The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1882-08-16
Death of Justice William NJ. Levy.

The death of Judge VIM. M. Levy
was communicated to his friends to.
day from Saratoga, to which place he
repaired some weeks ago by advice of
his physician.
Hin health had been very infrm for
some time. His disease was that OF
which Gen. Richard Taylor died, to
wit: sorosis of the liver. When he left
his friends had little hope of his recov
cry. Not many days ago his wife was
sent for, and joined him at Saratoga,
and was present at his death. Judge
Levy is a great loss to the State, hav-
ing served with great acceptableness
in various high Offices. AT the time of
his death he was very industrious
and capable Justice Of our Supreme
Court. His opinions were highly conf
mended By the bar generally for their
soundness and for their lucid style
He had previously served in Congress,
representing the Red River District,
and was regarded by his fellow Con
gressmen with great respect and high
confidence in his sound Judgment and
large capacity. He had been also a
very efficient member of the State Con.
vention of 1861, and of the General
Assembly # Louisiana. In all these
civil as we'll as in several military po-
sitions, both in the Mexican and in the
Confederate war, he evinced the same
qualities of sound Judgment and ca
pacity.
He was native of southampton
County, Virginia, and received an ex-
cellent education, concluding his col
legiate course at the University of Vir-
ginia just at the opening of the Mexi-
can war. When Virginia was called
on for volunteers to reinforce General
Taylor's small army on the Rio Grande,
Virginia promptly responded by rails
ing a splendid regiment of volunteers
Of which General Early was the Major,
and two distinguished soldiers of the
war of 1912 were Colonel and Lieuten-
ant-Colonel. Young Levy Joined this
regiment with the rank of Lieutenant,
and served in the campaigns of Gene
rails Wool and Taylor. At the close
of the war he returned to Virginia, but
in few years thereafter emigrated to
Natchitochcs Parish, and established
himself in the practice of law. He
soon attracted much attention by his
brilliant o!atorical talents. his fine
manners and his high social qualities.
His popularity became so general
that there was no position which lie
could not obtain by the suffrage of the
people. When volunteers were called
for to defend the South from the North
ern invasion, Levy raised a company
called the Lecomte Guards, which
com bining with other companies form
ed in the Red River country, made up
the Second Louisiana Regiment, which
elected Levy as it's Colonel, and pro-
ceeded promptly to the scene of war
in Virginia.
This regiment served with great dis
tinction on the Peninsula, and proved
one Of the best disciplined of the vol
unteer regiments. On thesassignment
of Gen. Richard Taylor to the COM
mand of the Confederate forces in
Western Louisiana Col. Levy obtained
a transfer to that arena, and was ap.
pointed to high staff position under
General Taylor, in which position be
served through the war. When peace
was restored and the Radical schome
of reconstruction had exploded and its
domination in Louisiana had been
overthrown Col. Levy was elected to
Congress from the Red River District
served two terms with greet useful
ness. Shortly after the close of his
Congressional service Gov. Wilt on
the organization of the Supreme Cour,
under the Constitution of 1879, ap.
pointed him one Of the Judges Of the
new Court, which position he held a,
the time of his DEATH New Orleans
States.