William Henry
Marsh, was
the oldest son of our well-known citizen,
H. N. Marsh, Esq., was born in Joliet, August 15th, 1840.
He was therefore one of the early sons of Joliet.
When of sufficient age, he learned the art of printing
in the office of
the Republican, of which his father was for some time editor and
proprietor.
At the breaking out of the
war, he at once determined to join the ranks of the defenders of the Union. He
enlisted in Co. K, of the 13th
regiment, the first regiment organized under the first call for the
three
years’ service, of which the lamented J. B. Wyman was colonel. This regiment was actively engaged in the
state of Missouri in the early part of the war. Young
Marsh shared with his regiment all its
vicissitudes, including that terrible march from Western Missouri
across the
country to Helena, in which they endured such intense sufferings from
the heat,
and thirst, and short rations, up to the attack made under Sherman on
the rebel
works at Chickasaw Bayou.
The 13th regiment had the post
of honor in that ill - starred attack - a position which was considered
equivalent to a death warrant by Colonel Wyman, and which, indeed, it
proved
itself to be to him, and many a brave man.
In this heroic but fruitless
attack, Wm. Henry was left severely wounded upon the field, and fell
into the
hands of the enemy, and was taken to a hospital in Vicksburg. It was his good fortune to fall into the
hands of persons who treated him kindly, but his life hung by a slender
thread,
as he was most desperately wounded. He
remained in their care about five months of great suffering, his
friends meanwhile
ignorant of his fate, although his father visited the vicinity, and
made all
possible inquiry respecting him. When
our army, in their operations around Vicksburg, came into
possession of the city of Jackson, Miss., young Marsh was found there in a rebel
hospital, whither he had been removed just previous.
He was found by his fellow townsman of the 20th
regiment, who took him to his own regiment. He
was then sent by our authorities to St. Louis, and thence
to the hospital in Quincy, where he fell under the care of an old
friend and neighbor, Dr. F. K. Bailey. He was but the mere wreck of his former self –
a living
skeleton, yet he
now improved very much in health, and was ultimately able to return
home; and
for some time he moved slowly about our streets, and his friends hoped
for a
full recovery.
But his wounds broke out
afresh, and a speedy decline followed, and after suffering
uncomplainingly for
a time, his sufferings were terminated by death, July 6, 1865. During his last hours his mind
wandered, and he seemed
to be living over
again that terrible scene at Chickasaw Bluffs. His
last words were, “take me from the field!” God
heard the prayer of the dying martyr, and
took him – took him from the field of earthly strife and suffering, to
a soldier’s
rest in heaven.