The National tribune., 1909-12-23

vice in the Army of the Tennessee, the
regiment was assigned to Burnsde's s
movement upon East Tennessee.
Jan. 3, 1864, the battalion to which
young McElroy belonged was sur
rounded at Jonesville, 40 miles from
Cumberland Gap, by brigade of Con-
federates. and after an all days fight
compelled to surrender. He, with the
rest of the battalion, was confined in
Confederate prisons until the close of
the war, being in Richmond, Anderson
willie, Savannah, Blackshear, Millen and
Florence, from which McElroy once es-
caped, but was recaptured and taken
back Nearly all of his company died
in Andersonville, and the little battalion
had the heaviest loss in prison of any
of the Illinois organizations. McElroy
was known. in the prison as Little 1lii-
noy."
After being mustered out McElroy
resumed work upon the Chicago papers,
and later was for 10 years managing
editor of the Toledo (Ohio) Blade,
owned by d. r. Locke C'Petroleum V.
Nasby"). He left this position in 1884
to become managing editor of The Ma
tional Tribune, of Washington. ID. c.
Author of Many Books.
Beside his editorial work, Mr.. Nc
Elroy has been the author of num-
ber of books which have had an extend
ed sale and received high literary and
historical commendation- His story Of
Andersonville has reached the unpre-
cedented sale of 100000 copies. The
Red Acorn" a novel based upon the
history of the Army of the Cumberland,
had an extensive sale. and his humor-
Gus and pathetic story. Isl Klegg and
His Partner" a war story which ran for
seven years in The National Tribune
and was later put in book form, has
reached a circulation of several hum
dred thousand. The Economic Func-
tions of Vice" a social study attracted
marked attention by its originality of
views and vigorous epigrammatic style
and its literary finish. His latest book,
the Struggle for Missouri" is noW re-
ceiving high commentator from the
press all over the country for its his
torical accuracy, its vivid, lifelike pre-
sentatIon of the atmosphere of the early
war days, and its portraiture of the
leading actors in the great events which
saved the imperial State of Missouri to
the Union.
The veterans all over the country
recognize John McElroy as the final
authority on all subjects connected with
the history of the war and the person.
ality Of the leaders in the struggle. He
is coming up to the high office in regu-
lar graduation. having been Commander
of his Department, which is comprised
of the District of Columbia, and Senior
Vice Commander-in-Chi of the Grand
Army of the Republic.
The Stephenson Memorial.
John McElroy, thru The National
Tribune, made the first plea for a me-
mortal to Maj. Benjamin +. Stephenson,
the founder of the Grand Army of the
Republic, and collected the first few
thousand dollars for that purpose. He
was made Secretary of the National
Committee of the Grand Army of the
Republic for this purpose, and the
splendid memorial here in the business
center of the National Capital was dedi-
Gated with National honors, including
an address by President Taft. July 3,
1903. He is also credited with having
been the power which has gained for
the veterans the equitable pension laws
now enjoyed by them.
Col. McElroy is of Scotch-Irish an
cestry, and has a strong Celtic person.
ality, brimming over with humor and
life. He is hail fellow well met in
any circle from scientific to that of the
men who formed the rank and file In
the great war. His mental qualities are
considered to be somewhat wonderful.
1t is said that of the hundreds of thou
sands of his comrades who served in
the war of the rebellion whom he has
met there is not one of them who can
mention his regiment that Col. McElcoy
cannot tell him at once the name of
its Colonel, its Major and its Captains,
and very often going into detail as to
the minor officers, and he is able to
place the regiment in its division,
brigade and corps with exceptional
accuracy. He can also state offhand