Elizabeth daily monitor. [volume] (Elizabeth, N.J.) 1868-1880, 1869-07-27
CIRCULATION UNRlVALLED
ELIZABETH.
A Jersey Soldier ON broadway.

ing little sketch A superb tomb in
Trinity churchyard covers the remains
of Capt. James Lawrence, Commander
of the United States frigate Chesapeake
who fell in his heroic encounter with
the British frigate Shannon, in 1913.
On the sidewalk in front of Trinity
Church, to-day, may be seen another
Lawrence, no less heroir, whose homo
rable scars attest his devotion to his
country. We refer to Corporal John
Lawrence, who at the battle of Roa-
noke Island, while fighting the enemy,
had both his legs shot off by rebel
cannon ball.
Like his namesake, the commander
of the Chesapeake, John Lawrence is a
Jerseyman while the first came from
Burlington, the latter was borne in Bel
videre. He served at Bloody Roanoke
in the Ninth New Jersey Infantry. His
gallantry on that as on previous occa-
sions made him conspicuous mark for
the enemy. When stricken down,
helpless and manned for life, he begged
his comrades not to mind him, but to
keep on with their fighting. They took
him to the rear, however, and as he
was born down the lines on n litter, mn
mindful of the desperate plight, he
pluckily raised himself on his elbow
and cheered Justly for the old flag.
Again when news was brought to the
hospital tent that the day was ours, the
Door fellows heart so swelled with eX
ultation that, exhausted rs he was by
pain, and loss of blood, he swung his
arms wildly in the air, and hurrahed
as heartily as the stoutest.
John Lawrence, before he went to
the war, was a shoemaker. When he
was discharged "cured," his occupation
was gone with his legs, for the loss of
his limbs made it impossible for him
to use the "stirrup." John, however,
had wife and children to support,
and the insufficient pension accorded
by grateful country would about keep
them on bread and water In default
of other means of making living John
managed to get barrel organ, and for
some years he has hobbled around the
country upon his stumps, picking up
pennies from such compassionate peo-
pie MS, moved by his melodies or his
miseries, felt disposed to drop a mite
in his tray. John is now grinding
dolefully for his daily bread, and the
bread of his wife and babies, in front
of Old Trinity, right at the bead of
Wall street, where men during the war
and since made merchandise of the
brave deeds which he and such as he
did in the national defence-many of
them winning in an hour gold enough
to keep the wolf from the old veteran s
door for the rest of his days.
John does not complain of his hard
lot, but keeps up brave heart, and
with q blithe word for everybody.
humbly takes whatever the charitable
may be willing to bestow, which at the
best is little enough. We don't pretend
to say however, that he does not some
times wish he was quietly sleeping
alongside his old namesake of the Ches-
apeake, or wonder whether, if his legs
hadn't failed him so early in the war.
he might not have been Major Gen
eral, keeping houses and lots, horses
dogs, and dollars dropping down upon
him in profusion, like unto the gifts
which have so lavishly fallen to the lot
of some of those who about the days of
his disaster were, though not III the
ranks, but little better known than he
Who knows, indeed ? The Lawrences,
especially those of the New Jers y
breed, have been conspicuous for their
bravery, and Corporal John is just the
stuff of which heroes are fashioned
We had wondered what had become
OF our old comrade, but to-day the
"Sun tells us he is earning a misera-
BILE pittanee with hand organ i'll New
York City. How our heart bleeds for
him-ten times faster if possible, than
when the ball, which severed both hi
legs, passed us, covering us with his
blood, and prcstrating us at his side in
the terrible swamp at Roanoke Island,
on the 7th day of February, 1862. No
man ever acted with more heroism
than did Corporal John Lawrence, OF
Company X, 9th New Jersey, and yet,
perhaps none have been more neglect
ed. One hundred dollars year as a
pension, for man without legs, and
with large family depending on him
for support On the day of the battle,
John was sorry that he hadn't more
legs to give to his country, but now
the scene has changed. The war is
over and very many of the boys who
came home, mere remnants of them,
selves, would doubtless prefer limb
like other people, like those who re