CHAPTER XLI. THE LIEUTENANT-GENERAL'S MILITARY HOUSEHOLD. GENERAL RAWLINS, CHIEF OF STAFF.-COLONEL BOWERS.-GENERAL COMSTOCK.— COLONEL BABCOCK.-COLONEL PORTER.-COLONEL HUDSON.-COLONEL Badeau.— COLONEL PARKER.-MAJOR LEET.-CAPTAIN DUNN.-GENERAL WILLIAMS.--GENERAL WEBSTER.-COLONEL LAGOW.-COLONEL HILLYER.-GENERAL MOPHERSON.COLONEL ROWLEY.-COLONEL RIGGIN.-Colonel Ihrie.-MAJOR PRIME.-COLONEL DUFF.-GENERAL WILSON.-CAPTAIN Ross.-GENERAL DENT.-GENERAL KENT.— GENERAL BARNARD.-MAJOR KUYKENDAL.-COLONEL DICKEY.-MAJOR AUDENRIED. GENERAL SMITH.-MAJOR H. C. ROBINETTE.-CAPTAIN D. E. PORTER.LIEUTENANT H. N. TOWNER. HOWEVER the biographer may be deterred by motives of delicacy from intruding into the domestic circle of the lieutenant-general, it is plainly a part of his duty to present to his readers the personality of those officers who surround him, and, by his own choice, constitute his military household. The world is anxious to know the nature and characters of the men by whom his will is transmitted, and the details of his plans presented daily to his armies. To satisfy this demand, we present the following brief sketches of these officers. GENERAL JOHN A. RAWLINS, CHIEF OF STAFF. Major-General John A. Rawlins is the son of James D. and Louisa Rawlins. He was born February 13, 1831, in JoDaviess County, State of Illinois, and resided there until he entered the service, in September, 1861. His occupations, until November, 1854, were farming and burning charcoal. Three years of this time, principally from the winter seasons, were devoted to acquiring an education-two years and four months of the three years in attending the neighborhood school, and the remaining eight months at the Rock River Seminary, at Mount Morris, Illinois. In November, 1854, he began the study of law in the office of J. P. Stevens, Esq., of Galena, Illinois, and was admitted to the bar of that State in October, 1855. He at once commenced the practice of his profession in copartnership with his law-instructor, and continued until August, 1856, when, by mutual agreement, the copartnership was dissolved, and the business retained and carried on by him. In September, 1858, he took into copartnership in the practice David Sheean, Esq., which copartnership still existed when Rawlins entered the service. In politics he was a Democrat, and was active in the support of the principles of that party, adhering to Mr. Douglas as their exponent; and was candidate for presidential elector from the First congressional district of that State, on the Douglas ticket, in 1860, and canvassed his district in its support, holding joint discussions in each county with the Republican candidate for presidential elector, Judge Allen C. Fuller. His party and personal friends awarded to him much credit for ability in these discussions. Having done, in his judgment, all that one in his position could to avert the war, when it did come, he had no doubt as to the duty of every American citizen to support his country and maintain in authority its constitutionally elected Executive, even to the laying down of his life, if need be; and with all his ability and influence, he sought to make this the generally received view of others, especially of his own party. On receipt of the news of the first Bull Run disaster, he commenced, in conjunction with John E. Smith (now brevet major-general of volunteers) and J. A. Maltby (now brigadiergeneral of volunteers), to raise the Forty-fifth or "Lead-mine Regiment," Illinois Infantry Volunteers; when, in August, he received from General Grant, with whom he had been acquainted from the time of his settling in Galena (and for whose house in that place he was the attorney), without having sought it, the tender of a position on his staff, which he accepted. The dangerous illness of Mrs. Rawlins (who had been long a sufferer from consumption, and was then at her father's, Mr. Hiram Smith, at Goshen, N. Y.`, called him East, where he remained by her side until her decease, August 30. With this severe personal affliction resting upon him, he made arrangements for the care of the three children that she left a son and two daughters, the eldest of whom was in his fifth year-and joined General Grant, on the 15th of September, at Cairo, Illinois, as his assistant adjutant-general, with the rank of captain, having been appointed such the 30th of the preceding month; and was with him from that time, in all his battles, and campaigns, and military operations in the field, until the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Courthouse, Va., except about two months-from the 31st of July, 1864, to the 1st of October following-when he was absent for the treatment of a severe bronchial affection he had contracted in the service. He has since been with him in Washington. The relations between Grant and Rawlins, personally and officially, are, and have always been, of the most intimate, friendly, and confidential character. He was commissioned major and assistant adjutant-general, to rank from the date of the surrender of Fort Donelson; was assigned in orders as assistant adjutant-general and chief of staff, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel, November 1, 1862; was appointed a brigadier-general of volunteers, to rank from August 11, 1863; brevetted major-general of volunteers, to rank from February 24, 1865. March 3, 1865, he was appointed chief of staff to the lieutenant-general commanding, with the rank of brigadier-general in the United States Army; and he has since been brevetted major-general, United States Army, to rank from March 13, 1865. NOTE. In order to indicate clearly the estimation in which General Rawlins is held by General Grant, we publish the following letters, which could not be couched in stronger terms: HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE TENNESSEE, BRIGADIER-GENERAL L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General of the Army: GENERAL-I would respectfully recommend, for gallant and meritorious services, and for extreme fitness for command corresponding to the increased |