Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 130, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 May 1912 — GIRARD FIRST MAN KILLED IN CIVIL WAR. [ARTICLE]

GIRARD FIRST MAN KILLED IN CIVIL WAR.

CoL Edwin P. Hammond Quotes Record to Show Error In Badge Used At South Bend. Lafayette, Ind., May 29, 1912. Editor Republican: In an item in your paper of yesterday, relating to the return of the veterans from the state encampment held at South Bend, you speak of Mr. D. H. Yeoman calling at the office and exhibiting the badge containipg the small bust figure of John Auten, and setting forth that he was the first Indiana soldier to be killed in the Civil War. You add: “Here the claim had always bepn that the first Hoosier to be killed in the Civil War was Private Girard, of Jasper county.” The claim referred to is correct. Girard was a private in Co. G, 9th Ind., in the three months service, and was enlisted in Jasper county. I was Ist lieutenant in that company and was near Girard at the time he received the fatel shot. He was killed oh July 7, 1861. John Auten, a private in Co. I (enlisted in St. Joseph county) of the same regiment, was killed July 10, 1861. As to Girard being killed before Auten, I have a distinct recollection. I am corroborated by the official reports. In Volume 4 of the reports of Adjutant General Terrett, of Indiana, page 45, in giving the names of the members of Co. G, this memorandum appears opposite the name of William T. Girard: “Killed at Laurel Hill July 7, 1361.” In the same volume, at page 47, In giving a list of the members of it has this memorandum opposite the name of John Auten: “Killed at Bealigton, Va., July 10, 1861.” Girard was killed while our company was making a charge up Laurel Hill, driving in the rebel pickets. Bealington was a small village near the base of Laurel Hill, then in Virginia, now in West Virginia. iGirard was buried with the honors of war. His remains were subsequently brought to Lafayette, and now repose in Greenbush cemetery, in this city. The question as to who was the first man killed in battle in the) Civil War came up some years ago, when it was then claimed that Auten was the -first. I* then investigated the matter and found that the official records corroborated my memory. Girard was not onlv the first man from Indiana, killed In battle in the Civil War, buthewas the first man in the Union army killed in. battle. It is true that a short time previously a Massachusetts regiment enroute to Washington, while marching through, the streets of Baltimore, were assailed by a mob and several of the men killed, but this was not in battle. It is unfortunate that the state encampment, G. A. R.’ should give credeffce to a faTseTdstorTcal statement by permitting one of its badges to state that John Auten was the first man from Indiana killed in the war. That distinguished honor is due to the memory of William T. Girard, a brave Jasper county boy, EDWIN P. HAMMOND.