1964–65 Volume 89 No 1–5 - Phi Delta Theta Scroll Archive

ueaM amx t/n $A06/ George K. Shatter, HistorianA PROUD LOOK BACKPHI GENERALS IN THE CIVIL WARQ F the 290 members of *Ae who wore blue** and gray in fhe Civil War, a number so largethat it could seem improbable, attained the rankof general.Ten won the stars of a general in the Unionranks. In fact, some published matter that coversthe period when honors were being passed outat the end of the war, might add two more namesto the list of ten Federal generals.There were six warriors of the South who hadtheir names carried on the member lists of * A 6chapters at one time and another, and who weregenerals of the Confederacy. But the ties to someof these generals in gray were of honorary nature,and in some of the cases there is no direct evidenceof their ties to the Bond.However, there is interest in picking up theadventurous and romantic details about all ofthem, and the sortie into the past for fact anddata has some of the same effect of quickening theblood, that must have accompanied the eventsthemselves, 100 years ago.The Fraternity's generals of the Union Army:UnionTheodore Read, Indiana 1854John W. Foster, Indiana '55Benjamin Harrison, Miami 1852John F. Philips, Centre 1855John C. Black, Wabash 1862H. V. N. Boynton, K.M.I. 1858Thomas Jefferson Morgan, franklin 1861Jacob Ammen, Indiana (Hon.)Eli Long, Indiana 1855Charles H. Grosvenor, Ohio 1870Confec/erofeAlexander P. Stewart, Miami (Hon.)Francis A. Shoup, Sewanee 1855Wm. Montague Brown, Georgia (Hon.)John C. Breckinridge, Centre (Hon.)James Z. George, Mississippi (Hon.)E. C. Walthal, Mississippi (Hon.)THEODORE READ (Indiana 1854)—Son of DanielRead, a professor at Indiana University, who was anearly honorary member of Indiana Alpha (No. 11 on theBond), so chosen about the time he acted as presidentof the institution in 1851. Theodore Read, like morethan a dozen others from Indiana Alpha, enlisted whenthe Civil War began in 1861, was a brevet brigadiergeneral of cavalry under nomination to full rank whenon April 6, 1865, he was in the pursuing lines that werehemming in Robert E. Lee.A bridge over the Appomattox River at Farmville, Va.,offered a means of retreat for a column of the harassedConfederates. To ride ahead to the bridge and try tofire its planks was a hazardous volunteer assignmentwhich Gen. Read rode out with a limited force to attempt.A rush of desperate Southem cavalry sweptagainst them and Gen. Read was cut to death, alongwith many of his men, in a wild saber fight.* The Confederateswith every minute counting in their bitterrear guard fighting, paused to give burial to TheodoreRead, and today his heroic remains are still somewherein an unknown Virginia pasture.* Read was killed by young Brig. Gen. Jim Dearingof the Confederate Laurel Brigade who met the Federalcommander in a face-to-face duel as he led troops uponthe Northem forces. Dearing dropped Read from thesaddle with a fatal body wound, but as he turned, theeeneral's orderly mortally shot Dearing who fell to theground according to the distinguished historian, BurkeDavis now an official at restored Williamsburg.[339]JOHN W. FOSTER (Indiana 1855)-One of mostfamous Phis and United States statesmen of 19th Century.Initiated at Bloomington at 16 years of age inDecember, 1853, one month after Theodore Read's initiation.In 1856 and 1857 Foster was one ot the two Phismost instrumental in founding of Wisconsin Alpha atU. of Wisconsin after he had been similarly active ingetting Kentucky Beta started at Kentucky Military Institutein 1854.Enlisting shortly after hostilities began, Foster wasseveral times cited tor gallantry until he resigned becauseoi disability in March 1864. He returned to actionas colonel, 136th Indiana Infantry in May, 1864, andwas brevetted a brigadier general at the end of the war.After the war, his career turned from the law todiplomacy. President Grant made him minister to Mexicoin 1872, and he served thereafter as U.S. envoy toRussia, China and Spain. He was Secretary ot Stateunder President Benjamin Harrison (Miami 1852), becameChina's adviser in making peace to end the Sino-Japanese War of 1894, and represented the U.S. inAlaskan boundary and fishery negotiations with Britainand Canada in the 1890's.Foster's ties to * A 6 and to diplomacy were close andthey were lifelong. He was an uncle of A. Gwyn Foster(Indiana 1878), editor of the * A 0 Catalogs of 1878and 1883; convention historian in 1878 and editor ofthe Fraternity's second Songbook in 1882. He was anuncle of Samuel G. CUfford (Purdue 1904): his daughterwas the wife of Robert Lansing (not a Phi), Woodrow