The Ely miner., 1930-07-25

James z. Shields. Born in DUNCAN
non, County Tyrone, Ireland, in 1910,
Shields came TO this country at the
age of sixteen and went to the frontier
country of Illinois, where he studied
law and began practice at Kaskaskia
in 1882. HonorS came rapidly to him
in his adopted home. He was elected
to the legislature in 1886, made state
auditor in 1889 and appointed judge
on the State Supreme court bench in
lS43. Two years later he was appoint
ed commissioner of the general land
office, but gave up civil life at the
outbreak of the Mexican war to ac-
cept a commission as brigadier gen
eral of the Illinois volunteers in 1916.
During that conflict Shields served
under General Taylor on the Rio
Grande, under General Wood in Chi.
huahua and during General Scott's
campaign. He was shot through the
lung at the Battle of Cerro Gordo and
brevetted major general. After his re-
covery he served in the Valley of Mex
leo as commander of brigade of ma.
rines, New York and South Carolina
volunteers, only to be wounded severe
ly again at the stOrming of Chapul-
tepec. Mustered out of the service on
July 20, 1S4S, he was Immediately ap-
pointed territorial governor of Oregon.
but resigned this office when he was
elected senator from Illinois as Dem
Ocrat. He served in the senate from
December 3, 1919, to March 3, 1856,
and then moved to Minnesota.
When the state government was or
ganiZed there he was again sent to
the United States senate where he re-
mained from May II, 1858, to March
3, 1859. He next moved to California,
and at the outbreak of the Civil war
was acting as superintendent of Il
mine in Mexico. Fastening to Wash
ington, the Mexican war veteran was
commissioned brigader general of
volunteers in August, 1861, and after
the death of Gen. Fred w. Lander,
Shields was placed at the head of his
brigade. In 1862 he was head of a
division of Gen. n. p. Banks army,
then operating in the Shenandoah val
ley of Virginia and opened the cam
paign by inflicting a stinging defeat
at Winchester upon "Stonewall" Jack
son. who was just then beginning to
make his bid for fame as the remark
able leader Of foot cavalry" Shields
was wounded in this battle, receiving
broken arm from fragment of shell.
TN June 9 "Stonewall" had his revenge
for the Winchester affair by routing
Shields force at the battle Of Port
Republic.
On March %, 1868. weakened by the
wounds which he had suffered in two
wars, Shields resigned from the army
lands granted to him for his military
services had been lost by his trusted
agent and he bought farm near Car,
rollton. Mo-, upon which to spend his
declining years. Although he had de-
cided to retire from public life. he was
soon back into politics. In 1868 he
!, was Democratic candidate for con-
gress. and although his friends de
clared that he had been elected, he
was not seated. Six years later they
elected him to the legislature and up.
on the expiration of his term, the gen
eral, aged. weakened and impoverished.
sought the humble position of door
keeper of the United States senate in
which he had represented two states.
But this was denied him and he re-
turned to Missouri. That state prompt
iy honored him by electing him to the
senate and he returned again as a
member of the body which had de-
MED him employment He held this
position until his death. which took
place on June l. 1879. at Ottumwa,
Iowa. where he had gone to deliver
lecture on the Mexican war for the
benefit of a church.
&c BY Western Newspaper Union,