Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1862-02-27
The Insane Soldier.
A SAD STORY,


The following touching revelation is extract
ed from private letter of Lieutenant Co
lionel Joseph r. Hawley, 7th Connecticut, dat.
ed Tybee Island, December 2Oth -
Poor Dolph! Do you know the Dolph's that
live near you 2 Well, their son, who belongs
to Co D, got news that his wife, two children
and sister has all died of diptheria How he
cried Poor fellow ! We comforted him all
we could. l spoke pleasantly to him when
we met and hoped he was getting along well.
believe he heard the other day that his moth
er was SICK too. Somebody came TO the sup
per table last night aud called for the doctor
to see a crazy man, and soon after man said
that Dolph wanted to see me. went TO his
tent. There was half dozen of his COM
rades there One dim candle, stuck in bot
tie, showed me the rifles stacked around the
centre pole the cartridge boxes, bayouets and
knapsacks. The ground was covered with
the splendid long moss they had pulled from
the live oaks. Dolph sat squat upcn the ground,
stantly picking something, his body moving
bis head turning wildly from one side to an
other, his eyes dreadfully swelled with weap-
ing. "Hailo, DoIph how are you ?" And he
peered up toward my face " Colonel Haw
lev" said somebody. " Yes" said he, 4" that
is Colonel Hawley," and he took my hand
with tight grip. Colonel Hawey, look at
my baby my poor, sick baby" lie had
little pile of moss, and on it lay bis cartridge
boz, carefully covered, all but one e6ge, with
his blanket That was bis baby And he
turned the blanket down as tenderly as if the
cartridge box was a delicate little baby. He
spoke brokenly and at intervals, and with q
oly NJ hah hu
sick Give baby some water" and he leaned
to the cartridge box, as if baby would drink
He seemed 10 consider himself in his own
home, and the family sick but living, but then
be would say : Wont let me go home-no
-no-Ho-( waiting few seconds) no-no-
won't fet me go home )" his hands constant
ly fdgeting over something. Then he con-
sidered them ell dead and he by their graves.
Sister" and he laid bis hand down on one
side. Baby" hands down again to mark
each grave " -wife-mother. Oh, yes
mother is dead-won't let me go home l
kept his hand ten minutes aud sat down by
him, and put my hand on his shoulder, and
tried to compel him to listen. | told him his
babies were happy and his mother not dead,
lis she ?)and if he would be good boy and
4" Mothers here aud she says she didn't get
the money" You didn't send it to her. 90,
yes, did Dolph here's the receipt of the
Express company.-She's got it now, You
told me to send it to your wife light there at
fore this time" " Well-poor baby,"-and
he put trees" over their graves, etc. had
to work some time to get him to take some
oI; l.,k IL I.a4lz
" I've built six forts" said be, land mount.
ed six cannon. I'm going to take that fort
down to nnorrow-that one over there-Puas-
III, mean" Four men were going to watch
with him-(the tears came into all our eyes,
sometimes, think, and | told them to move
out the rifles and bayonets He caught them
at it, and shouted d" Let my rifles alone p
Give me my rifle ?" And let him take it,
seeing it was not loaded, and be went furious
ly to work cleaning it, Finally he passed it
to me to. :" inspect" it, and slipped it away.
l think it the most affecting case of insani-
ty | ever saw. ! couldn't make him believe
that we should send him home, but we shall
don't know whether to have you tell his
folks or not. The men take es good care of
him as they can. He has slep but au hour
out of tweuty.four aud is as ceaSeIessly active
as canary bird hopping about inEAis cage
lie sent for me. again to Cay, but he could
not confine his attention to anything. Poor
baby" is his principle remark and be still tends
his cartridge box. A soldiers life is always
gay" the song says, A sad story, isn't it p
Call again on DophS mother. Tell her he
will be we'll treated We hope this insanity
is caused partly by fever, and if we can get
him quietly sick with that, perhaps he will
come al right Ifnos III see he goes straight
to the Insane Retreat at Hartford, and with
him money enough no keep him awhile.
1t was his comrades aud friends who con.
tributed the thirtytwo dollars he sent to his
mother 10 pay The funeral expenses Of his 'shoia
family.