The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1862-12-24
Sad Incident of the War.

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Sad Incident of the War.
The Cleveland Herald relates tho fol
lowing sad incident Of the war:
When the war broke out there lived il
a rural portion Of Wayne Co, Michigan
a family bearing the name of Crane
which consisted of an aged couple anC
three sons. They lived upon farm
which the boys titled, tho sire being too
aged to perform manual labor. The
mother was in feeble health, and in fac
had languishcd for long time on n bee
of sickness. They were not rich, yet lac
abundance, and knew not want. Final
", the war broke out and the shout o.
rising freemen, rs they rallied to the pro
lection of the old flag which traitors
threatened, was borne 10 that rural neigh.
borhood.
The young mon caught the fever Of
patriotism, and the two Oldest resolved al
once to 90 to the defence of the Union
Their aged sire told them to 90, and gave
them his blessing, although the tears ran
down his furrowed checks as he did it,
Their saddest parting was with their poor,
PROSTATE mother, whom they could hard
ly expect to see again, even though they
should return. She did not ask them to
stay, yet tho blow was heavy one to
her. and nearly exhausted the little REM
nant of vitality 10 which she cluug. The
youngest son yet remained Mt home TO
cheer his parents and to look after their
wants. H..f
As the war progressed, and moro men
were wanted, the young man grew rest
less and uneasy. He wanted to be by
the side Of his brothers, fighting for Lis
country, and chafed at the necessity which
kept him at home. Finally his parents
yielded TO his persuasions and gave re-
luctant consent that he should go to the
wars. IL was sad day to that aged
couple when they parted with their
youngest born--thcir Benjamin--but with
a patriotic devotion 10 their country
which all should emulate, they gave him
up, and he went forth TO battle for the
right.
The story is short but sad one. The
regiment 10 which the three young mon
belonged was in the battle of Antictam,
and fighting bravely suffered great losses
in killed and wounded. Following the
news of the battle came the crushing and
terrible announcement that their three
sons were all killed. 1t was bricf-occu-
pied not more than two lines in the tele-
graphic dispatches, yet what volumes Of
grief did it convey to those aged and
stricken hearts. The mother sank at once
and died. The father bore up under the
accumulation of Affections, yet his form
was more bent than before, aud there was
n more silver hue TO his thin locks. He
felt that if he could obtain the remains
of his sons and lay them by the side OF
their mother, his mission in life would be
ended, and he would be content to follow
them to their final rest. AT length he
went to the fatal battlefield of Antietani,
and although he met with sympathising
men, who, plying his great bereavement,
aided him in the search for the bodies of
his sons, they were not found; and, sad
and broken-hearted, the old man reluc-
tantly abandoned the search and started
for his desolate home He reached here
this morning, on his way to Detroit, and
We listened TO his tale, related in the sim
pie eloquencc of great sorrow. 1t was
a sad sight, the lonely old man returning
from such search to such home. He
has not long to bear his sorrows, howev-
er, for he will soon follow his wife and
children.