WALES-GEN-L Archives

From: "Cook, Nancy" <>
Subject: [WALES-GEN] John HARRIS, Died 26 Mar 1899, Fort Leavenworth, KS, USA
Date: Fri, 5 Jul 2002 07:45:21 -0400

The following article was found in the Wilkes-Barre (PA) Record, 7 Apr =
1899, Page 8. If anyone is interested in receiving a copy of this =
obituary, please send me your mailing address.

This is a fairly long article, so you might want to print it out.

(Instead of submitting this to any specific Mailing List, I am =
submitting it to the General list in the hopes that it will be seen by a =
more diverse group.)

"A correspondent sends the following with reference to a former Luzerne =
County young man, who died while in the service of the United States.

"Private John Harris was born on Nov. 5, 1868, in Curn Nant Dde (Back =
Creek Valley), near Pontypool, Monmouthshire, Wales; was left an orphan =
at 6 months, was taken and raised by his grandmother, with whom he =
emigrated to America at the age of 8 years, and settled at Warrior Run, =
Luzerne County. He resided thereabout until a few years ago, when he =
went to Minersville. In June of last year, when the war was the topic =
of the day, he decided he must join the army.

"He joined Co. F. 4th P.V.L., at Chickamauga and served with the command =
all through the Porto [sic] Rican campaign and until the regiment was =
mustered out of service. He was a brave and obedient soldier and won =
the confidence of his superiors and the respect of his friends. He =
enjoyed soldier life and its duties and soon after he was mustered out =
he joined Co. K. 16th U.S.I., which is at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., where =
he met his death. On March 26 a comrade of Harris put a revolver =
cartridge in a magazine rifle and jokingly told Harris to put up his =
hands. He refused and the other man persisted in his demand, and while =
thus talking the rifle was discharged, the bullet breaking Harris's jaw =
and lodging in the membranes of the throat. Every effort was made to =
save his life, but all to no avail. He died in twenty hours, but not =
before he made an ante-mortem statement exonerating his comrade from all =
blame, saying it was purely accidental, and with almost his last breath =
he asked that the fellow should not be punished. Nevertheless the man =
was arrested and will be court martialed for criminal carelessness.

"Harris was buried from the residence of his uncle, George Williams, and =
had one of the largest funerals ever held in Minersville. Full military =
honor was accorded the remains. The pageant consisted of one band, two =
drum corps, one company N.G.P., G.A.R., S. of V., firing squad and =
bodyguards, all headed by Maj. Holmes of the 8th P.V.I.

"A large concourse of mourners and friends followed the remains, which =
were laid to rest in the Congregational Cemetery there to sleep "the =
sleep of the brave." Taps were blown by musician John Clappier and as =
the last sad notes resounded over the hills and vales another gallant =
soldier boy had found a resting place among relatives and friends and =
was "off duty" forever."

Nancy Cook
Pasadena, MD, USA

This thread:

• [WALES-GEN] John HARRIS, Died 26 Mar 1899, Fort Leavenworth, KS, USA by "Cook, Nancy" <>