The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-03-05

| lno people OF New orleans nats rarely uho
occasion to mourn the loss of good, so pure. SC
unselish and so noble spirit a. that OF the Able
Francois Isidore Turgs, pastor Of the church Of
St. Anthony. commonly known az the "Mortusry
Chapel" who died on Tuesday morning last Of
cancer Of the stomach, supposed to have been
supeiinduced or aggravated by the great labors
he underwent and the privasions be suffered, 10
ministerng to the sick during the terrible cpl.
demic Of last summer. 10
Father Turgis was a native OF Carspply, canton
Of Mariguy, department of Asnche, France, and
was sixty three years of age at the time Of his
death. He had been thirty eight years priest,
nearly thirty of which were spent performing the
duties of chaplain in the army and navy OF France
and, during that period. he was at the celebrated
siege Of sebastopol and at the battles OF Magenta
and solferino, mnisteriug to the soldiers placed
under his spiritual care.
He came to this city in ls60, and IT was but two
years after that he vas called upon to be spec
tator Of another deadly and protractcd strife,
in which every soldier in great army learned to
love and to yenerate him. for his calm, heroic
| courage amid the most appalling dangers, and his
God-like charity at sIltimes and to all peoples.
He left the city in 1861 as chaplain of the Or
leans Guard Battalion, and, with the exception of
few weeks that he spent here. after the battle
of khilo, was with the army of Tennessee through
all its varied fortunes to the close of the war for
after the Orleans Guards term Of service expired
which was in the summer of '62, he became chap
lain Of Colonel BTeaux's 30th Louisiana Regiment.
His services in promoting discipline aud good
behavior were appreciated by all the commanders
of that army. Neither the Guards nor Col.
Breaux's regiment ever went iato battle that he |
was not with them, and no soldier was oftener |
under fire, for in the hottest of the battle he was
to be seen going over the field, staunching
wounds and pouring the consultations Of religion |
into the ears Of the dying. In performing these
works Of charity he knew no enemy. The Federal
as well as the Confederate received his aiten.
tons, and, on one occasion at the battle OF Shiloh
be nearly lost his life while attending Fede-
raj officer MORALLY wounded. soldier of the
same army as the officer was in the act o. aiming
at him with his rife, when the wretch was shot
down by soldier in the Guards, who per-
ceiyed the dasisrd's purpose in time to prevent
its execution. IL would take columns to tell the
many interesting anecdotes related Of the beloved
chaplain, illustrative of his tender sympathy for
soldier, his devotion, his selfdeniaI and his
courage, but we have space only for few.
At the desperate battle in which the gallant
Colonel Tom Shields then ia command
OF the s0th, fell with many other men aud OH. |
GERS Of the regiment, Father Tnrgis was severely
wounded in The head, but he refused to leave the
leld and kept on, as was his wont on every battle
ield, going from one wounded man to another to
zee what be could do for their bodily good or spi
itual welfare.
At another battle he was, under q terrible FIRE
~ grape, canister and musketry, bearing from :
he field wounded federal soldier, when grape
hot passed through the mans body and killed
bin In the Fathers arms. On this and other occs.
lions friends demonstrated with him against ex-
losing himself 30 much. Sometimes be would !
ell them playfully that no bullet would burt hin.
ND again, upon being more urgently persuaded,
'e would promise 10 be more prudent, bat on the | \
lext battlefield he would be again in the midst of
be strife, calmly engaged in works OF mercy and
eeminely unconscious Of danger.
He accompanied the army when General Hood
dyanced upon Nashville, and in the retreat the
enerabe priest, then in his sixteth year, again
nd assin turned his horse over to footsore and y
carried soldiers, and poorly shod and thnly clad Il
be was himself, be would walk with the column g
] day, through mud and wet and cold.
His trunk. containing clothing and a few
aluabes, be left in charge of a gentleman
ne
Iuctions Of the Father. this gentleman sold the
tieles one by one to afford him the means of
citing medicine for the soldiers, aud other wise
lieviDg them. At last nothing remained bat ba
Did snuff box, priced as the gift OF friends in tn
ew Orleans. That too had to 60, to enable him
help some distressed soldiers. Such WAS his
difference to his own comfort or even to his ne
ssities, that he had given away every garment At
had, but the clothes on his back, and was with
t blanket to sleep under. member OF the
uisiana Relief Association ia Mobile was An. fo
ised Of the Fathers destitutiol, applied for
lief for him, and received three hundred dol
s, but the Father would not take dollar of il
IRE than would suffice to buy him a single blsu.
I! 'Give the rest" said he, ito those vhs
mt II more than do.n
On his return to New Orleans, at the close OF
} war, he set about redeemiag promises
bad voluntarily made to many dying soldier
It be would see to their families. Through hi,
Hrtions funds we're raised, grounds purchased y
buildings erected. The institution known "a ~
"Beauregard Asylum on the Marigay square and
The Third District. is the result of his abors to BA
eem those promises aud the asylum no shelters ass
widows and orphans Of those he was wont to sAi
ak OF shectionaiely. as +" my poor soldiersr sn ~
support the institution, which depends entirely DA
m private charity, he organized religious and Acc
eyolentsociety, "Ibe Children Of Mary" whose WA
1t IL to collect contributions for it, and that
y they have well performed. In
here will be solemn requiem mass this morn. with
at the Mortusry Chspefor the soul Of this OK. Tie
Plsry priest and nobls Christian aud the funeral
emones will be celebrated at four clock in the sb
'rnoon. Agreesbly to his dying wish, the body emp
lay in the chapel two days before burial. tns
the religious and benevolent associations con. -
ted with the Catholic Church have been invited
attend his funeral, and, he was held in such
'ersAi esteem thai. doubtless hundreds Of others
attend in respect to his memory.
AS
The Daughter OF the Regiment and "Domes-
: at The Opera House tonight. Saturday,
le Grand Duchess."
Little boy was once in complaining mood
Cinner Old not kut him his f.fhe. -. a.