Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1894-09-06
GEN. N. P. BANKS DEAD.
Another lllustriOus So1dier-States
man Passes from Life's
Stage.


Waltham, Mass, Sept. 1.-Gen. Ma
thaniel p. Banks, soldier and statesman,
died at his home ON Main street shortly
before 8 o'clock this morning from brain
trouble, after long illness. For nearly
two years the general has been sufferer,
but he was not taken seriously i'll until
two weeks ago. Early this summer he
began to fail mentally and was taken to
the home of his daughter, the wife of the
Rev Paul Sterling, Mount Deer Isle,
Me-, for the summer. Three weeks ago
his condition became more serious and
he was brought to his home here. lie
grew worse, and he was then taken to
the Mclean asylum at Somerville, but he
succumbed rapidly, and when he could
lot recognize members of his family 1t
was decided by the physicians that moth
ing could be done for him, and yesterday
he was conveyed to his home once more.
At q o'clock last evening it was evident
that the end was fast approaching. Mrs.
Banks, with the generals daughter, Maud,
and his niece, Miss Sybil Banks, were at
his bedside constantly until his death.
About midnight the general became UNI
conscious and he slowly lost strength
until the hour of his death. The end
about the bed of the dying general We're
hardly aware when he passed away.
On the announcement of Gen: Banks
DEATH the flags of the public buildings IN
the city were displayed at half-mast and
ON every side evidence of the respect in
which the general is held is conspicuous
The funeral will take place Tuesday
afternoon under the direction of Mayor
Warden and Col Ephraim Stevens. On
Monday afternoon the body will be escort
ed to Asbury Temple by a detail OF the
G. A. r.. where it will lie in state until
Monday evening On Tuesday at 1:4o
brief services will be held at at, the resi-
dence, after which the body will be again
borne to Asbury Temple where the public
services will be held.
Nathaniel Prentiss Banks was born in
Waltham, Mass, January 80, 1916. He
received a commcn school education and
learned the trade of machinlst In a
cotton factory where his father was SUI
perintendent He was very ambitious
to fit himself for wider field of work
and during his leisure hours he studied
diligently He often secured engage
ments to lecture before meetings and in
assemblies He finally became editor of
paper at Waltham and also studied law.
He was admitted to the bar and in 1919
town in the state Legislature. He was
elected speaker of the state Assembly in
1851 and reelected in 1852. In 1858 he
was chosen IL delegate to the MasSachu-
sets constitutional convention, and was
selected chairman of the delegation He
was elected to Congress in 1858 by CO.
alition between the Democrats and the
new party. During his term of service
he withdrew from the Democratic party
and identified himself with the American
Or "Knownothing' party, and was again
reelected to Congress. After a lively
contest he was elected speaker of the
House of Representatives The American
Banks was elected to the Thirty-fifth
Congress as a Republican and served
until December 4, 1857. when. having
been elected governor of Massachusetts,
he resigned his seat in Congress. He
was reelected governor in 1853 and 1859
He accepted the presidency of the Illinois
Central railroad in 1860, but gave up
the office the following year, when the
civil war broke out, and was commits
stoned a Encouragement Of volunteers and
assigned to the command of the Fifth
corps in the Army of the Potomac He
was subsequently, placed in command of
the New Orleans expedition, succeeding
Gen. +. f. Butler, commanding the de-
partment at New Orleans After the
capitulation of Port Hudson Gen. Banks
was sent up the Red river with an ex-
petition, but his whole force was COM
PEELED to retreat and he was censured for
the failure of the movement, which was
taken against his advice. During his
command of the department of the Gulf
he endeavored to reorganize the civil gov
eminent of Louisiana, but did not ac-
complish it in Il manner satisfactory to
the inha bitants. He was relieved of his
command in May, 1864, resigned his com
mission and returned to Massachusetts,
where he was reelected to Congress from
his old district. He was reelected to sue
cessive congresses until 1877, except in
1872, when he was active in support of
Horace Greeley, the Liberal-D Democratic
candidate for President. He served for
long time as chairman of the committee
on foreign relations After his retirement
from Congress he became United States
marshal for Massachusetts,. His daughter
Maud is a well-known actress.