Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1861-09-26
GENERAL NATHANIEL LYON.
HIS B1RTH-pLAch AND HIS BURIAL

/ HIS BIRTH-PLACk AND HIS BURIAL.
The funeral of Lieutenant E. L. Lyon,
who was killed at Cockeysvllle, Maryland,
by railroad disaster of last Sunday two
weeks, took place at Eastford, Connecticut,
on the 18th inst. He was nephew of Gen.
Lyon, and was buried by his side.
A Connecticut friend of the late General
Lyon has published in one of the Hartford
papers column of interesting reminiscent
ces Of the General Of the several accounts
given of his death, the most authentic, un-
doubtedly, is that of his relative and brigade
surgeon, DR.. G. G. Lyon, who was with
him when he was shot. He says:
General Lyon had been wounded by a
shot in the heel, shot through the feshy
part of his thigh, and shot which cut open
the back of his head to the skull bone, and
and was covered with blood, when he saw
him riding between the Kansas and Iowa
regiments to lead them to the charge. He
begged him to retire to the rear and have
his wounds dressed. General Lyon replied,
No-these are nothing" went forw ard,
and was killed by Minnie ball, which went
through the breast and passed out at the
back, severing the aorta, or principle blood
vessel of the heart. He fell into the arms
of Lehman, his body servant, and said,
{. Lehman, | am killed take care of my
body" and Instantly expired. These were
his last and only words.
The following sketch of the Generals
character is given by the same writer:
" In private life, in the camp, by the fire.
side, or anywhere with his friends off duty,
General Lyon was one of the most mild,
genial and pleasant of men. Said one of
bis intimate friends. g You wouldn't sup"
I pose he ever would get angry, or be reused
to excitement" His favorite attitude was
standing stroking or picking his long sandy
! beard. But on his splendid horse, at the
head of his little army, he was literally ca
tower of strength" His form Strengthened
up two inches taller, ais eye dilated and
blazed with excitement, and his commands
were given in trumpet tones that were heard
and obeyed through all the deafening din Of
battle, and he was incapable of fear."
| His birth place and his grave are describ-
ed as follows:
The old brown house in which General
Lyon was born, stands about mile and a
half from his grave in Eastford, in lonely
desolate place, at the bottom of valley,
between two steep, rocky hills. The night
before his last battle he slept on the grass
between two high rocks, so wedged in with
his companion, Major ScoGeld, that it was
difficult to stir. He made light of the incon-
venence, remarklng to his friend that g be
was born between two rocks"
AS has already been stated, Gen. Lyon
wiled his property-some $50 000-to the
country. HIS sword, chapeau and commits
sion have been giver to his native State, and
Connecticut will undoubtedly honor his
memory by a monument, though Judge
Colt of st. Louis, who was present at his
funeral, says that Missouri will claim the
privilege of erecting the monument over his
remains.
The following address was made at the
grave, by Judge Colt:
1t was not my good fortune to know
General Lyon intimately. 1t was not my
lot to enjoy for number of years the rich
fruits of his martial and manly spirit; but,
like many of you in this vast assembly, l
could learn him from history. could watch
| him in slave State, while in the service of
the Government, with the more interest and
care since he was a son of good old Con-
necticut, winning golden opinions FROM all
martial men in the State of my adoption.
He was one of the active spirits of his
age, tried soldier, an honost and uncom.
promisingly determined man, with militia
| ry genius and courage quite equal to the
leading of the advance guard for universal
| emancipation. And we have come here to
do him honor. Missourians of native birth
who never before trod the soil of New Eng
land, his aids from other States, ano his re
lation by blood who served him in the field
and captain carrying the leaden messenger
of death In his body, and brave soldiers all,
are all here to do honor to his memory
81 do not presume to speak for and in
behalf of Missouri; do not speak in behalf
of that western star, now surrounded by
storm, but do say that she will claim Lyon
as part of her history. Take this cold
body, all covered with wounds, all that re.
mains of the true hero, and hurry him in
the ground. 1t is fit birth and burial place
for great spirit. Bury him tenderly as
one who lies down to sleep. He is not the
first son Of New England whose blood fat.
tens southern soil in the glorious cause OF
the nation. In the war of the Revolution
when the whole country possessed but 8
sparse population, Connecticut gave hel
bounty in men, money and forage. Anoth
er revolution is upon US.
{" We may change, and counter-revolutior
may be necessary, but the Government and
the Constitution are quite equal to the cri
sis. The political cholera of secession vii
soon exhaust itself and yield to government