The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-01-17
JAMES CARLOS REYNOLDS

A little more than three years and
a half after he left his home, to an
swer the call of his country, James
Carlos Reynolds, private, Sixth Bat
talon, Field Artillery Replacement
Regiment, returned to it in his coffin,
to be laid to rest, until the great mus
tering day. in the little churchyard
near his birthplace.
Private Reynolds was twenty-three
years old when he passed away in
hospital in France. Thru no fault OF
his own, he was denied the fierce joy
of battle. His name was far down
the list of the first draft and it was
not until July, 1918, that he was
called to the colors. He promptly went
to train at Camp Jackson, and had
his time of training been longer he
might have come home sound and
well. But he went at a time when
the first million had gone to France,
and America was sending her sons,
ten thousand day, across the At
lantic, to add weight to the stagger-
ing blows that. were tearing the grip
OF the Teuton loose from France. A
country boy we'll used to horses, he
was chosen at once for the field artil-
lery, and in few weeks his regiment
was sent across the sea to refill the
ranks in which the German guns had
made many gaps. Accustomed TO
comfortable home living, he had not
become Injured to the hardships of
army life so when influenza met him
at the very threshold of Europe he
fell at once a victim. Barely three
months had passed from the day when
his homefolks had hidden him good
bye when his comrades laid him away
in a French grave.
The mental anguish of the Rey-
nolds family over the death of their
boy was greatly added to by the
uncertainty caused by the stress OF
the time. Some three weeks after
his death, letter from soldier who
bad been near him at the last told a
friend of the family the sad news of
his death. His brother at once tele-
graphed to Congressman Clark i'll
Washington, to find out if the report
was true Mr.. Clark promptly en-
quired of the war department was
told that the boy was all right, and
took great pleasure in sending the
good news home. Mr.. Clark's tele-
gram relieved the worried and sad
dened relatives but few hours when
the long-delayed dispatch from the
adjutant generals office was received
telling Mr.. and Mrs. Reynolds that
their boy was dead.
When it was announced that Con-
gress had passed bill authorizing
the bringing home of the bodies OF
the men who died in France, the Rey-
nolds family decided to avail them
selves of it, and made immediate ap-
piication, the result of which had its
elimination in the funeral of Sunday
The remains arrived Thursday of last
week, but it was resolved to delay
the funeral until the day on which al
could attend the last services.
At two o'clock Sunday afternoon
the sorrowing relatives and many
friends, and members of the American
Legion, gathered at Pyles & Com.
pany's undertaking establishment, il
readiness to accompany the funera
ccrtege. The pall-bearers and mill
tary escort were of the legion, anc
there were beside these many othel
members of the local post, some
of whom came from the furthes
ends of the county. The cas-
ket, draped with the flag and covered
with flowers, was brought forth anC
laid in the hearse, and the procession
started. As the hearse moved, the
fi1ebell began to toll, and its solemn
notes were regularly heard until the
procession was beyond the city limits
The procession was a long one
more than fifty cars with from foul
to eight persons in each followed TIL
hearse.
Some places in the road, mostly il
the Oklawaha swamp, were very diff
ficult, delaying the procession. but il
little less than an hour it reachet
its destination, at the Oklawah;
church, where at least three hundret
of the neighbors of the family were il
waiting, and many broke into tear
as the hearse came to stop by tn
gate of the little graveyard.
The 0klawaha church is one o
thousands of little fortresses of relig