Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1862-04-25
THE SUICIDE OF COL. HOLIDAY.

Ia our route to Woodstock, we had stop-
| ped for some two or three days on bluff 10
near proximity to Strasburg. Ga the morn
ing oil Saturday the 9Th, the regiment was
ordered forward, The Colonel. after the
head OF the column had taken the pike and
the rest OF the regiment were fling in order,
galloped back to the village of Strasburg "a
distance oil little more than u mi!e) on bust
ness with the Provost marshal. lie return
ed accompanied by his bus ler and orderly to
stone bridge crossing large brook IN a
somewhat Wild and lonely spot. Here he
halted and ord cred his bugler forward % no.
thy the AdJufant that he wished to see hir
Som he ordered It's orderly to 90 forward
and hasten the AdJutant TO him. Soon after
being thus left alone, he was seen by SOL
der some distance In the rear to wheel his
horse suddenly down the bank u the left
take a bye road down and cross the brook TO
the east bank Of the Shenandoah. He rode
upon moderate trot. Soon Adiutant Pit
kin made his appearance and inquired of the
soldier before named for the Colonel. lie
pointed down the bye path he looked and
saw him some 100 rods off through the
bushes pressing his way on. He turned and
urged his steed after him, but when about
half the way along pistol shot was heard
at the bridge in the direction Of the Colonel
The Adjutant finally came upon lhe Colon
ell . horse hitched TO a bush. he called "Col-
onel - no answer. He sprang from his
horse, and rushed to the riverside, where
early buried In the water lay the body OF
our Commander ; he sprang into the stream
and drew him partly on 10 the bank, the
blood was gushing out of his forehead. The
AdJutant called Tor help, which was quick
ly furnished by the soldier who had rap
idly followed uim after hearing the firing
The body was taken on TO the bank and laid |
upon a blanket, the heart still beat, aud |
huttered, but in a moment the last sign of |
life vanished without a struggle or a grOan. |
The regiment was Immediately apprlsed Of |
the sad and mysterious event Some OF the !
ufhcers hurried 10 the scene and found the /
foe manly form Of our Colonel some one |
hundred and fifty rods from the main road |
lying IN the sleep of death, on the bank OF /
the Shenandoah. \ ball had pierced the |
centre of his forehead. his face, his beard |
and hair was dripping with blood His eye
balls started from their sockets and his APP
parel drenched with water. Your CORES
pondent closed his eyes and lips and his
body, which was still warm, Strengthened
and his arms folded across his breast Soon
the Provost Marshal of Strasburg appeared
with an ambulance, and an escort Of forty
men from our regiment and We gathered up
his remains and carried them forward to our
headq at Woodstock. A cOfin was
procured and on the following morning after
emarks and Pr ayers by the Chaplain, his
remains and effects under the care OF Capt.
h. b. Sawyer and strong escort were started
Tor Central New YORK. 1his occurrence was
strange and unlocked for, and yet such had
been the state OF Col. Holl iday's hea, tn and
mind from his first connection with this com
mand, as 10 tighten very materially the
snOck. lie was man Of high and unblem-
ished character and habits, governed by a
nice sense Of justice and military propriety.
But he seemed To be in feeble health weigh
I'd down with sense of his responsibility,
able to sleep but little mot probably over
TWO hours in twenty-iour for tue whole time
he was with us) labUrious, anxious, troubled,
nervous.
lie strove against his mental depression,
till overwhelmed the helm gave way and ne
sought relief IN death. In looking pack We
can see some few strange things, things We
have no doubt now resulted from partial
alterations OF mind.-COr. DAILY Times.