The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-09
GEN. s. B. BUCKNER,
NOTED SOLDIER, DEAD
Was a Confederate Commander
and Close Friend Of
Y. s. Grant.
NEAR HIS 93D BIRTHDAY
Candidate for Vice-President
and Once Governor Of His
Native Kentucky.

FRANKFORT, Ky. Jan. s.--Gen. simon
Bolivar Buckner. last surviving Major
General Of the Confederacy. Mexican war
veteran. former Governor Of Kentucky.
candidate for the ice-Presidency on the
gold Democratic ticket OF 1895 and
leader Of the Law and order League that
helped to put down night riding In Ken
lucky. died tonight at his home. Glen
Lily. In Hart county. Death was due to
old age.
The body will be brought TO Frankfort
Saturday morning on special train and
will DO buried In Frankfort Cemetery. the
lot selected for his resting place oeing be-
tween the Boone monument and that
erected TO the memory of Mexican war
heroes. The spot oveflooks the city which
he helped TO make the permanent State
capital.
Gen. Buckner was born In Hart county,
Kentucky. In 1921. His father was one of
the first iron manufacturers OF tho state
and gave young Buckner the adtan'
tages OF a good education. In the early
40s he got q cadetship at West Point
graduating IN Is44. Three years after
that he was "a professor AT the academy
He served with distinction In the Mexican
war, where he was wounded, and then
returned 10 we fplllt loT duVNH'T NV
fessorship. lie superintendent the con-
struction Of the Chicago Custom House
in 1855.
From this date till the civil war began
he practised law. At the outbreak OF
tho war he was made commander or
the State Guard OF Kentucky, and In
1861 he issued an address to the people
calling upon them TO take UP arms against
the Union. lie commanded Confed-
crate brigade at the battle OF Donelson.
surrendering the fort on February 10 TO
Gen. Grant. He was In prison at Fort
Warren. Boston, until exchanged In Au-
gust. 1862. He subsequently commanded
| IA division In Gen. Bragg's army in Ten
nessee.
He was "A candidate for the Vice
Presidency In 1896 on the Gold Demo
crat ticket
| Later he was made MaJor-General and
commanded n grand division at the bat
/ ties Of Murfreesboro and Chickamauga,
surrendering with Kirby Smiths army 10
Gen. Osterhaus at Baton Rouge May 20.
1865. He resumed the practice of law
at the end Of the war and speedily be-
came prominent throughout the State.
He was one OF the pallbearers at Gen.
Grants funeral. In 1887 he was elected
Governor of Kentucky.
Gen. Buckner was the candidate OF the
gold Democratic party FOR Vice-Prcsident
III 1850, TuIiIlllS Nll Nl'h'N WIN J'Illl W
Palmer OF Illinois. II was in this cam
| paign that w. J. Bryan first ran for
President and was beaten.
Since the campaign OF that year Gen.
Buckner has been living AT Glen Lily,
his estate in Hart county, one OF the
most noted country houses in Kentucky
He loved his native State above all else
and wherever he appeared preached its
| beauties and its virtues
| il was through Gen. Buckner's request
at Fort ponclson that Gen. Grant became
known as Unconditional surrender Grant.
Buckner wanted to know what terms he
| could get If he gave W.
NO other terms than an unconditional
| surrender can be accepted replied the
| Union General. II propose TO move inn
mediately upon your works"
Grant and Buckner had been In West
Po!nt together and always remained firm
friends Grant placed his private purse
at the CUnfederatc's disposal after the
| surrender Many years afterward when
the former President was ruined by the
failure OF the firm OF Grant q Ward Gen.
| Buckner returned the favor, making n
special trip to New York for the purpose
| After the war Gen. Buckncr found himself
reduced 10 poverty. His brother-in-law,
Lieut. K!ngsbury had got by deed. In
| order 10 save II from contiscation. much
valuable property belonging to the Cen
after many years OF litigation.
For year or 80 when his affairs were
At their lowest ebo Gen. Buckner was
editor OF a New Orleans newspaper. Later
in Louisville he worked on the Courier.
now the COUrfer-J0HrTaL When he got
| the money from the Chicago properties Ne
retired 10 his estate to live as he had al
ways wished, the life Of Kentucky gem
| t!eman. Tales Of his good deeds IN that
! station would iii book
| OF all his political honors Gen. Buckner
| esteemed most the nomination for the
V!ce-Pres!dency by the short lived Ma
| tional Democratic party. He had always
defended the gold standard and when the
| Democratic convention in 1896 AZ Chicago
| adopted "A free silver policy he felt Il his
| duty to withdraw and Join IN the gold
! standard convention held at Indianapolis
! later in the fall. The Chicago convention
had nominated William J. Bryan for
/ President.
| Gen Buckner was married twice. HIS
| first wife was Miss Kingsbury Of old
| Lyme. Conn. She died young. and in 1854
! the General married Miss Della Claiborne
OF Richmond. Va. a descendant OF the
| Washingtons. Their only child was a
simon Roliyur Rurkper I In wnn,n