Troy Times - Veteran - 17th Ill. Regiment

April 24, 1862

LIGHTCAP, JOHN F. - On the Battle-field, near Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee, on the night of Sunday the 6th inst., from the effects of a wound received in the battle of Shiloh, the preceding day, John F. Lightcap, only son of the late Joseph Lightcap of this place, in the 31st year of his age. At the breaking out of rebellion a little more than a year ago, young Lightcap resided at Eureka, Illinois, and on the first call by the President for volunteers, promptly enlisted in the three months service; and on the change of enlistment for three years, entered the 17th Ill. Regiment, in which he continued to discharge all his duties as a faithful soldier and patriot, until stricken down on the field of Shiloh. He had been in several skirmishes in Southeastern Missouri, and had passed safely though the fiery ordeal of Fort Donelson. When our army was attacked near Pittsburg Landing, he was with his regiment, which, being in the Division under Gen. McClernaad, was in the severest part of the engagement. He was struck by an ounce ball in the front left side, a little below the heart, and was carried to the rear of the regiment to die. As his comrade who had taken him to the rear, was about to leave him to return to the regiment, he asked his dying friend if he was "content to go," to which he promptly replied "yes," and then added, "Save the flag." Of Mr. L. as a soldier, his comrade to whose kindness his friends here are indebted for the sad tiding of his death says: "A better soldier I never knew--always at his post as regular as time itself, a man that could be relied upon in every emergency, seldom, if ever, complaining amid the hardships and privations of which our regiment had its full share, and he was beloved by the whole company." Such is the testimony of one who had been his fellow solider for a year, and who also knew him well in the walks of private life. Mr. L. was also a young man of more than ordinary intellect and intelligence. During the past six or eight months he had kept up a regular correspondence with his relatives here, and his letters from Bird's Point, Cape Girardeau, Fort Donelson, Pittsburg Landing &, are, (in the judgment of the writer of this notice, who has had the pleasure of perusing them,) equal to those of the best Army Correspondence of the Daily Press. Indeed, such is their merit that it has been a matter of surprise to those who have read them that one occupying the place of a private, only in the army, could keep so well informed of what was transpiring, not only with his own department of the army, but throughout the whole country. A good, true and brave man, he has mingled his blood with that of a host of other good, true and brave men in defense of his country and its glorious flag. May this country cherish their memory, and that flag continue to wave over their green graves till that day when all the dead armies of the earth shall come forth at the last Trumpet's call.