Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 186, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 August 1911 — COL. L. C. B. HUMAN DEAD; COMMANDED NINTH REGIMENT. [ARTICLE]

COL. L. C. B. HUMAN DEAD; COMMANDED NINTH REGIMENT.

Gallant Volunteer Under Whom Many Jasper Soldiers Served, Died Sunday Night In Valparaiso. Col. I. C. B. Suman, of Valparaiso, passed away at his home shortly after midnight Sunday night. Heart trouble was* the cause of death and he hazl been confined at bis home for several days under the care of a physician. Colonel Suman last visited Rensselaer during the encampment of the 9th Indiana regiment about five years ago. He was the last colonel of that regiment and was greatly admired by all of the boys who went out from Jasper county in the 9th regiment. To the surviving members of that gallant but fast disappearing band of patriots the news of, his death will be received with much sorrow. The following sketch of Colonel Su man’s career is taken from the Valparaiso Vidette: Col. I. C. B. Suman, one of Valparaiso’s most distinguished and highly respected citizens, died at 12:15 this morning at his home on Laporte avenue. His last sickness was of about two weeks’ duration, but he nad been in failing health for the past two years. Valvular heart disease was the direct cause of his death, although his demise was probably hastened tiy his wounds received in the civil war, which gave him trouble for many years and became aggravated as his end approached. Col. Suman was a native of Fredt erick county, Maryland, and was born Jan. 4, 1831. He was next to the youngest of a family of seven children born to Albert and Mary Suman, who were natives of the south and of English-German descent. Albert Suman served several years in the revolutionary war under General Marlon. Col. Suman was reared in his native state, where he received a common school education. In M'ay, 1846, Col. Suman enlisted in the First U. S. Artillery for service in the Mexican war. He remained in the artillery about two years and was then transferred to the Second U. S. Dragoons and served in the U. S. army at that time five years. He participated under General Taylor in the engagements of Palo Alto, Monterey, Beuna Vista and all movements of Taylor’s army after it crossed the Rio Grande river at Brownsville, Texas, until the capture of the city of Mexico. At the close of the Mexican war the deceased returned to Maryland. His father had been a large slaveholder, but had failed in business and was in reduced circumstances, and young Suman was confronted with the necessity of making bis own way in the world. As he cordially detested slavery, he determined to seek his fortunes in the free states, and so in the fall of 1852 started for the northwest on foot, with just |8 as the sum total of

his worldly possessions. He stayed for a year at Wooster, Ohio, where he worked at the carpenter trade, and then came to Valparaiso. As he* liked the town he decided to make it his home. He followed his trade until the civil war broke out. The news of the fall of Fort Sumter was told him as he was building a fence on the farm of T. B. Cole. The patriotic fighting blood of his revolutionary sire coursing in his veins would not let him tarry in the pursuits of peace when his country was in danger, and he immediately put away his tools and came to town to enlist in the Union army. He entered as a private in Co. H, Ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, the second man to volunteer from Porter county. He was chosen first lieutenant The day before going to war, Col. Suman was united in marriage to Miss Kate M. Gosa. He went in the three months* service and participated in the battles of Philippi, Laurel Hill an Carrick’s Ford. When the regiment was mustered out it came home and reorganized for three years’ fighting, Mr. Suman being chosen captain of Co. H. He served as captain until Aug. 20, 1862, when he was promoted to lieutenant colonel. He was made colonel of the Ninth, April 17, 1863. On March 13, 1865, President Lincoln appointed Col. Suman a brigadier general for gallant and meritorious service, but he declined the position on the ground that the war was virtually over and he did not seek honors, but only wished to serve his country. Col. Suman participated in the following battles: Greenbrier, Buffalo Mountain, Shiloh, Perryville, Stone River (in this battle he was twice wounded, and a minie ball passed through his body), Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge (here he was again wounded), Ringgold, Dalton, Resaca, Culp’s farm, Pine Top Mountain, Rough’s Station Peach Tree Creek, the seige of Atlanta, Lovejoy's Station, Franklin and Nashville. He was also in many minor engagements and skirmishes. At the close of the war in 1865, Col. Suman returned to Valparaiso and joined his wife He purchased a farm in Jackson township, where they lived until 1881, when he moved to Valparaiso to become postmaster, which position he held for four years. In 1894 Col. Suman was elected mayor of Valparaiso and served in that capacity for four years. Two children—Miss Bessie Sumaa. of this city, and Mrs. J. E. Ellsmore, of Seattle, Wash., are' left to mourn his departure to the great beyond. Two other children, Frank and Mrs. Asa Swartout, are dead. Three grandchildren—Mrs. Kate M. Wilson and Miss Alice Swartout, of this city, and Miss Gertrude Lawry, Seattle, Wash., and one great-grandchild, Whitney Wilson, of this city, cherish the mem* ory and grieve over the death of a brave and loving ancestor. A sister of the deceased lives at Front Royal, W. Va. Mrs. Suman died about three years ago. Col. Suman was a member of the Masonic lodge, of the G. A. R., a republican in politics, a patriot, a brave soldier, a faithful and conscientious office-holder, a true friend, a public spirited citizen, a good husband and affectionate father, and a man in every sense of the word. The news of his death was a great shock to the community which he loved and served so well. The funeral will be held at 2 o’clock Wednesday afterndOn.