Alanson M. Randol

        MAJOR ALANSON M. RANDOL.
  Major Alanson M. Randol, who died May
7 at New-Almaden, Cal., in the forty-ninth year
of his age, had a brilliant record as a Union offi-
cer in the civil war. He entered West Point in
1855, and was graduated five years later, being
given the rank of Brevet Second Lieutenant of
Artillery. In 1861 he was made First Lieutenant
of the First Artillery, and a few months later
was engaged in active service in Gen. Fremont's
operations in Missouri.
  In 1862 he was in the peninsular campaign,
and commanded a battery of reserve artillery.
He was in the battle of Glendale and Malvern
Hill and the skirmish of Harrison's Landing,
and for a month in this year was with the army
beseiging Yorktown. He was made Brevet Cap-
tain June 30, 1862, for gallant and meritorious
service in the action at New-Market, Va.  In the
Northern Virginia campaign, in the latter half
of 1862, he took part in the battle of Manassas,
and later in the battle of Antietam. During
the Rappahannock campaign he served as chief
of artillery in Gen. Humphrey's division,
taking part in the battles of Fred-
ericksburg and Chancellorsville. In 1863
he was in command of a battery
of horse artillery, attached to Gregg's cavalry
division, and in June of that year was pursuing
Stuart's cavalry through Maryland and Penn-
sylvania. At the battle of Gettysburg, a month
later, he took an active part and for gallant and
meritorious service was made Brevet Major.
The rank of Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel  was con-
ferred in 1865 for gallant and meritorious serv-
ices at the battle of Five Forks, and that of
Brevet Brigadier-General of Volunteers in the
same year for gallant and meritorious services
during the rebellion. He was mustered out of
the volunteer service July 21, 1865. He re-
ceived the rank of Major in 1882, when with the
Third Artillery, and in the same year was trans-
ferred to the First Artillery.