Captain JARVIS E. BLINN

Capt. JARVIS E. BLINN, whose name heads our roll of honor, as the first of all our officers that fell, was a man of fine personal presence and one whose face had a peculiar attraction to the physiognomist from its expression of quiet but earnest resolve, tinged " with a dash of sadness in his air," that would lead such an one to believe he was one of those who had prescience of the shadow" of the dark angel who was so soon to take him from us. Capt. Blinn was born at Rocky Hill, July 28, 1836. He resided there till 1853, when he removed to New Britain and engaged in rule making. August 8th, 1862, he enlisted in the company then organizing in New Britain for the 14th regiment. He was unanimously chosen captain and commissioned as such August 15,—left the State at the head of his company August 25, and was constantly at his post until the 17th of September, when, early in the day, just as his company was being ordered to fall back from their somewhat advanced position on the battle field, a bullet struck him, passing through the heart. He made the single exclamation: “I am a dead man!” and died instantly.

   His remains were taken to New Britain where funeral services were held from the Center Church, Oct. 14, 1862, an address being delivered by Rev. C. L. Goodell. After the services the remains were escorted by one of the largest processions ever seen in the town, to Rocky Hill, where another short service was held in the Congregational Church in that town. The procession then filed to the beautifully located cemetery, and the body of our comrade was committed to its native dust with Masonic honors.

   His company which in one brief month of service had learned to love him tenderly, passed fitting resolutions of respect to Ins memory, as did the officers of the regiment—conjointly with those adopted on the death of Capt. Willard. I cannot close the Memorial of Capt. Blinn more appropriately than by quoting the words of one who I regret to say did not furnish me with his or her name, who, in reply to the query in my circular asking for a memoranda of “important events of his life,” replies:

“I know of no important incidents in his life. I only know that he was faithful and true in all the relations of life, winning his way by his own merit to the affection and confidence of all who knew him. With an earnest devotion to his country, he gave himself ‘willing to die if need be, for the good cause.’”