Cavalry Soldier Drowns

THAYER

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 10/16/2007 at 08:53:03

Maquoketa Excelsior, June 29, 1865:

Death of Member of Company G, 8th Iowa Cavalry.

From Sergt. Blakesley, 8th Iowa Cavalry, we are in receipt of the painful intelligence that Wellington Thayer, Company G, 8th Iowa Cavalry, was drowned on the 8th day of April last, while attemptting to swim the Sipsy River. With two others of the company he was cut off from the command the 6th of April, and in endeavoring to reach Eastport, Miss., the nearest point to our lines, this accident occurred. We can bear testimony with Sergt. Blakesley that Wellington was highly esteemed by the entire circle of his associations, both in the company and out of it. He was a true soldier and always ready for battle. But how far short of expressing our feelings is this habit of testifying to the virtues of a comrade after he is dead. This intelligence creates a feeling that would fain bestow a more flattering meed for his many manly virtues and one that would tend more towards alleviating the pang his death must create at home, but we can only be content with knowing that a model character is with his name engraven deep in our memory. If with his friends our sympathy can have the least weight in soothing sorrow, you have it from the depth of heart.