Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1895-12-13
A TRAGIC DEATH.
Lieut.. James G.. Towards Neck
Broken by a Fall
His Brilliant War Record ms a Member
of the Fomous ID Vermont VeRIment

His Brilliant War Record ms a Member
of the Famous I'd Vermont Regiment.
Lieut.. James G.. Howard was instantly
killed Saturday afternoon in some manner
which will probably never be exactly
known. He left his home on the old New
fame road in district No. about o'clock
to draw to the main road trees viii IN had
been cut on the northeast part of his farm.
About o'clock Mrs. Howard became
alarmed az her husband long absence and
summoned her brother and nearest neigh
Dor, Joel S. johnson, who started out to
investigate. Mr.. johnson found that the
horse had come to point near the main
road, and had stopped there, the tree which
was being dragged having caught in the
brush. Going further down the lot into
the woods Mr.. johnson was Mortified to
find Mr.. Towards body, cold and stiff in
death. He was lying with his face upon
rock, his arms extended at his sides. The
appearance of the body was almost that of
a person who had lain down to sleep. G..
S. Wall and other neighbors, who had also
been aroused and who appeared soon after
Mr. johnson reached the body, assisted
him in carrying it to the house.
An examination by DR.. Holton showed
that Mr.. Howaad's neck was broken, caus-
ing instant death. There was confusion
on one side of the face, made by striking
the rock in falling, but there were no other
marks on the body. The most reasonable
theory is that Mr. Howard was thrown by
catching his foot on bush or small stump
and fell headlong, striking with sufficient
force to break his neck. Others think that
he may have been hit by falling limb.
| There is, however, nothing about the spot
where he was found to indicate exactly the
way in which he was killed.
James G.. Howard was born in Keene,
n. H., in July, 1889. His father moved
to this town when he was a small boy, and
the larger part of Mr. Howaads life was
spent here; since 1865 he has lived here
continuously. AS young man Mr.. How
ard was employed in different capacities,
and he was in New York state near the
! Vermont border when he determined to
answer his country's call. He enlisted
| Oct. 26, 1861, in Company of the Second
Vermont regiment. The company was re-
cruited at Bennington. He reGnlisted Dec.
81, 1868. He was promoted to sergeancy
Oct. II, 1864, - days later was made first
sergeant, and Dec. "a, 1864, he received
his commission as first lieutenant of the
company. He was mustered out of the
service July 10, 1865. He was shot through
the left arm in the battle of the Wilder
ness, May 3, 1864, but was back in his
company in about two months.
Few soldiers who wore the blue had rec
ords equal to that of Lieut.. James G. How
ard He was Yankee fighter of the best
type. He was in 26 engagements, and a
cooler man under fire never went from Yer
mont. Not only was his record for bravery
of the highest, but in the trying days when
the young men in the ranks were beset by
so many temptations he never faltered from
the path Of Christian rectitude. He was
never known to touch liquor or tobacco,
nor to engage in any questionable action
during the days that he was at the front.
He was, in brief, a Christian soldier, and a
worthy example to the other Vermonters
of the Second regiment This regiment
had its share in almost every battle fought
by the Army of the Potomac from the first
Bull Run to the surrender of Lee, and its
quality as fighting regiment is indicated
by the fact that its list of killed and wound
ed in action numbered no less than 751, OF
40 per cent of the aggregate of 1858 Off
GERS and men, while its ratio of killed and
MORALLY wounded was more than eight
times the general ratio of killed and NOR
tally wounded in the Union army. Brat
tleboro people have special interest in the
Second regiment. 1t was while Lieut.. Col
John S. Tyler was acting as its command
er in the battle of the Wilderness that he
received his death wound. The late Major
Elijah Wales was one of the officers of the
regiment who distinguished himself fol
gallantry. The first man in the Vermont
troops who was killed in action was Rus
sell II. BENJAMIN of Brattleboro, a corpo
raj in company G. He was struck by g
fragment of shell at the first battle o
Bull Run and instantly killed.
After the war Lieut.. Howard returned
to Brattleboro and in a short time begar
work for j. Estey IL Co. He continued IL
the employ of the organ company unit
1892, for several years carrying work to hi
home. He had lived on the farm in dis
trict No. about ten years. Mr.. Howard
and Miss Mary Johnson of Stamford wer'
married in that town in May, 1866. Mrs
: Howard has been in feeble health for sew
eral years. Mr.. Howard also leaves on
sister, who is the wife of Joel p. Butter
field of Marlboro.
The funeral was held at the house Tues
day, Rev. Mr.. Temple of the Baptist church
, of which Mr. Howard was member, de
livered the funeral sermon, and Rev. MI
l Howards characteristics. Six Crane
Army comrades acted as bearers-Col II
: E. Taylor, j. p. Elmer, r. n. Hescock, II
: l. Bangs, P. S. Chase, A. F. Wilder
}, About 30 members of Sedgwick post di
escort duty as the procession moved fror
the common to the Prospect Hill cemetery
Lieut. Howard displayed as a citizen tn
manly qualities which characterized hiI
as a soldier-unassumin of unquestione
, probity, and possessed of the moral coul
:, age which led him always to do his duty
:, and made him a man upon whom absout
/ dependence could be placed.
z A neighbor writes: "Mr. Howard wa
a systematic and thorough in his work an
}, did much to improve his farm and took e2
cellent care of his animals. He was ma
l. whose convictions of right, truth and ju'
s tice were strong and well sustained, both b
e example and plain statement of his opiI
}. ions, which were always respected, as b
# never wayered from the right for fear {
e man. His many excellent traits of cha
n acter won for him the lasting friendship {
s those who knew him best, as has been r.
peatedly noticed in the way they woul
rally to his assistance in times of trouble
His increasing kindly, thoughtful care {
his wife in all her long illness has bee
wonderful, and the same kindness wa
shown his parents in their last years
life, by whose side he now lies in the vi
= lage cemetery.
''He united with the Baptist church