Somerset County PA Archives Obituaries.....Edie, John Rufus October 29, 1874
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The Somerset herald.: (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936: November 04, 1874
Edie, John Rufus
At Washington, D. C., Oct. 29th, 1874, Maj. John Rufus Edie, of the U. S. Ordnance
Corps, aged 34 years. 
Major Edie, the only son of Col. John R. Edie. was born in Somerset, Pa., on
December 19th 1839; graduated at the U. S. Military Academy at West Point, with
honor, in June 1861; was brevetted Capt. August 1st 1864 "for faithful and
meritorious services rendered in the field," and brevetted Major, March 13th, 1865,
"for faithful and meritorious services in the ordnance department and in the field."
 He commanded the Detroit Arsenal for a year or more and was second in command at
the Pittsburgh, Washington and Springfield Arsenals. In the first battle of Bull Run
he rode upon the staff of Gen. Wilcox, and subsequently was upon the staff of Gen.
Mead as ordnance officer of the Army of the Potomac, and after the war, for several
years, was assigned to the Chief of Ordnance at Washington. Owing to his thorough
knowledge of Ordnance, he was placed upon most of the important commissions detailed
by the Secretary of War to inspect and test arms. For the past two years he had been
on duty at the Government Arsenal in Springfield Mass., where a too willing worker,
and unconscious of the natural frailness of his own constitution, he willingly
accepted the responsibilities and performed the arduous labors of his post which
finally so enervated his system that he fell an easy victim to a fever he
contracted. 
Major Edie was married to a daughter of the late Commodore McCauley, and leaves a
widow and two children. 
The following paragraphs from tho National Republican understood to have been
written by the head of the department in which he served, is a deserved tribute to
his memory:
"In all the various service of thirteen years including the entire war of the
rebellion, he proved himself to be an officer of high merit, and won the esteem and
confidence of his superiors. In whatever position of delicacy and responsibility his
duty called him, he was ever found equal to its demands, and had his life been
spared, would no doubt have attained the highest honor vouchsafed to excellent
abilities, honesty of purpose, energy, industry and fidelity, and to all the highest
qualities that constitute the officer and gentleman. His career has been a short
one, but he leaves behind him a record of which his friends may well be proud."
The remains were buried on Sunday at 3 o'clock p. m., in Oak Hill Cemetery,
Washington D. C., being escorted there by a detachment of troops from Washington
Arsenal and Fort Whipple and several Companies of the Washington Light Infantry.
There were present many distinguished Army and Naval Officers among whom were Hon.
W. W. Belknap, Sec. of War, Gen. Albert J. Meyer, Chief Signal Officer and Gen.
Benet, Chief of Ordnance. Col. J. Martin, A. A. G. U. S. A., Maj. F. H. Parker, Capt
F. H. Phipps, Ordnance Corps, Dr. J. D. Barnes (Son of the Surgeon Gen.) Lieut Geo.
C. Reid, Marine Corps, and Commander Manley, U. S. N., acted as pall bearers. 

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