Obituary of James D JAYNE, Macoupin County Illinois 22 March 1998
Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives ©1998 Mary Collins


Name of Deceased: JAYNE, James D.
Name of Newspaper: Carlinville Free Democrat
Date of Obituary: 7 Aug 1862 
Obituary: Died: Near Fayette on 21st instance of consumption, James D. JAYNE,
of Company D, 32nd Regiment, Illinois Volunteers, 17 years, 6 months. On the
20th of last August James enlisted in the Company of Captain ENGLISH at
Greenfield, Illinois. His extreme youth and naturally weak constitution, together
with an heredity tendency to that fatal disease, consumption, were sources of much
anxiety to his friends, who more than suspected that he would not long endure
the hardships necessarily attendant upon the soldier's rugged life. But the fires
of an ardent patriotism glowed and burned in his youthful breast, and his
determination to go forth and battle for his country's imperiled liberty and honor
was fixed and unalterable. While at Camp Butler, he was attacked with hemorage 
of the lungs and a severe cough, from which he partially recovered, but was again
similarly afflicted at Fort Henry, where he also took camp dystentery, which soon
reduced and debilitated him, to such an extent as to render him unable for duty,
from which he had been exempt for several days when the great conflict of the
6th and 7th of April occurred at Pittsburgh Landing. But weak and suffering as
he was, he chose to participate in the engagement, and accordingly went into the
battle on Sunday morning where he fought until 3 in the afternoon, when his
strength utterly failed him, and weary nature would endure no more. After being
exposed the ensuing night to the rain, which fell in pitiless torrents upon him in
his worn- out exhaused condition, he rapidly grew worse, and in a few days after
the battle, was sent to the regimental hospital, and from thence to Hamburg, from 
which place he was transferred to Paducah. Arriving there he wrote to his friends,
the first information they had in regard to his whereabouts since he left the army.
To Dr. ALTER, of this place, the family of the deceased will ever owe a debt of 
gratitude, for kindly offering his services to go after him, and for the watchful care,
and many faithful attentions bestowed upon the poor, frail soldier on his wearisome
journey home, which place he reached on the evening of July 4th. Three days
before the expiration of his furlough, it was extended by the Great Commmander
of the Hosts of Heaven to last through all the ages of eternity. For 17 brief days
he tarried with those that so tenderly loved him-- and then took his departure to
that land where the inhabitants learn war no more. In vain his widowed mother
hoped that her eldest son might be spared to comfort her declining years--But an all-
wise God saw fit to remove him from the scene of his earthly suffering, and we
can only bow with submissive though aching hearts to the decree of Him who
doeth all things well. It is some consolation to know that while in the army, his
conduct was such as to win for him many friends among the officers and soldiers
of the regiment. Col. LOGAN remarked to a friend before leaving Carlinville
the last time, that he had known James from his earliest days of infancy, and had
watched over him since he had entered the service of his country with interest and 
affection, and had never known him to deviate from the path of duty and recitude.
Still greater consolation is it, to those who waited on him in his last illness to
remember the entire resignation with which he endured his sore affliction, never
murmuring at the hard fate which seemed allotted to him, but always cheerful
and uncomplaining to the last moment of his life. Just when the soul was struggling
to take its everlasting flight, he turned his dying eyes to the weeping group at his 
bedside, and smiled pleasantly and sweetly, as though the veil of mortality had
suddenly been rent asunder, revealing to his glad vision a glimpse of the heavenly
world, while yet the fluttering spirit lingered a moment in its frail house of clay.
How beautiful is Death When round the fainting lips an angel's smile, Seems
deepening with holier light, the while, As ebbs the weary breath. 

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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Mary Collins.
(© 1998 Mary Collins)