Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1866-05-24
Confession and Death of
an Army Chaplain.

M. M. Pomeroy, the aple eultOr
of the Lacrosse wis Democrat
gives the following death-bed
scene, which he was called to visit
in his recent visit to Chicago:
The Rev. Henry Clannard, an
ex-army chaplain who left off ex-
pounding the Bible and recruiting
for the Saviour, and by indorsing
the niger and abolitionists, be-
came an army chaplain in one of
the Wisconsin regiments, passed
from life to a home beyond a bless
ed immortality, the other day, and
thus shufled off his mortal coil.
A physician had called on him
two or three times a day for
month, doctoring him for an ague
brought on while stealing cotton
in Arkansas while with General
Curtis. On learning that the ex-
minister 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. The room
was bare of furniture except a poor
bed, a little dirty washstand, two
wood-bottomed chairs, an old
trunk, a pine table, on which was
spread newspaper on which lay
an old Bible, a pair of old snuff
fers, some pill boxes, and such stuff
The dying man propped up in bed,
while a faithful old negro woman
sat on the foot of the bed. AS we
entered, he rallied a little and ask.
ed the doctor who he had breught
with him. On being told that il
was "Brick" Pomeroy, he sank
back, closed his eyes-rallied a lit
tie and said, perhaps it is as well
He might as well know it as any
one"
And he proceeded to make hi:
dying statement, which was II
these words, as we took then
down in our memorandum book al
the physician requested:
My name is Henry Clannard.-
Lam forty-one years old. | am {
Methodist ministerial least wa
one. was once happy and con
tented, and loved Christ, my Mas
ter, with all the zeal Christian
ever had. At last | grew cold il
religion, selfish and envious Of
the good fortunes of others.
wanted to make money and have
some fun. 1 had no particular ed
ucation, so l thought l would be
Republican politician. Ibegan b,
preaching politics from the pulpit
and praying for the negro.
had influence with a few member
of my church, and talked polite
with them. [ was paid by office
seekers to influence Christians
Sometimes have made as high a
fifteen dollars atan election for m,
influence with Christians.
At last l found politics paid bet
ter than religion, and | worked 70
the chaplaincy of a regiment AM
got it. Then [ let religion &C
and went to war. There | wrot
letters home denouncing Demo
Gratis as copperheads. And / stol
cotton and silver ware, and pic
lures, and books, and dresses 70
nv wife and sisters, and horse
and mules for my brothers, and
piano for the Governor who CAV
me MY commission, and a gol'
watch for my captain, and 10
of household furniture to send t.
nv colonel. And l robbed tn
soldiers of jelly and such sen
down to them to use while in hos
pital, and | had my share of good
stolen from sanitary fairs, AM
made lots of money. Please Civ,
me little piece of that poundet
ice.
The physician gave it to hin
when he continued:
But / was not happy. / dranl
whiskey with the boys when away
from home, and INDUCED in some
excuses not worth mentioning
and laid up quite pile of money
And l was taken sick while out
stealing cotton from a plantation
where a widow lady lived. ] had
coaxed her negroes to run away,
and they are all dead now.
When the war was ended
came home to Wisconsin, but
could not stay there. Sol came to
Chicago. And grew sick. And