Harvard memorial biographies ...

Strong Vincent.

75

and strength long enough to reach his home, that he might
die there. On the morning of the 3d he was visited by
General Meade's chief of staff, who had been his early
brigade commander and an intimate friend. The General
brought authority to place an officer, men, and horses at the
disposal of the wounded man, and also the information that
notice of Vincent's appointment as Brigadier-General was
hourly expected by telegraph.
The interview was a sad one. Vincent could scarcely
hope for the eight days the surgeons promised; and as the
friend hung over the cot, they both felt that it was a couch
of death. Vincent talked calmly of death, of his wife, his
unborn child, his parents and brother and sister, of the war,
and of his country. It was hard for him to die, to be cut
off so early, just as he was winning honors that would give
so much pleasure to others; it was hard to give up wife
and kindred and friends; and it was terrible to linger there
alone in that wretched hovel with no dear faces about him.
And yet he said he feared not death for himself. He had
long been a professed follower of Christ, and felt prepared
for future life. But on account of others, death came most
unwelcome. The lives of his wife and child had been at
stake, as well as his own, in that hard fought battle. After
a short hour the staff officer bade him the last good by,
taking kind and loving messages to those at home.
Vincent had still hope that his father and wife would
reach him, and thus was saved from that living death that
he otherwise would have suffered while consciousness remained. The appointment of Brigadier-General was sent to
him the day after he received his wound; but the officer to
whom it was directed having been also wounded, it did not
reach him before death.
Every kindness was rendered the dying man by surgeon
and officers, as far as was possible at such a time; but it
must be remembered that there was still severer fighting
on the 3d, and that by the evening of the 5th of July both
armies were miles away from Gettysburg.