The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-06
DEATH OF COL. SEXTON
G. a. II. COMMANDER-IN-CHIE HAD
BEEN ILL A MONTH.
The Remains Now on the Way to Chi
cagO, Where the Funeral Will
Be HeId-His Career.

WASHINGTON, Feb 5.-Colonel James
A. Sexton, commander-in-chief of the
Grand Army of the Republic and a member
of the war investigating commission, died
at $40 o'clock this informing at Garfield Hos
pital from complications resulting primarily
from an attack of the grip. Colonel Sexton
lad been i'll about a month, first with grip
and kidney troubles and later with menin-
gifts of the brain. His system failed to re-
spond to medical treatment, and for several
weeks his recovery was hardly expected.
When he first became sick Colonel Sexton
was living at the Arlington hotel, but about
two weeks ago he was removed to the Car
field Hospital, where he died. Mrs. Sexton
and her son William were with the colonel
at the time of his death. Tonight the body
was put aboard the 30 o'clock train on the
Pennsylvania Railroad and will be taken to
Chicago. There were no funeral services in
this city, but six members of the Grand
Army acted as pallbearers, both when the
body was removed from the hospital and
when aboard the train. AT Chicago F. w.
Spenk quartermaster of the Grand Army;
II. p. Thompson, assistant adjutant general,
and w. L. Smith, of the Loyal Legion will
have charge of the military funeral ar
engagements. Commander Arthur Hen
bricks of the Department Of the Potomac,
G. A. r., to-day issued a special order COM
memorative of Colonel Sexton. Many floral
tributes were received by the family, inolud-
ing tributes from the war investigating
commission and President Mckinley, who
sent beautiful wreath.
Colonel James A. Sexton was born on Jan
D 1874. He enlisted as a private in the
Nineteenth Illinois Volunteers April 19, 1861
and after three months service enlisted In
the SiXty-seVenth Illinois, being commits
stoned as first lieutenant of Company r.
lie was subsequently transferred to the
Seventy-second Illinois and was made cap
tain of Company D. He served i'll Ran
SONS brigade, McArthurs division of the
Seventeenth Army Corps, Army of the Ten
nessee, and participated in nearly all its
campaigns, sleges and battles. He was
commander Of the regiment I'm the battles of
Columbia, Duck River, Spring Hill, Frank
lin and Nashville, and throughout the
Nashville campaign. In 1865 he was as
signed to duty on the staff of Maj. Gen. A.
Army Corps, and remained with Smith I'M
III the close of the war, being honorably
discharged in August, 1865. He remained
two years In Alabama after the war work
near Montgomery. In 1867 he returned to
Chicago and entered into business. He was
appointed postmaster of Chicago by Presi-
dent Harrison in 1889 and was retained by
President Cleveland until he resigned, JAN
l. 1895
Colonel Sexton was an active worker in
the Grand Army of the Republic, the Mill
tary Order of the Loyal Legion and other
soldier and army societies. He was past
commander of the Department of Illinois
q. A. r., and had been n presidential cleo
tor, park commissioner and was interested
in the National Guard. At the last meeting
of the G. A. r. he was elected commander
in-chief, and held this position at the time
of his death, as well as that of a member of
the board of commissioners appointed by
the President to investigate the conduct Of
the Spanish war.