b'Jews in the Old WestPART 7 By Alan RockmanTHE HERO OFNow the story of Edward S. Salomon, Gettysburg herowhich meant that despite all of the chaos, the oncoming GETTYSBURG WHOand the 9th governor of Washington Territory. Confederate infantry, the chaos and panic of the fleeing WAS GRANT\'S CHOICEUnion troops, Salomon remained as cool as a cucumber FOR GOVERNOR OFGerman-born, one-time store clerk turned Chicagoor as steady as the ancient nemesis of the Crusaders, WASHINGTON TERRITORY Alderman Edward S. Salomon (to be differentiatedPrince Saladin, and managed in the end to stabilize the (A personal note of fullfrom his namesake cousin Edward Salomon, who wasUnion line on Cemetery Hill.(Howe and Libo, We Lived disclosure. This writer hadLincolns wartime governor of Wisconsin) was a colonel,There Too, p. 259; Fredman, J. George, and Falk, Louis A., already known a bit aboutthe second-in-command of the 82nd Illinois Volunteers,Jews in American Wars, Jewish War Veterans, 1954, p.47).Edward S. Salomon\'s heroism, achievement, anda predominantly German-speaking regiment which accomplishment for in 2003 I was invited by the thenincluded over 100 fellow Jews. Part of General Oliver O.Brevetted a brigadier general for his heroism at curators of the Autry Museum for an event honoringHoward\'s Union XI Corps, the 82nd was rushed up toGettysburg, Salomon would lead his regiment a country music artist acquaintance. At that time, thethe collapsing Union line just north of Gettysburg on"Marching Into Georgia" where, under William Autry was also about to present a "Jews of the Oldthe first day of battle, with Salomon assuming commandTecumseh Sherman, he fought as well at the Battle of West" display and we were invited into the backroomof the regiment when his immediate superior, ColonelAtlanta as he did at Gettysburg, and earned praise for where the displays of Jewish life in California and theHecker, was seriously wounded.Staying cool, calmlyhis leadership there from another Union General, John West were arranged, and about to be moved out ontosmoking a cigar while cannon balls exploded nearbyCleveland Robinson, who wrote, "I consider (then) the museum rooms on the upper level. My eyes wereand under continuous rifle fire that shot two horsesColonel Salomon one of the most deserving officers. fixated on three specific items - one was a Torah scrollfrom under him, he almost single-handedly managedHis regiment is deserving of the highest praise. In point from a San Francisco synagogue almost 300 years old,to stem the tide of retreat and restored morale to hisof discipline, it is second to none in the corps. Its record the others were the gavel and the revolver of Edward S.shattered command, all the while being observed withwill bear safe comparison with any other of the same Salomon. The name was familiar to me because about aadmiration by his divisional commander, the famedage in the army" (Ibid.).year or so earlier I had purchased a copy of "We LivedCarl Schurz, a fellow German immigrant who would There Too" at a Book Warehouse outlet in Orangelater become a United States senator and secretary of theApparently, Ulysses S. Grant thought as well towards County, and to the amazement of the curators, (but notinterior under President Rutherford B. Hayes. Salomon as Generals Schurz and Robinson did, so much my friend as he was quite aware of my interestfor in 1870 it was President Grant who appointed in Civil War history) I proceeded to tell them what ISchurz would later write, "He (Salomon) was the onlyColonel Salomon (his permanent army rank) as the knew of general, then Governor Salomon\'s records ofsoldier at Gettysburg who did not dodge when Lee\'s9th governor of Washington Territory. It is said that achievement and accomplishment, and of his heroicguns thundered but stood up, smoked his cigar, andSalomon\'s appointment was a birthday present from actions that first day of the battle at Gettysburg.) faced the cannonballs with the sang froid of a Saladin" -Grant (Ibid.).americanjewisharchives.org18 January 2024'