Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-05-14
CAPT. EDW

Inc FIRST captain ana FOunueF Oh
the Chatham Artillery sketch
of His Life.
Capt. Lloyd was born in Charleston, S.
c., in the year 1853. His father was an
officer in the British army in the old colo
NAL days, his mother a daughter Of Isaac
Holmes. wealthy merchant of Charles
ton.
The boy was early deprived OF fathers
care, his mother being in few years lett
a widow with several small children but
IN those days OF stern and stirring scenes
the bent of character was quickly shown.
Edward LloYd seems to have Inherited
not only his fathers martial spirit and
ability to command, but to possess II "A
marked degree that dauntless love Of
liberty which immOlates all thought Of
self-defies all thought OF suffering. Thus,
in 1873, at the disastrous siege of SaVan-
nah, we find him an officer at the
age of ia boy in years-but
in heart a patriot, in soul a hero; his
slender form standing where the battle
ragged fiercest, his youthful spirit firing
with its ardOr and it's example the faint
hearts who quailed under the reign of
death. In the absence of its Captain he
he was IN command of his company. and
during the progress of the engagement,
whilst endeavOring to rally the failing
courage of a cOmrade. his right arm was
severed from his body by shot from the
enemy's batteries. A contemporary his
torian thus describes the following scene:
"While a surgeon was dressing the
stump from which the arm of Lieut..
Edward Lloyd had been torn by cannon
ball, Mai. James jackson observed to this
promising young officer that he feared mis-
prospects in life were clouded by this
heavy burden which a cruel fate had thus
imposed on one so young. Lieut.. Lloyd
replied that grievOus as the affection was,
he would, under no circumstances. eX-
change situations with a brother officer,
calling his name, who was known to have
fed at the commencement Of the assault"
At the close OF the war OF the Revolu-
ton, through which he continued. disa.
bled as he was, to serve. and having
borne so brave part in some of its most
trying scenes, recognizing the exposed
and unprotected position of his adopted
city in time of warlike assault, Capt. LLOYD
proceeded to organize an artillery CON-
pany, and was himself chosen its first
Captain. That company was the Chat.
ham Artillery, the honorable corps whose
centennial we celebrate today.
This company bears the distinction OF
being the first volunteer military company
organized in the United States after the
war of the Revolution.
In person Capt. Floyd was tall and
commanding. possessing fine regular fea-
lures Of the Grecian type, and large bril-
liant dark eyes, with an expression at
once fearless and gentle He is said to
| have united In his character that most
rare and enviable combination, the cOur-
age and heroism of soldier, with a gen.
tleness aud consideration for Others,
almost wOmanly in degree; and he pos
sessed a noble and cCurtly dignity of man.
ner at once impressive and fascinating
! He was a person OF remarkable literary
/ taste and cultivation, a taste which dis
played itself particularly in the library
OF rare books which he accumulated,
most of them brought from foreign coun-
tries. His conversational powers were
exceedingly fine, giving evidence
at once of vigorous and independ-
ent thought, with those graces
/ of dictiOn which only native
/ talent and comprehensive study can COM
/ biue. Capt. LLOYD was not married until
middle life. At Athens, Ga, in the year
| 1910, he met Mrs. Sarah Anderson Hat
cbett. a Young, beautiful, and brilliant
widow, who was on a visit to Georgia
from her native State, Virginia. A mu-
tual interest and regard followed the ac-
quaintance and they were shortly united
in marriage.
But Capt. Lloyd did not live to enjoy
this newly-found happiness. He died at
his summer home in Lexington, Ogle-
thorpe county, Ca, in 1914, October, titty-
ty-One years, from the effects of sun
stroke received some time before in Sc.
vannah. He left but one child-the late
Mrs. Gen. Armstrong Bailey, Of Colum-
bus. Ga.
The above sketch was solicited to &C.
company our history Of the Chatham
Artillery. published Monday, May 3.
There was, however, an unavoidable de-
lay in its preparation. The interest
which it has for many readers of the
MORNING NEWS induces us to publish il
at the present time.-ED.