OBITUARIES, UNITED STATES. 



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)BITUARIES, UNITED STATES. Dec. 31, 

 3862. SILL, Brig.-Gen. JOSHUA WOODROW, an 

 officer of the United States arrny, killed in the 

 battle of Stone river. He was born in Chilli- 

 cothe, Ohio, Dec. 6th, 1831 ; received a thorough 

 English and classical education, and was ap- 

 pointed a cadet at West Point in 1849, where he 

 graduated third in his class. In 1854 he re- 

 ceived an ordnance appointment, and was sta- 

 tioned at Watervliet arsenal, West Troy. The 

 following year he was recalled as one of the in- 

 structors at West Point, and after serving two 

 years in that capacity was ordered to Pittsburg 

 arsenal, and from thence, in 1848, to Van- 

 couver, Washington Territory, to superintend 

 the building of an arsenal there. Finding this 

 impracticable, in consequence of 4he difficulty 

 existing about Vancouver's Island with the . 

 British Government, he returned, and soon af- 

 ter was ordered to Fort Leavenworth. In 1860 

 he resigned his position in the army, and ac- 

 cepted the professorship of mathematics and 

 civil engineering in the Brooklyn Collegiate 

 and Polytechnic Institute. Upon the outbreak 

 of the present war he resigned his position, and 

 upon offering his services to the Governor of 

 Ohio, was appointed assistant adjutant-general 

 of the State. In August, 1861, he was commis- 

 sioned colonel of the 23d Ohio volunteers. He 

 joined Gen. Nelson in his Kentucky expedition, 

 and after his return was placed in command of 

 a brigade, receiving the commission of brigadier- 

 general, July 29th, 1862. Subsequently he com- 

 manded a division for a time, evincing great 

 courage and skill, and upon the reorganization 

 of the army, under Gen. Rosecrans, he was as- 

 signed a brigade in Gen. Sheridan's division, at 

 the head of which he gallantly fought, and fell 

 during the memorable Wednesday of the battle 

 of Stone river. 



Dec. 31. GARESCIIE, Col. JULIUS P., chief 

 of Maj.-Gen. Rosecrans's staff, was born in 

 Cuba of American parents in 1821. At the 

 age of sixteen he entered West Point, and grad- 

 uated in 1841. He served in the Mexican war, 

 and during eight years previous to the seces- 

 sion was on duty at Washington as assistant 

 adjutant- general. When the war broke out his 

 patriotic nature sought active service, and he 

 accepted the appointment of chief of staff to 

 Gen. Rosecrans, having previously declined a 

 commission of brigadier-general, preferring to 

 win the honor upon the field of service. From 

 his long experience and thorough acquaintance 

 with military science he was eminently quali- 

 fied for his duties, and rendered himself at once 

 an invaluable aid to his commander. He was an 

 earnest and devoted Christian, gentle and ami- 

 able in character and disposition, and was wide- 

 ly known for his benevolence to the poor, and 

 sympathy for those in affliction and sorrow. He 



was one of the founders of the Society of St. 

 Vincent of Paul in Washington. His many 

 virtues, added to his gentlemanly deportment 

 and earnest devotion to his country, won the 

 love of both officers and men, and his untimely 

 death by a cannon ball, which took off his 

 head, while on duty at the side of his com- 

 mander, was alike a shock to the army and 

 country. A few days after the battle his body 

 was disinterred and taken to Cincinnati, from 

 whence, after appropriate honors, it was for- 

 warded to his family in Washington city. 



Dec. 31. ROBERTS, Col. GEOEGE W., killed 

 at the battle of Stone river, was born in 

 Westchester county, Penn., Oct. 2d, 1833 ; grad- 

 uated at Yale College in 1857, studied law, and 

 practised his profession in his native county 

 until the spring of 1859, when he removed to 

 Chicago, 111. The commencement of the war 

 found him enjoying a prosperous business, but 

 his patriotism led him to enter the army, and 

 he began recruiting for the 42d regiment, H- 

 linois volunteers. On the 22d of July he re- 

 ceived his commission as major of the regiment. 

 The following September he was elected lieuten- 

 ant-colonel, and upon the death of Col. Webb, 

 was chosen colonel. With his regiment he took 

 part in the memorable marclrof Gen. Fremont 

 to Springfield. He distinguished himself in the 

 faithful discharge of his duty at different points, 

 but more especially by his valuable service dur- 

 ing a midnight expedition in spiking a number 

 of guns at the siege of Island No. 10. An up- 

 per battery of the enemy commanded the river 

 so effectually that no boats could pass. Col. 

 Roberts conceived the idea of spiking the guns, 

 and selecting a dark and stormy night for the 

 occasion, with only forty men in five small 

 boats,, he bravely accomplished his purpose. 

 He afterward distinguished himself at the bat- 

 tle of Farmington, Tennessee. At the siege 

 of Corinth he was in the advance, and was 

 one of the foremost in entering the fortifica- 

 tion of the enemy. He was in command of 

 the first brigade, first division of the army of 

 the Mississippi, and won much honor during 

 the campaign of 1862. At the battle of Stone 

 river he had the advance of the 20th army 

 corps, and drove the enemy to their breast- 

 works. On the 81st his brigade engaged two 

 divisions of the enemy at once, maintaining 

 their ground until attacked by a third division. 

 At one period of the engagement, observing a 

 Confederate division driving some of our regi- 

 ments before them, he asked permission of Gen. 

 Sheridan to charge upon the enemy, and gal- 

 loping before the 42d Illinois, he waved his 

 cap and ordered them to fix bayonets. The 

 men, fired by his bravery, rushed upon the foe 

 with such force that they broke and fled in the 

 wildest confusion. This discomfiture at such 



