Le Mars Semi-Weekly Sentinel
October 6, 1898
Word was received in Le Mars yesterday that another of Plymouth County’s soldier boys has passed to the other shore as a result of his services and sacrifices for his country.
James Hamilton, Jr. son of James Hamilton, of Johnson Township, died at the Samaritan hospital in Sioux City yesterday of typhoid fever contracted at Chickamauga. He was twenty-two years of age and a general favorite among a large circle of friends.
The funeral services were conducted by Rev. A. Z. Magogney at the United Brethren church at Adaville, this morning at eleven o’clock.
LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel
October 10, 1898
MILLNERVILLE: (Special Correspondence)
Edgar E. Scott, Co. H, 52 Iowa Volunteer Infantry, goes to rejoin his company at Des Moines on Monday next.
There will be one less to go with Co. H, wherever they may go whether to be mustered out of service and go home again or to go to do garrison duty in Puerto Rico or Cuba. James Alexander Hamilton, patriot and soldier of the brave Iowa boys, has answered the last call of taps and gone to join the numerable hosts. That his career as a soldier has been honorable is evidenced by the presence and expression of sorrowing friends on this sad occasion. The fact that he and his comrades have not been permitted to hear or reply to a hostile shot is no disparagement to them. They obeyed orders and to obey is a soldier’s first duty. When that is done, he is entitled to as much praise and honor as those who are stricken down in battle. By force of circumstances some of our brave boys have not been permitted to take part in active campaign, but their names should be held in the same veneration as those who did, for by enlisting they showed their willingness to go and believed they would surely go to the front. We should not bestow all praise; all honor and veneration upon Dewey and Hobson and the (the great and brave men who are already covered with glory. Give the lowly private his share. We mingle our tears with hose of the death mother, sisters and brother of Private James Hamilton and to those dear relatives we extend our heartfelt sympathies, and to the young soldiers who were messmates and friends we extend our sympathy at the loss of a comrade. He is our part of the advance guard of the grand army which must soon follow, though they may not all languish with fever that will sap their life away as it did that of this young soldier.
James Alexander was only 22 years, 4 months of age at the date of his death. He enlisted in the U. S. Army June 27, 1898; he died at the Samaritan Hospital in Sioux City October 4, 1898, of typhoid fever and abscess of the lungs. His remains were escorted to the train by fifty men of his own company, all officers being present. The soldiers present at the funeral held at Adaville were: Loren McGillory (sic), George Mann, Edgar E. Scott, Company H; David Langhout and Henry Eberhard, of Company M. Edgar E. Scott and Loren McGillroy, of Company H, two of the pall bearers, were messmates of the deceased. There were about seventy teams from the surrounding country, showing respect in which the dead soldier was held. He was a true friend, a brave soldier, never murmuring at the hardships he had to endure, and he was dearly beloved by officers and men.