Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 January 1920 — DEATH CALLS NOTED SOLDIER [ARTICLE]

DEATH CALLS NOTED SOLDIER

COL. E. P. HAMMOND, CIVIL WAR COLONEL, EXPIRES.— FUNERAL HERE THURSD’Y — In the death of Edwin Pollok Hammond, which occurred at his home in Lafayette at nine o’clock Tuesday morning, one" of the eminent soldiers, lawyers and jurists of the state has gone to the beyond. With his passing the book of life is closed on the career of a man whose deeds during the civil war will forever remain a source of pride and comfort to Jasper county. His service among the solof the county ranked second only to that of General Robert H. Milroy.

Colonel Hammond had been in poor, health for many weeks and his condition had grown weaker day by day and his many friends thruout the state have long been apprehensive. His death was none the less a severe shock to his, many admirers and fellow citizens. Colonel Hammond was born in Brookville in the year 1835 and in 1849 he accompanied his family to Columbus; In 1854 he went to Indianapolis where he clerked in a store for a short time and then entering upon the study of law in the office of his brother, Abraham A.' Hammond, afterwards governor of the state. In 1857 he was graduated from the law department at Asbury university, Greencastle, with the degree of B, L. In 1892 Judge Hammond was the recipient of the honorary degree of LL. D. from Wabash college. In 1858 Judge Hammond came to Rensselaer to practice his profession and soon acquired a considerable practice. *

Judge Hammond was thus engaged wh’en Fort Sumpter was fired upon in April, 1861, and fired with the patriotic enthusiasm of the hour, with other young men of Jasper county, he left his business and enlisted for three months’ service under Captain (afterwarfis General) Robert H. Milroy, in Company G. Ninth Indiana volunteer infantry. He was commissioned first lieutenant and served with the regiment during the three months’ campaign in Virginia. Colonel Hammond was elected, without opposition, in October, 1861, to fill a vacancy as representative from the counties of Jasper, Newton and Pulaski. He then realized that the war was a serious affair of - long standing and that his place was in the army. Consequently in August, 1862, he assisted m organizing Company A, Eighty-sev-enth Indiana volunteer infantry and went out as captain 'of that company. He was promoted to major of his regiment in March, 1862, and became a lieutenant colonel the following November. At.the close of the war on the recommendation of his brigade, he was brevetted colonel of the U. S. volunteers for ‘gallant and meritorious service during the war,” as recited in his commission. Colonel Hammond was in command of his regiment during the last year of the war, embracing the Atlanta campaign, the “march to the sea” and the campaign through the Carolinas leading up to Johnson’s surrender. He was mustered out of the service with his regiment at Washington, D. C., June, 1865, and then returned to Indianapolis where he received the thanks of Indiana’s famous war governor, Jas.

P, Morton. ( .. , _ , The fampus battles in which Colonel Hammond participated were: General Buell’s campaign in Kentucky, his command forming part of the third brigade, third division, Fourteenth army' corps? en«gement at Springfield; the battle of Perryville; skirmish at Chapel Hill, campaign against Tullahoma; the battle of Hoover’s „ gap; movement against Chattanooga and the bloody fight of Chickamauga; Missionary Ridge, where the Eigbty-reyenth was in the front line of its brigade during the assault, afterwards joining in the pursuit of the enemy to Ringgold, During the battle of Chickamauga Colonel Hammond was struck by a spent ball. In 1864 the regiment was in the expedition against Dalton and skirmished at Buzzards roost. On May 7 it joined Sherman’s amy in its famous campaign against Atlanta, also taking part in the pursuit against Hood through northern The* regiment then returned to Atlanta and engaged in the Savannah campaign and the “marte to the engaging . Waynesboro and the siege « savannah. Next followed the campaign through the Carolinas, and after-the surrender of^ Johnson, the regiment marched to Richmond m thence to Washington, D- C., where Colonel Hammond and, his men participated in the review of tee Wtorn veterans. . .AUpdh severing his connection with his regiment Colonel Hammond returnedto where hereMumed his interrupted law practice and was successful legal business.. Despite his republican affiliations, he receivedat tee handsof Governor Thomas A. Hendricks, m March, *872, the to the same position intee following October and re-elected to

office in November, 1878, without opposition, all parties carrying his name upon their tickets. In 1883 he was appointed. by Governor Porter, justice of the supreme court of the state and served' until January of 1885. He then resumed the practice of law in Rensselaer and continued in' the successful prosecution of the same until November, 1890, when he was again honored by election to the bench of the Thirtieth judicial court. He resigned from the.bench in 1892 and moved to Lafayette, where he continued the practice of law. - Colonel Hammond never forgot his comrades in arms and was an enthusiastic member of the G. A. R. Many were the times that' he alluded to his Jasper county comrades, and always he expressed keen regret when informed of the passing of one of his command, relating some incident which showed that he clearly recalled the characteristics of the men who served under him. Besides his widow he is survived by three daughters, Miss Nina Hammond, of Lafayette, and Mrs. W. B. Austin and Miss Jean Hammond, of Chicago, and two grandchildren, Mrs. Virginia Shayne, of Chicago, and Nathaniel Horner of New York. The funeral services will be held at eleven o’clock Thursday morning

at the late residence in Lafayette. The romaine will be brought to thia city Thursday afternoon, arriving on the 3:31 o’clock train, and wifi be taken to the court house where they will lie in state for one hour that all of the old friends of Mr. Hammond, who care to do so, may view them, after which burial will be made in Weston cemetery.