The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-01-24
THR LAVE COL JACOB uORNpROOK.

- SHbt tFluuto 70 tllu aihmury OF u lFuc
PhilRnthrOpist, n Loyal Citizen and Friend
of the Union Soldiers.
10 he EdtOrOfhs IatelltCner,
sTR;-In behalf OF the men he served
so well this brief but sincere tribute to
the memory Of the late Col. Jacob Horn
brook is written.
Circumstances prevented fitting fun
eral honos, but far better than parade
or public display Of grief Is the remem-
brance OF his many acts Of Kindness by
thousands of surviving veterans. For
those who have preceded him to rest It
Is impossible TO speak. How many whose
last hours were made more comfortable
by his efforts is unknown, further than
this-the number was large. War is
both horrible and terrible In the fullest
meaning Of the words-and he who, in
It's darkness and havoc, so ministered to
It's victims that they left this life with
the consciousness, that amid all OF the
Cruelties and hate engCndered, charity
In It's purest form survived, performed
the highest and best duty OF man to his
fellow.lnan. Colonel Hornbrook did
this-a history OF his work cannot DO
fully written-it cannot DO measured.
He had no theories; his practice was
to do at once what was needed to relieve
the wounded and sick. No one had a
higher regard for proper discipline and
administration OF affairs; but he recog-
nized that the end to be accomplished
was OF greater importance than the pres
eryation OF the dignity Of red tape pro-
Cedure, especially so when II was self
evident that in many instances routine
was used TO cover both gross negligence
and criminal incompetencY in matters
involving the comfort and care OF dis
abled soldiers.
lie was practical, and, prompted by
his high sense OF duty, was always right.
1t soon became generally known that a
contest with him where the relief OF the
sick and wounded soldiers was the sub
jeCt matter ended in the defeat and NOR
tied disgrace OF his opponents.
He did not NEEDLE or interfere with
military operations proper, but urged
eaclf volunteer to do his duty. He
detested q fraud-had no sympathy
for the ever present hummer about hos.
pitfalls. II Col. Hornbrook lad in any
degree at any time the i'll will OF any
man wearing the national uniform, such
feeling existed either on the part Of the
officers and men whose delinquencies
he exposed, or on the part Of those he
routed out Of the hospitals and sent To
their commands. Independence was
prominent trait OF his character. Added
to this his keen sense Of right and JUS
tice, no did not hesitate to discharge his
duties as State agent at all times and
places and under any circumstances.
The writer has seen him protest in be.
half OF the wounded and invalid volun.
teer against petty exaction and impoSi.
tions, and the next moment give to q
needy volunteer five times the amount
involved, He believed II to be his duty
TO protect and never hesitated to act
where he saw occasions to do 30. He
attacked abuses where he saw them, re-
gardless Of consequences 10 himself, and
was invariably successful. Though rep.
resenting the State OF West Virginia, he
did not hesitate to render aid whenever
necessary 10 volunteers from other States.
Many Of them OF to-day have good cause
to remember his acts.
The condition OF tho interior OF the
State during the war rendered remittance
OF the pay Of the volunteers TO their fam.
lilies extremely difficult, Col. Horn.
brook, assisted by bis family, did vast
amount OF work in distributing the
money to soldiers families, and It was
done well. The pittanCe OF wages,
though then OF but little purchasing
power, was all many families Of the vol.
unteers had TO rely upon for eubSis'
lance. That the money should reach
these dependents promptly was OF the
highest Importance. To-day TO receive
aud transmit the same amount to parties
similarly situated would DO an immense
task, but in 1s0l-'05 there were no
such facilities as now exist. II any
money WIS lost inttansmission the bene-
ficiaries did not suffer from such loss
there was no charge to the volunteer,
no loss. The trust was executed 30
promptly and honestly that there Is no
record Of II other than the account kept
nj the time, and the fact OF lts existence
only recorded as an incident Of the day,
There can DO no higher encomium than
this 10 any trust, none 10 any duty better
than that IL was ConsClentiously dis.
charged.
When his labor were completed Col.
IHornbrook did mot turn 10 his boneflCi.
aries and say "pay me for my services"
| He did not ask them directly for money or
their votes. His reward was In common
with oil In the general results and tohim
especially In tho kind regard Of the men
he served. His name, though not aSso.
Clated with any battle or day that will
be preserved In Tho history Of the war,
lives In the best Of records, that OF the
worlds humanity and charity INSPIRED by
unBWeyeflnR loyalty. We cherish his
memory and bring 10 hlg monument az
our inscription, phonored aud loved by
tie West Virginia Volunteers Of 1851.
1895" II,
January, 1880,