The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-24
HAMILTON M. BRANCH DEAD.
STRICKEN WITH APOPLEXY AND
DEATH FOLLOWED SOON AFTER.

! u nEdfe
and an HOnOred Member of the
Veterans AssOciatIOn-FOr Years
Was Captain of the Savannah Ca
diets.
Capt. Hamilton N. Branch is dead. This
announcement will bring sorrow to many
hearts. The event was entirely unexpect-
ed until within short time before it oc-
cured. II is a great shock to his family
as it will be to hundreds Of friends
throughout the city and elsewhere.
Capt. Branch died at 1:25 o'clock this
morning at his residence on York street
from stroke of appoplexy, which came
on about Il o'clock
Capt Branch had been out visiting
friends and he was returning home. He
was walking out Habersham street when
attacked Whether he was able to call out
or not is not known, but his condition was
soon noticed and messenger was sent to
find a physician and another to Mr.. Luke
Carsons stables for a carriage. Or. E. r.
Rollins was at Knights drug store and
was at once summoned Seeing Capt
Branch's condition he would not allow him
to be placed in the carriage. but had the
police ambulance summonded in order that
the STRICKEN man might bk handled with
more safety. In the mean time DR.. T. j.
Charlton, the family physician, had been
notified and arrived at the
house about the time the
ambulance reached there Capt
Branch was at once moved to his room
and made as comfortable as possible. He
had left the house not very long before
In apparently the best of health and spirits
and his return unconscious was a sad
shock TO his Wife and son. II was realiz-
ed at once that his condition was very
serious, and that fatel results were 10 be
apprehended. The state of affairs was
not concealed from the family, though the
hope was held out that he might rally
temporarily. Owing to the fact that Capt
Branch had suffered from a slight at
tack of apoplexy year before, but little
hope was entertained of his ultimate ie-
covery
Capt. Branch lay heavily breathing upon
his bed until he died al :25 o'clock. Short
ly before this DR. William Duncan had
been summoned by DR.. Charlton. Rev.
Charles II. Strong, rector of St. johns
Church, was also summoned al the re-
quest of the family, but did not arrive I'M
til after Capt Branch was dead.
To The many who have seen Capt
Branch on the streets during the last few
days apparently in the full possession of
health and Vigor, the news of his death
will be sad surprise. No man was more
widely known to all classes of people or
more generally held in esteem He was a
favOrte with all and especially with the
young people by whom he was greatly be-
loved. He especially enjoyed The friend
ship and confidence of the young men of
the city, and by none will his death be
more deeply regretted.
Capt Branch was especially prominent
in his connection with the Confederate
Veterans Association, and in all matters
pertaining to the memory of the lost
cause. His elder brother, John S. Branch,
was killed az the first battle of Manassas,
being a lieutenant of the Oglethorpe Light
Infantry, which wrote its name high upon
the scroll of fame on that day in death
less but CORY letters. His second brother,
Sanford w. Branch. was wounded in the
same battle. He survived the war and
died in Savannah about seven years ago,
highly respected and deeply mourned.
The Two brothers now lie side by side
in Laurel Grove cemetery with the mother.
who freely gave her sons to the cause
which she loved, and who was devoted to
its memory and theirs until the day of
her death. There will be a third grave in
the Branch loI to bear the Coufederat e
flag worked in flowers on the next memo
rial day.
Capt. Branch was quite young at the
breaking out of tine war. He joined the
Savannah Cadets, which was organized
by Capt. John w. Anderson and composed
of the younger men of the city, and served
with this company until the close of The
war, being promoted to a leutenancy. The
Cadets served with the First Georgia Reg
imeut on the coast of Georgia and in the
Western army.
Like his mother, Capt Branch was de
voted 10 the memory of the Lost Cause,
and was active IN all movements intended
to keep its memory fresh in the minds of
young and old. He had been for several
years one of the vice presidents of the
Confederate Veterans Association, and
was not only a very active, but
a very popular member of the association.
He will be missed on future memorial
days Capt. Branch had a handsome suit
of grey which he always wore on these
occasions and his entre time was devoted
on these days to the memorial work He
made it a specias point TO see that on that
day no Confederate soldiers grave was
without a wreath. On the last memorial
day, Capt. Branch personally made a tour
of Laurel Grove cemetery, in his buggy,
which was filled with wreaths and placing
a wreath upon each soldiers grave which
DINERS ndu ldtiCu 10 tSdtN. "A STORM was
threatening, but this did not deter him
from his work and tine drenchins which he
received on his way home did not dampen
the ardor of his genial nature. other
hands viii place the flowers upon his grave
this year which he was so careful to see
placed upon the graves of others.
Capt Branch continued his active con-
nection with the Cadets after the war. He
was captain of the company in The early
eighties and the company had a very pros
porous career under his management He
commanded the company at the prize drifi
during the Chatham Artillery centennial
in 1885, and also In the
Nashville and Mobile drills.
About ten years since he surrendered the
command of the company to his successor.
now Lieut.. Col. j. f. Brooks. On account
of the connection of the Branches with
both the Ogicthorpe Light Infantry and
the Cadets the friendship of the two COM
Indnds has elwaYs been very close
Capt Branch engaged in the stevedorlng
business shortly after the war with his
father-in-law. the late Capt. Dickerson.