Jacob Van Zandt

    Death of a Well-Known Veteran.
 THE JOURNAL last evening contained a brief
announcement of the death at Richmond, Texas,
December 13, of Col. Jacob Van Zandt. Col. Van
Zandt was a native of this city. He had been
active in local military affairs, and when in
April, 1861, the Twenty-fifth regiment
volunteered for three months' service,
he went with it as its adjutant. On
his return he proceeded to organize a com-
pany of three-year volunteers. The Ninety-first
regiment was organizing at the time. In August,
1861, Van Zandt was commissioned as colonel of
the regiment, and at once set about recruiting it
to its maximum number, in which he
was ably seconded by George W. Stackhouse,
an elder brother of Supervisor James Stack-
house. The organization of the regiment being
completed it was mustered in and on December
20, 1861, left Albany for Governor's Island. Early
in January it was shipped to Key West, Col.
Van Zandt being accompanied by his beautiful
wife. When yellow fever reached the island in
May, the latter returned to Albany. The regi-
ment in the same month went to Pensacola and
remained there 10 months where it was joined by
Lieut.-Col. Tarbell. There was a feel-
ing between Van Zandt and Tarbell
the cause of which the men could never
fathom, and the latter was then assigned to some
other duty, leaving Maj. Geo. W. Stackhouse as
acting lieutenant-colonel. Van Zandt remained
in command during the stay at New Orleans,
Baton Rouge, the long tramp through the Bayou
Lafourche, Opelousas and Red River country,
back again to Sims Landing and thence by boat
to Byaou Sara in rear of Port Hudson. He was
also in command during the first two assaults on
Port Hudson May 24 and May 27, 1863, and his
commanding figure, _______ voice and con-
spicuous gallantry and daring would have in-
spired any body of men to face the grape and
canister, shot and shell and the shower of bullets
which the soldiers were called upon to face, as
they picked their way through abattis, stumbled
over _____ wires and climbed over felled
trees in their way forward. Through it all he
never faltered. Some time after the second
assault he was relieved of his command
through the intrigues of Lieut.-Col. Tarbell, as it
was understood by the men, and going to New
Orleans, the regiment, at least, saw no more of
him until the winter of 1864-65, while it was sta-
tioned in Fort McHenry, Ba;timore. He had
been reinstated and came to the fort to assume
command, but before doing so cut down two men
who had been tied up by the thumbs for some triv-
ial offense by order of Lieut.-Col. Tarbell. This
was sufficient for the latter and _____ to the
commander of the department, he soon had Col.
Van Zandt'd reinstatement revoked. The latter
then resigned, and returning to New Orleans,
took up residence there. His wife, it is un-
derstood, remained North and procured a divorce
from him. Of late years he was said to have
been employed in a responsible position on a
Southern railroad. The survivors of his old
regiment will hear of his death with regret, for
to them he was popular, gallant and brave.