John W. Clous

John Walter Clous had an interesting and prosperous career. Born in Germany seventy-one years since, he came to America in boyhood, enlisted in the army as a private in 1857, and so commended himself by exemplary conduct and industrious study that early in the Civil War he was commissioned Second Lieutenant. His promotion was rapid, for, not content with a sound engineering education, which he acquired mainly in private study, he also devoted himself to preparation for the bar, specializing in the legal relations between the military and civil authorities of the State. He was made a captain for gallantry at Gettysburg and, passing swiftly through successive grades, was retired as brigadier-general. He was Judge-Advocate in many courts-martial, admitted to practise before the Supreme Court of the United States, and was Professor of Constitutional and International Law at West Point, terminating his legal career as Judge-Advocate General. He was distinguished for volunteer service in Cuba and was conspicuous in settling the troublesome questions of law, international and military, attendant on evacuation. He was a member of this Association for fourteen years, and, for longer terms, of all the national military organizations. His musical training was very thorough, almost professional; his appreciation of painting and literature very high. A genial companion, a keen observer of life and manners, a pleasant and stimulating talker, merry and witty in his hours of ease, he had among us a wide circle of the choicest friends.

William Milligan Sloane
1909 Century Association Yearbook