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CHAPTER XXI.

LIFE AND CHARACTER OF GEN. KIRK-HIS LAW STUDIES-ENTRANCE UPON THE MILI TARY STAGE-ON THE MILITARY BOARD OF EXAMINERS-WOUNDED AT SHILOHTRIBUTES OF GEN. McCook and BUELL-IN COMMAND AT LOUISVILLE-WOUNDed at STONE RIVER HIS DEATH-CHARACTER OF GEN. KIRK-COL. VON TREBRA-SKETCH OF HIS LIFE-COL. SHERIDAN P. READ-KILLED AT STONE RIVER-COL. GEO. W. ROBERTS HIS IMPORTANT SERVICES-FELL WITH HIS FACE TO THE FOE-COL. JOSEPH R. SCOTT-THE NATIONAL CADETS-HIS MILITARY Knowledge-ORGANIZATION OF THE 19TH-THE LEFT WAS Saved, but SCOTT WAS LOST.

DWARD N. KIRK was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, on

EDWA 230 of February, 1828. His parents were quakers, and

in early life he became imbued with the serenity of disposition and steadiness of habit characterizing that sect. He graduated with honor at the Friends' Academy at Mount Pleasant, Ohio, and then taught school at Cadiz; but he had laid out his life-plan deeply and broadly, and urged on by a noble ambition which had for its source a harmoniously formed character, and for its design the most excellent ultimate, the confines of the school room became too narrow for him. He longed to step out into the world among active men and win his place. He gave up the school, chose the profession of the law and entered the office of Gen. Bostwick, a prominent lawyer of Cadiz; continued with him a short time, and completed his studies with Judge Bartol of Baltimore, in which city he was admitted to the bar in 1853. He practiced law in Baltimore for one year, and then removed to and permanently settled in Sterling, Illinois. On the 15th of October, 1858, he married Miss E. M. Cameron, of Philadelphia, an accomplished lady, who sympathized with his aspirations and aided in their accomplishment.

Immediately after the battle of Bull Run, when the demand for

men was pressing, he set about raising and organizing a regiment which he tendered to Governor Yates, but at the date of its organization more regiments had been tendered to the Governor than he was authorized to accept. Determined that his regiment should go to the field, he telegraphed to the War Department, and through the influence of friends it was accepted, his commission as Colonel dating from the 15th of August, 1861. Almost instantly he became celebrated not alone for the superiority in drill and bearing which he gave to his regiment, but for his remarkable comprehension of military science, which gained for him a position upon the Military Board of Examiners at Munfordsville, Ky., to pass upon the qualifications of officers. At the battle of Shiloh he was a second Murat. Cool and self-possessed, he led his fine regiment into the very thickest of the fight. Although wounded by a ball which struck him in the right shoulder, partially fracturing the joint, passing below the collar bone and lodging against the breast bone, inflicting a dangerous and painful wound, he refused to leave the field until the issue of the battle was decided. General McCook said of him: "He coolly and judiciously led his men under fire. He has been in command of the fifth brigade for some months, and much of its efficiency is due to the care and labor he bestowed upon it. I respectfully call your attention to his meritorious services upon this day." General Buell in his report commended him "to the favor of the government for his distinguished gallantry and good conduct." In spite of the protestations of the physicians, who knew the character of the wound, he remained at Shiloh for several days, determined to lead his brigade in person in the campaign against Corinth. The result was an inflammatory fever which necessitated his removal to Louisville, where for a long time he hung between life and death.

On the 24th of August, though still suffering from the effects of his wound and from general debility, he started to rejoin his old command but was stopped by an order from General Boyle commanding the army of Kentucky, to take charge of an expedition in defence of Lebanon, Ky., then seriously threatened by Kirby Smith's forces. During the day, however, word came that Lebanon was safe and the expedition was relinquished. He once more de

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termined to rejoin his gallant brigade, but was again impeded by an order from General Boyle, to assume command of all the forces at Louisville, including the new regiments which were rapidly arriving to repel Bragg's invasion. He retained command of these troops until relieved by General Gilbert, when he was assigned to the command of the first brigade, second division, "army of Kentucky," under Major-General Nelson. About this time occurred the defeat of our forces at Richmond, and he was ordered with his brigade and a small cavalry force to cover the retreat of our troops, an operation which he performed with great credit and military success. On the 28th of September, he was ordered to the command of his old brigade and was welcomed with the warmest delight both by officers and men.

On the 29th of November, the government commissioned him a Brigadier-General for his "heroic action, gallantry and ability," and certainly no officer of the State of Illinois ever wore the single star with more credit. He conferred honor upon the star, rather than the star, honor upon him. His splendid conduct upon the field of Stone River, we have already chronicled-how he strove to hold back the overwhelming rebel hordes; how he accomplished, but in vain, all that man could accomplish to save his brigade, and how he was wounded. His wound was a severe one, the ball lodged near the spine, and compelled him to withdraw from the field. He went to Louisville, where he consulted eminent surgical talent, but it was decided not to extract the ball, on the ground that his physical strength would not allow of the operation. He thence went to his home in Sterling where he gained in health and strength, and determined to have the ball extracted that he once more might go to the field. To this end he went to Chicago to undergo an operation. at the hands of Dr. Brainard. The bali was successfully taken out and for a short time it seemed as if he were about to entirely recover, but symptoms of an alarming nature set in, and although every attention was bestowed upon him by his devoted wife, his friends and physicians, he died in the most excruciating pain on the 21st of July, 1863.

General Kirk was tall in stature and dignified in bearing, a man born to rule, and while he commanded obedience, none the less to

command not only respect but love. He had a broad, intellectual forehead, dark eyes and hair, and a scholarly, genial, thoughtful face. He was mild in his disposition, talented in his conversation, friendly in his intercourse, and unostentatious in his dress. In his presence you knew you were in the presence of a superior man, but at the same time you longed to be familiar with him. As a citizen, he strictly and conscientiously performed all the duties of life; as a lawyer, his place was among the foremost; as a speaker, his power lay in the sincerity and honesty of his character rather than in eloquence; as a politician, he was conservative until treason reared its snaky crest-then he merged the politician in the patriot; as a soldier, he was brave, fearless, chivalrous, skillful and God-fearing, combining the qualities of Murat with the devotion of Havelock, sans peur et sans reproche. The officers and men of his old regiment, the 34th Illinois, who loved him almost as a father, have erected a monument to his memory, one side of which bears the following inscription-an extract of one of his letters, written to his uncle, Prof. N. C. Brooks, LL.D., President of the Baltimore Female College, and dated the 7th of April, 1863—" For me, I only hope to have it said, and I ask nothing prouder, 'In the time of peril and darkness he helped to save the commonwealth.'

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We deem this chapter a fitting place to commemorate the life and services of Colonel Von Trebra, an adopted son of Illinois, whose name has not figured in our narrative, as he commanded an Indiana regiment. He was born in Niedor Gorge, near Siejan in Prussia, on the 28th of September, 1830. He attended the gymnasium in Lubin until 1841. From there he went to the military school at Potsdam, where he remained until 1845, when he went to the military academy at Berlin. In 1847, he was promoted to a 1st lieutenancy and joined the 12th infantry. He served with this regiment through the Polish campaign and remained in the Prussian service until 1854, when he came to the United States. When the war broke out, like many others who had come to this country for the sake of its freedom, he took up arms in its defence, and on the 17th of December 1861, fought in the battle of Munfordsville. He served in the battle of Shiloh, the siege of Corinth, and the Alabama and Kentucky campaigns. On the 18th of July, he was commissioned

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Colonel of the regiment, Colonel Willich, its former commander, having been promoted to a brigadier-generalship. After the departure of the army from Louisville to check the movement of Bragg, serious illness compelled him to ask for a leave of absence, which was granted. He repaired to his farm at Arcola, Illinois, but never returned to the field. After a long and painful illness, the patriot farmer died on the 6th of August, 1883, and was buried near his home. Death summoned him when his sword was sheathed, but that sword had done good work, and there was no stain of dishonor upon its blade. He died a hero in the service of his country though not upon the bloody field. None the less his memory claims the love and gratitude of those for whom he fought.

Colonel Sheridan P. Read was born in Champaign county, Ohio, in 1829. He was educated at the Ohio University at Athens, Ohio, and graduated at the law school of the Indiana University, at Bloomington, under the instruction of Judges McDonald and Otto. He first commenced the practice of law at Terre Haute, Indiana, but in 1853, he removed to Paris, Illinois. When the call was made for troops in 1862, he volunteered as a private soldier, and was ap pointed Lieutenant-Colonel of the 79th Illinois, and on the 18th of October following was commissioned Colonel of the regiment. He was a skillful and gallant officer and brought his regiment to a high degree of soldierly bearing and skill. He fell at Stone River, as we have before stated, his head pierced by a musket ball while bravely leading his men, and died instantly. His remains were brought to Paris, and interred near his home. Colonel Read was a lawyer from an ardent attachment to the profession in which he held a high rank. He was always active in everything which pertained to the good of his own community. He was zealous in the cause of education, and for several years the school commissioner of Edgar county. In the mechanical and agricultural interests of his county and the State at large, he took a deep and abiding interest. In politics, he was a Democrat, and was for some time editor of a Democratic paper in Paris. When the war broke out, however, he dropped the pen, took up the sword for his country and died in its defence.

Col. Geo. W. Roberts was born at Chester, Westchester county,

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