The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1920-07-30
COL. EZEKIEL F. CLAY DEAD
Death Summons Comes To Noted
Bourbon Turfman And
Citizen


Citizen
The inevitable summons, to which
all must respond, the trumpet call
of the Grim Messenger, came Mon
day night at nine o'clock, to Col.
Ezekiel Fields Clay, aged eighty,
citizen, soldier and a man among
men, at his home on the Cynthiana
road, near Paris. Col. Clay haG
been in declining health for several
! months, but had been able to be up
and about until a few days age,
when he contracted pneumo-
MIA, which was the immediate
cause Of his death.
The funeral was held at the fam
lily home, Wednesday afternoon az
three O'Clock, with services con
Quoted by Rev. w. E Ellis. pastor
of the Paris Christian church, of
which Col. Clay had for almost a
lifetime been a devoted member
The burial followed on the family
lot in the Paris Cemetery, in the
presence Of a large concourse OF
friends and relatives, and many OF
his comrades-in-arms, who had fol.
lowed him in the days of the war.
The pall-bearers were: Honor
:ry-J. Harry Holt, Catesby Wood
ford, Benjamin Woodford, T. Hart
Talbot, James F. Mcclure and VIM.
| T. Buckner; Active - S. Brooks
Clay, Catesby w. Spears, Zelo
Davenport, Ayelette Buckner, Buck
ner Woodford. Samuel Clay, John F.
! Davis, Ezekiel Arnold, John Harris
Clay and Cassius M. Clay.
Col. Clay, who was one of the
worthy representative citizens OIL
Bourbon county, descended from an
ancestry of which he felt justly
proud, various Representatives of the
family figuring prominently in the
public affairs in Virginia and Ken
lucky. The name has honorably
adorned many pages of American
history, and Col. Clay's forebears
were men of noted mental caliber,
rare versatility and extraordinary
executive ability. He was born IN
Bourbon county the first day of De-
cember, 1910, and was the son of
Hon. Brutus j. and Amanda (Field)
Clay.
Col. Clay, after due preliminary
educational training in the public
school of his native county, entered
Bacon College. Harrodsbu'rg, and
was pursuing his studies in that in
stitution when the dark cloud OF
the Civil War cast it's pail over d
dividing nation. On October 21
he left the University to enter tn5
Confederate service, enlisting as d
private in the First Kentucky
Mounted Rifles. He was in active
service during the succeeding faIl
and winter, under General Hum
phrey MARSHALL in the mountains
Of Eastern Kentucky and Western
Virginia.
Col. Clay then organized a new
company. of which he was elected
Captain early in 1852, and was pro
NOTED to Lieutenant-COlonel in tbs
First Battalion. He continued in
General Marshall's command
throughout 1852, and commanding
his battalion, was actively engaged
during the Federal raid on the HAS
ton River, near Abingdon, in the
winter of 1862-63 The following
months were passed in raids and
skilp1ishes Of minor Importance
until September, when Col. Clay lee
his battalion, under the brigade
command of General Hodge, unGel
General Forrest, in the operation.
following the battle of Chickamaugs
and on the thirtieth started out i'll
the vicinity of Athens, Tenn, foI
McMinville, as a part of the force:
of General Wheeler, in the famous
raid through middle Tennessee.
His battalion was advance guard
of the brigade, and accompanied by
General Davidson, the division com
mander, opened the attack on Nc
Minville, October 3, and drove thu
enemy from the rifle pits. Wher
the brigade came up the garrison
surrendered with several million
dollars worth of stores and provis
ion. Col. Clay was also in the leat
of an attack on Shelbyville, whel
General Wheeler was defeated. Fol
lowing this Clay and his soldier
fought in the rear guard, determin
edly resisting the Federal pursuer
and suffered great losses. Said Gen
oral Hodge. FOr uVe hours anu
half over seven miles of country al
unequal contest continued. My gal
liant brigade was cut to pieces AM
slaughtered. 1 had informed tn
officers and men that the sacrifice o
their lives was necessary and the,
manfully made the sacrifice" L
this memorable fight Col. Clay
horse was killed under him. Imme
diately securing another mount h
| was severely wounded while gal
| lantly commanding his battalion
| During the Knoxville campaign h
| was with a regiment in Armstrong
division and was on active duty i:
East Tennessee. In April, 1864, a
Puncheon Creek, near Paintville
Ky, in command of his brigade h
encountered brigade of the enem
and had the misfortune to be agai
4 wounded, a rifle ball destroying tn
1 sight of one of his eyes. At tn
/ same time he was captured, and be
|. ing taken to Johnson's Island, 0
II was held there until a short tim