Captain GEORGE N. MOREHOUSE

Captain GEORGE N. MOREHOUSE, was born in Fairfield, Conn., March 27, 1825. His residence prior to enlistment was mainly in Bridgeport, though he spent seven or eight years in the south, at Wilmington, N. C., and Huntsville, Ala. Returning to Bridgeport in 1854, he located there as salesman in a boot and shoe store.

He first enlisted in the 9th Regiment Conn. Vols., and was commissioned second lieutenant in Co. D therein, October 30, 1861. He went with the 9th on Gen. Butler’s expedition to Ship Island, where he remained seven or eight months. While there he contracted disease from the bad water and unusual exposure, and his health became so poor that he resigned and came home, in April, 1862. After a few weeks at home, his health was so much improved that he determined it should not deter him from serving his country, hence he applied and obtained by special favor of Secretary Stanton, permission to be re-commissioned. This was the first case in which that bluff old secretary permitted the overruling of his own order that resigned officers could not receive new commissions. He joined Capt. Merritt in recruiting Co. A of the 14th, in Bridgeport, and August 12th, 1862, was commissioned first lieutenant therein. He served with the 14th (a portion of the time as acting adjutant) until his health again failed, just after he had been commissioned as captain. His old trouble contracted in the 9th (Bright’s disease) re-appeared, and he had to be sent to general hospital at Georgetown, where he remained until the surgeons pronounced him disabled from further service, and he resigned, and was honorably discharged Dec. 5th, 1862.

He returned to Connecticut, but never regained his health, his disease terminating in consumption, of which he died at Stratford, April 20, 1866. The funeral services were held there according to the rites of the Methodist church, of which he had been a member for some years.

Capt. Morehouse was with us but a short time, but it was not his fault, for no man struggled harder to keep in service than he, and his bearing at Antietam showed that he was not afraid of death, but insidious disease bore him down and he had to give up his cherished desire. Knowing his history now, I wonder not that he was sometimes depressed, but that he could usually be so cheerful. He leaves a widow and four children, thrown by his death entirely upon their own resources. This is not the place to discuss the subject, but it seems that we, the living, should know about and do something for the destitute families of any and of all of our comrades, rank and file.