|
WAS A BUTTE CHARACTER
Sudden
Death of Chance Harris Creates Surprise
BUT LITTLE KNOWN OF THE
MAN
He Has Lived in These
Parts Many Years and Experienced Several
Mutations of Fortune—The Funeral Will Take Place
Tomorrow—Meeting
of the Butte Press Club to be Held This Afternoon
The
sudden death of Chance L. Harris which occurred at an early hour
yesterday morning and the announcement of which was published
exclusively in the Miner, caused great surprise throughout Butte.
So far as the facts relating to his death are concerned there
have been no new developments and as the coroner has decided not to hold
an inquest it will be taken for granted that he died of heart failure.
It is possible that the fall he had during the early evening may
have had some connection with his sudden taking off, but if that be true
it simply aggravated what was an organic disease, and was an accident.
To all who knew the man any other theory than heart disease or
accident will be scouted.
Chance L. Harris was a
character in Butte and while everybody was acquainted with him there can
none be found who can say that they really knew the man.
Accounts, including those given by himself, vary as to the date
of his arrival in the then territory, some locating him here in 1860,
and other marking his advent as late as 1873. Certain it is that he had
been in the territory for a number of years and that he has been in this
section since about 1876 or 1877. He
was born in New York state at or near Rochester, but as to his age there
is a varied opinion based mainly upon his own statements, but it can be
set down that he was in the neighborhood of 60 years of age, no matter
what he or anyone else may say to the contrary.
Nature gifted him with a remarkable physique for during a period
of his life since his advent to Butte, he underwent experiences that
would have tested the physical endurance of a giant and after he emerged
from the contest he was a conqueror and came up smiling still accoutered
for the battle and has maintained the mastery of himself for the past
six years. For this at least
those who do not feel kindly toward him must give him credit.
In his social nature he was
what may be called debonair; even under the most adverse circumstances
he was cheerful, hopeful, may be at times defiant but never despondent.
His creed was that he had been born and that he proposed to live
his allotted time; that if it was necessary for him to forage, it made
but little difference whether he foraged upon friend or enemy.
He had
been in northern and eastern Montana before he came to Butte and has
frequently told of is adventures with the Indians in that section in the
early days, and certain it is that he knew all the Indian signs of hand
and signals by fire, for the writer of this has met him in company with
scouts who vouched for the accuracy of his statements in that respect.
Some time after coming to Butte, Chance along about 1880 or 1881,
became the city editor of the Miner.
His capacity for gathering news or knowing what news is, cannot
be gainsaid. He was what is
known in the reportorial fraternity as a “scenter” and a
“digger,” that is to say he could smell an item and then run it
down. As a writer he was
ornate rather than prosy and his rhetoric indicated that even though he
had been the recipient of a college education he had abandoned the
classics and adopted the flowing style of expression of the untutored
savages of the western wilds.
After he severed his
connection with the Miner he branched out as a woodchopper and made his
headquarters at Woodville, and during that time he also became a
prospector and by the aid of grub stakes located hundreds of claims in
Jefferson county, though none of them as far as heard from ever made
either he or any of his backers rich men.
Then came a hiatus over which a veil will be drawn, for in 1893
Chance became rebaptised and since then has walked in the full stature
of a good citizen.
There could be many anecdotes
and reminiscences written about Chance, some good and others not so
good, but they can as well remain untold.
In the later years he has worked faithfully in the work given him
to do and it is said has acquired quite a competence.
The deceased claimed to have
been a veteran of the war of the rebellion but to what regiment he
belonged is not known, as he was not a member of the G. A. R. However, he
wore a button of the Union Veteran club, the requirements for membership
in which are that a man must have seen at least six months actual
service and have been engaged in at least one battle.
He was an honorary member of the United Workmen, and an officer
in the Montana State Press association, but beyond this did not belong
to any association.
That the man had no idea that death was so soon to overtake him
is evidenced by the fact that on Saturday afternoon and evening he was
about the city in his usual buoyant spirits spoke of his splendid
physical health and declared that was too tough fibred to be knocked out
and was good for 20 years.
The surviving members of his
family as far as known are a brother, Albert B. Harris of Detroit, and
Mrs. William Harris and her two daughters of Rochester, New York, who
are the widow and daughters of a deceased brother.
One of the young ladies, Miss Mary F. Harris, was a former
teacher in the public schools of Butte, and is now engaged in the same
occupation at Batavia, and the other, Miss Orenta D. Harris, is with her
mother in Rochester.
The remains have been
carefully prepared for burial by Undertake Jo. Richards and are held in
the parlors of his establishment where they will remain until tomorrow
afternoon at 2 o’clock, at which time the funeral will take place from
there. Mr. Richards last
evening received a dispatch from the brother of Chance at Detroit asking
him to have the body deposited in a receiving vault until further
notice, which request will be complied with.
There will be a meeting of the
Butte Press association at the office of the Standard, East Broadway,
this afternoon at 4:30 o’clock to take action in regard to the death.
The
Butte Miner
Butte, Montana
1/10/1898
CHANCE HARRIS A HERO
Served With
Distinction in the Army of the Potomac
DUG HIS WAY OUT OF PRISON
Was One of a Famous Seven Who Escaped
From Southern Jails—History of a Period in His Life About
Which He Seldom Talked—Comment of Eastern Papers
Copies of eastern papers which were received in Butte yesterday
contain notices of the death of Chance L. Harris and something about his
long and honorable war record which was a subject that he seldom
discussed. Although Chance was
in almost all of the battles of the Army of the Potomac and had an
eventful history on the field of battle he never paraded the fact and his
natural aversion to display kept him from joining the G. A. R. for fear it
would be taken as a sign of egotism. Those who knew Chance well knew that
he had been a good and a brave soldier without his telling them about it.
The Democratic Chronicle of Rochester, N.Y., published the
following story of his life:
“The relatives
of Sergeant Chance L. Harris, formerly of this city, have received
information of his death, which occurred at his home in Butte, Mont.,
yesterday morning.
“Sergeant Harris was well
known in this city, where many of his former comrades-at-arms reside.
He was born July 4, 1841 in West Greece.
When the call came for volunteers, at the time when this country
was disturbed by war, he enlisted in Captain Frank E. Pierce’s company
F, which became a part of the 108th regiment, New York
Volunteers, and went to the front August 19, 1862, having just become of
age.
“Harris participated in nearly
all of the battles in which the Army of the Potomac was engaged, from
Antietam to Appomatox. During
the time he served his country he was captured three times, having been
sent to Libby prison twice and Andersonville once.
He once effected his escape from Libby prison, but was recaptured
by the use of bloodhounds. He
returned to Rochester at the close of the war, together with the surviving
members of his regiment, which was mustered out of service on the old fair
grounds in Brighton. Soon
after his return to Rochester Sergeant Harris removed to Butte City,
Mont., where he had ever since resided.
“He had an honorable war record, and was well known throughout
the country as a newspaper correspondent of considerable ability.
He was connected with the newspapers of his own city and also
contributed to eastern and western papers.
“The deceased was a brother of
the late George H. Harris, one of Rochester’s most prominent citizens,
who died four years ago.
“The news of his death was
received with regret by those of Rochester’s citizens who knew him
before the war, and especially by those who marched with him, and tented
with him on the field of battle. It
is not yet known whether the remains will be brought to this city for
interment. Sergeant Harris is
survived by one brother, Albert M. Harris of Detroit, Mich., and three
nieces, all of whom live in this city.”
The Detroit Free Press had the following to say about the dead man:
“Word was received in Detroit
yesterday that Chauncey L. Harris, brother of Albert M. Harris, had died
at Butte, Mont. The deceased
lived in this city for three years after the close of the war and has
since 1869 been a resident of Butte, going there when the town consisted
of a few log houses. Mr.
Harris was a civil engineer and was one of the surveying force in laying
out the line of the Northern Pacific.
He devoted a great deal of his time to newspaper work, being editor
of a mining paper and furnishing western correspondence to Chicago and
other eastern papers, writing under the pen name of ‘Chance.’
“Mr. Harris served throughout the war in company F, 108th
New York Volunteers, enlisting at Rochester. He was a prisoner at Belle
Isle and at Libby; was transferred to Salisbury and was one of the famous
seven that made the long tunnel. A
remarkable incident in the imprisonment was that he was for six months the
private secretary to the infamous Wirtz, his identity being
‘buttercupped’ in some way so that the southern officer fancied he was
selecting a confederate. Mr.
Harris in his capacity of secretary had much to do with the paroling of
prisoners, and one day when he accompanied a batch to the boat, he decided
to make the trip himself and thus made his way into the Union line.
He was immediately detailed to assist in the transfer of captured
men that was constantly going on and remained in that line of duty until
he was mustered out. Mr.
Harris was born at Rochester, N.Y, and was 55 years of age.
He was unmarried.”
The Butte
Miner
Butte, Montana
1/15/1898
HARRIS AT GETTYSBURG
Letter Written in 1863 by
the Well Known Montana Man
DESCRIBES THE TERRIBLE
CONFLICT
It is Now Clear That
Chance L. Harris Had a Splendid War Record
and Was in Some of the Great Battles of the
Civil War—Magnificent Courage Shown by Officers.
The following letter, written by Chance L. Harris to his father,
dated at the battlefield of Gettysburg, July 4, 1863, throws new light on
the war history of the man so well known to almost every person in
Montana. He died suddenly in
Butte a short time ago:
Battlefield at Gettysburg, Pa., July 4, 1863.—Dear Father:
Another great battle has been fought and won.
Wednesday night we arrived here from Taneytown, and Thursday
morning our regiment was ordered to the front, to support the First
regular battery. During the day we were shelled occasionally, and a few of
our men were wounded. Yesterday
forenoon they opened on us again, but were soon silenced by our brass
12-pounders. The enemy could
be seen building breastworks, or abates work for protection from our shot
and shells. In the forenoon
companies A and C were sent out as skirmishers, and had three killed and
four wounded. At noon, or near
that hour, they were relieved, and came in.
About 2 o’clock the enemy opened fire from their batteries, thus
getting a partial cross fire on us.
Our guns replied in good time and order.
Our regiments were immediately in their rear, and laid down, but
very many of them suffered severely, indeed, it was the hardest fire the
One Hundred and Eighth ever experienced—perfectly awful, murderous.
Not a second but shell shot or ball flew over, or by us.
Large limbs were torn from the trunks of the oak trees under which
we lay, and precipitated down upon our heads.
One shell came shrieking and tearing through the trees, with the
velocity of lightning, striking a caisson, causing it to explode, wounded
several. Three or four men
started to their feet to leave the spot, but Lieutenant Card drew his
sword and commanded them to go back and lay down in their places, which
they did. Small trees were cut down, and large one shattered almost to
pieces. Five different cannon
balls struck a large oak, three feet in diameter, which stood not five
feet from where I lay, and one of them passed entirely through it.
A shell struck right at my feet, killing Sergeant Maurice Welch and
Private John Fitzner. This
destructive and murderous fire continued to pour in upon us for more than
an hour—in fact, until they silenced our batteries or rather until we
had exhausted our ammunition.
Many of our
cannoniers were killed or wounded, and most of the horses.
Some of our regiment had to help them run their pieces back by
hand, General French having taken command of the 3d corps Brigadier
General Hayes (a brother of the Hayes of our brigade, who was taken
prisoner at Chancellorsville), had command of our division and I must say
I think he is the bravest division general I ever saw in the saddle.
Most of the time he was riding up and down the lines in front of
us, exhorting the “boys” to stand fast and fight like men.
Shell, shot, nor the bullets of the rebel sharpshooters seemed to
intimidate him in the least; in fact he paid not the least attention to
them, nor did his staff officers. Once
he rode by and said, “Boys, don’t let ‘em touch these pieces” and
in a few moments he rode back again, laughing, and sung out “Hurrah! Boys,
we’re giving them h—l!” and he dashed up to the brow of the hill and
cheered our skirmishers, who were driving the rebs before them.
Soon after our pieces ceased firing, the rebels slackened theirs
also, and then advanced in three lines of infantry from the woods and
across the fields. I never saw
troops march out with more military precision.
Their lines were straight and unbroken, and they looked in the
distance like statues. On they
came, steady firm, moving like so many automatons.
Our brigade now formed in line to receive them, the skirmishers
coming in at the same time. The
18th was taken out of the grove, drawn up in line of battle,
and then told to kneel down until the word to fire.
The 12th New Jersey was on our left, and the 126th
New York on our right. Two
pieces of the 1st battery were brought up by hand, and when the
rebs had advanced about half way across the field, a deadly fire of grape
and canister was thrown into them, mowing them down like chaff.
But still on they came! When within musket range the infantry rose
and poured such a show of laden hail into them, that their lines broke and
they fell back in great disorder. They
formed again, however, with part of the second line and came on once more;
their officers waving their swords and telling them to stand fast, and not
to break or run. Already had
they wounded many of our men who had gone to the rear.
We looked about for reinforcements, but they were not to be seen. Our
ranks were closed again and we prepared to meet them once more.
Lieutenant Colonel Pierce who had command, (Col. Powers being
sick,) was backward and forth along the line, encouraging the boys and
cheering them up by his cool example: All remembered the fair name the 3d
division had previously won in battle, and the encomiums bestowed upon us,
and every man stood ready to do his duty and preserve that name or die
there; and indeed many did fall, but in the front rank, facing the enemy.
The second time, as we poured volley after volley into them, their
ranks broke and all was confusion for a time; but their officers rallied
them again soon, and they marched forward in a body.
Our fire was too tremendously hot for them and the third and last
time they were repulsed and completely routed.
Many of our troops rushed down onto the field and hundreds of
prisoners, many stands of colors, and any quantity of arms were taken.
And here also did General Hayes again show his courage and bravery.
Striking his high spirited steed on the flank with his sabre, he
dashed down among the rebs, seized a stand of colors and carrying them
back, he rode at a gallop along the front of our lines, laughing—and
trailing the rebel flag in the dust, and then it was that cheer after
cheer went up for him, entirely drowning the sound of the shell that were
passing over us. No other
attempt made by them to advance to our lines.
I hear that General Longstreet was taken prisoner by some of our
troops, and Captain Ellerbeck of the 6th New York cavalry just
here, says he thinks we took about 10,000 rebs in all, and 35 stands of
colors. The 198th
has suffered seriously. Company
F lost 19 men, three of whom are killed.
I think the total number killed and wounded is 89.
We have driven the enemy from our right.
Last evening two divisions passed through the town of Gettysburg,
and are we now following them up. Cannonading
is heard in the distance, and no doubt it is our troops engaging them, or
else shelling them as they retreat.
The
Butte Miner
Butte, Montana
2/ 21/ 1898
|
