The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-04-30
Rates OF ADVERTISING.
Confession and death OF an Army
ChapIain,

NJ N. Pomeroy, the able editor OF the La
Crosse (Wisconsinl Democrat gives the follow
ing death-bed scene, which hs was called to
visit in his recent visit to Chicago:
The Rev. Henry Clannard an eX-army
chaplain. who left off expounding Bible and
recruiting for the Saviour, and by indorsin8
the Niger and abolitionism became an army
chaplain 10 one of the Wisconsin regiments,
passed from life to home beyond a blessed
| Immortality, the other day, and has shutted
off his mortal coil.
| A physician had called on him two or three
times day fer month, doctoriug him for an
ague brought on while stealing cotton IN Ar
1 kansas while with General Curtis. On lear
ming that the ex-minster and ex-chaplain
would hardly live the night out, we called
with the physician
| In a little wooden looking room not over
| twelve feet square, in an obscure boarding
house in Chicago, we found the invalid. Tbs
room was bare of furniture except poor bed
little dirty washstand, two wood-bottom
chairs, AN old trunk, a pine table, on which
was spread q newspaper, on which lay an old
| bible, pair of old shutters, some pill boxes
and such stuff The dying man was propped
up in bed, while faithful negro woman sat
on the foot of the bed.
As we entered he rallied a little and asked
the doctor who he had brought with him. On
being told that it was Brick" Pomeroy, he
sank back, closed his eyes, rallied little, and
said, "Perhaps it is as we'll He might as well
know it as any one.
And he proceeded to make his dying state
ment, which was in these words, as we took
them down in our memorandum book, as the
physician requested
My name is Henry Clannard; am forty
one gears old; am Methodist ministerial
least was one; was once happy and con-
tented, and loved Christ, my Master, with all
the zeal Christian ever had; at last grew
cold in religion, selfish and envious OF the
good fortunes of Others; wanted to make
money and to have some fun; had no parti-
cular education, so thought / would be
Republican politician; began by preaching
politics from the pulpit, and praying for the
negro; it paid me in money, Tut lost Influence
at the Throne of Grace; but l did not care for
that if I could only have influence with the
Republican party; forgot Christ and became
interested in the negro; had influence with
few members of my church, and talked poll
tics to them; / was paid by ofice-seekers to
influence Christians; sometimes l made az
high as fifteen dollars at an election for my
influence with Christians.
cat last found politics paid better than
religion, and worked for the chaplaincy Of
a regiment and got it. Then I let religion
go, and went to war. There wrote letters
home denouncing Democrats as copperheads.
And stole cotton, and silver ware, and pic
lures, and books, and dresses for my wife and
sisters, and horses and mules for my broth
ers, and piano for the Governor who gave
me my commission, and gold watch for my
Captain, and lot Of household furniture to
send to my Colonel. And I robbed the sol
diers of jelly and such stuff sent down TO
them to use while in hospital, and / had my
share of goods stolen from Sanitary fairs, and
made lots of money. Please give me little
piece of that pounded ice" The physician
gave it to him, when he continued:
"But was not happy. drank whskey
with the boys when away from home, and in
dulged in some excuses not worth mention
ing, and laid up quite pile of money. And
was taken sick while out stealing cotton
from plantation where a widow lady lived.
had coaxed her niggers to run away, and
they are all dead now.
When the war was ended came home to
Wisconsin, but could not stay there; SO came
to Chicago; and grew sick; and have got to
die have called on Christi have prayed to
God but somehow | cannot get relief for my
soul; the door Of mercy seems shut against
me- forsook religion for politics. and now
God has forsaken me; pray to my Saviour,
but he don't hear me; l talk to this faithful
negro woman-she says, Yes, massa !~and
that is all can get out of her; know cant
live long; feel that am dying; feel certain
that am going to hell; please give me little
pieces more of ice before 60; want thesethinss
written down, as warning to others who for
get Christ for politics; feel that the negro
can't save--thst Christ would save me; was
unfaithful to my religion and am forgotten;
was faithful to the negro, but alas, the negro
can't help me where l want help--he can't
ease my guilty soul; am going to he'll and
know it; expect to meet many persons there
who forgot religion for politics; donot expect
to see you again in this world or the next, but
want this confession printed; please--give--
mall-snal- piece-of--of--of--of
--iee!"
And thus died the Rev Henry Claunard
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A Church in the WOOdS