James M. Comley.

Perry county has been especially successful in pro- ducing literary men. It is now our pleasure to pre- sent to our readers, the biography of another Perry countian, who has made for himself a name in the world of journalism. The grandfather of James Comley laid out the town of New Lexington. He was of Quaker descent. One of his ancestors, Henry Comley came to Penn- sylvania with William Penn in 1682. The subject of our sketch was born in New Lex- ington, March 6, 1832. While yet a mere boy he de- termined to go out into the world and 'hoe his own row." Walking to Columbus, he entered the office of the 'Ohio State Journal" and learned the printer's 178

trade. He received his education mostly from the public schools of that city. He began the study of law, and was admitted to practice in 1859. The War breaking out in '61, he entered the service of his country as a private. He rose successfully in the ranks. First as Lieutenant of his company, then Lieu- tenant Colonel of the Forty-third Ohio Volunteers and then Major of the Twenty-third Ohio. While Major he marched his detachment from Raleigh C. H., West Virginia, to the mouth of Stone River, twenty-eight miles, through a snow storm, driving a regiment of the enemy's infantry and a force of cavalry with con- siderable loss across the river, capturing their tents, camps and forage. The detachment received the thanks of General Rosecrans, for its bravery and effici- ency. He was in the Battle of South Mountain where Lieutenant Colonel Hayes had his arm broken. Three other Lieutenants were badly wounded and it devolved upon Major Comley to command the regiment the re- mainder of the day. He led three splendid bayonet charges, repulsing the Confederates successfully each time. His regiment lost two hundred men. The colors were riddled and the blue field almost completely car- ried away by shot and shell. In the great battle of Antietam, the colors of the regiment were shot down, and after a moment's de- lay, they were planted by Major Comley on a new line at right angles with the former line. Without awaiting further orders, fire was opened, before which the enemy was compelled to retire. He served in the splendid campaign, that ended with the battle of Cedar Creek, where that other Perry county boy made his famous ride and snatched victory from defeat. Sub- sequent to this Major Comley became Colonel of his 179

regiment and remained with it till the close of the war. In October, 1865, he became Editor of the Ohio State Journal. This position he held for twelve years. As an editoral writer, General Comley wielded a vig- orous pen and he was largely instrumental in shaping the policy in the Republican party, not only in Ohio but in the nation at large. Upon the accession of Rutherford B. Hayes to the Presidency, he appointed his old comrade-at-arms as Minister to the Hawaiian Islands. He remained there till 1882, when he returned to Ohio and pur- chased the "Toledo Commercial." He at once assumed the editorial control. It was while thus engaged that he died in 1887. General Comley was a man of noble character. Fearless as he was in stating his opinions, yet his enemies---political, for he had no other---admired him. Even his political enemies were his staunchest per- sonal friends. President Hayes said of him: "Know- ing General Comley intimately for more than twenty- five years, and especially having lived by his side, day and night, during almost the whole of the war, it would be strange indeed, if I did not deem it a priv- ilege and a labor of love, to unite with his comrades in strewing flowers on the grave of one whose talents and achievements were so ample and so admirable, and whose life and character were so rounded to a completeness rarely found among the best and the most gifted of men. "Whose wit in the combat, as gentle as bright, Ne'er carried a heart stain away on its blade." 180

A SUMMER DAY. Extract from a letter written by General Comley, from Hawaii: Did you ever walk along the meadow stream in June, with the shiners flashing back the summer sun---just warm enough---not hot, but about as warm, (say) as the New Jerusalem---walk along and catch here a whiff of violets, there a breath of milky fragrance from the ruminating cat- tle, then a swell of delirious rapture, from the throat of some mocking-bird, answered, by a clear alert "Bob White" from the wheat fields near by --- did you ever walk along so, watching the summer clouds drift lazily into every rav- ishing beauty of form or color possible to conceive, and bless the day to yourself with a sort of blissful awe as if God was walking in the fields ? 181

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