The Republican journal., 1908-07-02
MAI. J. A. FESSENDEN DEAD.

Notable Honor in Civil War, and, Re
firing from Regular Army, Became 4
Conspicuous Figure in Public Affairs il
Stamford.
Major Joshua A. Fessenden. U. S. A., re
| tired, died at a. M. June oath, at his home
| in Forest street. Death came while be
| slept. He had been i'll for a week or so
but his condition was not considered seri
Gus, and the news of his death was wholly
! unexpected. His complaint was form OF
indigestion, which was complicated with
| heart trouble. Within the last two or three
days the Major was able to greet some of
his friends upon his piazza, where he sat to
get the fresh air. The heated spell of the
Only the evening before his death he con-
versed cheerfully with some of his friends,
| and gave assurance that within few days
he would be able to be about again. The
| death of his brother, Samuel Fessenden,
last January, was severe, blow to the
| Major, and his closest friends noted since
that time symptoms Of failing health.
| He was member of the well-knOwn
| Maine family which has been conspicuous
in the history of the country, and one of
| four brothers who for a generation were
active in Stamford affairs. Only two of
these-Oliver and Seth-now survive. He
| is also survived by his wife Miss Mary
| Conner of Belfast) his daughter, Miss Alice
| G. Fessenden, and by six siSterS-Mrs. Will
| liam S. Morrill, OF Springfield, n. j.; Mrs.
| w. p. Huxford of Washington, d. c.; Mrs.
| Henry A. Gardner of Chicago and Misses
| Mary, Susan E. and Abby c. Fessenden of
Stamford, Conn.
Joshua A. FeSSenden was born In Rock
| land, Me-, Feb, Is, 1871, and was educated in
| the public schools, i'll Philips Academy, and
! in Williams College. He enlisted in the
| First Maine Cavalry, in September, 1861,
! ~ nod has mt 10
| of the war. He was appointed second lieu
| tenant in the regular army in March, 1862,
| and served in the Army OF the Potomac and
| the Army of the Cumberland. He was en-
gagged in fighting before Yorktown; in the
battle of Williamsburg, Virginia; seven
Peninsula under Mcclellan; was in the
| Western Army under Gems. Rosecrans and
| Thomas; was breveted first lieutenant "for
gallant and meritorious service at the bat
tie of Stone River, Tennessee" and brevet-
ed captain ''for gallant and meritorious
The "War of the Rebellion Official Rec
ords of the Union and Confederate Armies
states as follows: "Second Lieut.. j. A.
Fessenden, Company II, Fifth United
| States Artillery, commended highly by Brig
Gen. King for bravery, and, though wound
ed several times, remained on duty until the
close of the war"
After the war Capt Fessenden served
with his regiment, the Fifth United States
Artillery, from Fort Adams to Key West,
and from Lake Champlain to the Golden
Gate. While in San Francisco, he was re-
tired, January, 1894, "for disability Incl:
dent to disease contracted in the line Of
duty"
! He was aide-de-camp to Maj-Gen. Miles
| also to Maj.-Gen. Peck, and served on the
staff of Gen. Howard as acting Inspector
| General, Military Division of the Atlantic.
1 ,1<,,, Ct, nf No,
Miles at the time Jefferson Davis was a
prisoner at Fortress Monroe and was
| brought in close contact with the former
| leader of the cOnfederacy. That he showed
kindness and courtesy to the Southern
chieftain and his family was remembered
by Mrs. Davis, upon whom Maj. Fessenden
| called a couple of years ago, when she
spent the summer at Sound Beach. Mrs
| Davis had very clear recollection of the
| young lieutenant whom she met at the fort
soon after the war closed.
1t was due to the tact and good judgment
displayed by the officer that ne was detailed ls
by Gen. Hancock, then commanding the
Department of the East, on Governor
Island, that Lieut.. Fessenden was giver
| command of detachment of troops sent t(
act as guard for the tomb of Gen. Grant, al
| Riverside Drive, for some weeks after the
| Generals death.
| He received his commission as maj il
the regular army, May %, 1904, under AL
act Of Congress which promoted, one grade
officers of regular army who had served
with credit during the Civil War.
He was member of various societies as
Sociated with the army, and was a mem
ber of the Grand Army of the Republic, be
ing transferred this year to Minor Post
from the New York post of which he haC
been member. Since his retirement, ht
took an active interest in the service t(
which he gave the best years of his life, anC
/, III
old comrades
One instance of how he was remembered
by former soldiers of his command was the
| visit here, a few days ago, of New York
man who had lost his employment and was
seek ing another job. lie remembered hi
old captain, and came to Stamford. LII
was delighted when on relating some Incl
dents which happened on Governors lslant
the Major remembered him very well.
After coming to make his home in STAN
ford, after his army life ended, the Majol
soon became prominent figure in local af
fairs. He served as member of the com
mon council and was chairman of its stree
committee. AT many political and socia
gatherings, and in public meetings, hi
voice was often heard, and his presence
was always welcome. He was gifted will
an oratorical power of no mean quality, and
while he probably never made a set speecl
| i'm his life, he was quick at Tepartee, and il
| point. Seme years ago there was tOWl
meeting at which the public schools wer
under discussion. The major, who was al
WAYS firm friend of the schools, arose afte
several speakers had been heard and pro
| ceeded to deliver one of the most elOQuen
short speeches ever heard in Stamford. A
all after-dinner speaker he was especial
happy, and no banquet in Stamford wOul'
| be considered complete without his pres
| ence.
His appointment as postmaster, in 1897
at the end of the term of J. ii. Swartwoul
was made upon the recommendation o
Congressman Hill, and carried the endorse
ment of the Republican committees of tn
town and city. One of his first acts was tn
appointment of Nelson r. Jessup as his as
sistant. Mr.. Jessup had served in a simila
capacity under the pOstmaStership OF Henr
Smith. The Major kept in touch with tn
affairs of the post Office, whose business ha
been constantly growing. He was held il
the highest esteem by the employees of tn
Office, who had for their superior regar
similar to that which he won in the army
The Daily Advocate, Stamford, Conn.,, Jun
24th.
Editorially the Advocate says:
Stamford is in sorrow today over the deaf
of Postmaster Fessenden. The event wa
wholly unexpected by the general public
is true, had been confined to the house b
illness for several days, but the thought O
death was far from the minds Of thos
of Stamford deeply mourn this unexpecte
| n,,d rrV,fn or6 rrtua 10 a1apr 1fy yUh