The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1868-07-14

SCHUYLER COLFAN AND THE SOL
IERs.-Colonel Pierce writes from Val
paraiso, Indiana, to the Chicago Repub~
lican;
st was my fortune to be more or less
associated with Mr.. Colfax during the
war, and to be the medium through which
some portion of his kindness and liberal
ity was manifested. After the battle of
Fort Donelson our hospital accommoda>
tions were limited, and especially were
hs s .hioPtals at Paa"CaS G"
the comfort Of sick and wounded men,
At this time ! received checks for $500
from, Colfax with the request that the
amount be expended among the suffer
ers as reason and humanity might dictate,
A portion of this money was used to ena.
BILE boys who were wounded and desti-
tute to reach home, where they could re-
ceive the attention of their friends, and
where, If they must die, they could lie
down in peacefulness and security beneath
the old paternal roof. Nor was the dis
tribution of this money confined to Indi-
ana soldiers, but was given to all; 80 long
as it lasted, who required assistance ;
and God bless Mr. Colfax' was echoed
from the lips of boys from Illinois, Iowa,
Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio and Indiana.
alike. Among the acts of benevolence
performed by Mr., Colfax, and of which
am personally or otherwise cognizant,
are the following One hundred dol
lars in gold, sent through c. J. Faulkner
ex-member rebel, to sick Indiana soldiers
in Libby Prison, The same amount TO
sick Indiana soldiers held as prisoners in
South Carolina, Five hundred dollard
at one time, and three hundred dollars at
another to volunteers in st. Joseph coun-
ty, Ind, One hundred dollars at 4
Christian and Sanitary Commission At
| South Bend, \ similar amount to the
Christian and Sanitary Commission it
Washington, and one hundred dollars tC
| fair for the relief of destitute widows
and orphans Of soldiers, held in Soutl
Bend last year, under the auspices of tht
Grand Army of the Repubic,' All o
these gifts were acknowledged through
the press at the time. Besides these nun
iicent donations, Mr.. Collax gave twelve
lectures last year for the same cause, char
ging nothing, paying his whole travelling
expenses, and only stpulating that tn
entire gross proceeds should 90 to tn
relief of disabled soldiers and the des
titute widows and orphans of thos
who fell in the defense of the nation.
according to the newspaper report
these lectures averaged over two hundre,
dollars each, making fund from thi
source alone Of at least two thousand iiv,
hundred dollars.
" 1t must be borne in mind that MI
Colfax Is in moderate circumstances, an
we are free te say that for the amount
his means no man in the Union can sho,
q clearer, brighter, more praiseworth
record Indeed, in this state, where h
. kindness and liberality are so well unde
stood, il seems n work of superercgatio
: to yindicate his character in this rsgar
= but the attacks upon him are so base an
: persistent, and are 40 extensively copie
: outside Of the state, that It may be we
4 to thus show how richly deserving
!. condemnation are the men who yilify OF
!. who from the beginning to the end of Il
q war, was eminently the soldier
n friend. Let the truth he known. and |
h his record speak for itself.
"VeIy respectfully yours,
''GH, PIERCE,
o. Late Colonel of Volunteers"