The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-01-15

, Polignac.
not tire to listen when he recalled
than for our benefit
For s~le months on General
Beauregard's stan, then on. that of
General Frayton Bragg when the lat
ter invaded Kentuck he took an ac-
tive part In the battle Of Richmond,
Ky, where he seized the colors of
the Fifth Tennessee and bore them
triumphantlv through the. tn ,ckest OF
the night. encouraging the men to
withstand terrible fire (mentioned
In report of Colonel Benjamin HID.
Later. as brigadier general, he fought
west OF the Mississippi and Nd his
Texas ard Louisianian troops vic
toriousiy througa the Red river cam
palgn AZ the battle of Mansfield,
where In famous charge Ge~erai
Mouto~ fell. General de Polignactoolk
command Of the division. He fought
1t pleasant Hill with his division as
sole infantry. he pursued Ranks re-
Treating army. harassing his rear and
daily opposing his retreat In many
bloody conflicts fas at Mansura and
Norwood) until the enemy. crossing
he Atcha falaya. got beyond his
reach.
IN 1901 hey again drew his
sword for France He fought then
as calamity and as glorious as he
had done in the South.
"FIa was one Of those who contribu-
ted to the saving of honor when vic
tory could no longer be wrenched from
the enemy,
with the precious experience gain
ed in the American Civil war tpre-
@'ous, say, for was not Stonewan
jackson precursor of modern war
fare), with his experience he soon dis
tinguished himself on the battlenelds
of France. First at Beaune-la-
Ro1ande. with the 'Armee de In Loire.
Promoted to the first division of the
Twentieth army corps. he takes part
at it's head in the campaign in eastern
France and receives the Legion of
Honor for gallantry at the battle Of
villersexel.
After the actions at Hericourt.'
writes the Com mandant Roche dc !
Breux, his chief of staff, General
Bourbaxi assigned General de Polg-
macs division to protect the retreat.
We had the honor to fight the Ger
without the loss of one gun, one sword
or ,oue rifle. The government of ma
tional defense had forgotten us . i.
After the war OF 1904 my
father -in-law eonsecrated his life to
his mathematical problems, to his
books to his memories, and to his
family.
AS years went by his intelligence,
instead of dimmtng with age, became.
Nc anything. ewes more subtle, and
when he opened the gaps Of his mem
DRY we We're entertained hv his words
For any part, during the hours of
leisure passed in his home I hung on
his lips Put rarely could we get him
to speak of himself He died sud-
denly at the close of 1918, at work at
his desk, few months before this
/ war, az the age of eighty-one.
TT he had lived through these
wears of war as we have lived through
hem, but one thing could have
wrought him some consolation for his
Z departed youth which would have
Condemned him to remain inactive tor
he first time in his life while a great
struggle was going on----and that would
| have been the vision of grandchildren
! of former American companions in
I arms coming n fTrnnre to fi~h. af tho
SIDE OF his children for the liberty OF
| the world. lie would not have doubt .
| ed victory. as for the first time all
| America and all France are united in
| one cause.
| re deserved 10 nave with eaSed that
! victory as "A supreme reward for the
struggles nobly sustained though
| hope was lacking.
| ut should have been given to this
| soldier whose love for America and
| France was so great: il should have
been given him to see France re-
stored and America truly prosperous
and united
IT SHOULD have been given to this
| fond lover OF Justice and to this loyal
defender of liberty to see liberty and
Justice rcigning anew over the world
/ God had pot so designed"
/ Following the addresses Governor
Stuart and the distinguished visitors
held "A reception in the chamber OF
the house Of delegates. The cham
her was esnecfally decorated for the
oocaslon Three large Confederate
Tags hung from the balcony. Beh nd
the SPEAKER. In addition to the Stars
and Stripes and the flag OF the COM
rnonwealth which regularly occupy
The place, were the banners OF Great
| Britain and France. Tho front OF the
Jerks desk bore the flag of Virginia
I he Stars and Bars and the French
/ tricoior.