The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-05-13
Confession and Death of an Army
Chaplain.

M. M. Pomeroy, the able editor of
the La Crosse WISCONSIN, 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 expound-
ing the Bible and recruiting for the
the Saviour, and by endorsing the
niger and abolitionism became an
army chaplain in one of the Wiscon-
sin regiments, passed from life to Il
home beyond blessed Immortality,
the other day, and thus shuffied off
his mortal coil.
A physician had called on him two
or three times day for month,
doctoring him for an ague brought on
while stealing cotton in Arkansas
while with General Curtis. On learn
ing that the ex-nlinister and ex-chap-
lain would hardly live the night out,
We called with the physician.
In little en-looking room,
not over twelve feet square, in an OBJ
scure boarding-house in Chicago, we
found the invalid The room was
bare of furniture, except poor bed.
little, dirty wash-stand, two wood
bottom chairs, an old trunk, q pine
table, on which was spread a newspa-
per, on which lay an old bible, a pair
of old snrffers. 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" Pomero1, he
sank back, closed his eyes, rallied q
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
statement, which was in these words,
as we took them down in our memo
randum book, as the physician re-
quested:
"My name is Henry Clannard. I
am forty one years old. L was once
happy and contended, and loved
Christ, my Master, with all the zeal
Christian ever had. At last 1 grew
cold in religion, selfish and envious
of the good fortunes of others. /
wanted to make money and to
have some fun. 1 had no par
ticnlar education. SO 1 thought
would be Republican politician. /
began by preaching politics from the
pulpit, and praying for the negro. 1t
paid me in money, but I lost influence
at the Throne of Grace But l did
not care for that, if ] could only have
influence with the Republican party.
| forgot Christ and became interested
III the negro. I had influence with Il
few members of my church, and
talked politics to them. | was paid
by otlice-seekers to influence Chris
tlans Sometimes l have made as
high as fifteen dollars ut an election
for my influence with Christians.
''At last, I found politics paid bet
ter than religion, and worked for
the chaplaincy of q regiment and got
it. Then let religion go, and went
to war. There wrote letters home
denouncing Democrats as copper
heads. And | stole cotton, and silver
ware, and pictures, and books, and
dresses for my wife and sisters, and
horses and mules for my brothers,
piano for the governor, who gave me
my commission, and gold watch for
my captain, and alot of household fur
nlture to send to my colonel. And I
robbed the soldiers of jelly and such
stuff sent down to them to use while
III 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. l drank
whiskey with the boys when away
from home, and indulged in some
excess not worth mentioning, and
laid up quite pile of money: And
l was taken sick while out stealing
cotton from plantation where a
widow lady lived. I had coaxed her
niggers to run away, and they are all
dead now. When the war was ended,
l came home to Wisconsin, but could
not stay there. So came 10 Chicago;
and L grew sick. And I have got to
die. have called on Christi have
prayed to God, but somehow can
not 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. +
talk to this faithful negro woman