The National tribune., 1905-10-12
LAST Oh NNE HEROES DEAD.

Eight Brothers Of Nathaniel w. Failing
Fell ON Dat0eaelds I'm the Civil War
Other Fxoaily Is Known to Have Such
. Recordsas - the Great Conflict.
(Springfieid Mll.) Journal, Sept. 40
The last of nine brothers, eight of
whom gave their lives to their country
on the battlefields of the civil war, Ma
thaniel w. ga Hing, died in Chicago last
week. Death was indirectly caused by
terrible wounds he received while fight
ing by the sidesof his brothers at bloody
Chickamauga.4
1t is probable there was no other
Union. or Confederate soldier who had
a record like that of Nathaniel w. Fail
ing. Born at Little Washington, Pa.
in 1886, he. with eight brothers, enlist
ed in the Union army on the same day
in April. 1861. at Mechanicsburg. Ohio,
where Nathaniel was employed at the
cooper trade. The ages of the brothers
ranged from 10 to As years. William,
the eldest, was the father Of Is chill
dren.
The brothers gave up their lives in
the following battles: John, at Fort
Donelson, Tenn, in February, 1862;
James. at Pea Ridge, Ark, 1862; Louis.
at Corinth, Miss. October, 1862; Henry,
at Gettysburg, July, 1868; Morris, Joel
and William, at Chickamauga, Septem-
Der, 1863.
SctcFuu 1cllS
A few days before his death Mr.. Fail
ing, in an interview, told the story
of his life. He suffered great bodily
pain, but his mind was as clear as to
dates of battles as If the occurrences
he related happened but week ago.
There was no other family that sent
nine brothers to the war of the rebel
lion," he said. "At least I never heard
of any. have talked with hundreds
Of old comrades whom I met at Grand
Army Encampments, and none of them
ever heard of so many brothers being
killed in the war. At the battle Of
Chickamauga, where Thomas, Joel and
William were killed, was at their side
when they fell. L was terribly wound
ed there, both legs being pierced by
bullets, also both hips. the right shout
der and right hand. I lay on the field
for a day and a night, praying that /
might die and be relieved Of my suffer-
ing.
was sent to the hospital at Columbus,
Ohio, where stayed until I was mus
| tered out in June, 1865.
Finds Father Gone.
II went back to the old home in Me-
chanicsburg, from where the boys en-
listed, only to find that my father had
moved to a little mining town near
McKeesport, Pa. on the Monongahela
River. He was living with one of his
daughters, Mrs. William Hart. My
mother had died, was told, before
father moved away.
Il was still walking on crutches when
| I reached my sisters home. Father
was sitting in a rocker when l hobbled
| in, wreck of my former self. / was
| so changed that he did not know me
My sister was out. Giving me his own
easy chair, father at once asked me
| what regiment I was with. When
told him of the battle of Chickamauga
| he sprang to his feet and wanted to
know IL I had met his four sons-Mor-
ris, Joel, William and myself He had
mourned US all as dead, having read
the list of killed, in which our names
were included. When l made myself
known to him he wept for JOY.
Returning to fredericksburg, / was
married in March, 1866. and lived there
three years, working at the cooper's
trade. I then moved to Springfield In
| 1881. lived In Springfield until about
two years ago. / worked for the Hi.
nois Central Railroad Company for 25
years.
Besides the battle OF Chickamauga
Mr.. Failing took part in the battles OF
Bull Run, the Ave days siege at Muir
lrreesboro and at Carifax Ferry.
He enlisted In the I'd Ohio, and after
three months service was transferred
to Co. c, 18th Ohio.
| He is survived by one son, Bert Fail
ing, OF Springfield, and two daughters
Mrs Catherine Foster, OF Edwardsville
| Ill.,, and Mrs. r. III. Niemeyer, 1475
Flournoy street, Chicago.