LIEUTENANTS D'WOLF AND SKINNER.

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Lieut. WILLIAM D'WOLF, who fell in the battle of Williamsburg, Va., May 4, 1862, and died on the 2d of June following, was one of the noble young men the State has given to the Republic. His father, William F. D'Wolf, is a well known citizen of Chicago. William enlisted May, 1861, in Co. B, 1st Regiment Illinois Light Artillery, better known both North and South as "Taylor's Battery." Early in the field, he shared the fortunes and perils of his battery in the hot fights of Frederickton, Belmont and Donelson. In the last he was wounded. He served with his battery nearly a year, when, for gallant and meritorious conduct, he was promoted to a Lieutenancy in the regular army, in the 3d Regiment of Artillery. General McClellan addressed a letter to the Secretary of War requesting his promotion. On the 4th of April, 1862, he joined his regiment. In the battle of Williamsburg he manifested the utmost bravery. A shell exploded under his horse, killing it and wounding the Lieutenant in the thigh. He caught a loose horse and went forward with his battery. He meant to stand by his guns. He was again wounded, this time in the knee of the other leg, but remained with the battery until it was withdrawn. He was conveyed to Fortress Monroe, and thence to Washington City, where, in the home of the patriotic representative from the Chicago district, Hon. I. N. Arnold, he received every possible attention, but sunk under his wounds, and, with his mother beside him, expired on the 2d of June.

Col. Tristam Burges, General Stoneman's aid, reported that he saw the young officer through the whole fight, and that he acted like a veteran. Says Captain Gibson, who commanded the battery:

"One of my subalterns, a handsome, gallant boy from Chicago, named D'Wolf, was wounded, and, I regret to say, has since died. I was much attached to him, and if your friends know his family, please assure them of my sincere sympathy with them in the bereavement and my high appreciation of his coolness and gallantry in the midst of no ordinary danger. Poor fellow! He joined my battery on the 4th of April, was wounded on the 4th of May, and on the 4th of June was dead.” ·

His remains were brought to Chicago, and an eloquent oration delivered in St. James' Church (Protestant Episcopal) by the Rector, Dr. Clarkson, whence his remains were followed to the grave by a vast concourse.

Lieut. RICHARD SKINNER, of the 10th infantry, regular army, was

another costly sacrifice. His great-grandsire, General Timothy Skinner, was a subaltern officer in the war of the Revolution. His grandfather, Judge Richard Skinner, was member of Congress from Vermont during the last war with England, then Chief Justice, then Governor, then declining a re-election, was again placed upon the bench as Supreme Justice, where he remained until within a short time of his death, when he resigned the place.

His father, Hon. Mark Skinner, of Chicago, is an eminent and patriotic citizen, formerly Judge of the Court. He was the first President of the Northwestern Sanitary Commission, giving it his time and labor until compelled, by shattered health, to resign. Much of its efficiency was due to his wise supervision.

His only son, after an academic training, entered Yale College and graduated. He had a fine literary taste and wrote in an accomplished style. With unblemished reputation, native endowments of high order, thorough culture, and a fine physique, he had a brilliant future before him. All was laid upon his country's altar.

He received the appointment of 2d Lieutenant in the 10th U. S. A., and was ordered to report to Major-General Hunter, and became a member of his staff, discharging the duty of commissary of musketeers, and renining with him during his command in South Carolina.

Subsequently he was ordered to report to Brigadier-General B. S. Roberts, then in command at Davenport, Iowa, whom he accompanied to New Orleans and thence to Pass Caballa and Matagorda Island, where the General was post commandant. He was duly promoted 1st Lieutenant, and was about attaining a captaincy, when he was ordered to join his regiment in front of Petersburg. He went to it gladly, but found it reduced to a hundred men, under the senior Lieutenant, and at that time on picket duty. He arrived on Sunday, June 19, 1864. On Monday he was in the trenches. On Tuesday morning, while conversing with a group of officers, he was struck by a ball, mortally wounded, and died on Wednesday. He had won the confidence and high esteem of the general officers whom he had served. An only son-such is one of the many costly offerings made for the government! His honored father said, sadly, “We had only him, and we gave him: he had only his life and he freely gave it!"

GABRIEL B. DURHAM.

601

Let this chapter close with brief mention of a young man who wore no ensignia of rank—a brave lad, a fine newspaper correspondent, a Christian young man-GABRIEL B. DURHAM, son of Pleasant Durham, of Kankakee City. He enlisted in Barker's Dragoons, and with his company entered the 12th Cavalry. In that obstinate resistance made by Buford's cavalry to the enemy at Gettysburg, he, with others, was dismounted. Placing a rail for rest and barricade, he fired his twenty rounds and started for a fresh supply. While passing to the rear, he was struck by a fragment of shell and mortally wounded. He was placed in the Calvary Hospital and lingered until the 23d July, when he died. He knew he must die, but bravely, nobly said, "I have only done my duty. If I had other lives I would give them to save my country." The LieutenantGeneral could utter no grander words. The body was embalmed and brought home and buried from the Methodist Church.

"So sleep the dead who sink to rest

With all their country's wishes blest."

CHAPTER XXXV.

THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE.

ITS APPEARANCE-ITS OCCUPANTS-ITS CONTENTS-MATHER-WYMAN-GRANT-LOOMIS-ADJUTANT-GENERAL FULLER-Biography-JUDGE-ADJUTANT-GOVERNOR YATES TESTIMONY-SPEAKER-RESOLUTION OF HOUSE-ECONOMY.

N the dingy capitol at Springfield, is the Adjutant-General's office, where are documents which will be searched in days to come, by the historian, the annalist, the lawyer.

Entering a room about forty feet square, you see double rows of desks, and peering above each is a head variously colored. The clerks are hard at work preserving the facts of our Illinois regiments. In those pigeon holes are documents which in curt official style tell of many a deed of daring, and many a weary march. In the casualty reports are enshrined the names of those who have received wounds or died the soldier's death on the field!

These "Descriptive Rolls" tell you the place and date of birth, place and date of enlistment, hight in feet and inches, color of hair and eyes of each soldier. They state when enlisted, when discharged, and when completed, will tell the story of wounds and death. We doubt if any office is more exact in the arrangement of these details. The best models-American, English and Continental were consulted, and a combined system adopted, covering all the details.

At the commencement of hostilities, Thos. T. Mather, was Adjutant-General. General Wyman was detailed for a time, and then one Ulysses S. Grant, a retired Captain of the regular army. His military information, both in extent and detail astonished all. Did

COLONEL J. 8. LOOMIS.

603

any one ask about a Springfield musket, a Belgian rifle or any other arm, he would quietly rest a moment and state the number of pieces it contained, how they are put together, and the advantages and drawbacks of each. He could enlighten a bewildered quartermaster on the mysteries of rations, how many pounds the soldiers would have to carry if rations of one kind were given, and how much if another, and then what constituents each ration contained, and in what it might be deficient. Quietly stood the retired captain solving the puzzles of men with eagles and stars. His suggestions were invalu

able.

A young man, J. S. Loomis, had enlisted. He was judged to have rare qualifications for the duties of the adjutant's office, and he remained in it until near the close of Governor Yates' administration, having received the rank of Colonel. He rendered valuable service in the office, entering upon its duties con amore, searching the most minute details, and generalizing admirably.

In his last message, Governor Yates thus alludes to him:

"In March, 1864, I sent Col. John S. Loomis, who had been connected with the State Department from the commencement of the war-first as Assistant AdjutantGeneral, and recently, as my principal aid-de-camp-to Washington, with instructions to urge final adjustment of all our accounts. His extensive acquaintance with the origin and history of our military organization and contracting and settlement of war claims, enabled him to make full explanation of our vouchers, and prosecute appeals from what was considered erroneous decisions of adjusting officers of the treasury, in disallowing and suspending a part of our claims. He was accompanied by Gen. John Wood, Quartermaster-General of the State, whose services were required to aid settlement of the class of claims originating in his department. From the report of Col. Loomis, and copies of his appeals on suspended and disallowed accounts, herewith transmitted, it will be seen that the claims of the State against the government, filed in the Treasury Department, for war expenses, amounted to three millions eight hundred and twelve thousand five hundred and twenty-five dollars and fifty-four cents (3,812,525.54); of which amount there has been allowed, on various settlements with the Third Auditor, three millions seven hundred and twenty-six thousand seven hundred and ninety-two dollars and eightyseven cents ($3, 726,792.87); leaving a difference between the claims and allowances, in that department, of eighty-five thousand seven hundred and thirty-two dollars and sixty-seven cents($85,732.67); suspended and disallowed, because, in the opinion of the said Auditor the law did not sufficiently provide for them. Of the amount allowed by the Third Auditor, and passed to the Second Comptroller of the Treasury, it will also be seen, that the Comptroller suspended nearly all of our