The New York herald., 1878-09-21
OBITUARY.
COLONEL THOMAS BANGS THORPE.

Colonel Thomas B. Thorpe, famous
author, war correspondent. politician and artist died
at the Roosevelt Hospisai In this city ysster-
Day morning. September 20 at tho age
of sixty-three years He had been suffering
for o considerable time with Bright's dis
ease OF the kidneys, and removed that account
nearly q month since from his rooms in the studio
building corner OF Broadway and Tonth street, TO The
residence OF his daughter. at Yonkers He was taken
the Sd ins tor better medical convenience to the
hospital, where he was carefully attended.
He had been unconscious for forty y-elght
hours preceding his death. Colonel Thorpe
was the son OF Rev. Thomas Thorpe,
a clergyman OF considerable literary talent and was
born At wes,deld, Mass, March !, Isl5 HIS parents
removed soon after his birth to New York city
whore his father died at the ago of
twenty-sx years. Thomas educated IN
the Now York schools, and In 1888 entered
the Wesleyan University at Middletown, Conn, but
lett that Institution in 1886 tor reasons OF health and
went to the Southwest though another account states
that he gradua at Middetown in 1s42, and post
pones his departure to the South to that year. Be
this as It may, he had in carly lite exhibited
genius for painting and picture, entitled
'The Bold Dragoon," illustrative OF one of
Irvng's tales, was admitted to tho old American
Academy OF Arts as carly as 1882 Young Thorpe
settled at New Orleans whore he occasionally used
the brush, but was chiefly occupied with politics.
Being an ardent partzan OF Henry Clay he
carly became connected with tho press OF Now
Orleans. ana for some years editor OF tho
Now Orleans Bee the leading whig organ OF tho
Southwest Al the outbreak OF tho Mexican war
his zeal In raising volunteers procured him q
position on the staff Of General Worth. He
proceeded to the headquarters of General Taylor,
on the Rio Grande. as bearer OF dispatches,
ana was witness OF sone OF the earlier opera
tnp nf tha vvhi inh In Aoder In
series of letters to Now Orleans papers He
was present at the capture OF Monterey ard bis OBJ
volumes, 'Our Army on tho Rio Grande'' (s46) aud
"our Army at Monterrey (1s47). which contain vaiu
rams Of the Mexican war Returning 10 louisiana. he
edited for some tmc paper ut Baton Rouge,
Snd writer 'V and camSass % orator. in D''I proesrns
the nomination aud election oil General Taylor
Colonel Thorpe for tho Knickerbocker other
periodicals. aud became regular contributor TO Har-
per's Weekly Colonel Thorpe was essentially
sportsman. was for some time editor OF
a sporting paper in Now York. and became
noted for tho v'gor ana accuracy OF
his turf reports He was In New Orleans at the out
break OF the civil war, when according to the .ss,
mony Of Horace Greeley. "he came North to
resist the rebellion, and did the Union cause
Upon the earnest request OF Mr. Greeley
and General Butler who were supported by General
appointed by Collector Grinnsli In 1869 clerk to
tho Warehouse superintendent In the New ork Cus-
tom House, and was promoted to tho post
OF Government Weigher by Collector Murphy,
heading the list In the civil examinations.
Ke was removed from that post last spring when tho
force reduced, but was appointed another post
by Collector Arthur just previous to the latter's re-
movai, taw weeks since For many years he
resided in Gold street, Brooklyn, but iatteriy
occupied rooms In studio building Broad
way, and devoted his leisure to painting A
large oil pain,,rg OF Niagara Falls attracted
very favorable eJ inen, Colonel Thorpe leaves Two
daughters who were In constant a.,endanco during
hts illness aud a son. who Ia clergyman ~ Hot
Springs, Ark. His youngest daughter, who WAS
Gently married. died the 9th inst, and her loss,
believed to have hasteued his dccease. He viii be
buried In the Thorpe family plot, In Greenwood
| Cemetery, next monday, the 23d inst.