USA > Pennsylvania > Lives of the governors of Pennsylvania : with the incidental history of the state, from 1609 to 1873 > Part 38
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The new Governor was not long in ascertaining the true state of affairs, nor in deciding upon his course of action. Upon arriving at Lecompton, he said to the citizens there assembled : "I appear among you as a stranger to most of you, and for the first time have the honor to address you as Governor of the Territory of Kansas. The position was not sought by me, but was voluntarily tendered and pressed upon my acceptance by the Chief Magistrate of the nation. I am here because, as an American citizen, deeply conscious of the blessings which flow from our beloved Union, I did not feel myself at liberty to shrink from any duties, however
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delicate and onerous, required of me by my country. With a full knowledge of the circumstances surrounding the Ex- ecutive office, I have deliberately accepted it; and, as God may give me ability, I will endeavor to faithfully meet its varied requirements. The Constitution of the United States and the Organic Law of the Territory will be the lights by which I shall be guided in my official action." The same just and patriotic sentiments pervaded his first message to the Territorial Legislature. "I will," said he, " administer equal and exact justice to all men of whatever political or religious persuasion."
Acting upon these principles of right, the Governor's policy was quickly productive of the happiest results. The pro-slavery party, expecting his active sympathy, violently denounced his impartiality. The anti-slavery party, smarting under the sense of their wrongs, accused him of excessive leniency toward their enemies. But he firmly refused to incline to either side, and by the exercise of a vigilant and strong authority, managed to restrain both factions, and bring them within the bounds of law and order. The armies which he found facing each other were disbanded and sent to their homes. The courts were regularly convened; the laws were duly enforced; life and property were adequately protected. In less than one month from the day on which he assumed the Executive functions, he was enabled to address the Hon. William L. Marcy, Secretary of State, in the following terms : "Peace now reigns in Kansas. Confidence is being grad- ually restored. Citizens are resuming their ordinary pursuits. Settlers are returning to their claims, and general gladness pervades the community." Thus was the state of things realized which the Federal authorities at Washington hoped for at the time of his appointment. It was expected, how- ever, that peace would be restored to the Territory in such a manner as would insure the ascendency of the pro-slavery party, and the admission of the Territory into the Union as a Slave State. But Governor Geary could not comprehend how the Organic Act could be made to bear a construction which
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would inevitably produce that result; nor how, in view of his oath, he could be a party to such an issue without first com- mitting perjury. He accordingly followed the line of the law. Under the protection of the law, anti-slavery immi- gration rapidly increased, and anti-slavery sentiment grew stronger every day. It was soon perceived in the pro- slavery circles, both of Lecompton and Washington, that if he continued in the office of Governor, Kansas would be lost to slavery forever. Applications were therefore poured in upon the President from the Territory for his removal. Had Mr. Pierce remained, he would doubtless have listened and consented. But his term had expired, and James Buchanan had succeeded to the Chief Magistracy. The Governor well knew the character of the new President, and what would be his policy. Accordingly, on the very day of his inauguration, he forwarded to him the following letter of resignation :
" EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, KANSAS TERRITORY, LECOMPTON, March 4, 1857.
" HIS EXCELLENCY, JAMES BUCHANAN,
President of the United States :
"Dear Sir :- Please accept my resignation as Governor of Kansas Territory, to take effect on the 20th of the present month, by which time you will be enabled to select and appoint a proper successor.
"With high respect, your friend and obedient servant, JOHN W. GEARY."
The fatal project of disunion by force of arms was now being carefully matured by leading Southern men. The opportunity was regarded as in every way auspicious. Dis- cerning minds on the opposite side in the great struggle clearly saw that the crisis was approaching, and by a power- ful appeal to the country succeeded in carrying the impend- ing Presidential election in the interests of freedom. The South, feeling that the decisive moment had come, declined
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to give Mr. Lincoln a trial, or even to wait for his inaugu- ration.
Any one who knew the principles and character, the private and public antecedents of Governor Geary, could not for a moment doubt as to which side he would take in the gigantic conflict thus precipitated upon the country. He was at his farm in Westmoreland when the sound of the rebellion's first gun broke upon the ear of the nation. Early on the morn- ing following the eventful day, he drove his farm-wagon to the neighboring village, and there first heard the news of the assault upon Fort Sumter. In less than an hour after reading the telegram he had opened an office for the enlistment of volunteers. As soon as he could communicate with the President, he tendered his services, and was immediately commissioned Colonel, with authority to raise a regiment for the defence of the Union. In the course of a few weeks he received applications from sixty-six companies, soliciting per- mission to join his command. On account of the numerous and urgent appeals, he was permitted to increase his regiment to fifteen companies, with one battery of six guns, making the full complement to consist of fifteen hundred and fifty-one officers and men. The artillery company was that which subsequently became so celebrated as Knap's Battery.
As soon as the equipment of his command was completed, Colonel Geary received orders to proceed to Harper's Ferry, and report to General Banks, by whom he was assigned to the duty of guarding with his regiment twenty-one miles of the Potomac river. While engaged in securing a quantity of wheat from the enemy's hands near Harper's Ferry, he was attacked, on the 16th of October, 1861, by a force of upwards of five thousand men, with seven guns, under Generals Ashby and Evans, and with a force of only one thousand men and four guns repulsed them. In this battle, known as that of Bolivar, the Colonel was wounded in the right knee. It was the first fight of the regiment, but the men acted with great gallantry and succeeded in capturing one gun from the enemy.
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Colonel Geary was given the advance of the corps in a for- ward movement made in the following spring. On the 8th of March he captured Leesburg, and led the van of the column which subsequently obliged the Confederate forces to evacuate all the towns north of the Rappahannock, and abandon their strongholds at Snicker's,. Ashby's, Manassas, and Chester Gaps, in the Blue Mountains. These operations were effected while Stonewall Jackson was within striking distance near Winchester; and for his share in them, Colonel Geary was promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General, his commission bearing date of April 25th, 1862. The greater part of the time that he held the rank of Colonel he had commanded a brigade, and immediately upon his promotion he was as- signed to the command of the First Brigade, Second Divi- sion, Second Corps, General C. C. Augur being Division commander, and Major-General N. P. Banks commander of the corps.
By appointment of the President, on the 26th of June, 1862, Major-General John Pope assumed command of the army of Virginia, consisting of the corps of Fremont, Banks, and McDowell. On the 9th of August, Banks' troops had a severe engagement with Stonewall Jackson's at Cedar Moun- tain. The day was oppressively hot, and the Union troops suffered much from exhaustion, but still more from the fierce and well-directed assaults of that great commander. General Geary was wounded slightly in the left foot and severely in the right arm. The battle was gallantly contested, but the results were adverse to the Union arms.
The wound in the arm proved so serious, that, to save the limb from amputation, he was ordered home for treatment. At the close of this campaign, General Banks was transferred to the command of the Department of the South, General Slocum succeeded to the command of the Twelfth Corps, and General Geary was promoted to the command of the Second Division.
The Twelfth Corps did not participate in the battle of Fredericksburg. Shortly after his defeat in that engagement,
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General Burnside was relieved of the command of the army of the Potomac, at his own request, and was succeeded by General Hooker.
The balance of the winter and the first weeks of spring were spent in bringing the army to a state of efficiency, and in forming a comprehensive plan of campaign. Having crossed the Rappahannock and Rapidan, on the 1st, 2d, and 3d of May, Hooker gave battle to Lee at Chancellorsville. General Geary was wounded in the breast by a fragment of shell, and the killed, wounded, and missing of his Division, during the three days, amounted to one thousand two hun- dred and nine men. Five battle-flags were captured, and a loss exceeding its own was inflicted upon the enemy. After the battle the Division went into camp at Acquia, where it remained until Lee's invasion of Pennsylvania summoned its commander to the defence of his native State.
The battle of Gettysburg was fought on the 1st, 2d, and 3d of July. The troops of Geary's division were among the first of the corps to arrive at the scene of action. On the 1st, General Geary, suggesting the importance of possessing Round Top, was directed to occupy it with a portion of his command. Early on the morning of the 2d he was ordered to Culp's Hill, the extreme right of the Union line, with in- structions to hold his position at every hazard. During the afternoon of that day he was remanded in the direction of Round Top, with a part of his division, to strengthen the left centre of Meade's line, which, being hard pressed, was in danger of giving way. As soon as the relief he brought could be spared, he hastened back to Culp's Hill, and on his arrival, at about 9 o'clock at night, he found that in his ab- sence the enemy had carried a part of his line, and flanked the position which he had received orders to hold. Suitable dispositions were made during the night to meet the emer- gency ; and at 3 o'clock on the morning of the 3d, placing himself at the head of his Division, he charged the enemy, recovered the ground that had been lost, hastily strengthened his line of breastworks, and awaited the return of Ewell's
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veterans. The maintenance of the position was of the utmost moment, for it commanded the Baltimore turnpike, on which the supply and ammunition trains of the army were parked, and had it been lost, these would have been captured, the rear of Meade's centre would have been gained, and general defeat must have inevitably followed. No one comprehended the value of the position better than the rebel commander. Hence the furious assaults that were made upon it with the hope of seizing the last chance of victory. During seven hours the enemy shelled Geary's lines almost incessantly, and, under cover of his batteries, made repeated attempts to carry the Hill at the point of the bayonet. But the charges were as gallantly repulsed as they were made, the batteries were si- lenced, and the enemy withdrew to join the general retreat which followed the close of the day. As long as the grove of battle-scarred trees that covers Culp's Hill shall be left standing, the gallant sons of New York, Ohio, and Pennsyl- vania, comprising Geary's Division, will not lack testimonials of their heroic devotion to the honor of the Union and in- tegrity of their country. Twelve hundred Confederate dead were buried in front of Geary's lines the day after the battle.
After Gettysburg came Chickamauga. The defeat of Rose- cranz in that battle made it necessary to reinforce the Army of the Cumberland, and for that purpose the 11th and 12th Corps, under General Hooker, were detached from the Army of the Potomac. Geary's division went with the 12th Corps. Besides these troops, others were hurried forward to the scene of the late disaster; and Grant, having laid Vicks- burg in the dust, and re-opened the Mississippi, now, by order of the President, hastened to the mountains of the Ten- nessee, and assumed command. He immediately initiated a series of movements designed to dislodge Bragg from the formidable position which he had gained. In pursuance of his masterly plan a battle was fought at Wauhatchie on the 28th of October, 1863; another at Lookout Mountain on the 24th of November; one at Mission Ridge on the 25th of No- vember, and a fourth on the 27th of November at Ringgold,
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in the State of Georgia. These battles, fought and won in rapid succession, were the principal achievements of Grant's Chattanooga campaign, in the course of which the disasters of Chickamauga were gloriously retrieved, and Bragg, hurled from heights which he had deemed inaccessible, was driven across the Tennessee line.
The historian will ever associate the name of General Geary with the great events of this brilliant campaign. With fifteen hundred men of his Division, he, unaided, fought the battle of Wauhatchie, repulsing a night attack by one of Longstreet's divisions, at least six thousand strong. From his position on Lookout Mountain the enemy had observed the movements of the command during the day, and at mid- night dashed down upon it, confidently anticipating a sur- prise and a capture. But knowing the enemy to be in his vicinity, Geary had pitched his camp in order of battle. The troops slept on their arms, and were on their feet and in line the moment the Rebels. had discharged their first volley. The General had not slept at all, and with his horse saddled at the door of his tent, was quickly at the front to direct and animate the troops. The conflict lasted seven hours, and was unusually obstinate and bloody. The artillery horses were all killed or disabled. Every officer of the staff was wounded. Captain Edward R. Geary, a youth of eighteen, the General's oldest son, commanding a section of Knap's Battery, was pierced by a rifle - ball through the forehead, and fell dead in his father's presence. When the day dawned the enemy had retreated, leaving behind him one hundred and fifty-seven killed, about an equal number of prisoners, and five hundred stands of arms. General Slocum, com- mander of the Corps, was at Murfreesboro, and writing to General Geary a few days subsequent to the battle, said : "I am very happy to hear the good reports which reach me from all sides, relative to the conduct of your command in the recent action. The contest was one of very great importance. The highest credit is awarded to you and your command, not only by General Thomas, but by all officers conversant
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with the circumstances. As I was not with you, I can claim no portion of the credit gained, nor can I, with good taste, publish an order expressing thanks to you; but I wish you and your command to know that I have been informed of all the facts in the case, and that I feel deeply grateful for the gallant conduct which has won new laurels for our Corps." General Hooker, also, in an official report to the General-in- Chief, said : " During these operations a heavy musketry fire, with occasional discharges of artillery, continued to reach us from Geary. It was evident that a formidable adversary had gathered around him, and that he was battering him with all his might. For more than three hours, without assistance, he repelled the repeated attacks of vastly superior numbers, and in the end drove them ingloriously from the field. At one time they had enveloped him on three sides, under circumstances that would have dismayed any officer except one endowed with an iron will and the most exalted courage."
As the enemy's position on Lookout Mountain and Mission Ridge threatened the communications of the Federal army, it was decided to drive him from them. On the 24th of No- vember, Geary's Division was selected by General Hooker to make an assault upon Lookout. In an hour after the order was received the troops were in motion. Crossing Lookout Creek, the Rebel pickets were surprised and captured; and moving enthusiastically over boulders and ledges of rocks, they advanced in the face of a murderous fire until they had rounded the rugged peak and stood beneath the lofty pali- sades. The contest at the top was sharp but decisive. As the mist which enshrouded the mountain cleared away, the troops in the valley were for the first time enabled to discern the position of their comrades, and the stars and stripes, with the well-known white-star flag of the Second Division floating in the morning breeze from the beetling cliff, announced the victory. The trophies of the battle were six flags and two pieces of artillery, with over two thousand prisoners. On the 29th, General Grant, desiring to see the troops that fought the Battle above the Clouds, rode over to Geary's camp in Wau
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hatchie Valley, and reviewed his Division. The General-in- Chief, as a compliment to these brave men, brought with him the members of his staff and all the Generals of the combined armies of the Cumberland and the Tennessee. In the bat- tles of Mission Ridge and Ringgold, which closed the cam- paign, the Division took a conspicuous part.
On the 3d of December, General Geary issued a general order to the troops of his division. Referring to the battles of the campaign in which they had participated, he said : "For these services I tender you my heartfelt thanks; for your bravery and endurance my warmest congratulations; for your bereavement in the loss of so many gallant comrades my sincere sympathy. In all the Division death could not have selected braver spirits, nobler hearts, than those who have laid their lives a sacrifice upon their country's altar in the re- cent engagements. Your gallant conduct has gained for you the highest appreciation and esteem of the commanding Gen- erals of the army. It behooves us to remember prayerfully that the hand of the Almighty is visible in our late victories, and that He who holds in His hands the destinies of nations, has, in His goodness, answered the humble petitions that have ascended to His heavenly throne for the triumph of our arms in the cause of our beloved country."
In the spring of 1864 the Army of the Southwest was re- organized; and Grant, having been invested with the rank of Lieutenant-General, and appointed commander-in-chief, Sherman assumed command of all the forces designed to operate in the Southwestern and Southern States. Among other changes which he ordered, the 11th Corps (Howard's) and the 12th (Slocum's) were consolidated, becoming in this form the 20th Corps, with General Hooker in command. General Geary was continued at the head of his old Division, with the addition of a brigade from the 11th Corps. The two great campaigns of this memorable year were opened on the same day. On the 4th of May Grant moved from the Rapidan to encounter Lee, and Sherman from Chattanooga to encounter Johnston. Sherman's army was complete in all
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its appointments, and about seventy thousand strong. The events that followed can but briefly be referred to here. At the head of the division to which he was endeared, and which was endeared to him by so long a companionship in perils, hardships, sacrifices, and sufferings, Geary participated in the battles of Mill Creek, May 8th; Resaca, May 15th; New Hope Church, commencing May 26th, and continutng with but little intermission eight consecutive days; Pine Hill, June 15th; Muddy Creek, June 17th; Noses Creek, June 19th ; Kolb's Farm, June 22d; Kenesaw, June 27th; Marietta, July 3d; Peach Tree Creek, July 20th; and the siege of Atlanta, lasting twenty-eight days, and ending in the capture of the city on the 2d of September. To use General Geary's own language: "The campaign from the opening till the fall of Atlanta was really a hundred days' fight, and may be termed a continuous battle, crowned with constant victory."
General Sherman, having by these operations reached the objective point of the skilful plans he had formed at Chatta- nooga, entered at once upon other plans and dispositions. Hood was left to be confronted by Thomas, and Sherman, with one-half of his grand army, swung around upon his pivot at Atlanta, cut loose from his communications, and commenced his famous march to the sea. On the 25th of July, Hooker being relieved from command of the 20th Corps, at his own request, Williams, being senior General of division, succeeded him, Geary still remaining in charge of the Second Division. Charleston, whose defences had defied the Federal fleets, and Savannah, deemed impregnable, were uncovered, and restored to the dominion of the Federal flag. After the fall of Fort McAllister, Geary led the advance upon Savannah, received the surrender of the city at the head of his Division; and, in recognition of his services in the capture, was appointed by Sherman Military Governor. The duties were delicate, but the General exercised his authority in such a manner as to elicit from a public meeting of the citizens presided over by the Mayor the following expression of sentiment :
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"Resolved, That Major-General Sherman, having appointed Brigadier-General Geary commander of this post, who has, by his urbanity as a gentleman and his uniform kindness to our citizens, done all in his power to protect their persons from insult, and their property from injury, it is the unani- mous desire of all present that he be allowed to remain in his present position, and that, for the reasons above stated, the thanks of the citizens are hereby tendered to him and the officers of his command."
It was while he was in command of the city as Military Governor that he was breveted Major-General of Volunteers. His commission was dated January 12th, 1865, and the reasons assigned for his promotion in the document itself were, " fitness to command and promptness to execute."
With this flattering mark of his country's approval, he pre- ferred that the very kind request of the people of Savannah might not be granted, and was accordingly permitted to take the field for the final conflict. During the subsequent opera- tions in the Carolinas, his division was engaged with the enemy at the Apalachee and Oconee rivers, at Sandsboro, Davidsboro, Salkahatchie, North and South Edisto, Red Bank, Congaree, Black River, and Bentonville.
Here, in the vicinity of Goldsboro and Raleigh, the gigantic struggle that saved the republic and gave hope of freedom to the world was brought to a close. The soldiers of the White Star Division witnessed the surrender of Johnston, partici- pated in the grand review at Washington, after which they were disbanded, took affectionate leave of their old com- mander, and returned to their homes. The 28th Pennsyl- vania Regiment, which Geary had recruited at the beginning, continued with him to the end of the war. The regiments of his Division were among the first in the army to re-enlist as veterans. No regiment after being assigned to his brigade or division ever left his command till duly mustered out of service. Such satisfaction was by no means a general charac- teristic of the feelings of the troops toward their commanders. It is easily accounted for in the case of General Geary. He
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required obedience, but he set the example. He courted the post of danger in the field, but he led the way. Ten thou- sand of the men who served under his command were killed and wounded during the war, but he shed his own blood as freely as he expected the same sacrifice of his subordinates. He cared, too, for the health and comfort of his troops as though they were his own children.
When, in the spring of 1866, the Republican leaders began to consider the important question of selecting a candidate for the Chief Magistracy of the State, it soon became ap- parent that the name of General Geary was everywhere re- ceived with favor. His ripe experience in the conduct of civil affairs, and his distinguished services in the field, com- mended him alike to the gratitude of the popular heart and the sanction of the popular judgment. After a very spirited canvass, he was elected over his competitor, Heister Clymer, by a majority of over seventeen thousand votes.
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