Page:Men of Mark in America vol 2.djvu/100

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OLIVER OTIS HOWARD

From 1880 to 1882 he was superintendent of the United States military academy, West Point. In July 1882, he was assigned to the Department of the Platte, remaining there till his promotion to the rank of major-general, March 19, 1886. He commanded the division of the Pacific till 1888, and that of the Atlantic, afterward the department of the East, from 1888-94, when he was retired by operation of law, November 8, 1894.

Since his retirement he has written his memoirs; has organized the Lincoln Memorial university at Cumberland Gap, Tennessee, for the education of the mountaineer white children, and as president of its board of directors has been most useful in securing for it friends and funds. During the Spanish war, 1898, he delivered many addresses in the interest of the Young Men's Christian Association at all the camps from Chickamaugua to Cuba. For his service in the battle of Gettysburg, he received the thanks of congress, January 28, 1864. When attending the French maneuvers in 1884, he received the decoration of the Legion of Honor of France. He has had the degree of LL.D. from Bowdoin. and from Waterville college, Maine, in 1865; from Shurtleff college, Indiana, 1865, and from Gettysburg theological seminary, Pennsylvania, 1866. He has been elected president of the Home Missionary Society (Congregational) for nine consecutive years; president of the American Tract society for nine years; and a vice-president of the American Bible society.

He is author of "Donald's School Days" (1878); "Chief Joseph of the Nez Perces, in Peace and War" (1878); "Henry in the War" (1899); and the "Life of Count Agenor de Gasparin," translation (1885); "Life of General Zachary Taylor" (1892); "Isabella of Castile" (1894); "Fighting for Humanity" (1898). A publisher had in hand (1906) a large volume of his "Indian Experiences." His lectures on the great generals and other topics related to the war meet with popular acceptance and are in demand. He is a member of the Loyal Legion, the societies of the Army of the Tennessee, of the Potomac, and of the Cumberland. He belongs to the Union League clubs of New York city and of Philadelphia, and he has been commander of the Medal of Honor Legion. He has always voted with the Republican party since it was organized in 1860. He is a member of the Congregational church.

His reading has been various. "After the Bible," he says, "probably professional reading has been most influential." His re-