Fairfield County CT Archives Obituaries.....Leeds, Francis R. February 17, 1863

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Stamford Soldiers' Memorial 1869
  FRANCIS R. LEEDS, Co. A, 10th Conn. See Stamford History, p. 401.

  When his company left, early in Sept., 1862, to enter the Department of the
Gulf, under Gen. Banks, Mr. Leeds was suffering from a typhoid fever, contracted
during a previous visit to the South and West. As soon as he felt that his
strength would bear it, he left to join his company. He reached them at
Pensacola, Fla., on the 1st of Feb., 1863; and was soon struck down with a
sudden and fatal attack of dysentery. His death occurred, Feb. 17, 1863. His
remains were forwarded to Stamford, where they were interred in the new Woodland
Cemetery. His funeral was attended from St. John's church, on Sunday, March 9th,
when the sermon was preached by the Rector, Rev. Walter Mitchell. His testimony
to the noble character of captain Leeds is full and explicit.

  "When the young soldier went forth from us, it was in the full knowledge that
he had taken his life in his hands, that he might be called upon at any moment
to render it up. So far as it is permitted us to judge of human acts, it was not
for himself that he went, it was no selfish ambition, but the holy conviction of
duty under which he moved. And what more especially led him to the place so
fatal to him, was his sense of responsibility to those who had trusted
themselves to his guidance. Death, before failure of duty, was his choice.
Others before self, responsibility before enjoyment, was the principle of his
life."

  Similar to this testimony was that of the Stamford Advocate, in its editorial
notice of the funeral.

  "It is long since this community has been visited by a loss so widely mourned.
There was first to those entirely strangers to him the natural feeling of sorrow
for one cut off in maintaining the great and holy cause of restoring the
violated authority of the law. And when those came to learn from every lip, how
gallant, how well-beloved and worthy of his post was the young commander, it
would be with .deepest regret that such an one should be taken when our country
has so pressing a use for all her best and bravest.

  "But the sympathy of strangers was nothing to the sorrow which has touched so
very nearly the hearts of his many friends. More than any young man of his age
and standing, captain Leeds had endeared himself to all classes of our citizens.
In his business life as cashier of the Stamford Bank, his rare courtesy, his
manliness, his tried integrity had won for him love and respect such as any one
might court."


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