The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-07-12
DHAqn oFnnnYnrnnIe. GEN. uoET
a brave aud Gallant Soidier-rroinoteo
for His Gallant and Intrepid Work,

Waterbury, July 1.-THE funeral OF
brave and gallant officer OF the war
for the Union was held here to-day
with appropriate honors. The deceased
was Colonel Thomas Holt who for gal
liant and mertorious services during
the war, was breveted brgadier gener-
al His aged was sixty-tive. He died
at his home here Friday after an ILL
ness of two years duration, He had
been confined to his home, however,
only three or four weeks. By his death
the city of Waterbury loses one of Its
most honored citizens, and another gal
liant soldier joins the silent majority.
The deceased was born In Manches-
ter, England, in 1882, and when he came
Wis, N Y, where he remained number
of years. 1t was at Port Jervis that he
was married, and there his three chill
| dren were born. When the war broke
| out Mr.. Holt organized company of
volunteers which was afterwards at
tached as company #, to the First reg
| iment of the brigade of which General
Sickles was commander. The COM
pany was an excellent one, and ulti-
mately took a high standing for ex-
cellence in drill solderIy bearing and
gallantry In action. For bravery and
for excellent service Captain Holt was
promoted through the various ranks
and finally on the field was commits
stoned colonel upon the recommended
tons of Generals Hooker and Sickles.
AT the close of the regiments service
he was breveted brigadier general for
gallant and meritorious conduct during
| the war;.
At the close of the war Colonel Holt
returned to Port Jervis, where he be-
came chief of police and afterwards
chief of the fire department
| Colonel Holt came to Waterbury in
| 1885 and entered the employ of the Mat
| thews & Willard Manufacturing COM
pany. With this concern he remained
until 1893, when he entered the service
of the Scoyille Manufacturing company
as an engineer He was a Mason and a
| member Of Turks tribe of Red Men
He leaves widow and five daughters.
| all of whom are married Two of the
/ daughters live in Port Jervis, N. Y,
| two in Chicago and one in Colorado.
Said Lieutenant Colonel Coyne a
short time ago in the National Tribune
| When captain in the service, by his
| intelligence and zeal. Holt attracted the
| attention of General Dan Sickles, who
| commanded the brigade, IN which Holt
served, and was promoted to be major
During the siege of yorktown the brig
ade-the Observation-Disclosures arduous
and important service.
In addition to protecting our front
with a strong picket line, 1t was con-
| stantly engaged in building military
roads and also assisted in the construc-
| ton OF several redoubts for our artil-
lery. At first these working parties OF
the division were so badly handled that
little work was accomplished. General
| Hooker decided to make a change In
the officer in charge, and selected Major
Holt for this important duty. Under
this energetic and able officer the work
progressed more rapidly and much more
satisfactorily.
..At the battle OF Williamsburg, May
s. 1869, in which9 battle the Excelsior
brigade bore so conspicuous part, the
| command of the First regiment during
| the latter part of the engagement de-
volved upon Major Holt, Colonel
| Dwight and Lieutenant Colnel Farnum
having been severely wounded. and he
handled the regiment during the re-
mainder of the contest with unfiinching
| courage and soldierly ability.
Eat the battle of Fair Oaks. June J..
| he was conspicuous for his bravery,
| and at q critical period, when the enc
my appeared in overwhelming numbers
| on the left flank of the regiment, he
averted a disaster by his GOODNESS and
mastery handling of the regiment, by
which the enemy Were repulsed at that
point, While in front at Fair Oaks
during the month Of June Major Holt
distinguished himself in several en-
gagements with the enemy while in
command of the skirinsh line.
During the seven days battle he adj
ded to his laurels, and at Malvern Hill,
the last Of the eanguinary engagements
on the peninsula, and In which the en-
envy met with such severe repulse
he commanded the First and Fourth
regiments Of the brigade.
Major Holt was promoted to lleuten-
ant colonel December /, 1862 He was
with his regiment at Fredericksburg
and Charlottesville, and distinguished
himself in the latter battle by captur-
ing many prisoners from Stonewall
Jackson's skirmish line.
Lieutenant Colonel Hollis gallantry
and meritorious conduct had been so
uniformly conspicuous that Generals
Hooker and Sickles felt that he should
have some fitting reward, and there
fore, on May 16-1ess than two weeks
after the battle of Chancellorsvlle-he
was promoted to colonel of the Fifth
regiment of the brigade, and he com
manded that regiment at Gettysburg,
Mapping Heights Mine Run, the Will
derness and Spottsylvania, and in all
the engagements in which 1t partiei-
pated until the regiments time expir-
ed, in front of Petersburg. He was
subsequently brevetted brigadier gen.
eral for gallant and meritorious con-
duct during the war
General Holt is now living in the
pretty town of Waterbury, Conn, and
a stranger would little surmise that
the modest gentleman who greets you
as you enter his door was one of the
, most distinguished soldiers who had
served in Sickles' famous Excelsior
: brigade"