Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1894-09-08

He Passed Away at Wa1tham, Mass, His
Birthplace A Long and Useful Career
Ended-'Twas Begun as "Bobbin Boy"
In n Cotton Mil, and He Reached High
Political and Military Honors-Biograph-
Ical Sketch.
WALTHAM, Mass, Sept. 2.-Gen. n.
i. Banks, who has been very low at his
home on Main street here since Thurs
day night, expired at o'clock this
morning.
Nathaniel Prentiss Banks was born
in Waltham, Mass, January 80, 1916.
While boy he worked in cotton fac
tory in his native village, and after
ward learned the machinist's trade lie
devoted his leisure hours to study, and
at an early age lectured before political
meetings, lyceums, and temperance So
cieties. he afterwards became editor
OF the village newspaper and received,
during the Polk administration, an ap-
pointment in the customhouse at Bos-
ton. He was admitted to the bar in
ls4a, and the same year was elcc..a
to the Massachusetts, house of rep
speaker of the house as one Of the
prominent advocates of coalition
between the democrats and the free
soilers, by which tho wings were
overthrown in Massachusetts,. lie
was again elected by the same
combination, and also representa-
tive in the ensuing congress. In
the summer of 1853 he was president OF
the convention called TO revise the con-
stitution of the state. During his first
term in congress he withdrew from the
democratic party and, in 1854, was
reelected with the support of both
the "know-Eothing' or American
and republican parties, and in Decem.
Der, 1855, was, elected speaker of the
national house of representatives after
a contest lasting two months. lie was
member of the succeeding congress
and was nominated in separate conven.
tions of the American and republican
parties for the office of governor
of Massachusetts, to which he was
elected in November, 1857, and re-
elected in 1858 and 1850. In 1860 he
succeeded Capt. George B, Mcclellan
as president of the Illinois Central
Railroad Co., but upon the outbreak OF
the civil war, in 1861, he re-
ceived a major-general's commits
sion, and was assigned to the
Fifth corps of the army of the Poto
mac. A portion of his troops fought
with success at Winchester, March 30
1872. On May a he was attacked by
Stonewall jackson and forced to re
treat to the Potomac As commander
OF a corps under Gen. Pope he
fought the battle of Cedar Noun
tain, and after participating in Gen
Sigels movements in the valley o.
Virginia, was put in command Of the
city of Washington, Later he sue
ceeded Gen. Butler as commander O
the department of the gulf
with headquarters at New Or
leans. In April, 1868, he captured
Opclousas, and in July took Port Hud
son, completing the opening of the
Mississippi river. In the spring o
1864 he made an unsuccessful expedi
tion up the Red river, and in May o
that year was relieved of his com
mand. He was elected to congress
in his old district in November
1864, and was reelected in 1866, 1sG
and 1870, serving as chairman of th'
committee on foreign relations, In thu
canvass of 1872 he took an active par
in favor of the election of Horace Gree
ley as president Of the United States
since which time he took no very activ,
part in public affairs.
The funeral services will be held il
Asbury temple, this city, at . O'Clock
next Tuesday afternoon, and the body
will lie in state in the temple.