Captain Henry Saunders (1822 - 1894)

SAUNDERS, HALL, STEWART, CANNING, CARHART, COURTNEY, COOPER, HICKENLOOPER, MCKISSICK, ROBERTS, RAMSAY, SPINKS, MCCOY, HAYNES, HENDERSON, PEYTON, SHARP, VEATCH, MENDEL, EGBERT, HASTIE, FREMONT, MABRY, MCKERNON, DOUGHERTY, KING, YOUNG, MOORE

Posted By: DJ Scieszinski
Date: 6/15/2018 at 12:21:24

THE SATURDAY UNION
Saturday, July 21st, 1894

HIS WARFARE O'ER
Death of Monroe County’s First Soldier in the War of the Rebellion

OUR COMMUNITY IN MOURNING

On last Monday morning at 3:15, occurred the death of Capt. Henry Saunders at his home in this city. The announcement of his death was not unexpected, but it caused a sad feeling to pervade all the community, and the veteran soldiers evidenced the great sorrow that had befallen them - many of them had served with him in the great war, their military lives were intermingled with his, and they learned to love him in the hours of conflict where true manhood is put to its greatest and supremest test, and they knew his valor - his manhood. Others who had met in the post hall, and in all the walks of life, and thus came to know his great heart, his true comradeship, felt that no loss could be greater among mortals.

For several months he had complained of heart trouble. In April last, when in the postoffice he was stricken, and was conveyed to his home, and though sometimes rallying and enabled to drive a short distance through the streets, and to converse with the comrades and citizens who daily flocked to see him, the attending physicians admonished all that but few weeks would elapse ere he would be called to break ranks and join the “caravan of the dead.” When it seemed evident to him that he must be “mustered out” he directed that the members of his company and regiment, Company E, 6th Iowa, should be invited to act as pall-bearers at his funeral. Those who responded were: Co. E, Ed A. Canning, John E. Carhart, Richard Courtney, Sampson Cooper, Harrison Hickenlooper, Joseph McKissick, Allen Roberts, R. B. Ramsay, James Spinks, Oliver C. McCoy. Co. D., E. C. Haynes, A. Henderson, Joseph Peyton, F. M. Sharp, Thos. M. Veatch. Co. B, Vale Mendel, Andy Egbert. A number of others were unable to attend the funeral, and wrote apologies, and expressed their deep regret at the death of their loved comrade.

The funeral services occurred at the house on Tuesday afternoon. Rev. W. J. Hastie, pastor of the Christian church, lead the services with reading the following

OBITUARY

Captain Henry Saunders was born in Decatur county, Indiana, Sept. 22d, 1823, and died Monday July 16th, 1894, at 3:15 a.m., and was 71 years, 9 months and 24 days of age.

He was married August 7th, 1844, to Eliza J. Stewart. To them were born seven children, five girls and two boys, all of whom are still alive.

He went to California in 1850 and was gone two years and four months, and came to Iowa in 1852.

He enlisted the first company at Albia for the war of the rebellion and became captain of that company. The company raised in May, ‘61, but it was not until July, ‘61, that it could be mustered into the U.S. service. He left here with his company on the 9th day of July, ‘61, and was mustered into the U.S. service at Burlington on the 17th, and it became Co. E of the 6th Iowa Inf’y. He went with Company E and some other companies to Athens, Mo., in August, 61’, at the engagement at that place. They went to St. Louis, Mo., and from there they went with Fremont in the Springfield Campaign: was with the Army of the Tennessee at the battle of Shiloh, and in various engagements in other campaigns and skirmishes in Mississippi and Tennessee, and resigned his office in the winter of ‘63, and came home.

He commanded the regiment during part of the time at the battle of Shiloh, and siege of Corinth; was always ready for duty and did his full part on all occasions requiring great daring and resolution and was never known to falter in a time of danger; was firm, resolute and aggressive as a soldier and officer, and yet kind and sympathizing to those in distress. No officer in the regiment was more esteemed by the soldiers than he for his kind and generous disposition. He was cheerful and ready for any occasion and was one of the most popular officers in the regiment with the men.

He was a charter member of Orman Post 337, Department of Iowa, and continued his membership up to the time of his death.

As a private citizen and business man he was well known. He was conscientious, honest and straightforward in all his dealings.

On Tuesday, April 10th he made the confession of his faith in Christ, and was baptized by Rev. Hastie in the presence of his family and other relatives and friends, and was received into the fellowship of the Christian church. After a long and painful sickness this citizen soldier of his country and of his God, passed away in the hope of a blessed resurrection, leaving behind him a devoted, faithful and constant companion and a most loving and affectionate family. “It is well with his soul.” Let him rest from his labors, his works doth follow him.

After reading the obituary, a choir rendered appropriate music, which was followed by a solo rendered by J. C. Mabry, “Rest, soldier, rest.” Rev. Hastie then delivered a most pathetic and impressive sermon, using as a text 1st Thesolonians, 4th chapter, 13th and 14th verses: “But I would not have you be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope, For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.” Then followed prayer by Rev. McKernon. Conductor Dougherty then took charge of the services and arranged the order in which the vast company should pass the bier and take a last look at the remains of the departed friend. The old soldiers passed through the rooms followed by the Masonic and Odd Fellows organizations, and then came the vast concourse of people. The cortege proceeded to the cemetery in the following order:

I.O.O. F. organization.
Masonic organization.
G. A. R. Post and old soldiers.
The hearse - and guard of honor.
The active pall-bearers.
Relatives.
Citizens.

Arriving at the grave, the I.O.O.F. and Masonic organizations opened order, and the G. A.R. soldiers and hearse passed through. The G. A. R. ritual service was performed at the grave, comrades King, Young, Moore, Haynes and Ramsay (Ed.I.), taking part. Loving hands had prepared the grave for the reception of the body, by lining throughout with arbor vitae. A quartet sang “Heaven at Last.” Rev. Hastie made a short prayer, and the cortege with bared heads and tear-dimmed eyes, left the tomb, made more sacred by its last addition, and retraced its steps to the square, marching back in reverse order. In front of the Odd Fellows temple, the G. A. R. opened order, the organizations passed through and went to their lodge rooms, and the G. A. R. marched to the court house park where they broke ranks.

In memory of the noble dead business was suspended in Albia during the funeral services, and from the ranks of business and professional men, from the shops and farms, from all avenues of life, came the rich and poor the high and low, the learned and unlearned, to pay their tribute of respect at the grave of one of the noblest men who had served his country as a soldier and proven a model of worthy citizenship.

A typical soldier of the republic, a generous comrade, a noble citizen, a devoted father, a patriot, a gentleman, his memory will be treasured by comrades and citizens alike, at each recurring memorial day, and as long as loyalty to country has a place in the hearts of Albia people, Capt. Henry Saunders will be remembered.

Valiant soldier, good friend, farewell.

A number of the soldier comrades of the 6th Iowa, have promised us articles pertaining to the military character and soldier service of Capt. Saunders, for publication in future numbers of the UNION.