New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-04
Was Last Surviving Corps
Commander of Union
Army.
MADE RECORD AS
RAILROAD PIONEER
Built Texas & Pacific and Helped
Solve St. GOthard Tunnel
Problem.

Council Bluffs. iowa, Jan. $. zen
efal Grenville VI. Dodge, distinguished
soldier and railroad builder, died at
his home, here, NJ o'clock this after
noon.
General Dodge will be buried IN this
city on Thursday. The funeral ser
vices will be in charge of Colonel Matt
\. Kinney. OF the Iowa National Guard,
I'm accordance with General DodRe's
wishes Two bat'alions Of Iowa and
Nebraska guardsmen will act as escort
General Dodge's three daughters Will
attend the funeral, but his widow, VINO
is in New York. has announced that
she is too ill TO make the trip.
One Of the most valiant fighters in the
Civil War, the last surviving corps and
department commander OF the Union
army 10 that struggle. the dlscoVerer OF
the continental Divide and the bu-ldeT
of the Union Pacific Railroad, vas
Grenville Nelleu Dodge. VINO was N ac-
tive professional and business LIE ten
wears before the firing on sumter
called him 70 arms, and who renamed
effectively in the harness until long
after the crash OF the War OF the Ma
tions.
The son OF Sylvsnus and Julia Phil
lips Dodge. nc was boz. at putnam
vile. in the town Of Danyers, Mass,
on April ~, 1881, and was educated az
Captain Partridge's military academy
and M the University OF Norwich, W.
being graduated from the latter lnsti-
tuition as a civil engineer In 1850. Then
he went West and became civil en-
Qncer for the Illinois Central and
Rock Island railroads; served on the
Union Pacific Railroad survey. and IN
1904 settled ri Council Bluffs, Iowa, ana
established What is now known as the
Council Bluffs Savings Bank.
From these occupations he was called
by the outbreak Of the Civil War. lie
offered his services TO Governor MIX
wood. 90 Iowa. and was sent by him 20
Washington 20 procure arms and equip
ment for state troops, and on ms re-
turn from that brand was commas
stoned colonel Of the 4th Iowa Infantry.
a regiment rhich h. himself had raised.
lie did distirgu shed service IN the war
In Missouri. commanding a brigade AZ
Pea Ridge. IN which battle he had TOUR
horses Killed under him and was him
self severely wounded.
Made a Brigadier General.
I'm March. 1862. ne was made a origa-
dior general Of volunteers. and Httle
later vas out I'm command OF the DIS
tric, Of tho Mississippi, where he buut
the Mississippi & Ohio Railroad and
vas one Of the first 70 organize negro
regiments. IN the long NicNsburE CAM
paign ne did Important work. ana vas
placed By Gran, at the head OF the lis;
If officers recommended for promotion.
II was i'm November, 1863. that one OF
the most dramatic incidents or ms
career occurred. Re was commanding
the left wing Of the Sixteenth corps a.
Pulaski. Tenn. One day q Confederate
soldier was captured and brought be-
fore him. II was sam Davis. youth
~ only twenty-one. He had m his pos
session complete pla-. Of the Federal
fortifcations and camp Al Nashville.
which ne had presumably secured ron
some n. cfcrcus Federal officer. ten.
oral Dodge offered him his freedom y
ne would reveal the name Of the traitor.
He refused. Then he IA tried and
condemned 70 be hanged rs a spy.
A second timo freedom vas offered
the Confederate II he would expose the
traitor: and again he refused. ne
next day he was taken ont % ne
hanged. and as the n0tse was placed
about his neck the offer Of pardon vas
= third time made 20 him. and a thlrd
time refused. 20 you suppose ] would
betrsy n ricud: II ! had a tAouSa1G
lives would give them all before would
betray the confidence Of my infOumer.
With those words on his lips he was
hanged: and General Dodge SAID Of HIM
? fterrard Gle was the bravest man
that ever died" and headed suoscrip-
lion lis, TO build q monument over his
grave.
Saved the Day at Atlanta.
"Narchirg through Georgia Gen.
cral Dodge, then q major genera OF
volunteers. led the Sixteenth Corps ana
greatly distinguished himself. General
Grant had said Of him: He IS too vain
able an officer 20 De anywhere except IN
the front. and one YOU can rely upon m
any and every cmergency.' mat repu-
tat.on he again and again JUSTIFIED.
At Atlanta. with eleven regiments, be
withstood whole army corps, and
little later was so seriously wounded
as 10 BE- put out Of active service Tor
some time. The following winter. how
ever. he was put in command OF the
pepartment Of Missouri. 70 which was
presently added the Department OF
Kansas and the Territories. There he
did valuable work IN suppressing hos
tile Indians and IN making treaties
with several tribe.
At the end Of the war he turned back
70 mis- former occupations. He resigned
his commission Ia May, 1868, and be
came chief engineer Of the Union Pa
ciGc Railroad. then iu course OF con
struciion
with James Bridger. the noted scout
and explorer. ne discovered the Cont
mental Divide" the pass through which
the railroad crosses the Rocky Noun
taius. His work for the railroad was
half engineering and half Indian fight
ing. and lie did both equally we'll After
foIr wears OH the Union Pacific he be-
caro TO ten ears chief engineer OF
the Texas & Pacific Railwa.
After that General Dodge was for
many years a di-c,tor OF several rail
road companies, he was summoned to
Europe as consulting engineer 70
solve a crucial problem in the St
Gothard Tunnel and to plan the Black
Forest railway and he declined an IN
vitation 10 take the lead IN the con
structiou OF the Panama anal 40 the
WAY with Spain in l-5o he was appoint
cd major general OF United states
volunteers. but declined the commits
sion. Later. how er. he acce. ed the
sdent's appointment as chairman
of the commission 20 inquire into the
management Of that war.
General Dodge was elected 20 Con-
gress from the I'd Iowa District in
1866 while he was absent from home.
and he served through the ore term,
hut declined denomination lie was
delegate TO the Republican National
conventions OF 1858 and 1875 III sue
ceeded General Sherman a. pre1ident
OF the Society Of the Army Of the
Tennessee; was commander in chief OF