The Statesville Landmark, Tuesday, July 26, 1898:
Saturday, July 23, '98.
Private A. J. Owensby, from the vicinity of Marion, N.C., has been in the hospital about two weeks with fever (I suppose typhoid) and is said to be in a dying condition.

Carolina Mascot (Statesville, NC), July 26, 1898:
The following will explain itself:
"2d Div. Hospital, 7th A. C., Camp Cuba Libre, July 24th, 1898.
Commander Co. E, 1st N. C. Vol. Infantry:
Sir: I hereby notify you of the death of Anderson J. Owensby, private Co. E, 1st N. C. Volunteer Infantry, age 25 years. Diagnosis - typhoid fever. 1:15 a.m.

The Charlotte Observer, Wednesday, July 27, 1898:
Marion, July 26. - Sergeant T. J. Cook arrived here this evening on the 1:12 o'clock west bound train with the body of Jasper Owensby, or the Statesville company, who died of typhoid fever in Jacksonville, Fla., last Saturday morning. The remains of the young soldier were laid to rest this evening in the Marion Cemetery. Sergeant Cook will go to Statesville this evening, where he will remain a few days among his friends. Statesville is his native home.

The North Carolinian, Thursday, July 28, 1898, page 3:
Near Jacksonville, Fla., July 26
There was a military funeral in the First North Carolina Regiment yesterday afternoon, when the body of Andrew J. Owensby, who died at 1:25 Sunday morning was sent to his home in Marion, N. C. Services were held at 5 o'clock by Chaplain Pruden. All the members of the Statesville company, of which Mr. Owensby had been a member, were present, together with officers and men from other companies. This is the first death by sickness among the Tar Heels and they feel the loss keenly. Owensby was an excellent young man and a good soldier. The funeral accorded him has awakened deep and serious thought in the hearts of many of his comrades. It shows that it is a man in uniform his countrymen honor above all others, even if he be only a private of one regiment among many. Before many days men of high rank will pass away, but this man's family and the families of other volunteers can feel that greater honor could hardly have been paid him had he been an officer or had he died leading a charge. For him tonight flags in the North Carolina camp are at half mast. Owensby was 25 years old. His relatives live at volunteer [sic]. He was among the first to volunteer. He was very strong and his health good until three weeks ago, when he fell ill with typhoid fever.

Statesville Record and Semi-Weekly Landmark, Tuesday, August 1, 1898, page 2:
A Soldiers Funeral
Jacksonville, Fla, July 26, 1898
As it may be of some interest to those at home, I will try to give a description of how we put a soldier away when his feet grow cold. Capt. Flanigan received a communication from the Seventh Army Corps Hospital early Sunday morning, notifying him of the death of A. J. Owensby, a private in the company. Cap immediately made arrangements (without awaiting the actions of the boys) to have the body embalmed that he might send it to the home of his friends and relatives.

When the boys learned of it (before breakfast) the men were called up and Sergeant Kerr gave the order to "fall in". Sergeant Wood stated the object of the meeting, how much it would require to defray the expenses, and what each one would have to chip in, provided he felt so disposed, and they all chipped in, even the new recruits who had never see him. Bob Rufty called the roll and each man stepped forward and dropped his quarter in Billy Westmoreland's hat.

Cap had promised a party of boys to go on a trip down the St John's, to the ocean, but remained with the rest of the officers on account of the company's misfortune.

At 5:30 p m those of us who wished to attend the exercises were ordered to form in double ranks and were marched to the undertaker's parlors, where we found the chaplain and our officers in waiting. After a short but impressive service we accompanied the remains to the depot, the pallbearers marching on each side of the hearse while the company brought up the rear in columns of twos. There was not a woman present but one lady who witnessed it from across the street kindly brought a bouquet of oleander blooms and handed it to one of our soldier boys for the casket.

As we wended our way through the streets we would often see a Northern soldier boy halt and come to attention, and politely lift his hat and remain uncovered until we had passed, and sometimes a citizen would do the same. I am sorry to say so, but our Northern friends are our superiors in this particular, as also in the (Jim Page) act of saluting.

This was the first natural death in the regiment and it is a matter of regret among the company that he tailed to get a discharge when two other boys of the company secured discharges sometime ago, for the boy never was fit for the job from the outset. When he saw it clearly, he applied for a discharge but the examining surgeon saw it otherwise. It was not one of our North Carolina doctors who passed on him.

Sergeant Cook was sent with the remains to Marion and they were put off the train at Waycross, Ga., because the Florida baggage master had failed to forward the ticket for the corpse, detaining Sergeant Cook for several hours. It is a shame that a corporation should treat a deceased soldier thus, but as Lord Coke observed several centuries ago, "A corporation hath no soul".

Source for all articles: FaG member Long Ago and Yesterday (#47122640)