CANBY, EDWARD R. S. 



89 



Academy at West Point as a cadet in July, 

 1835, and graduated from that institution in 

 July, 1839, in the same class with Generals 

 Ilalleck, Isaac Stevens, Ord, Paine, of Illinois, 

 and other distinguished officers. Immediately 

 on his graduation he received a commission as 

 Second-Lieutenant in the Second Infantry, and 

 served in the Florida War from 1839 to 1842, 

 on quartermaster's duty, being commissary of 

 subsistence from October, 1839, and after the 

 close of that war was engaged in the removal 

 of the Cherokees, Creeks, and Choctaws, to 

 the present Indian Territory, in 1842; in gar- 

 rison duty from 1842 to 1845; and on recruit- 

 ing service during 1845 and a part of 1846. 

 In March, 1846, he was appointed adjutant of 

 his regiment, and three months later was pro- 

 moted to a first-lieutenancy. The outbreak 

 of the Mexican War called his regiment into 

 active service. Serving under General Riley, 

 and witli several officers who have since at- 

 tained distinction as his companions-in-arms, 

 lie participated in the advance on the Mexican 

 capital, behaving bravely at the siege of Vera 

 Cruz, at Cerro Gordo, Contreras, and Churu- 

 busco, as well as at the attack npon the De 

 Belen gate. He received the brevets of major 

 and lieutenant-colonel for his services in this 

 campaign, and was promoted to the full rank of 

 captain in June, 1851 ; but, having been trans- 

 ferred to the Adjutant General's Department 

 as Assistant Adjutant-General, with the rank 

 of lieutenant-colonel, he relinquished his rank 

 in the line. In March, 1855, he was appointed 

 major of the Tenth United States Infantry a 

 new regiment with which ho was engaged on 

 frontier duty in Western Wisconsin and Min- 

 nesota for the next three years, and in 1858 

 received command of Fort Bridger, Utah, where 

 he had under his control portions of the Sec- 

 ond Dragoons, and Seventh and Tenth United 

 States Infantry. He held this post until 1860, 

 when he was appointed commander of the ex- 

 pedition against the Navajo Indians, and was 

 in command of Fort Defiance, New Mexico, at 

 the advent of the civil war. At that critical 

 period Major Cnnby did not leave his loyalty 

 in doubt for a single moment. He promptly 

 siilcd with the national cause, and ever after 

 during the war was one of the most active and 

 conspicuous defenders of the Union. In May, 

 1861, ho was made colonel of the Nineteenth 

 Regiment U. S. Infantry, and was acting 

 brigadier-general of the Union troops in New 

 Mexico. He resisted, in 1862, Sibley in his 

 daring attempt to acquire possession of New 

 Mexico, and had at length the satisfaction of 

 seeinz the invader retreat, "leaving behind 

 him," as he observed in his report, "in dead 

 and wounded, nnd in sick and prisoners, one- 

 half of his original force." He was promoted 

 to the rank of brigadier-general of the vol- 

 unteers, March, 1862, and, after transferring 

 the command of the forces in New Mexico, ho 

 red to Washington, where he remained 

 some time, rendering valuable assistance to 



Secretary Stanton in the War Department. 

 Always ready for great emergencies, he took 

 command of the United States troops in New 

 York City and Harbor during the draft riots 

 of July, 1863, and by his energetic measures 

 and resolute bearing promptly suppressed the 

 rioters and restored order. He remained here 

 until November, 1863, when he resumed his 

 position at the War Department. At the open- 

 ing of the campaign of 1864, General Canby 

 received the rank of major-general of volun- 

 teers, and was placed in command of the Mili- 

 tary Division of West Mississippi a position 

 he held until some months after the close of 

 the war. His first act in this field of duty was 

 to take charge of General Banks's retreating 

 forces at the Atchafalaya, and conduct them 

 safely to New Orleans, where, for want of 

 troops, he remained inactive throughout the 

 summer and autumn of 1864. While on a tour 

 of inspection on White River, Ark., November 

 4, 1864, he was severely wounded by hostile 

 guerrillas; but as soon as he was sufficiently 

 reenforced he proceeded, with an army of 

 from 25,000 to 30,000 men, against Mobile, 

 which, with the assistance of the fleet, he suc- 

 ceeded in capturing. On learning of the fall 

 of Richmond, General Dick Taylor surrendered 

 his forces to him, and hostilities ceased. On 

 Marcli 13, 1865, he received the brevets of 

 brigadier and major-general of the regular 

 army. General Canby remained in command 

 of Southern military departments until 1866, 

 when he was transferred to Washington and 

 received (July 28, 1866) the full rank of brig- 

 adier-general in the regular army. Subse- 

 quently he was appointed a member of the 

 Special Commission for deciding claims on the 

 War Department, and of tho board to prepare 

 plans for a new building for the same depart- 

 ment. He was more recently placed in com- 

 mand of the Department of Columbia, and 

 was, during the last six months, actively en- 

 gaged in bringing the Modocs to accept the 

 terms offered them by the Government. Ho 

 wr.s specially adapted for this duty. He had 

 never shared the fierce hatred of the Indians 

 so common on the border, but had always 

 leaned to the'side of humanity in his dealings 

 with them. Only four days before his death 

 he sent a dispatch to Washington, which, read 

 in the tragic light of after-events, shows plain- 

 ly and tonchingly both his generosity to his 

 slayers, and his sagacious doubts of them : "I 

 do not question the right or the power of the 

 General Government to make any arrange- 

 ment that may be thought proper, but I think 

 they should make such as to secure a per- 

 manent peace, together with liberal and just 

 treatment of the Indians. In my judgment 

 permanent peace cannot be secured if they 

 are allowed to remain in this immediate neigh- 

 borhood. Tho Modocs are now sensible that 

 they cannot live in peace on Lost River, and 

 have abandoned their claim to it, but wish to 

 be left in tho Lava Beds. This means license 



