While the difficulty between General McClernand and General Grant is to be regretted, it is due to the former to state that he never allowed it to impair his efficiency. We believe he always did his duty manfully and to the extent of his ability. Of his fighting qualities, none, either friend or foe, ever doubted. Although the larger part of his life had been spent in the wordy war of politics, he entered the real theater of war as a trained actor, skilled to carry out his part. He was identified with the war from its very initiation, imbued the southern part of Illinois, where he was a great favorite, with the military spirit, and was never slow, either by advice or by direct physical aid, to encourage and further the cause of the Union. He only resigned when he thought that his services had ceased to be valuable, looking upon his removal to the banks of the Rio Grande as an intimation to that effect.

MAJOR-GENERAL LOGAN.

John A. Logan, the Murat of Illinois bravery, was born in Jackson county, Illinois, February 9, 1826, near the present town of Murphysboro. His father was of Irish descent, and removed to Illinois in 1823. His mother was from Tennessee. During his earlier years he had few educational privileges, as at that early day in Illinois, schools were the exceptions, and their advantages were of the most limited nature. His education was obtained largely at home from his father and from hired teachers, and in 1840 he added to his stock of knowledge by attending an academy in his county, dignified by the name of Shiloh College. His quick perception and tenacious memory enabled him thoroughly to improve his fugitive advantages, and retain and improve what he acquired at the schools.

When the Mexican war broke out, although at that time but a lad of nineteen, he volunteered, and was elected Lieutenant of a company commanded by James Hampton, of Jackson county, in the 1st regiment Illinois volunteers. With these he faithfully served his time, his career being marked especially by coolness and unflinching bravery. In October, 1848, he returned home and entered upon the study of the law in the office of his uncle, Alexander M. Jenkins, formerly Lieutenant-Governor of Illinois, and while thus pursuing his studies, in November, 1849, was elected clerk of his county, which office he held until 1850. During that year he went to Louis

ENTERS THE SERVICE.

483 ville, Ky., to attend law lectures. In 1851 he was admitted to the bar, and returning home, commenced the practice of the law with his uncle. He obtained a prominent position in his profession almost immediately, and was rapidly elevated by his wide-spread popularity. In 1852 he was elected prosecuting attorney of the then 3d judicial circuit, and removed to Benton, Franklin county, Illinois, and in the fall of that year was elected to the Legislature to represent the counties of Franklin and Jackson.

On the 27th of November, 1855, he was married at Shawneetown to Miss Mary S. Cunningham, daughter of John W. Cunningham, formerly register of the land-office at that place. In May, 1856, he was appointed Presidential elector for the 9th Congressional district, and at the November election was re-elected to the Legislature. In 1858 he was nominated and elected to Congress by the Democracy of the 9th district over his Republican opponent by a large majority. In 1860 he was re-elected from the same district. In the winter of 1860, by the action of the Legislature, his county was thrown out of his old district and added to one running northward, and after his return he removed to Marion, Williamson county, that he might still be in his district.

At the outbreak of the war and during the extra session of Congress, in July, 1861, he entered the ranks of Col. Richardson's regiment, and displayed marked bravery at the disastrous battle of Bull Run. He returned home in 1861, fully determined to devote himself, body and soul, to the cause of his country, and on the 3d of September, made a speech to his constituents, in which he declared his intention to enter the service as a "private, or in any manner he could serve his country best in defending and bearing the old bloodstained flag over every foot of soil in the United States." His great popularity and the wide-spread influence he exerted, for in his district he was an idol among the people, at once rallied them to the cause, and on the 16th of September, the 31st regiment was organized at Cairo and immediately recommended him for their Colonel. He was appointed to the post and held his commission from that date. His regiment was attached to General McClernand's brigade, and although only organized for a short time, and having had only six weeks' drill, the heroic part taken by the regiment in the battle

of Belmont, on the 7th of November, 1861, proved the qualities of their commander, how active he had been in instruction and how rigid in discipline. He commanded his regiment through the most trying circumstances in the rear of Fort Henry, at the capture of that important post, and in command of 200 cavalry pursued and captured eight of the enemy's guns. During the three days' siege and attack on Fort Donelson, he was constantly engaged and rendered the most valuable service. On the morning of the 15th of February he was wounded while rallying his men when their ammunition was nearly exhausted, although they were hard pressed by a superior force. The bullet entered the fore part of the left arm near the point of the shoulder, passing round and out through the shoulder. Regardless of his wound and despising danger, he kept on the field, and by his magnificent bearing and personal influence, kept his position until reinforcements arrived, when he was forced to retire, weak with the loss of blood and exhausted with fatigue, to have his wounds dressed. He remained prostrated for three weeks with the wound in his shoulder, lameness from being struck in the hip with a spent ball, and disease contracted by exposure.

On the 5th of March, 1862, he was confirmed as Brigadier-General, and reported to General Grant at Pittsburg Landing, who assigned to his command the 8th, 18th, 30th and 31st Illinois and 12th Michigan regiments, of which he retained command during the movement on Corinth. He was a perfect master of the situation before Corinth, and had General John A. Logan commanded, few of the rebel troops would have had an opportunity to escape. He repeatedly insisted on pressing on, but the orders were adverse to bringing on a general engagement, and the Halleckian policy would not allow him to go beyond our lines. From this place he commanded the division engaged in re-building the road to Jackson and Columbus. After the completion of the road he was placed in command of the forces at Jackson, Tenn., from which place, under date of August 26th, he sent a noble and patriotic letter to Hon. O. M. Hatch, Secretary of State, of Illinois, and read at the Union convention in September, 1862, declining to become a candidate for Congress for the State at large. We ap pend some extracts from this letter:

"In making this reply, I feel that it is unnecessary to enlarge as to what were,

A NOBLE LETTER.

485 are, or may hereafter be my political views, but would simply state that politics of every grade and character whatsoever are now ignored by me, since I am convinced that the constitution and life of this republic-which I shall never cease to adore— are in danger. I I express all my views and politics when I assert my attachment for the Union. I have no other politics now, and consequently no aspirations for civil place and power.

"No! I am to-day a soldier of this Republic, so to remain, changeless and immutable until her last and weakest enemy shall have expired and passed away. Ambitious men, who have not a true love for their country at heart, may bring forth crude and bootless questions to agitate the pulse of our troubled nation and thwart the preservation of this Union, but for none of such am I. I have entered the field-to die if needs be-for this Government, and never expect to return to peaceful pursuits until the object of this war for preservation has become a fact established.

"For the flattering manner in which you have seen fit to allude to my past services; I return you my sincere thanks; but if it has been my fortune to bleed and suffer for my dear country, it is all but too little compared to what I am willing again and again to endure; and should fate so ordain it, I will esteem it as the highest privilege a just Dispenser can award, to shed the last drop of blood in my veins for the honor of that flag whose emblems are justice, liberty and truth, and which has been, and, as I humbly trust in God, ever will be for the right.

"In conclusion, let me request that your desire to associate my name with the high and honorable position you would confer upon me, be at once dismissed, and some more suitable and worthy person substituted. Meanwhile I shall continue to look with unfeigned pride and admiration on the continuance of the present able conduct of our State affairs, and feel that I am sufficiently honored while acknowledged as an humble soldier of our own peerless State."

Fitting words for a hero, and worthy to be framed in gold. That letter may challenge the whole literature of the war to find its equal in sincere patriotism, native manliness and dignity. It is no vain boasting. Every line and letter of it has been more than sustained in the course pursued by General Logan. Of his important service in the battles preliminary to the siege of Vicksburg, and the prominent part he took in the siege of that city, we have already spoken. He nobly sustained the honor of his state and his own fame through those trying months of exposure and battle. The citizens of his State have also followed him with pride through the terrible battles in Northern Georgia, and found that his name was always the signal of success. In the election canvass of 1864, he espoused the cause of the government, and threw himself into it with all the ardor of

his fiery nature. The same influence which had rallied the men of Egypt by thousands around the Stars and Stripes, was again brought to bear upon them for what he deemed the best of causes. Former political opinions were laid aside or buried. He worked like a giant, and with his rare and matchless eloquence, and fascinating personal magnetism so won the people of Southern Illinois, that they once more as in old times, hailed him as their leader, and followed his guidance. He advocated the cause of the Union on the stump as vigorously and thoroughly as he had advocated it in the field with more compulsory weapons, and this without any meretricious idea or hope of preferment. He had repeatedly declined offices tendered him, always saying that he was a soldier of the Union, and that he should not leave the service nor lay down the sword as long as there was a rebel in arms against the government. With his promotion to a Major-Generalship, his prowess in the march upon Atlanta, his gallant deeds in the battles around that city, and his participation in the marches through the Carolinas, our readers are familiar. They are appropriate episodes, each taking its place harmoniously in the record of his eventful and patriotic life. Of his personal appearance a writer well says:

"Were one to pass our Generals in review, and endeavor from their countenances to select the man with the most gunpowder in his disposition, he would undoubtedly choose Gen. John A. Logan. He is marked by a square, massive frame of medium hight, a countenance swarthy as that of an Indian, jet black hair, and eyes of the most piercing blackness. The general ferocity of his appearance is not detracted from by a heavy black moustache, whose ends drop below his jaw on either side, and this effect is hightened by a broad, short neck, like that of a bull or gladiator. And yet, when the General's countenance is not lighted by the glow of battle, his swarthy face is sunny with good nature, and his eyes ablaze with fun and good humor. No commander in the army is more popular with his men than he; their love for him as a man is only equaled by their confidence in him as a leader. In all operations he is omnipresent, encouraging his men with advice, urging them on with some funny joke, ever at their head in battle, only happy when moving, and only completely happy when hurling his invincible brigades against the enemy."