Our Comrade General John A. Logan Compliments of General John C. Smith Our Comrade General John A. Logan Member of Ulysses S. Grant Post, No. 28 Department of Illinois Grand Army of the Republic October /j, 190^ By Commander Comrade General John C. Smith Ex-Lieutenant (Jovemor, Etc. DESIGNERS ENGRAVERS PRINTERS Xl2)^^l *i*^ GENERAL JOHN A, LOGAN ADDRESS ("onu'adcs of riyssos S. (li'aiil Post and the (Iraiid Army of the Rei)ul)li(', in addrossiiii;- you hricfly upon tlic life and military services of (len. Jolui A. liOt^an, a l()nnihor of this Post, I speak to soldiers many of whom served in his command and all knew liim personally. This makes it more pleasant to your speaker as it puts s]ieaker and audience in closer touch, knowing that ail who knew Comrade Logan admired and respected him for the brave soldier that he had been, the tried and able statesman that he was and the pure patriot he ever had ])r()ven himself. No soldier wanted for a friend while (leiieral Logan lived, and no statesman labored so well and so faithfully to secure justice to tlie brave men wlio composed the armies of LS6I-60, as our lamented Comrade. History is but the record of wars punctuated with a few great battles by which kingdoms have been overthrown, empires enlarged, or the liberties of the peopl(> liave l)een gained, as in our own War of the Revolution. If it be true that "peace hath her victories no less re- nowned than war," it is only through a pathway blazed by the sword and cut witli the rifle, and which, I fear, it will be until time shall be no more. In the great wars of the world, and all along its history, we find here and there a name which has survived the decay and forgetfulness which befall all nature and most events. Among the names of the past we recall an Alexander the Great, a (':osar, or Hannibal; while in our own time, we liave a Napo- l(M)n and a Wellington, a W^ashington and a Grant. Few are the names of those who. as Heutenants and advisers of the great commanders, survive the centuries. We will not attempt to recall them, but content ourselves with those of the near past. An Ethan Allen, Israel Putnam, Alexander Plamilton, Nathaniel (ireene and General LaFayette are the best known associated with the immortal Washington; while Generals W. T. Sherman, Philij) H. Sheridan, George G. Meade, George H. Thomas (the rock of Chickamauga), John A. Rawlins and John A. Logan are the best known who served with the invincil:)le Grant. Each named but the last two were educated soldiers, who, by their skill and bravery, won imperishable fame, but it is of the latter we would speak. John A. Logan was a son of Illinois, as was John A. Rawlins, and each were volunteer soldiers who, when the flag of their country was assailed, left their peaceful avocations and drew the sword in its defense. When the war ended, crowned with glory they returned the sword to its scabbard and re-entered peaceful pursuits. Gen. John A. Logan was born in Jackson Count3\ Illinois, February 9, 1826, and died in the Nation's Capital, Washing- ton, I). C, December 26, 1886. Educated in the schools of his native State, he had not yet attained the age of manhood when the war with Mexico liegan. Taking up the musket he enlisted for the war, and w^hen peace was restored returned home a Lieutenant of "H" Company. 1st Regiment Illinois Volunteers, and resumed his studies again. After a l^rief academic course in a Kentucky educational institute, our Comrade adopted the profession of law, and was soon after elected the prosecuting attorney for his count}'. When but twenty-six years of age he was elected to the State Legislature, where he served for two terms. In 1858 he was elected to the Congress of the I'nited States, and in 1860 re-elected by a majority of over 18,000. In the performance of his duties Comrade Logan was in Washington, attending the special session of Congress, when the disastrous battle of Bull Run was fought, and with other members of the House of Representatives went out to the G battle-field, but to meet the Union troops retroatinp; in confusion. Seizing a musket from a i)anic-stricken soUlier, lie vainly did the best he could to stay the retreat. At the close of the special session, our Comrade returned home with authority from President Lincoln to recruit a rciriincnt for the war. He went 1(1 l\is old lioiiic. ])()lili(';dly then in touch with the South- rons who were in rchc^llion, antl whose people were charged with being in sympathy with the rebels. Never was there so base a slander, as was afterwards proven, for (leneral Logan's district was one t)f the districts which filled ever}' call of the immortal Lincoln for troops during the war without having to resort to a draft, and had a surplus to its credit. Rejiorting to General Grant with his regiment, the 31st Illinois Infantry Volunteers, our Comrade was with that Great Commander in his first battle at Belmont, where he did good service. We next find him at Fort Henry and Fort Donelson, w'here, upon the right, he assisted in repelling the onslaught of Generals Pillow and Floyd, and thus prevented the escape of their forces. Severely wounded, by two bullets, he had to be carried from the field, but not until the victory was won. Returning home Comrade Logan recovered in time to participate in the Siege of Corinth under that academic soldier, General Halleck, who, through jealousy of the rising fame of Grant, had relieved him of active command of the army and nominated him as "second in command," a grade never before known to our army and never revived since, which was practically retirement in the face of the enemy. Having been promoted to Brigadier-General and assigned a brigade, Logan here developed the military instinct which proved him a soldier. With his command astride the Mobile and Ohio Railw^ay, which ran into Corinth, he heard the rumbling of the heavy trains running in and out of the enemy's camp, and believing the rebels were about to evacuate the place, so re- ported to General Grant. That soldier, being only second in command, could but forward the report of General Logan to his superior, which he i:)romptly did, and with his own endorse- 7 iiieuts. Halleck treated the report with indifference, inti- mating that Logan was ' ' talking through his hat " and that he had better be attending to his duties and not writing such nonsense. In the stiUness of the night the running of trains could more distinctly be heard, and General Logan, applying his ear to the rail, became convinced from the difference in sound that the trains going into Corinth -were empty and those coming out were heavily laden, again reported to General Grant, asking permission to feel the enemy, and, if he found him withdrawing, to attack. Impressed with Logan's earnestness, General Grant endorsed and again sent the report to his superior officer, who, angered with Logan's persistency, threatened to relieve him of his command and put him under arrest if he sent any more such reports. It was unnecessary, as it was soon afterwards learned that the enemy had evacuated Corinth as General Logan feared and of which General Grant, in his Memoirs, says: "May 28, 1862, General Logan informed me that the enemy had been evacuating for several days, and that, if allowed, he could go into Corinth with his brigade." Yet "Old Brains," as General Halleck was called, with a vastly superior force than the enemy, after consuming six weeks in advancing twenty miles, and intrenching an army of 100,000 on May 30th, issued his celebrated Corinth battle order, and in that order he said: "There is every indication that the enemy will attack our left this morning, as troops have been moving in that direction for some time. It will be well to make prepa- ration to send as many of the reserves as can be spared of the right wing in that direction, as soon as an attack is made in force." The army was sent into the trenches, and Halleck, with a handful of spades, sat down to the game where Enfields were trumps and artillery the winning card. There was no enemy in his front. Beauregard had commenced to evacuate Corinth, May 26th, and had entirely withdrawn May 29th, leaving in his earthworks a lot of wooden artillery, "cjuaker guns," but not a sick or wounded Confederate. Do you wonder that the (ireat Commander, the invincible (irant, trusted Loiiaii. ami cai'ly i-ccoiiiuicikIccI liiiii for pro- motion? From ("oi'iiitli to the operations in ami alioiit \ icksl)ur<:;, in conniiand of a dixision. in the army ot'tlrant. who had Ix'cn restored to lull connnand. we iind oni- Comrade e\-ei- in the front; Ins dix'ision (i head of his ti'oops. ( ienei'al Locentl>' been detailed for duty across the l)road ri\(>r of life, and is now bi\duacked on'Mame's eternal campinti' ui-ound." Dririnir our opei'ations at Chattanoojia. (leneral bofian, who had become a Major Ci(Miei-al. was in command of all the forceps along the lines of railway from Memphis to that city, where I occasionally saw and m(>t him. and where \w joined the combined armies of the Cumberland. Tennessee and Ohio, preparatoi'y to ihe Atlanta campaign, commencing May 4, 1864. one of the world's greatest series of marches and battles. For one Inmdred and twenty days we were engaged in con- tinuous fighting and flanking. When not engaged in the attack or assault, the men were kept busy dodging the bullets which, like swai'nis of l)ee<. went zi])ping about their heads, or diving into the i-ifle-pits to escape the burstinii' shell. N'olleys of musketry sounded the daily reveille and the thunder of artillery the nightly taps. Oidy thos(> who were i)resent can recall the terrible physical and mental strain of those four long, hot sunmier months of d(>s])erate fighting a determined foe com- manded b\- one of their most skillful generals. Ill this canipaign General T.og'an bore a distiiiiiiushed part as the commander of the well-known Fifteenth Corps of the Army of the Tennessee. When our army confronted Buzzard Roost Gap and Rock}- Face Ridge. General McPherson was sent with the Army of the Tennessee through Snake Creek Gap with orders to throw his command across the railway, assault Resaca, and prevent the retreat of Johnson's army as Sherman attacked in front. Here, again, our brother dis- played his soldierly ((ualities. Satisfied from the information brought him b}- his scouts of the enemy's weakness, he asked his Commander that he be permitted to attack the fortifi- cations with one division of his corps, but was refused. The army fell back and assumed the defensive, and Johnson escaped. Of this failure to carry out his plans. General Sherman wrote: "Such an opportunity does not occur twice in a single life, but at the critical moment McPherson seems to have been a little timid." And yet he was a trained soldier, while Logan was but a volunteer. I would not undervalue the great work of our military academy, nor detract from the fame and splen- did services of Gen. James B. AlcPherson. for I think even I^ogan would have been a better soldier had he had the aca- demic training, but I do submit that a volunteer soldier may be found capable of conunanding armies, as our loved Comrade was, and that West Point never yet i)ut brains into a martinet. But our loved companion and Comrade was yet to be put to a crucial test of his ability to command an army, and it came at a very trying time. A time when under orders to advance, believing the enemy had evacuated Atlanta (July 22. 1S64) and the troops were on the march, the enemy attacked in force. General .McPherson was killed, and the command of the Army of the Tennessee fell upon General Logan. Rapidly changing front to meet the flank and rear attacks of the enemy, om- distinguished Comrade rode down the lines, encouraging the men. Leaping the hastily constructed bits of defense and fighting froiu each side, the battle raged for hours. Boldly and repeatedly the enemy attacked, and were as often repulsed 10 CHICAGO HISTORICAL SOCIETV l)y (»ui' iiallaiil ('(Hiirailc's skilll'iil iiioNcniciit.-- aiiil ion of troops, ("oiitiiiuoiisly i-iiliiiL!, liis lines, at times like a per- fect (lemon of war, th(> hraxc l.oiian enthused tin- troops with his own (hiriiiji; spirit, and with " .McPhersoii and \'iclor\' " (which, litei-all\- t i-aiislaled, was "(iix-e ihcni liell. l)o\-s!") for his l)attk'-cry, the dealh of theii' hrave commandei-. the Chevalier Bayard of the I'liion army, was avon<;-e(l and Athinta won. ( )f this action (leneral Sherman says: '"I ])urposely allowed the Ai-niy of th(> Tennessee to huht this haltle almost unaided," and a few da>-s latcM- calleil a soldier of another army, because he was a graduate of the military academy, to the command of that iilorioiis Army of the Tennessee, which, under the X'olunteer (lenei-al .lohii A. Loiian. had won him Atlanta. "Was not that an act of injustice? Did oui- Comrade then sulk or ask to l)e relieved? No; hut. like the true patriot and brave soldier that he was. he went back to the connnaiid of his loved Fifteenth Army Corps, and under the new commander he s(>rved until the campaign (Mided in Se])tend)er at Jonesboi-o. Of the conduct of Cieneral Logan and the ti'oops at .lones- boro, the new commander said: "I wish to expi-ess my high gratification with the conduct of the troops engaged. I never saw better conduct in liattle. (Jeneral I.ogan, though ill and much worn out, was indefatigable, and the success of the day is as much attributable to him as to any one man." And this is the salve General Sherman, whom we all lo\e, applied to the wound with which he pierced the gallant heart of our brave Conu-ade: " Heachpuirters Militai'y Division of the .Mississippi, ■• In the Field near Atlanta, (la.. July 27, iSli-f. '' Gencntl John A. Logan: " Dear (ieneral : Take a good rest. I know you are worn out with mental and physical work. No one could have a higher ajipreciation of the responsibility thai devolved on you so unexi)ectedly, and the noble maimer in which you met it. 11 I fear you will feel (Usai)p()inte(l at not succeeding permanently to the command of the army and department. I assure you, in giving preference to (Jeneral Howard. I will not fail to give you every credit for having done so well. You have command of a good corps, a command that I would prefer to the more complicated one of a department, and if you will be patient it will come to you soon enough. Be assured of my entire confidence." 1 will not criticise that letter, as this is not the time, neither is it the place, and the few remaining minutes at my disposal will not permit. But I will invite your attention, briefly, to what another wrote of Logan one year before — one who was never known to make a mistake in his judgment of soldiers competent to command. Writing of the battle of Raymond, May 12, 1863, and his opinion of the division commanders, General Grant says: "I regarded Logan and Crocker (the latter a young officer from Iowa) as being as competent division commanders as could l)e found in or out of the army, and both equal to a much higher command." In July following, after the close of the Mcksburg campaign and the capture of that city, the old commander wrote of these same two officers: "Logan and Crocker ended the campaign, fitted to command independent armies." The Atlanta campaign successfully closed, the Presidential canvass near an end, and the situation as to the re-election of Mr. Lincoln doubtful, at the request of President Lincoln, General Logan was given a leave of absence that he might return to Illinois and assist the government at home as he had done in the front, and upon all sides as he had at Atlanta, which he ditl and returned to the field. At this time Sherman was coming out at Savannah from his march to the sea; General Thomas was at Nashville with Hood in his front; General Grant, fearful that Hood would leave Nashville and go into Kentucky, became impatient that Thomas did not attack, and ordered General Logan to Tennessee to relieve Thomas. Here was the opportunity for General 12 I-oiiaii li;nl lie licni possessed nf the im n'l liii.'ile ainliiliiiii he was accused of, or the \iiidicl ixc spii-il he \\a> saiil In possess. Cleiieral Sheniiaii had said thai he did not considec F-o^uii "(Miual to the coimnand of thfee coi'ps." and that he was a "politician l)y nalui'e and expei'ieiice," in all of which ( lenefal 'idiomas had au'i'cH'd. and had " fcinoiist fateil wai'inly against my ((icnei'al Sliefniaii) I'ecoininendinti that (lenei'al Lo movements at Chat tanoof;a. and \-et , realizing what all this meant to (leneral Thomas, the magnani- mous Logan delayed carrying General (Jrant's order into execution and proceeded deliberately toward Nashville. Was there ever such unselfishness displayed in high places? Was self ever so ignored in the varioiis changes which had taken place in the command of the Federal armies, and was act ever more generous? To those who knew General Logan as your speaker knew him, all this is quite plain and but characteristic of the man. Conscious of his own integrity, he had no other and)ition than to do right, todo his duty, to do unto others as he woukl have them do unto him, and to supplant no man. Arriving at Louisville, Ky., enroute to Nashville, and i)eing informed that Thomas had attacked General Hood, doubled u\) his left and was driving him, Logan wired General (irant and asked that he he recalled and Thomas left in command of his army. General Logan was recalled, proceeded to rejoin his old command, and shortly thereafter was assigned to the command of the Army of the Tennessee, and was its commander at the time of muster out on the close of that great war for the I'liion. Returning to civil life, our Comrade was soon callecl upon to take a seat in the halls of Congress as a mend:)er-at-large from Illinois, and in 1871 he was elected to the .'Senate of the United States. In 1878 it was my good fortune to head the ticket for State officers, and General Logan being a candidate for re-election 1.3 to the Senate, we canvassed the State together. During the several months of that exciting campaign we traveled and spoke together, and I came to know General Logan as I never before knew him. That he was a patriot, and a soldier competent to "com- mand independent armies," is the testimony of that great soldier whose honored name this Grand Army Post bears, who never failed in the selection of his lieutenants — Ulysses S. Grant. That he was an honest, able and incorruptible states- man, the records of the Congress of the United States attest: As a citizen, he did his full duty; as a father, he was kind and considerate ; while, as a husband, the love of that wife who still lives, gives ample proof. A few more words and I am done. It was my good fortune to be the Lieutenant-Governor of this great State wiien Senator Logan was a candidate for re-election the third time, and, as President of the State Senate, I frequently presided in joint session of both Houses during that long and exciting election, made so by the two parties having an equal number of votes on joint l^allot. That I several times saved General Logan from defeat, when unlawful means were resorted to, notably when the House refused to place upon its rolls of membership the name of Capt. William H. Weaver, who had been elected to fill a vacancy caused by the death of a member of the House, are well-know^n facts. But those days are past, and the General was re-elected, serving his coiuitry in its highest legislative branch until called to a brighter and better land. With the Governor and other State officers I attended the funeral of our dear Comrade in the Senate Chamber of the LTnitecl States and served as an honorary pall-bearer. General Logan was a Freemason from his earliest manhood and had become a member of Chevalier Bayard Commandery of this city, which Commandery sent me its beauseant to drape the casket of their loved Sir Knight, and learning that it would be pleasing to the loving and disconsolate wife that was left to moiu'n, I saw his casket wrapped with that emblem of our U MRS. JOHN A. LOGAN Comrade's faith, as it was with the flag of the country he had so nobly served, and they were buried with him. As all earthly things decay and disappear from view, taking on some other form of usefulness antl beauty, I think in the dim future that I see the morning sun take up the colors of our flag to beautify its refulgent rays, allotting its stars to the blue firmament about it. While, as Constantine of old saw the emblem of our faith in the heavens on the eve of ]:)attle assuring him of victory, so I see the cross of that Templar banner of Chevalier Bayard Commandery in the glorious light of the rising sun, and beside it the spirit of our Companion and Comrade, Major General John Alexander Logan. Comrades of the Grand Army of the Republic! As our ranks are being depleted and we approach the pontoon upon which to cross to that eternal Camping Ground upon which our Commanders are nearly all bivouacked, may we not as we pass in review the memory of the great deeds of our loved Comrade and Commander General, John A. Logan, exclaim: "Morituri te SahUant!" THE REVIEW "Morituri te salutant;" Say the soldiers, as they pass; Not in uttered words they say it, But we feel it as they pass: "We that are about to perish — We salute you as we pass." On his pawing steed the General Scans the waves of men that pass And his eyes at times are misty, Then are blazing, as they pass; And his breast with pride is heaving As the stalwart veterans pass. rjallant chiefs, their swords presenting. Trail them proudly as they pass; Battle banners, torn and glorious, Dip, saluting, as they pass; Brazen clangors shake the welkin As the marching columns pass. Oh, our comrades! gone before us. In the last review to pass, Never more to earthly chieftain Dipping colors as you pass — Heaven accord you gentle judgment When before its throne you pass! Naught of golden pomp or glitter Marks the veterans as they pass; Travel-stained, but bronzed and sinewy. Firmly, proudly on they pass; And we hear them — "Morituri Te salutant," as they pass. To the souls of all our perished We, who still saluting pass, Dip the flag and trail the saber As with wasted ranks we pass; And we murmur "Morituri Vos salutant," as we pass. 16 EQUESTRIAN STATUE Grant Park, Chicago LIBRARY OF CONGRESS ill 013 787 762 4 '