improvements in the artillery
service In New York, Hardee said tc
me: 'Good-by; our next meeting may be
on the battle field Three years later he
was driven from his headquarters al
Charleston by the guns which had
trained on his men from Norris Island. -
Gen. SaXtOn did not go 20 England
however. When he was questioned on
this point several years ago. he and:
The war clouds were gathering thick
and fast. and ] had-ny travel orders re-
vokeds so that 1 might not miss anything
that was going Instead of sailing, l was
instructed TO take recruits to my COM
pany at Fort Randall. During nv sery-
ice at West Point I had come to know
intimately Jefferson Davis and family.
Among others whom l counted as my
friends were Lincoln. stanton Buchanan,
and Sherman. / met Mrs. Davis on my
way TO Fort Randall. and We talked long
about the determination OF the South 10
establish a separate government, with
her husband at its head"
One Of the most exciting periods of
young Saxton's career was in 1862. when
be was appointed military governor Of the
South. While on his way from Washing
ton 10 Beaufort, :. G, the ship on which
he was a passenger was wrecked off Cape
Hatteras, and it was with difficulty that
he and his fellow passengers were taken
Off by passing vessel. He was taken TO
Fort Monroe and thence back TO Wash
ington, literally stripped of all that he
possessed.
Summoned by StnnfOn,
lie was summoned 10 Secretary STAN
tons Office. where he was handed the fol-
lowing order. written in lead pencil. on a
half-sheet Of paper:
War Department. May a. 1862.
Gen. Saxton: You will proceed with the
troops from Washington TO Harpers Ferry.
and operate with them as circumstances
may require. assuming. command of them.
EDWIN NJ. STANTON.
Secretary OF War
Speaking OF this. Gen. Saxton said: L
hurried to the War Department. sorry
looking objeSt that / was. and found
President Lincoln there. to whom l had
to apologize. ! told the President that
had just been sbipwreeked. and had
neither saber. staff. nor mount but that
would go TO Harpers Ferry as quickly
as possible. President Lincoln looked at
ME quiZzicslly. and in his grim way. said:
'Dismount the first cavalryrnan you meet.
and take his mount and saber
There was no mistaking the deem
earnestness underneath Lincolns grim
pleasantly. ] saw what was wanted of
me. and within an hour 1 was on my way
TO Harpers Ferry. When [ got there /
found something like a panic over the
expected attack by the Confederate army
under command of Gen. StOnewalI Jack
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