The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-08-02

small red-headed boy, whose mission
| in life was to meet these conditions IN
Missouri.
Nathaniel Lyon graduated from the
military school at West Point in the
class OF 1841. In that class were
Buell., Longstreet, Grant, Steele, Buck
ner, Hardie and Hancock, and Lyon
took rank above all these in college
honors. He entered the army at once
and pursued the vocation of the sol
| dier with an ardor and devotion Pc
culiar to his nature. He took part in
! all the active operations Of the feder-
al arms from 1841 until his death. He
won a brevetcy at Cherubusco, and
was wounded in the assault on the
City OF Mexico.
Nathaniel Lyon came OF an iron
race; he was descendant from
Thomas Lyon, Eighth Lord CLAIMS.
of Scotland, in the sixteenth century.
and was granddaughter Of Thomas
Knowlton, who commanded the Ameri-
can right wing at the battle Of Bun
ker Hill. He was deep thinker and
profound student Of the foundation,
principles and growth OF our govern.
ment He published, in 1860, series
OF articles masterful and clear In their
analysis Of the powers and duties OF
the United States In the face Of threat
ening rebellion. AS soldier, he was
alert, vigilant and untiring; without
wife or family, he gave his affections
to his country, and took her for his
bride. AS an evidence Of this great
love, It Is stated that he bequeathed
his fortune, 100000. to be used by
the government in putting down the
rebellion.
He was man Of keen intellect, and
close observer OF current events
one OF the few who believed the
civil war was coming, and who want
ed 1t to come. He hated slavery, and
the doctrine Of disunion, and his In
tense nature led him to hate, person
ally, those who advocated these fall
lacies. He had abiding faith in the
ultimate triumph OF freedom, and free
government. To him that cause
was the hottest for which men ever
engaged in battle. The government
on whose side he>was arrayed, was
the work of the good men of all
ages. 1t had grown out OF the blood
of martyrs, the fires OF persecution
and the courage and valor Of nearer
ancestry. To him this union was
~The Ark of the Covenant" He was
therefore ready for the struggle and
impatient Of the delay of the govern
ment in meeting the strong combina
tons so rapidly made in Missouri and
elsewhere It was well for Charles
ton that Fort Sumpter was not com
manded by Nathaniel Lyon. General
man in this country that seized the
whole question and took the initiative
and determined to strike blow and
not wait for the blow to be struck.
Had he lived, he would have beer
the Stonewall Jackson of the unior
army, if not the highest general, mex
to the COMMUNICATIVE chief
When Lincoln was first inaugurated
Lyon said, eff Mr.. lincoln does on,
tithe OF his duty, as he promised, WI
| must have hostilities with the south
do not see how war Is to be avoid
ed. Under quick management, it ma.
be long and bloody, yet l have n,
apprehensions about the final triumph
of Almighty Truth, though at the cos
of many unnecessary sacrifices. Blu
let them come: l would rather Sc
the country lighted up with flame
4 from It's center to its remotest Dol
4 ders, than that the great rights an
;. hopes of the human race should e,
pire before the arrogance of secession
lists OF this, however, there Is n
!, danger They are at war with natur
and the human heart
| William A. Hammond, surgeon gel
, eral during the civil war. serve
on the western frontier with Lyo
: in the Second United States Infaptr.
one being captain and the other su
! geon Of that regiment, and were clos
Y and intimate friends in those excl
7 ing ante-bellum days. The gre;
r surgeon general, shortly before h
Y death, wrote a paper entitled Greco