[103] his men. He set the example of every virtue he strove to inculcate. It is hardly necessary to add, that those guilty of drunkenness always felt the weight of his heaviest displeasure, for, next to cowardice, nothing is so destructive to the soldier as drunkenness. He won the love of his brother officers as completely as he did the devotion of his men. Their affection and their admiration went hand in hand. He was always helpful, always ready to relieve any comrade of whatever work might press too heavily upon him. The effervescence of youth had quite departed from him, and left in its place the clear spirit of a generous, mature, and vigorous manhood. He had far more esprit du corps than was usual in our army. He was perfectly devoted to his regiment always; and to his company, while he was a company officer. He declined promotion at first, rather than be transferred from his company, and he never left it till he rose to the rank of a field-officer. No temptation could induce him to leave his regiment to perform the easier and safer and more agreeable duties of the staff. It was wonderful to see the effects of his influence in giving high tone to the men who rose from the ranks to be officers. His example was copied, his instructions were heeded, and a band of gallant, true, accomplished officers was formed around him, to take the places of the many who had gone beyond the shining river, and to sustain and extend the reputation of his steady regiment. In the correspondence that he has left,—
Those fallen leaves that keep their green,may be found constant proofs of the remarkable qualities of his mind and heart. His letters are wonderful productions for so young a man; for besides showing the warmth of his attachments, the freshness of his sympathies, the clearness of his views, the strength of his convictions, and all the manliness and modesty of the man, they show his pride in his regiment and his sensitiveness to its honor, the extent of his knowledge of military principles and military history, the vigor of his thought, the extent to which his mind was occupied with the consideration
The noble letters of the dead,
