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- Newspaper Obituary - Thursday, November 28, 1861 Pulaski Democrat - Pulaski, New York - Death of Jno. M. Harding - Upton's Hill, Virginia, November 17, 1861. Mr. Editor: This morning, for the first time, have the faces of our County been saddened by the loss of one of our number, John M. Harding, who but a short six months ago, left his home and friends, to go forth at his country's call, against those outlaws of God and man, who are now so defiantly trying to overthrow our government. He died in the Brigade Hospital, on the 17th inst., of typhoid fever. For several weeks he had been unwell, but had been confined for only one week. As a token of respect to our esteemed friend and fellow soldier, the Company voluntarily contributed $52.00 for the purpose of embalming and sending his remains to his friends in Sandy Creek. The following resolutions were passed by the Company: Resolved, that, in the death of John M. Harding, of Company G, 24th Regiment, N.Y.S.V., we sustain the loss of a faithful soldier and an esteemed friend; and while we deeply mourn his loss, and shall miss him in future, as one of our happy number and the first who has gone to rest, yet we would feel to submit to the hand who gave an too has taken away. Resolved, that we hereby tender our sympathies to the family and friends of the deceased, of whom he was a beloved and honored member. Resolved, that while the mother and a large circle of friends feel the hand of Providence thus heavily laid upon them, we commend them in our humble petitions to the Father of mercies. Resolved, that a copy of these resolutions be forwarded to the family of the deceased, and that they also be published in the Pulaski Democrat. A. M. Beman. The following was communicated to us by a lady correspondent: Sandy Creek, November 25, 1861. On Thursday evening last, the embalmed remains of Jno. Milton Harding were brought from the Camp at Washington, and were taken from the cars at her depot to his widowed mother's home. The funeral was fixed for Saturday (23rd inst.) and, notwithstanding the unpropitious weather and the snowstorm, a numerous procession and was formed, to the Congregational Church, four of the company which he had belonged, of the 24th Regiment, being home for a few days, on furlough, Capt. Ferguson and 3 others, dressed in their uniform, acted as bearers; the pall for the coffin was the Star-Spangled Banner. The church was crowded with sorrowing friends, the choir sang three suitable anthems, and the assembly was addressed by the Rev. I. R. Bradnack, in a funeral discourse from the following passages of Scripture: Luke vii, 12 and 13. "Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and much people of the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her weep not" - and John xi, 33 and 35, "'When Jesus saw Mary weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit and was troubled, and Jesus wept." Mr. B. before announcing his text, said "I would not, on this occasion, dwell on the particulars of the sickness and death of our departed young friend, the circumstances are known to you all; suffice it to say, he was one of those noble hearted young man, who volunteered to go and fight in the defense of his country; but, before he was permitted to strike it below in the cause of liberty, God saw fit to remove him by sickness and death. Yet his memory will be honored equally with those who fall in the battlefield, inasmuch as he had enlisted at his country's call, and in this path of duty fell a victim, a sacrifice on the altar of his country, and therefore deserve to be buried beneath the nation's flag. I would rather endeavor to divert your attention from the fact, and while weeping with those who weep, strife to point the bereaved to the consolations of the Gospel, as conveyed to us all in the record of a Savior's sympathy with human sorrow, by now directing you to my text, which is full of instruction and comfort." The text, we thought, was remarkably appropriate to the circumstances. His sermon showed our natural tendency to view the Savior is only concerned about our souls and our sins, forgetting the tender sympathy displayed in the humanity of Christ; the two passages of Scripture were admirably contrasted, four, while in dying the tears of the widow of Nain, it evinced His Divinity, and weeping with Mary at the grave of His dead friend, he discovered his humanity. In short, the sermon was replete with consolation. Yours &c., M. A. B.
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Abt 1838 - 1861 (23 years)
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