A record of the descendants of John Clark, of Farmington, Conn ...

MERVIN.
" He left Camp Dennison as an orderly-sergeant, and dnring
the trying marclies and skirmishes in Western Virginia, won
a commission. Arriving in the East, he was made a tirst-
lientenant. At rhe battle of Winchester, he snrprised and
delighted every one who saw him. When the bullets flew
thickest, he stepped on to the brink of the hill, over which
our men were firing, and, with revolver in hand, took i^art in
the strife. His captain seeing his danger, directed him to
get behind a tree which stood ch»se by. He obeyed orders,
but with his back to the tree and his face to the foe. At the
bat.le of Cedar Moutitain he commanded a company, and
during that fearful day, led his men with great bravery. At
last, when the order was given t(» retreat, he mistook it for
an order to charge, and, with a dozen men, dashed at the
double line of a whole brigade of rebels. It was not until
an officer of authority conveyed the true order to him, that
he would withdraw. He now took part in all the battles in
which his regiment was engaged in the East, oxcejit Antie-
tani. When the regiment left for the West, he accom))anied
it and soon after took part in the liattles of Lookout Moun-
tain, Mission Ridge, Taylor's Ridge, and the series of engage-
ments taking place while with Sherman. Before his term of
service expired, he was made a captain and commanded his
company
on its homeward march. He was soon after mus-
tered out with his company. He now sought quiet and rest
at his home, giving no evidence of an intention to again enter
the service. But before he had been at home many weeks,
he surprised and disappointed his friends by enlisting as a
private in the regular army. His fame, however, was too
wide-spread
private.
in Ohio to suffer him to re-enter the service as a
Governor Brough had already selected him for pro-
motion, and when learning of his enlistment in the regular
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