Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-10-27
DEATH OF COL. THOBURN.

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DEATH OF COL. TIHOBURN.
Most of our readers have learned of
the death of this brave and gallant Off
Ger, who fell mortally wounded in the
battle of Cedar Creek, on Wednesday
last.
Col. JOSEPH THoBURN was born in
Belmont County, and his death has cast
gloom over many of our citizens who
were the companions and associates of
his early life, and the admirers Of the
manly. straight forward, and patriotic
course of his later years. e ... ...
When this cruel Rebellion first broke
out, he Immediately entered the ser
vice as Surgeon, but soon learned
although an excellent physician-that
he had mistaken his calling, and through
the advice of friends accepted posi-
ton as field officer in the First Vir-
ginia Infantry, where he served faith
fully, always finding himself where
duty called and danger seemed the
greatest, until, by some coward foe, he
received his mortal wound.
The following account of his last
hours and death we copy from the
Wheeling Intelligencer: ....r
He was shot Just Under the lower rib. On
the left side, and the ball passed out little
higher up on the right side, apparently
near the junction Of the ribs with the spinal
column. Capt. Reid informed US that both
lungs had been penetrated, and that the
loss Of blood had been very great. The cir
cumstances of Colonel Thoburn's death as
related by the Captain, are as follows: He
was killed ahout6 o'clock on Wednesday
morning. The enemy had burst in upon
his division, which occupied the extreme
front, about 8 o'clock that morning, and as
the dispatches have already shown. had
surprised and overpowered it. 1t had been
driven steadily back as far as Mddietown,
indeed through that place, and Col Tho
burn at the time of his death was busily en-.
gagged disentanging and pushing forward
his retreating trains. The rebel cavalry had
fianked the left OF our army and in large
I Vhu CbflIC III Du tHt tTa1HS, AtfnCk-
ing him iercey One of them dressed in
our uniform rode up to Col. Thohurn and
commanded him to halt. The Colonel not
knowing that the rebel was foe in fact
not knowing that it was himself addressed,
did not halt, and accordingly the cavalry.
man fired. the ball taking effect as we have
stated. He fell from his horse at the side
Of the street, on q vacant lot, and he there
remained for a.considcrable time according
to the statement of lady who had paid him
some attention while lying there. She was
compelled to leave him by reason of the
danger near her person from exploding
shells, &C., and betake herself to her cellar.
A gentleman of the place, after the battle
had luled little, took the Colonel into his
house and had him cared for in passable
way. 1t was in this house that Capt. Reed
found him about dusk in the evening. lie
was sensible all the time up to two minutes
past twelve that night at which time he
died. He suffered excessively toward the
last half hour of his life, yet panaged to
talk at times, and was perfectly resigned
and calm. AS soon as Capt. Reid found him.
he sent off and called in the Medical Direc.
tor, who hastily examined the wound and
pronounced it not mortal, and stated his
hope that the Colonel would survive it,
| I'VE hppu'u' ultIlSClI u pHVSlClaH, merely
sheok his head, saying noihng. The Sur
geon Of the 10Th West Va. Infantry was
called in, and he without hesitation decided
that the wound was mortal, and that the
sufferer could not live over night When
this was told Col Thoburn, he replied that
the news did not shock him in the least
that he had known after the 6rst ten min
ute. his wound was mortal, and that he was
ready to meet his fate. In reply TO a ques-
tion whether he had any messages to send
home, he requested Captain Reid to take
down some directions about his worldly af
fairs, and then, after they had been penned
and read over to him, said, tell my wife
not to grieve for me, and my children to be
good and true" These were the last words
hc spoke. A short time thereafter, Just as
the toll of midnight had died upon his ear,
his brave and unselfsh and patriotic spirit
took its fight. A noblsr soldier never fell
upon any battle field, The rebel household
in whose presence and under whose roof he
died. might have said to tho detail of our
soldiers who were around him with Capt.
Reid. at the time he hreathed his last, in
the language of the Volcian enemies who
who had slain the Roman Coriolanus:
"l,ear from hence his body,
And mourn you for him; lei him he regarded
A. the most noble corse thui ever her aid
Did follow 10 his urnn
Col Thoburn was buried at Wheel
ing on Tuesday, with imposing cere-
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