Democratic Sentinel, Volume 3, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 February 1879 — A PATRIOTIC FAMILY. [ARTICLE]

A PATRIOTIC FAMILY.

A Woman Who Gave Eleven Sons in Defense of Her Country. A Washington correspondent says a very remarkable case of patriotism of a family has just been developed at the War Department. Some time ago Congressman Deering, of lowa, applied to the Secretary of War for the discharge from the regular army of a young man, the favor being asked by his mother, who said she was 72 years of age, had given ten sons to the defense of her country, and, being now unable to support herself, she asked that her eleventh son might be discharged from the military service, so that she could have his care and attention in her declining years. It at once struck the Secretary of War that this was either a very bold case of misrepresentation or a remarkable matter of fact; so he applied to the old lady for the names of the ten sons whom she said she had given to the defense of her country, the regiments in which they served, and the military record of each. She replied promptly to the inquiry, and, her statements being carefully compared with the muster rolls on file in the Adjutant General’s office, it was found that they were true in every particular. The Secretary of War immediately ordered the discharge of the eleventh son, and wrote the old lady a letter in which he extolled her patriotism, and thanked her in the name of the United States for her contributions to its list of defenders. Following are the names of the sons, and the regiments in which they served: 1. 8. W. Merchant was a private in Company C, Seventy-fourth Illinois Volunteers; afterward a Lieutenant, and honorably discharged Sept. 26, 1865. 2. Abel L. Merchant was a private in Company C, Fifteenth Illinois Volunteers, and died in the service. 3. Dewitt C. was a private in the same company, and was killed in action July 22,1864. 4. Enoch Merchant was Corporal of Company F, One Hundred and Fifty- sixth Illinois Volunteers, and was honorably discharged, Sept. 20, 1865. 5. David O. Merchant was a private in Company C, Seventy-fourth Illinois Volunteers, and honorably discharged June 10, 1865. 6. Silas B. Merchant was a private in Company G. Forty-fourth Illinois Volunteers; was promoted to First Lieutenant, and resigned Sept 24, 1864. 7. Arlo J. Merchant was a private in the same company, and was honorably discharged Sept. 24, 1864. 8. Lewis H. Merchant was a private in Company G, Forty-fifth Illinois Volunteers, and was honorably discharged Sept. 26, 1864. 9. Aaron Merchant was a private in Company G, Fifteenth Wisconsin Volunteers, and was killed at Island No. 10, by the accidental discharge of a cannon, Dec. 26, 1862. 10. James B. Merchant was a teamster in the employ of the Quartermaster's Department throughout the war. 11. Norman M. Merchant enlisted March 3. 18"3, as a private in Company B, Sixth United States Regular Cavalry, and was discharged March 11,1878, by reason of the expiration of his term of enlistment He again enlisted May 4, 1878, was assigned to Battery B, Fourth Artillery, and is now in the service.