Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1909-10-22
Gen. r. c. Drum Dead.

Gen. Richard Coulter Drum, adjutant
general of the United States Army from
June is, 1880. until his retirement, May
%, 1889, died at 8 o'clock last Friday
morning at his home. "Langdrum," at Be-
thesda, this county,
Gen. Drum was stricken with his last ill
ness Sunday, October 3, and for several
days his condition was critical. He rallied,
however, several times during the sue
ceeding ten days. He was able to leave
his bed early Friday morning for an easy
chair, where he sat for some time. He
started to leave the chair and cross the
room, when he fell back unconscious and
the end came quickly. Death was due to
the hardening of the arteries. He is sur
vived by his wife, two daughters, Mrs SUI
san Tarr and Mrs. 0liphant; five grand
children, r. c. Drum-Hunt, Henry j. Hunt,
3rd, Morgan Oliphant, Miss Margaret Oil
plant and Campbell Oliphant, and two great
grandsons, r. c. Drum Hunt Jr., and Henry
j. Hunt. 4th
The life of Gen. Drum was a remarkable
one in its accomplishments and singularly
beautiful in its close. 1t ran the Gamut
from private soldier in the ranks to add
jutant general of the army, one of the
highest military positions within the Gift
of the United States.
During military career representing
more than forty-three years of active SER
vice il was filled with usefulness and mark
ed with many instances of rare bravery
and devotion to country Its twenty years
of retirement disclosed that the traits which
had made Gen, Drum great and valua-
Bile man in war were no less adapted to
make him useful, interesting and lovabie
citizen in time of peace.
He had been in the midst of the carnage
of battle and earned the honOrs that a
grateful country bestOws upon its gallant
warriors in deeds of war, and yet in the
sunset of life when the shadows were
lengthening and the light was sinking
downward toward the horizon he learned
the beauties and blessings of peace,
and loved it far better than all else be-
sides.
The closing years of his life, after his
retirement May 2S 1889, were spent in
rural simplicity, watching the grass, the
trees and the flowers that beautifed his
country home; spending hours with his
grandchildren in the woods and the fields,
studying even the insect life with which
they abounded, observing the patient hui
mility and d0cility of the domestic animals,
and, to use his own words, learning how to
be good neighbor."
And he was good neighbor. All who
lived within the environment of his home
admired and many loved the simplicity of
his great character.
Gen Drum was born in Pennsylvania,
May 28. 1925. His parents were Simon
Drum and Agnes Lang. The name of his
home combines their names "Langdrum."
His schooling was finished at Jefferson
College, Philadelphia. At the dawn Of
manhood, he enlisted as a private in Com
pany X. LIST Pennsylvania Infantry, Decem-
Der IS, 1916.
Gen. Drum was in Command of the
United States military forces which were
sent to Chicago during the railway riots
in that city in 1877. 1t was he who also
recommended to President Cleveland in
1887 that the battle flags taken from the
States which joined the Confederacy be
restored, and his suggestion, after eighteen
years, was unanimously adopted by Con-
gress in 1905.
Gen. Drum was largely instrumental in
founding the Army Mutual Aid Associa-
ton, which gives immediate relief to wild
ows and orphans of deceased officers, and
for more than twenty years was its presi-
dent and one of its most interested work
ers. He was a charter member of the AZ
tee Club, composed of survivors of the Mexi-
can war, and a member of the Loyal Le-
gion.
Gen. Drum took an active part in secur-
ing the construction of the electric railway
that passes his farm, running from George
town to Rockville, and was its first presi-
dent, until 1892, without pay. He used to
say that his life had been one of such
great activity that when he was retired
from the army he had to hunt around 10
keep himself busy ard let himself down
easily. Later on, however, advancing years
and growing interest in the simple life
which he found around him made him turn
to his library and to his great book, as he
called it, Old Mother Nature
II find" he said, the closer one gets TO
her, the better and happier he is.
IF | had but one prayer that might
reach the ear of the Almighty and find
favor in His heart it would be that there
might be no more war. No man who has
seen real war wants any more Of it. Yet,
| suppose if my country wanted me, old as
| am, would cheerfully 60 to the front to
defend her honor"