General John Rawlings

DECEMBER 10, 1864.]

HARPER'S WEEKLY.

DEACON JOHN PHILLIPS.

BRIGADIER-GENERAL JOHN G. RAWLINGS, GENERAL GRANT'S CHIEF OF STAFF.

MONUMENT ERECTED BY CITIZENS AND SOLDIERS ON THE STONE RIVER BATTLE-GROUND. SKETCHED BY D. M. F.—[SEE PAGE 790.]

DEACON JOHN PHILLIPS.

DEACON JOHN PHILLIPS, whose portrait we give above, is a resident of Sturbridge, Massachusetts, where he voted at the last Presidential election, having reached the age of 104 years. He has voted for General WASHINGTON and at every subsequent Presidential election, except that of 1860, when he was prevented by illness. At the recent election he was escorted to the Town Hall in a carriage, over which floated the American flag. At the announcement of the arrival of the venerable patriot at the door of the Hall, the citizens of the town, in token of reverence and respect, arose and stood with uncovered heads, while a detail of soldiers bore the "Old Gentleman" to the desk in front. He expressed the satisfaction he felt at seeing so many of the soldiers who had periled their lives in defense of the country, and desired to take each one by the hand. A line was formed of all the returned soldiers present, and each one was introduced to the venerable patriarch, with a statement of the length of time each had served in the army. The Deacon had a son present, who was seventy nine years old, and who addressed the citizens.

Two sets of ballots were presented to the venerable voter in full view of all present—one being a ballot for ABRAHAM LINCOLN, the other for GEORGE B. McCLELLAN—and the old gentleman was asked to take his choice. He reached out his hand and said, " I will vote for ABRAHAM LINCOLN."

The following preamble and resolution were unanimously adopted by the town :

" Whereas, our very venerable and highly respected fel-

low-citizen, Deacon JOHN PHILLIPS, who is this day one hundred and four years four months and nine days old, and who still retains his mental and physical faculties in a high degree ; and, whereas, he has traveled some two miles to attend this tows meeting, and has deposited his ballot for presidential electors and State officers, therefore,

"Resolved, That this be entered upon the records of the town, as a lasting memoral of his undying patriotism and devotion to country, and as an incident perhaps unparalleled in the annals of our Government."

GENERAL JOHN G. RAWLINGS.

GENERAL RAWLINGS, Chief of Staff to Lieutenant-General GRANT, and whose portrait we give on this page, was at the breaking out of the war engaged in the profession of law at Galena, Illinois. He was a townsman of General GRANT, and upon the appointment of the latter as field officer, RAWLINGS, then a young man, was selected by him as a member of his stall. Since then, except at brief intervals of illness, he has retained this official connection with General GRANT. Upon one occasion he was wounded in the performance of his military duties. One feature is characteristic of him, and that is his modesty. One of the first hotels this city was not long since honored with his presence for several days, but the proprietor did not until the last moment discover that he had been entertaining the chief of General GRANT'S staff. This is a peculiar feature distinguishing the Lieutenaul-General himself from other men, and those whom he gathers about him have very much the same character. General RAWLINGS in a peculiar manner enjoys the confidence of General GRANT.

CAPTURE OF THE BLOCKADE RUNNER "HOPE" BY THE UNITED STATES STEAMER " AEOLUS" OFF WILMINGTON, OCT. 22, 1864.—SKETCHED BY S. M. LANE.—[SEE PAGE 790.]

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