--The painful news of the death of this distinguished officer and statesman was announced in this paper yesterday.
He died at 6 A. M., on Wednesday, the 26th inst., the anniversary of the
battle of Cross Lanes, in
Nicholas county, the first of his
Western Virginia campaign, in which the enemy was completely routed.
He was born in
Montgomery county, (in that part which is now
Pulaski county,) in 1803, and was therefore in his 58th year.
He graduated at Columbia College, South Carolina, in 1826, and was admitted to the bar in 1828.
After a short residence at
Helena, Ark., he returned to
Virginia and settled in
Abingdon, Washington county, where he died.
He was elected to the House of Delegates in 1847, and again in 1849, in which year he was elected by the Legislature
Governor of
Virginia for the term expiring January 1st, 1853. In 55 he was again elected to the Legislature.
In '56 he was a Presidential elector, and voted for
James Buchanan, by whom he was appointed
Secretary of War of the
U. S., and which office it will be remembered he resigned in January, '61, upon a disagreement with the
President relative to measures touching
Fort Sumter.
His subsequent career is familiar to every one: his appointment as a
Brigadier General in the Confederate army--his active campaign in
Western Virginia--his brave defence of
Fort Donelson--his suspension from command by the
President for the circumstances of the surrender of that Fort — his appointment by the Legislature of Virginia to be
Major General of State forces raised to protect the
Southwestern Virginia frontier and the salt works — the transferring of that force last spring to the Confederate Government and the retirement of
General Floyd to
Washington county with his health much impaired by exposure in camp.
The serious extent of his constitutional injuries was soon developed, and his strength steadily failed under them until he died.
General Floyd was a man of powerful mind.
For vigor of intellect he had no superior in the theatre of his political life.
He did not rise to his true eminence until after his Gubernatorial term.
In his term in the House of Delegates after that he delivered several of the ablest speeches ever heard in that
Hall, whose walls have echoed the voices of the greatest men that have lived in this country.
Friend and opponent alike accord to him the fame of the most powerful declaimer of his day. He belonged to the
Southern Calhoun school of politicians, of which he was one of the most faithful and consistent members.
He entered professional life amidst the exciting scenes of the political epoch of '32, when his distinguished father was
Governor of
Virginia.
That venerable man stood firmly by
South Carolina, and though personally going a little farther than
Virginia was willing to go in support of
South Carolina nullification, he was sustained heartily by this great State in his determination not only not to allow a Federal soldier to cross her soil to attack
South Carolina; but never to allow a Southern State to be
by force of arms reduced to submission to Federal authority.
These events had their effect upon the mind and character of
General Floyd, and the better prepared him for the important part he played in the great drama how being enacted in this country.
We may well lament that it was not allotted to him to continue an actor in the great struggle of the
South to its conclusion; for in his death we lose one of our ablest, most far seeing and faithful public men.
While
Secretary of War he foresaw the coming event of separation and war, and, as far as he could, prepared the
South for it by such a distribution of arms as she was entitled to. For this all know how he brought down upon himself the maledictions of the
Northern people.
The hatred they entertained for him bore testimony to his loyalty and services to the
South.
Nor were they over estimated.
He was the sentinel upon the watch-tower, and when the enemy was at the door he buckled on his armor and proved his courage and energy as he had done his fealty to his people and his country.
Gen. Floyd was distinguished for his forecast.
He was the first to warn us to hope nothing from recognition; to foretell us exactly what
England would do; to conjure us to rely on nothing but our own courage and constancy, and to hope for nothing save that we could achieve by hard fighting.
In the field he was energetic, and shared the fate of the soldier — never shrinking from exposure to weather or battle.
He was brave, generous, and loyal.
His granitic strength of character, while it fitted him for great labors, rendered him capable of sustaining manfully great reverses, and, in the language of a contemporary, "communicated as fortitude and noble humor to every sentiment and recollection connected with him."
