Gustavus Sniper

   THE LATE GEN. SNIPER.
Incidents in the War Career of the
      Gallant Soldier.
 General Gustavus Sniper, whose
death at Syracuse yesterday morn-
ing was noted in the TIMES last even-
ing, was a brave soldier during the
war of the rebellion. When the first
gun was fired on Fort Sumpter, Gen.
Sniper took steps to raise a company
of volunteers, expecting to join the
Twelfth regiment. In this he was
disappointed, for although his com-
pany was filled in a very short time,
so rapidly were enlistments made in
those early days of the great strug-
gle, that he found it impossible to
connect himself with the first regi-
ment to leave Onondaga county.
Mothing daunted, however, he im-
mediately formed a new company
with the intention of joining the
Twenty-fourth regiment of Oswego
county. In this again he was dis-
appointed for a similar reason. Dis-
banding his company he enlisted in
the 101st regiment, determined to at
least attach himself in person to a
volunteer organization. He then
raised about one-half of a company
and was made first lieutenant, and
afterward captain.
 After an honorable career in the
service, the 101st regiment was mus-
tered out in 1863, Captain Sniper
having meanwhile been promoted to
lieutenant colonel. He returned
home with a reputation for military
skill, bravery and executive ability
that was most flattering to himself
and friends.
 When the organization of the 185th
regiment was resolved upon Colonel
Sniper took a deep and active inter-
est, and was, perhaps, more efficient
in the final success of the undertak-
ing than any other one present.
When the ranks of the regiment were
finally filled in 1864, he was com-
missioned lieutenant colonel. He
was promoted to colonel before the
regiment had see much active ser-
vice in the field; and when that splem-
did organization entered upon the
closing campaign of the war in the
spring of 1865, participating in sev-
eral nrilliant engagements. At the
battle of Hatcher's Run, the color
bearer, Sergeant B. H. Wilson, was
twice wounded. The sergeant of the
color company, William H. Tyler, in
whose hands the colors were then
placed, was killed. Herman Reiss,
one of the color guards, then seized
the colors, but was immediately shot
in the hand. Captain D. N. Lathrop
of company D., next grasped the
flag, but was severely wounded in
the foot. At this juncture Colonel
Sniper seized the colors and raising
the flag, and swinging it above his
head, and shouting to his men to
follow him, he led his men on to vic-
tory, and the final charge was made.
For his personal bravery Colonel
Sniper was breveted Brigadier Gen-
eral. In this engagement the regi-
ment lost 25 per cent of its available
material.
 The One Hundred and Eighty-fifth
also participated in the battle of Five
Forks, one of the most prominent en-
gagements that were instrumental in
terminating the rebellion. At the
head of his regiment General Sniper
saw the final scenes of the war, and
returned home to receive the plaudits
and the rewards of his deeds at the
hands of his fellow citizens.