Henry Mack's Obituary of the 57th USCT

From the December 14, 2014, Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder  "Civil War veteran Henry Mack, 107 years old, dies.  Buried April 11, 1945."

From the April 13, 1945 issue.

Funeral services for Henry Mack, reported to be one of the oldest Civil War veterans in the country, who died at veterans hospital, Sunday, April 8, were held Wednesday, April 11, at Zion Baptist Church with Reverend Claude Ireland, chaplain of the Minnesota Soldiers Home, officiating.

Mr. Mack, a native of Fayette City, Alabama, was 107 years old at the time of his death.  He was vice commander of the Minnesota  Department of the Grand Army of the Republic.  He fought in the Civil War in the Fifty-seventh Infantry Colored Volunteers from Arkansas.

Members of the Johnny Baker Post were the active pallbearers.  Internment was at Crystal Lake cemetery.

Surviving are a step -son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Johnson, with whom he made his home.  Woodward Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Death and Funeral of Theophilus Lyle Dickey

From Find-A-Grave site.

JUDGE T. LYLE DICKEY LAID TO REST

Ottawa, Ill., July 28, 1885.

The funeral of the late Judge T. Lyle Dickey took the place at the residence of his daughter, Mrs. W.H. Wallace, at three o'clock yesterday afternoon.  Although the heat was excessive at that hour the attendance was very large, nearly all the business houses in town having closed from two until five o'clock.

A special train from Chicago, having on board the State officers and many Chicago friends, arrived at twelve o'clock, the procession, consisting of Company D,  G.A.R.,  the City Council and the Judges of the Supreme Court, formed at  the Supreme Court, formed at the Supreme Courthouse, where the remains had been lying in state, and moved through town to "Two Oaks," where services were held.

After the service the procession moved to the beautiful little private burial ground on the edge of the bluff and consigned  to the final resting place, the remains of T. Lyle Dickey.

--Old secesh

Major John Johnson Obit-- Part 3

Maj. John Johnson was called to his immortal reward Sunday, April 7. 1907.  Ever present in life to cheer and comfort him was the love, esteem, and confidence of all mankind, and in the hour of death those who knew him best have every confidence that the world is better in that he lived.

The father of Dr. Johnson (Major), Joseph Johnson, M.D.,  was a son of William Johnson, one of the Revolutionary patriots of "Liberty Tree" fame and an exile to St. Augustine, and a nephew of Justice William Johnson, of the United States Supreme Court.

General Beauregard said that to Dr. Johnson was due the masterly defense of  Fort Sumter.

--Old Secesh

Major John Johnson, Obituary-- Part 1

From Confederate Vets.com.  From the Confederate Veteran magazine of the United Confederate Veterans.

REV. JOHN JOHNSON D.D.

Tribute by Gen. Cornelius Irvine  Walker, Charleston, S.C.

The most obstinate , prolonged and gallant defense of the whole war was that of Fort Sumter in Charleston, S.C. Harbor. There the first Confederate flag was planted in victory, and there almost the last was lowered in disaster.

For two years the vast resources of the United States, its navies and its armies, were in vain expended against the fortress.  Shot and shell from the most powerful armaments of the day were thundered against its ramparts; but it never yielded to a front attack, and was abandoned only when Sherman flanked the Confederates out of Charleston.

The heroic men who so gallantly held the fortress won an imperishable glory.

The man who, by his skill, patience, untiring energy, and superb courage, made possible the prolonged holding of the fort was its chief engineer, Major John Johnson.  His genius converted the crumbling ruins  of Fort Sumter into an impregnable stronghold.

So preeminent and  and well-known were these services that  all unite in yielding him credit.

--Old Secesh

Funeral of William H.L. Wallace-- Part 1

From Facebook Page:  Gen W.H.L. Wallace.

The remains of General W.H.L. Wallace, who so bravely sacrificed his life his life at the late battle of Pittsburg Landing, arrived in this city Sunday evening about nine o'clock on a special train from Cairo furnished by direction from General Strong.

The body was in charge of Colonel T. Lyle Dickey of the Fourth Illinois Cavalry (father-in-law),  accompanied by  Major M.R.M. Wallace of the Fourth Cavalry, brother of the deceased.  Lieutenant Cyrus E. Dickey (brother-in-law and son of T. Lyle Dickey), Lieutenant I.P. Rumsey, Aides-de-Camp to General Wallace, Captain C.Y.  Hotchkiss, Acting Adjutant-General.

The wife of General Wallace, who arrived at Pittsburg Landing  the same day that her husband received his death wound, also accompanied his remains.

At the depot, they were met by a detachment of about fifty men composed of Companies D and H of the Irish brigade.  The detachment was in charge of Captain Simpson, Company D.

--Old Secesh

Funeral of William H.L. Wallace-- Part 2: Arrival in Ottawa

The body was placed  in the hearse  which had been provided by order of Mayor Rumsey and about half-past nine the procession started from the depot in the following order:  Two files of soldiers with reversed arms.  Hearse attended by six commissioned officers, four from the Irish brigade, and to from the Scotch  regiment, as pall bearers.  A rear guard of six men with fixed bayonets.

The procession proceeded up  Lake Street to Clark, Up Clark to  Van Buren and thence to the Rock Island depot, and not withstanding the lateness of the hour, was attended by a large concourse of citizens.

The tolling of the Court House bell as the procession passed through the streets startled the whole city, many not being aware of the death of the General.

From the Chicago Tribune.

--Old Secesh

Cornelius G. Attwood's Death-- Part 2: Death Came Suddenly

Springfield Republican
Springfield, Massachusetts
January 28, 1888

THE DEATH OF COL. Cornelius C. Attwood, which came suddenly yesterday morning at his home in West Roxbury, will bring sorrow to many circles in the commonwealth, for Col. Attwood's business, military and social connections were widely extended, and his was an attractive and striking personality.

Col. Attwood's earliest public service was in the war of the rebellion.  As a young man of 25, he enlisted in the first call for the three months' men, a second lieutenant in the 3rd battalion of rifles organized in Worcester County.

Hardly had he been mustered out of service when the years' call came, and he went to work to raise a company of which he was made a captain and which was assigned to the 25th regiment.

--Old Secesh

In Case You're Wondering What a Minute Gun Is

From the Collin English Dictionary.

In te last post I mentioned Minute Guns, a term I was unfamiliar with.

A gun fired at one minute intervals as a sign of distress and mourning.

Also used at a military funeral ceremony.

--Old Secesh

The Confederacy's Only US President Buried 150 Years Ago-- Part 2

At the end of his presidency, John Tyler returned to his Virginia home just outside Richmond where he remained largely out of politics until the Virginia secession crisis of 1861.  A strong advocate of states rights, he nonetheless worked for a compromise to keep Virginia from leaving the Union.  And, he especially worked against Virginia going to war.

After he failed, he stood with his state and supported the Confederacy, even becoming a member of the House of Representatives shortly before his death.

Upon his death, he became the only US president whose death was not officially recognized in Washington, DC due to his allegiance to the Confederacy.

Despite his wishes for a simple funeral, the Confederate government gave him a state one with all the pomp and circumstance that entails.

After lying in state, the body was taken from the Capitol to St. Paul's Church where Bishop Johns gave an eloquent sermon to a packed house.  Then, the group went to Hollywood Cemetery where Tyler was buried near President James Monroe.  President Jefferson Davis, his cabinet, most of the Congress and many state officials attended.

The graves of both presidents are found in President's Circle at the cemetery.


A Leader in Two Countries.  --Old Secesh

The Confederacy's Only US President Buried 150 Years Ago-- Part 1

From the RVA News 150, Richmond, Virginia.  It is kind of strange that I would come across this article just a day after my wife forwarded me an article about how President Tyler still has two living grandchildren.  I will be writing about that on my history blog, Cooter's History Thing.

As the capital of the Confederacy, Richmond, Virginia, was host to many state funerals in it streets during the course of the war.  The persons were often buried in the city's Hollywood Cemetery.

On January 22, 1862, the new country buried its first and only United States president, John Tyler.  Referred to by his opponents as "His Accidency" or "The Accidental President" John Tyler, the 10th president had ascended to that position upon the sudden death of William Henry Harrison a few weeks into his term, the first vice president to do so in the succession plan.

President Tyler died January 18, 1862, and his funeral procession was held Jan. 22nd after a full-fledged state funeral.  He had passed away at age 71 at the Exchange Hotel in Richmond.

More to Come.  --Old Secesh