Evening Star Newspaper, September 21, 1892, Page 12

a re —_—_ "EE, EVENING STAR: ae WASHINGTON, D. ©, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, —— 1892—PART. TWO. ional Association of Naval Veterans of GRIZZLED TARS.®&© Nentical College in Philadelphia in 1962, and ecient on a competitive examination was admitted to | the engineer corps of tne regular United States Men Who Fought for Uncle Sam on| nary, November 18, 1862. During the war he g jeerred on the celebrated U. 8. S. New the Sea, | and was in every engagement in prem s : } ship participated, including the pees nq | Sttack on Port Sumter, on April 9, 1863, by SHIPMATES IN WAR TIMES. | Admiral Duyioat, and participated in every a ‘ | frouclad engagement at the siege of Charleston ler A. abigren, and the engagements at Fort Fisher under Admiral Porter, jational Association of Veterans, It re . Ge Hawes 4 rth Nennetwag | th@only officer who saw the life of the New History and Ite Ufticers They Are Recetved by Thetr Shipmates of This City—The Po- tomac Association. Tronsides from the time she left Hampton r eds in December, 1862, m, in 1865, at was 0} 1 she finally went nd_ consequently board of the vessel ~ 7 | fo a! agementa. She received 3 =| the ling ever tnfticted upon OR MANY YEARS.) vessel, He served for several years in the the war scarcely lyn nary yard on special duty connected mie as tothe relative merits of andy various fuelay v in the U.8 8 can and Mediter- mouth in 186% 1 was ordered o British man-of- + the remains of Peabody, to the Ifo isan active with expe was mado ho served pon the sea and upon any referer hare of public attent! Gextre to fr: 1 merits of their service would be more specially reviewed. Bo varions state oF local ¢iations were formed, an 18, 1887, delegates fro Died in New York of Naval Veterans was f It made only moderate pr @e convention in Boston that thne there were no tions in the national bo of these were active. § t tion a renewed interest has matter by these veterans om f the veterans of he held the position of an Association of Con- of the National sin Boston on animous vote | association has endeavored to make as pleasant nited States, was graduated from the | 4s possible, As muy members of the naval | areas ae oe members of the G. A. K., the participation of these two organ- | ications in the parade fs masaral and plenaiie THE OFFICERS. | The officers of the Potomac Association are as follows: Commander, Isaac Newton; lieu- | tenant commander, Robert M, Vaneman; Heu- | tenant and executive officer, Robert W. Mont- | gomery; fourth Keutenant, W. W. McDonald; . Ins, H. King; paymaster, Charles E. | Roberts: master-at-srms, W. 8. Seymour; sux |geon Charles T. Bonn; chaplain, Daniel M. | Gordan; bostewain, Julian G. Baker; quarter- | master, Chas. F. Clagett; outside sentinel, | John Longworth. COMMANDER ISAAO NEWTON. Isaac Newton, the commander, entered the navy on the 18th of May, 1861, at Annapolis, Md. He ss.-ed on board of the fowling ves- Pe: Monticello and the U. 8. New Ironsiss. lie was at tho capture of Fort Hatteras, Fort Fisher, Beaufort, Port Royal and Charleston, 8. 0., and was discharged at the Philadelphia navy yard June 24, 1864. He 1s now serving his second term as commander of thenaval vetcrans, It was through his ef- forts the Potomac Association was organized, and since then ho has organized the Potomao public, which was stimulated by ective officers in Fost fre active amociat ational, and the ol fherease’ their membersh p. | ‘The naval division of the G. A. R. has been an attractive feature of the re the national encampments of the convention of naval veterans fn Yearan favitetion from the citi more was accepted to hold ¢! reception and banqnet on the 1% The convention was heidon t! -admiral the grand parade on the 17th . Osborn of 19th, the veterans came to York city. He has had an eventful ca- Grand Army encampment and pi aving served in the tine navy be- served on the the pase- ‘o served on the monitor k the Atlanta, and was also | first of the war. He on of Admiral Dupont at Royal, New York; captain, D. B Bl; commander, W. E. Oineyville, RL; sexi Fort Worth, Texas; lientenant, J. W. Columbus, Ohio; surgeon, A. Trego She Baltimore, Md; paymaste Buffalo, N. ¥.; chaplain, Rev. Brooklyn, N. ¥.; chiefof « eficer, Commander Francis B. Conn. National secretary, Reed, M. D., Columbus, owain, Edwin A. Bezele: The associations con Body are as follows: Farragut Association of Naval Ve Philadelphia, Pa, organized Octe etary, Joba F. ber 5, Farragnt Association of Naval Vetera: of New York, organized November 15, Captain, James P. Holland; secretary, Geo. W. aymaster is held by Alex. G. ) N. Yay Wiww 13 thoroughly the interests of the naval vet- Naval Veteran Association of waukea, June 4, 15% mander, Joba ee Boral Veteran Assoc —Commander, T. 3, Wood Jelary, Geo. 3. Pinkhard. i | Raval Veteran Association of St. Minn, April 15, 1889. James ‘The Dari D. Porter Naval Neteran, Assoctar | fon, Colambus, nized July 20, 1859—- Cosmanden, DLAC Teed, secretary, Albion | P. Babbitt, | ecceged tant Vtwen Association of Prort-| dence, July 2, 188 Captain, Thomas D. seecrotar, Stephen F. Van Dahigren Naval Veteran Assoctation, | : Ohic. organized October 18, Commander, Udlin s secretacy, Dr. Chas. | = - Speica; 7 The Davia D. Porter i hecary, United States javal Veteran Associa- h ~ March 6, 1863, was promoted ton, Louisville, Ky., © i 1300 . Commander, eet leeneay enremeg Ew. d to the U. 8. 8 Sanford, 8. A. : 20, 1865, . Wasp, to join the old war, South America. d to the U.S 8. San- red to the United States He resigned from active dut to 4, P executive officer, Will B.A Naval Veteran Association of Mars Md. x : Dorton. * : IL, organized February 14. D. B. Hubbard; secretary, ring 1870 ai jes, after the bat- n from Switzerland to ng taken prisoners, as a indy with her son and | ng to nee her in the hos- Veterans, Buffalo, N. ¥., organized A 1889—Commander, Alex. G. Fortier ident that ‘bon House of “Roussil- tely went to Count son of the King of Hanover, ainied, and related the lady he recog- foly delivering hor | eran, New Bedford, Mass, 1891—Commander, Geo. F. Hioussuious in Sper- G. B. Palmer. dof Prussians to pro- Central New York X der of the war. Af- 2 the close of the war week with her at the pal- Roussilloa, has twice Baltimore. 'Upon re- rvice Count Edmonds- a the degree of Red russia gave him the ‘The Commedo-e Cleveland, Ohio, organized J: a—-Commander, A.B Woodward; secretary, \ Association of Naval Veterans, De Michigan wot, Mich., orgunized January 11, 16. - Co: . Reany; secretary, John G. THE POTOMAC ASSOCIATION, ie eed Shen Weeden One of the organizations that compose the Assocta- | thon, Chie, chester Jone 14, 15 national body is located in this city. The Po- Commander, 8.’ 8. Itussall; secretary, Dr. W. E. | tomac Association of Naval Veterans, as the Atwel | Washington branch is Lnown, is neither an | aw nor an extensive as-iation, The | memberszip is comparatively small, but P what ! Laing am gumbers is made up in zeal, enthusiasm and good fellowship. The Po- |tomac Association was organized about four | years ago by Mr. Isaac Newton, who is at pres at the popular commander. Mr, Newton is a “salt” that has lowt none of the heartiness of uineness which is generally at- who follow the sea. Ho is liked by his shipmates, and when be started the or- jon some four years ago he secured the nd to be impossible to keep the inter- ext alive and esa result the association gradu- ally passed out of active existence. As events proved, however, the sun of the association had only temporarily eet, and last November, under | the stimulus of the efforta of Mr. Newton, backed up by the sympathy of Admiral Wm. 8 Wells, the organization was agajn, «tarted anew. | Tite tse it bie. werkt aeemnenm | while the membership is not large still there is | @ good deal of enthusiasm and interest. The coming of the national body to this city to take | pact in the G. A BE isan event that local ‘William 5. Wells, rear admiral commanding Aetociation, Sons of Naval Veterans, t5T1, COMMANDER VANNEMAN, The lieutenant commander, R. M. Vanne- man, was only thirteen years old at the break- ing out of the war, but he entered the service of his country. He served with credit both in thearmy and navy. Ho has always taken a great deal of interest in the Naval Veterans and when the Potomac Association was instituted he was chcwa entenant commander. Hoe served in the Potomac flotilla on board the U. 8. 8. Wyandank, Freeborn and Western World under Commodore Parker. Ho is also a member of Lincoln Post, No. 3, G. A. R. SZ LIEUT. MONTGOMERY, The lieutenant and executive officer, Robt. W. Montgomery, entered the United States navy on the 19th of June, 1861; was discharged on Angust 6, 1863; re-enlisted July 1, 1864, and was discharged July 5, 1867. He served on boaad the Zollowing named vessels: Minnesota, Crusader, Lady Sterling, Despatch boat, Sey- |p cur ant ey others, Ee served in James river, York river, Pamonkey | river, Hampton Roads and was at tho front’ most all the time. Also he is a member of John A. Rawlins Post, G. A. R., and an honorary member of the Old Guards. He entered the United States navy at the age of fourteen years as a first-class boy. 2tUT. M'DONALD, ‘W. W. McDonald, the lieutenant and officer of the deck. ws» in Virginia and enlisted fin the servies ~hon sixteon years of age. He served in tho blockade on the gunboats Ana- costia, Freeborn and Commodore Reod and was in the raids through the northern neck of Vir- ginia with the combined army and naval forces fn the fall of '64. He also served-on the steamer Ascutney aftsr the war. PAYMASTER ROBERTS. Charles E. Roberts, the paymaster, first en- Listed at the ago of seventeen, on April 14, 1861, in company I, thirty-first New York volunteers. After participating in almost all the engage- meus of «0 army of the Potomac ae was dis- chowzea I~ 45, 1863. Ho entered the United States navy September 10, 1863, and served on board the steamer Mount Vernon, doing bloakade duty with the South Atlantic squad- Fon, and was discharged October 8, 1864. Not yet being tired of Uncle Sam's service he re- enlisted as a volunteer in company B, third New York cavalry, for the ‘of’ three years, but #s the war closed before the term expired he was honorably ‘November caped. Wasat the attack on Forts Casnell and Fisher and Charleston Harbor. He was die charged at Fort Monroe by order of the Secre- tary of the Navy to recruit = company for the ninth Maryland. He is a Grand Army man and an aid to Commander-in-Chief Palmer. SURGEON BONN. ‘The surgeon, Chas. T. Bonn, was born in the city of Baltimore, Md., September 22, 1850. He shipped in the United States navy as a boy when but thirteen years of age; servedon board U. S..8. Potomska in the South Atlantio block- ading squadron until the end of the war. He continued at sea until 1874, having in this period doubled Cape Horn six times and Cape of Good Hope twice. QUARTERMASTER CLAGETT. The quartermaster, Charles F. Clagett, tered the service when seventeen years of and served in the Wilmington blockade. continued in the navy until the close of the war, when he was discharged from the Prince- ton at Philadelphia. He MRE. MILLER WAS A SOLDIER. The Attorney General Served Four Months, but Doesn’t Think Much of It. One of the members of the cabinet, whose period of service in arms was brief is Attorney General Miller. Thousands of men who were less useful than he have rehearsed their deeds until there has been wonderful imaginative growth and much latter-day reputation, but the Attor- ney General simply smiles in a quiet way when asked about his war record. The record is not what might be termed brilliant, but there is nothing init to be ashamed of. When Stone- wall Jackson accelerated the movements of Gen. Banks in the Shenandoah valiey the north was greatly in fear of invasion, 60 President Lincoln, in May, 1862, called for more men. At that time Mr. Miller was living in northern Ohio and he joined a regiment which was being organized in towns along the southern shore of Lake Erie—the eighty-fourth Ohio. It was a three months’ regiment and when it moved south Mr. Miller was a first licutenant in one of {ts companies, West Virginia and Maryland were the two states in which Lieut. Miller and his comrades of the eighty-fourth rendered efficient service. They did not participate in eny fighting, because their orders kept them otherwise employed; the opportunity to become distinguished was not present, Except that the regiment once narrowly escaped capture somewhere in the’ vicinity of Harper's Ferry the regimental history is without remarkable incident; in fact the regiment was not even brigaded. Although the contract was for three months of duty the eighty-fourth put in an extra thirty days before it was mustered out. Lieut. Miller was endeavoring to re-enlist his company and was succeeding admirably when he was notified that the field and staff—resident Principally tn Cleveland—had concluded to let the organization fall to pleces. William Law- rence, afterward first controller of the treasury, was colonel, and as in later days, there was no appeal from his decision. “‘Thave never had any very exalted opinion of my war service,” said the Attorney General toa Sram ‘reporter when interrogated on the subject. “I tried to do my duty and I believe with success. Since then [ have refrained from mentioning my connection with the war. Out in the west live two men whom I know. Both wero in the Union army and both were gallant soldiers. One wasp: mt in all Grand Army matters, presided at veterans’ banquots, made speeches at reunions and was one of thé central features at camp fires. The other was more modest and not one ins hundred of his ‘acquaintances knew of the prodigies of valor he performed on a score of bloody fields. Not so very long ago it happened that both these men were after thesame nomination and the ‘THE STERNPOST OF THA KEARSARGE, DRIFT FROM THE SEA. Beoords of Naval Fights in the Navy Yard Museum. WHERE TARS WILL TARRY. Curious Things From Old Ships—The Shot- torn Stern Port of the Kearsarge—A Collec- tion of Much Interest to Naval Veterans— Old Guns and Torpedoes. er T 18 ONLY A PIECE OF SHIP'S timber, a block of oak, shattered and splintered and with an iron shell lodged in the rent, yet it isan object of most intense interest to every ono who sees it and to many it brings remembrances of stirring times, This piece of wood is part of the stern post of the gallant old Kearsarge, the fighting Kear- sarge that fought and whipped the confederate cruiser Alabama, and it has a history. Tho shell, that harmless looking bit of iron, has been gazed at with thankful eyes by thou- sands of people, for it is the shell that was sent ona deadly mission, which if fulfilled would have sent a noble ship and hundreds of men to the bottom of the sea; it is the shell that failed to explode. When the fight between the Kearsarge and Alabama was at its thickest and before the tide of fortune had turned for the victors, a shell was fired from the confederate cruiser that was intended to blow the Union ship out of the water. Asit came hurtling through the air those on the Kearsarge saw that it was likely to do damage. They watched its flight, saw it dip to the water line as it neared the ship; then it struck. Men who were there have said that they held their breath for a moment expecting to hear it burst, to be followed by the explosion of the powder magazine aboard ship. Vive, ten, fifteen seconds passed and no report. A little longer and they knew it was over. The fuse had gone out. Afterward they found it harmlessly imbedded in the stern post and lovingly did they fondle it, this recreant shell that failed to fulfill its mission of death. When the shattered stern post was replaced it was brought to Washing- ton and placed inthe Naval Museum at the navy yard, along with other relics of the war. It has beon removed during the encampment to Reunion place, where it is serving again as the stern post of the model of the Kearsargo constructed there in honor of the naval veterans. THE MUSEUM BUILDING. ‘There are many things on exhibition at the Naval Museum that would interest the veterans. It is a quaint old place and might be found to be full of suggestions and memories to the naval veterans. It is well worth while to visit the museum if one goes down to the navy yard. ‘The stranger will find the place by-taking the green cable cara, east bound, and riding to the end of the line, which is at the navy yard gate, The marine on guard will show you the way to the little two-story brick building wherein are stored the relics, Outside the door are rows of shells and mortars that came back from the war. The; are stacked in threatening array along the cur! and many of the old mortars have thundered in ttle. ‘As yon step inside the door an odd-looking figure confronts you. At first sight it looks like a man standing there, but another look shows it to boa wax figure. It is a life-size figure of a marine of the timeof the revolution, Just euch a chap as might have tumbled up m below when the drum beat to quarters on the old Constitution. He is s rum-looking cove, ae the Englishman would say—and no doubt that is just what the Englishman found him. Nearby is a stack of boarding pikes, those long, stout poles with a sharp iron spike afoot long in the end, with which the lads of olden times—and of later days, too—were won't to use when boarders were called away to clamber over an enemy's taffrail, epitting him through and through as they went. Ugh! It makes a peaceful man’s flesh creep to look at the things The museum itself is a regular little arsenal, ‘The ceiling is covered with cutlasses arranged in graceful figures and in fan-like shapes on the walls, Every one of these bright blades has done its share of slicing and carving the human anatomy of the genus rebel and have probably dripped gallons of blood. They are polished now to an exceeding brightn nd the old veteran can handle and fondle them lovingly. There are stands of arms, too,some of the muskets and rifles being trophies of the battle fields and were wrested from enemios’ hands by stalwart bluo jackets, SHELLS AND TORPEDOES, Standing against the wall are all sorts of odd shaped submarine torpedoes that were sunk in the channels of ood ways to blow up federal fleets, but which were fished up by the torpedo nets and the sting of the rattlesnake extracted. They were crude affairs compared with the modern contrivances in that line, yet they were mighty dangerous in their way. There are o couple of them, great contcal-shaped tubes of copper, which were moored at either end of wire just below the surface of the water, so that when aship’s bow touched the wire ‘the two joes swung under the port and starboard bows to explode upon contact. Tn one of the glase cases near the door is an fron shell, relic of ‘the Merrimac. It was fired from that ram on the day that she met her Waterloo and fell in the headquarters of Gen. Mansfield on the shore of Hampton Roads, kicking up the sand into the faces of the officers who were watching the battle, but it did not explode. There is another relic of that same day. It isan old pistol taken from the wreck of the Cumberland. It had been long in the water before thoy got it and looks as if the sharks had nibbled at ft but found it poor eat- ing. There are any number of nts of bursted shells, of tinic balls picl battles, of round shot, grape and canister, each ith a with some little incident a ‘made thi Tent troops, for stepped over, Brit spitted afew Britishers pote! | : UW | i | FE fy i f i i i I & g rH i! i: if rf i i gether in the bore of one of the modern gui an maker of today to lai and loud in an ecstacy of derision, and which were almost as dangerous to friend as to foe when being By all means, visit the Naval Muscam. gurantee GILLMORE’S SWAMP ANGEL, Some of the Impressions it Made em the People of Charleston, ‘From the Charleston (4. C.) News. ‘There area good many people in Charleston who had an intimate but somewhat unpleasant ‘ecquaintance with the Swamp Angel. One calm night in August, 1863, a strange noise was heard in the air. It was a noise that some people had become familiar with, but one that to the women and children in Charleston was entirely unknown. Some people compared it to the blast of the Inst trump, others to the howl of the hyena and others to the concen- trated noise of 10,000 locomotives rushing through a tunnel in the air and condensed into a scream of the most harrowing in- tensity. It was the first Swamp Angel messenger sent into Charleston by the late Gen. Gillmore. The watchman at St. Michael's steeple sounded the alarm and the firomen and other people hurried out in haste. The shell came from a masked battery which Gen. Gillmore had erected in the marsh at the extreme south end of Morris Island and on the southern borders of the creck which in throwing @ Projectile « distance of five miles had not at that. ime penetrated the minds of the average pub- Mo, and the arrival of the first messenger from the Swamp Angel was es unexpected aa it was unpleasani battery was the famous Swamp Angel. It consisted of a single eight-inch Parrott rifle mounted in the marsh and surrounded by earthwork of circular shape. It burst at the thirty-sixth round and that was the end of the Swamp Angel proper. After this the bombard- ment was directed from the batteries on Morris Island. It is said that the elevation of the guns was so great that they gould only be used to fire a half dozen times, and as.a matter of fact the people who remained here during the bombard- ment became so accustomed to the sound that they could tell by the sound when a gun had vars As may be readily imagined a stampede fol- lowed the first night's bombardment. Dozens of trains were sent out of town the next morn- ing carrying thousands of-women and children. Gen. Gilmore's gunners soon attained a won- derful accuracy in firing their guns. It was said that the Swamp Angel shells were loaded with “Greck fire,” but this. was never verified. Fires frequentiy occurred, and the firemen 8 promptly turned out, taking the chances of the shells, “A fire at night invariably awoke the Swamp Angel to renewed activity. The shells were sent in generally at an average rate of one every fifteen or twenty minutes. Occa- sionally when a gun would burst there would be a suspension of operations at the Swamp Angel end of the line, sometimes for several days. Tus invariably followed a fire in the elty. The light from the blaze would give the gun- ners atthe Swamp Angel a good mark, and they would fire more rapidly, which probably cost them several guns, and then the people of Charleston would have @ rest until the burst guns were replaced, The accuracy which the Swamp Angel gun- ners attained was remarkable. On one occa- sion the buildings on Brown's wharf were fired during the day. The firo department was promptly onthe spot and set to work toex- finguish the fames. The building was on the water front and the dense columns of smoke offered a splendid target to Gen. Gillmore's marksmen. ‘There are perhaps. e dozen men in Charleston today who will recall the incident and who will testify to the fact that during the rogress of that fire at least three shells were rown into the burning building. On another occasion, while a fire was in Progress at the comer’ of Market street and it bay, ashell was actually thrown into the air vessel of the Phonix Company's en- gine. At the timo there were probably twent men at the brakes (the engine bemg an old- fashioned double-decker), and but one man, a colored “runner,” was injured. ‘The accuracy which the Swamp Angel guns were fired, in fret, gave color to the state- ment subsequently made that the ers in- tentionally refrained from firing atSt. Michael's steeple, which was never hit during the entire two years of the bombardment. Percussion shells were used by the Swam Angel gunners for over a year, During this time the people of Charleston had abundant time to study the peculiarities of the percus- sion Parrott shell. The shell, of course, could only be exploded when it came in contact with ® hard surface, and was, therefore, only dan- gerons under these conditions, In ‘nine cases out of ten a percussion shell that struck » wooden building simply buried itself in the earth and remained there. The only danger to life or limb, therefore, was in being struck by the shell on ita passage, and “most people soon learned to avoid this. 'So in time a good many families moved back into the ‘shell district,” as it was called, and occupied the wooden honses, In 1864 there was a startling change in the condition of things, By this time those who were compelled to remain in the city had be- come used to the Swamp Angel. Up to this time not more than two or three people had been killed, notwithstanding the fact that fully five thousand had been almost constantly under fire, to say nothing of the exposure of the fre- men, who, besides doing military duty at night along the water front, wege called upon quently to subdue the flames in the shelled dis- building was fire alarm was sounded and in five mirates the en- gines were on their way to the ecene of the con- flagration. The boom of the alarm bell and the bright glare of the fire invariably caused the Swamp Angels to wake up and redouble their attentions to the “doomed city.” An engine, the Phenix, was on its way to the fire, dragged by a dozen or more men. In Hayne street an obstacle was met. A messenger from the Swamp plunged into the earth directly in front aie men, and making a hole six feet wide andas many feet deep, buried iteclf in the ground. A half dozen men were precipitated into the ex- cavation, and the engine, ‘Old Betse; lowed suit. Tho shell did not ever, and beyond several painful was hurt. While the men were getting the dust out of their eyes and trying to lift up “Old Betsey” the “boom” which signified the advent of an- other messenger from the Swamp was heard. Then every one stood still and listened. A fow seconds after the boom came the peculiar and excruciating ‘‘whistle” which marked the passage of tho messe: whistle was not familiar. mystery was explained. Just as every one was “ying low awaiting the crash, there was an- er explosion very near, followed by = dozen baby screams and s dozen sharp reports, while a flash of light illuminated the scene. Then it Taniod blood, Ti wan ¢ fess oball omasenieg wanted bl was 8 i which no man could d Charleston the percussion shell could be ed, and was com] to life kept of bi —- 20 as one al but the fuse shell was another thing. Is multi- lied fold. writer ‘The | Price was then doing his utmost to drive all A CAVALRY LEADER. Secretary Noble Made a Gallant Becord in the War. WHERE FIGHTING WAS WARM. | His Early Service Under Gen. Bursey—The Expedition to Tupelo—Taking Part in the | Wilson Raid—From Lieutenant to Brig- adler General. ees OWA SENT MANY! g00d soldiers into war of the rebelli and of all the illustri- ous host that marched from tho prairie homes to wrestle with rebel- lion but few achieved greater distinction than that which was ea: by Brevet Brig. Gen. John Wil Noble, now Secretary of the Interior. Like thou- sands of others, young Noble laid asi no moment the plans of his earlier life, which, when the great strife commenced, had de- veloped into lucrative and honorable associa tion with the law. Lancaster, Ohio, was Gen. Noble’s birthplace—a town and state in which | his father, Col John Noble, occupied a promi- nent place in affairsand in the public esteem. From Yale College the young man moved west- ward, studying law in Cincinnati, In 1856 he became satisfied that the most satiefactory con- ditions for him were to be found in the middle west, sohe migrated to Iowa and was soon numbered among the brightest and best of the legal stars then so numerous in that portion of the country. Located at Keokuk, for a time he | had Judge Lowe for a business partner, but when the first battle of Bull Ran maddened the north and gave the south cause for exultation the firm was Noble & Strong. Simultaneously with the Union retreat from ‘Manassas there were threats of the invasion of Towa by rebellious Missourians, and as Keokuk | wasthe point toward which movement was being made it {s not strange that the populace generally lost interest in their various oceupa- tions and prepared to defend their homes. The battle of Athens, Mo., resulted in the repulse of the force which was organized to devastate Keokuk and the surrounding region; it also opened the eyes of the national authorities to the fact that the southern border of Iowa needed protection, THE THIRD IOWA CAVALRY, To afford this the third Iowa cavalry was raised, and when, on August 23, 1861, nearly eleven hundred recruits were in camp, one of the number was First Pieut. John W. Noble of company C, Two weeks later, when the third was mustered into the service of the United States, Lieut. Noble was adjutant of the regi- ment. Unlike many of his associates he had more than mere ideas as to the military re- quirements of the situation in which he found himself, for when, months before, war seemed imminent, he began to prepare himself for the part he afterward bore in adding luster to Iowa's magnificent sacrificial and pa- triotic record. From the day when Sumter fell the young lawyer devoted himself almost exclusively to the study of tactics, and when Col. Bussey sought the man who was best quali- fied to perform the exacting duties of adjutant he had no trouble in finding him. It was November 4 when tho third,thoroughly equipped in all the necessities except carbines, left Iowa for Benton Barracks, Missouri, and at the latter rendezvous there was no more faithful or intelligent toiler than Adjt Noble. The work of preparation for effective service in the field was one of great magnitude, but when Feb- Tuary, 1862, arrived and brought with it orders to move to Rolla, Mo., there was no better regi- ment in the Army of the West than the third Iowa, Only the first and third battalions pro- ceeded to Rolla, for the second battalion was on detached service and away from the rest of the regiment for nearly two years, Adjt. Noble, of course, remained with the major por- tion of the command, and in a little while after 're- | leaving Benton Barracks began to see service of the most défficult and dangerous description. loyal people out of Missouri, and it seemed to be the particular mission of the third Iowa to put a stop to evictions that were in the interest of rebellion. Reconnaissances in the vicinity fight in which the the Iowans pur- suing the defeated and fleeing enemy until ex- haustion put @ stop to further effort, this there FROM LIEUTEMANT TO MAJOR. In November, 1862, Major Drake died, where- upon Lieut, Noble exchanged his barred shoulder straps for a new pair Gecorated with gold acorns, thus jumping the intervening rank | regiment used up When this latter promotion made tte ance Col. Noble wa with Gen. Sturgis on ill-starred trip into Mississippi known at time as “The Guntown Ex tion,” and spite the incapacity of Sturgis did makes Iowa feel proud even today. On Ji Col Noble had a heavy skirmish with rebel oxv- airy, when near Ripley, but his best work wae done at the battle of Brice's Cross Roads, June 16, 1864, >. Thomas commanded the Union forces and when retreat was absolutely Recessary he appealed to Col. Noble for belp. There wah great confusion among the infantzy, but Col. Noble did the right thing at the rage and saved the disordered foot soli from threatening annihilation. When the third cavalry was ordered to retire there wae officer or enlisted man, save the who was out of his place; their colonel hed grefted method into their The third did very commendable work on next day at Kipley. It protected the rear of the retreating Union forces against a superior rete -« wounded, and priciously asmiling enemas. out the fatire morning and afternoon Col. Noble and his men f 1 the enemy and fought gal- lantly to gain time for the infanty. he was relieved, bat the enemy wed too strong for the relief, so the tired Towane and. thelt never-tiring colonel nd themselves once more contending with the advance of the enemy. Solid relief ‘nally came, bat the regi- ment got neither food nor sleep until daybreak the next morning. On that expedition the third Iowa marched $23 miles and nearly 40,000 rounds of ammunition. Col. Noble's services wore acknowledged by Col Thomas in his report of the fight. Col. E. F. Winston, te sthess beignde the Bt Bowe wn, aleo spoke highly of “the gallant conduet Lieut. Col. Noble.” Ina report on the expedi- tion Cal. Winslow emphasized his prior utter- ances. He made «pecial mention of Lieut. Col. oble for the promptness and efficiency with which he performed the duties devolving upon bim during the expedition, and in the conclud- ing paragraph says: “I desire the general com- manding division to give much credit to Lieut. Col. Noble for his coolness and courage under fireand for valuable aid rendered on several occasions.” OX THE EXPEDITION TO TUPELO. When Gen. A. J. Smith started on his expeds- tion from La Grange, Tenn., to Tupelo, Miss, Col. Noble went with him and there, as every- else, distinguished bimeclf. Day after his command skirmished and felt the en- emy's pulse by reconnaissancea. At Tishomingo creck the third was o trifle surprised, but it fought tenaciously and quccessfully. The column marched through ebout 400 miles of country in less than oue month. Col. Noble's 00 rounds of ammunition. Hardly had the third returned to La Grange before it was ordered to proceed to Oxford, Miss, This time Col. Noble commanded the second brigade—consisting of the third and fourth Iowa, the tenth Missouri and the seventh Indiana. In the fight at the Tallahatchie river, near Hoi Noblo demorai : ably have captured a battery and everything else worth having thereabouts had his order to Pursue not been countermanded, by 0 tanking officer. It was a wearisome trip, what wit heavy rains, oppressive heat and 250 miles of uniformly bad roads. Col. Noble never shirked duty. Two detach- ments of the tenth Missourl eavalry—in hie brigade—were surprised near Union station. When the news reached camp Col. Noble headed @ relief detachment, rode with all rapidity tothe scene of the skirmish and did his best to catch the enemy. th OTHER FIELDS, In November there was an excursion—am- pleasant but successful—from Memphis to Mos- cow, and then followed Gen. Grierson’s raid through Mississippi to Vicksburg. Col Noble was there and is on record as rendering most valuable services. That plece of business had only just been concluded when Col. Noble and his brigade were called upon to participate in the great Wilson raid, starting from Chickasaw March 22, 1865. From Elyton to Selma there was contmaons strife,and then Montgomery, the home of secession, was captured. Headed by Col. Noble the third Towa formed no un- tmportant portion of the fores, which, under Gen. Upton, attacked the city of Columbus at night. The Iowans did most of the fighting and the ratio of prisoners taken by them bullets had proven serious labor on the road that led cial, professional and social position now ‘ombrasure ‘The reese go softly biew, tt mae d dosemoke of the rusdom eammemase “Boiled chowiy trom the riven: now where ila looked down, AWithcannce weiniy pleura O's: listless camp and sent town ‘The golden suiect slanted. ‘When op the fervif atr there came A strain, now rich. now tenders Theta paired aa? Gage ‘With day's departing a band. which eve and more aifeeetaraie wl lively clash of cymbal = Down fockea One wooded ‘One was gray with was still; and then te band, we movement ight aed riches Reververste with “Dixie” burnished low, The conectons stream, Went proudly o'er ite . few vc fren posted sone eee i lanching rty shoreward few isa the shining pebbles oud shrieked the swarming of captain. This well-earned promotion fol- lowed immediately after a eatisigetory but difti- cult and dangerous expedition from Helens to Prairie Landing. The privations were great, but they were tempered materially by Lieut. Noble. From the beginning of his military career there had been displayed by the Iowan qualities of the most superior description, but these were much less noticeable in the lieu- tenant than in the major. With all that dach and that characterizes the true ca’ officer he led his battalion in numerous © i | ; i § i Hi 8 | i i ; : i t i I I E it f And yet once more ‘Above the stormy riot. No shout upon the evening ti ij if ; i ! E i t t < F E z Ss if i i] 4 (j i FH \ i | j | i | d i j i