American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-04-11

The Mississippi correspondent OF
the Louisville Courier Journat, wri-
ting from jackson, revives mourn
tul memories of this gifted but un-
fortunate man, which will be read
with painful interest 10y many who
knew him in the ''long ago" The
singular life and melancholy end of
McClung read a solemn and I'M
preSsive lesson to the young, es-
pecially those who are inclined to
career of reckless dissipation. Gift
ed with wonderful genius, and com
bining. in a rare degree, the highest
graces and accomplishments of
mind and manner, he might have
been an ornament to society and an
honor to his country; but in the
folly of a blind and reckless inn
pulse he fell below his natural
standard, so low, indeed. that the
haggard wre; chedness of his life
and tragic end, even at this distant
period, excite only feelings of shnd-
dering horror. The sad termina-
ton of his restless, erring existence
by his own hand, is thus sketched
by the writer:
The "BOwman House" ruins Oc-
cupy the corner where once stood
the eagle Hotel" in a room of
which the unfortunate, gallant and
gifted Col. A. X. McClung took his
own life. Gen. 10. Bell and other
long time citizens of Jackson recall
him as he was but a few honrs before
death. Gen. Bell met him on the
opposite corner from the Eagle, as
the former was or his way to din
ner, in the summer of 1857. Gle
was shabbily dressed" says Gen. b.,
Sand wore an anxious and detected
look. Approaching him in "A man
ner which was habiiual with him, he
elevated his hand in military salute,
and your servant, sir" He then
asked me delicately as to the state
of my 'financ-s,' as it prospecting
for a loan; after few moments
passed in conversation he crossed
over to the hosel, and in less than an
hour the tidings flew through the
city of his suicide.o
The body of Col. McClung was
found scrupul0usly attired, the face
clean shaved, boots polished, and re-
clining at full length on the sofa
even in death indicating his claim
to the title of the coolest, and ut
the same time the most reckless,
man in mississippi. He shot him
self through the right temple, the
pistol falling from his hand to the
floor.
Surmises of the immediate cause
of the suicide are various and con-
hicting. 1t seems that he had a.
Piled to the then Secretary of State
at Washington, Hon. jefferson
Davis, for the cOlOnelcy of = regi-
ment in the regular-army that it
was first denied him; that further
Overtnres followed which, finally,
met more favor; but. alas, the letter
apprising him of the appointment
came Il day too late-COl. McClung
in the despair of success from this
quarter, having passed beyond ''the
rich mans scOrn, the proud mans
contumely'' by an act of self-immola
ton But no single disappointment
could have brought about such an
issue; it is traceable back through
years of dissipation, till at last his
proud heart, sick of life, and his fine
brain partially unstrung, suicide fol
lowed as natural consequence
with one of his singular tempera-
ment.
Years before his death he was a
miserable man, and cOurted the ''tell
destroyer on every hand. At
Monterey, when he served as Lieut..
Col. to jeff. Davis regiment he ex
posed his person at all points of the
field, and was the first to hoist the
''stars and stripes" over the enemy's
works. His "InvOcatiOn to DEATH"
published in nearly all the journals
of that day, embodied the prayer of
a soul freishted with bitterness of
woe. Many nights he wandered
about the streets of jackson, or
paced his floor in frenzy of reck
less unrest. 1t is said that in later
years, he never permitted his bed
room light extinguished after night