The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1921-05-26
Victor Hamilton Rests
IMPRESSIVE FUNERAL SERVICES
FOR GAINESVILLE HERO
CBy Edwin vi. HamiltOn)

Victor Hamilton. whose funeral MAS
held here Friday afternoon. was IL son
of the late John NJ and Mrs. Minuiu
Hamilton. He was born April 18th.
1876. and was killed In France on July
49, 1918. at the age of twenty-five years.
ON April 80. 1917. twcnty-fOur days
after Americas entering the then call
ed European War. he enlisted In the
L. - Regular Army, and was assigned
To the 2Sth Infantry Regiment of tn"
First Division. On June \. 1917 hC
sailed. with the first contingent of
American soldiers. to France. prior Ia
which he had been made corporal in u
machine gun company. In October al
that wear his division moved into the
Toul sector. being the first American
unit to occupy front line position.
In the following May tl9lSD his outfit
moved north where the Spring drives
were beginning to rage.
On May 18th the world was thrilled
engagement. when the 2Nth Infantry
supported 10y the machine gun cOmpun!
OF which Victor WAS Il member march
cd into Cnmtigny. The American troops
with%tOOd the more serious counter
attack. ana from then the First Divi
sion took its place 10y the side of tn,
seasoned veterans OF France and En-"
land The movements of this division
- We'll a. Of the others which 'hud
come from America. were swift. until
on July H. it held II sector from SoiS.
Four days later, Oh July 22. the BATH,
was reaching the climax. and Germany
had begun to siclcn with the thought
that perhaps. after all. milton three
thousand miles away could halt their
dreams OI empire. y new feeling OF
SrcuI ty came 10 those who had fought
against imperial DONNA ton. and the
hope HAT civilization was not TO BE-
SmOthcrcd WAS quiCkcnCd
On July -. therefore. there WA y
complete reversal OF the military Situ.
alton. Death could not have fittinglv
cIded Victor HamiltOm'S life until tina,
condition had been brought about. In
his usual vOcutionS he would not hnv,
icfr the field Of action while the caus,
Tor which Er fought was going back
wGrl. Int. on the End. when TN,
nIaiC~ Of rightrnuSucSS were on tn,
long. hut certain march To victory. :.
nachi.r au. bullet found its way I,
his heart, In the middle of Il command
tn his squad while moving To an ad-
NHucrd position, the soul sped from its
tenement of clay
The task for which Victor Hamilton
died was not completed that day. 1t
was not completed on November 18th.
when the armiStice was signed. nor is it
yet finished. The cause Is old, but it
VIII never be complete realization so
long rs men place higher value on
material things than on eternal princi-
pies. Those who live Is merely in a
jealous pickering sphere. more anxious
to destroy than better fellow mans
condition. are not intOuch with the
things for which Victor died. He sur
rendered every obligation the world
might have owed him. He tossed TO Tho.
winds his ambition to Il place in a
profession. He gave his life and all
that life held for him, that the things
which make life worth while might
remain for his friends. Laid down his
life for his friends"
Those of us who remember the per.
sOnnl side of his life recall his unfeign.
ed goodness. his splendid humor and
practical philosophy. Hours could be
spent with him and he would discuss
any subject from Tom Sawyer and
Huck Finn to the Zodiac. We are told
by James Bryce that the four virtues
by which men rise to unusual success
are intellect, energy, courage und In
dependence. Victor Possessed these
to marked degree
Those who knew him are aware Of
the continuous effort he made 10 de.
Yelop his intellect. He believed. with
Emerson, that the world. after all.
existed for education, and he got more
satisfaction from learning thing than
later from knowing It.
He was energetic iu every task he
undertook. lie supplemented the uies.
ton WHAT with the query why.
IN work he was more mindful of his
responsibility than Of the emolumpnt
Play was 90 him work In another form
Courage was not 10 him SYNONYM
OF 'boldness Physical bravery was Il
Huperfuity If not nccessitatcd bv =
moral cousc. aud dld he ever find tbnt
lac had committed an error. he deemed
II more an act Of courage To- retrace his
step than to dcflanuy cling 10 his
wrong
He POSSESSED the true indrpeudepoe
which docs not dare lie did not con.
slider It more necessary ~ be iudepcpd
ent OF the opinions " others th,,u TO
be independent Of his own prejudice
independence 10 him meant freedom 20
accept Or reject duty ~ alI time, 49,
well as a right
Ia very great sense victor liz NOT
dead II IS true that hls smile il gone
and bis voice Is stnlpd but the prjuci.
pies for which he so uscfully lived s,d
80 nobly died are sull among u.s. the
things which he pcrsOnificd
The funeral was conducted ot tho
N +. Church south ON Friday after
noon by Rev j Smith bye. pastor Of
the local Baptist Church. who drew
from the life and death Of the young
mon most Impressive Lesson A drief
but eloquent culogv was srokeu I,y