Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1904-05-27
A PLUCKY CHAPLAIN.
stories OF . Gentleman OF the Cloth
Who became q Brave
Soldier.

A fighting chaplain. Rev. James b
Hamilton, Thirty-frst Indiana, who
died not very long ago, aged s8years.
was so modest that he never would
give out any thing for publica ton about
himself during his lifetime. I have
been waiting for some comrade to
publish something about one OF the
best and most earnest men who ever
lived. The incidents given here are
true in every particular. says H. B.
Baker, in the National Tribune.
The chaplain was an itinerant Meth
od1st preacher, fearless in speech, in
tensely loyal and, of course, hurt feel.
ings while preaching in Sullivan county,
Ind, home of copperheadism and
Humphries and other shining lights of
the Knights of the Golden Circle.
Rev. Hamilton WAS travelling the
Linton circuit in the spring of 1864. and
had to preach at the funeral of soldier
about four miles from town at one of
his regular preaching places. He was
to meet the procession at the church.
After he had promised to go he re-,
ceived an awkwardly-g notice
by mail that he must not go or he
would be egged. Well, the funeral pro-
cession arrived at the church first, and,
was seated when he got there. He
coolly walked into the pulpit and laid
out his Bible, opened it, and then drew
two seven-shooters from his pockets
and laid one on each side of the Bible.
He read the notice he had received and
said:
4'These fellows who gave that notice
could not egg anything, as they had
no hens, and, of course, had no eggs.
They had no money to buy eggs, and
were too cowardly to steal them" He
went on, saying: 81 have two hens
here" and as he picked up the revolv-
ers and cooked them, he said: They
lay seven eggs each, and cackle every
time they lay an egg. If there is the
least disturbance they will 'cackle." F"
All was quiet during that service.
At one time he and his wife were in
their buggy driving home from regu-
lar services, when they came upon
the notorious copperhead, Capt" Sis
son, who was drilling his men. The
captain" drew his company across the
road and gave the commando: Right
dress, front, order arms. Now, not
a d-n man move" The parson drove
up to within eight or ten PAGES, gave
the lines to his wife, and raised in his
buggy with revolver in each hand,
and said:
"H you don't get out of the road
will move man who will be damned
pretty quick also" And the towards
literally ran over each other to get out
of the way. Nothing more was said,
and he and his wife drove on their way.
Hamilton was appointed chaplain OF
the Thirty-frst in September, 1864.
y Col Smith and he went to the regi-
ment together, and they arrived on
Saturday i'll the forenoon, just about
the time dinner was ready. The quar-
termaster came up and was introduced
by the colonel to the new chaplain.
This quartermaster was ever profane,
but that day he was more than usually
so. The chaplain had scarcely time to
return thanks between the quartermas
ter's oaths. The chaplain finished his
dinner first and walked around in front
of the tent, and was walking back and
forth. When the quartermaster came
around also, the chaplain walked up in
front of him and said:
Captain. you were introduced to me
by q. gentleman, and understand you
were Introduces as a gentleman, but