Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 July 1901 — Gemeral Turchin. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Gemeral Turchin.

The career of General John B. TurcMn, who died a few days since, was as romantic and notable as that of any distinguished soldier who served in the Union army during the civil war. He was a gradaute of the military academy at St. Petersburg, and in 1866 was classed among the most promising young officers in the Russian army. He and other members of his class at the academy were, through efficient service and family influence, in the line of who stood Just below Turchin In his class are now ranking officers in the Russian army. Had Turchin remained in Russia he would have been some years ago, probably, the active chief of the czar’s military establishment. In 1856 Turchin went to London, on leave of absence, met there some enthusiastic officers of the American coast survey service, was induced by them to come to the United States, failed to secure the promised employment in the war department, drifted into the railway business, and at the opening of the civil war was appointed colonel of the Nineteenth Illinois regimennt of infantry. In the meantime, he

had been outlawed by the Russian government, and his vigorous way of making war soon caused him to be outlawed by the confederate government. In the first year of the civil war he was an experienced officer surrounded by officers of inexperience. He was a fighter and strategist as well as disciplinarian, and his regiment—and his brigade when he came to the command of one—always gave a good account of Itself In battle. He was, however, out of sympathy with General Buell, and In fact with the government In ths tendency to treat rebels in arms considerately and kindly. War to Turchin was war, and he treated the people of the South as enemies. In any question which involved the safety, health, and comfort of bis men and the'people of a hostile district, he decided always In the interest of his own men. His policy was at first not approved, but In the later years of the war It became the policy of the army. An attempt was made to prejuidce the case of General Turchin through a court martial. The court decided against him, but President Lincoln decided In his favor and commissioned him brigadier general, and he was a striking figure in the war to the very last. Turchin was of the old • school of soldiers and gentlemen. Like many other officers trained in foreign schools he at first looked askance at our volunteers, but In time he came to have the highest regard for them. He was always Impatient of restraint and irritable under the pretensions of unsoldierly men. He was given to petulant and Indiscreet speech, but In battle he always came up to his own high standard of military duty. General Turchin believed thoroughly in the future of the United States and Induced many of his people to some here. He was thoroughly American, too, In the belief that It was the duty of the citizen to do well whatever came to his hand to do.

WORKING CARD OF THE CHRISTIAN UNION.