The national Republican., 1862-01-29
A Sad story.


The following touching relation Is an extract
from private letter Of Lieut. Colonel Hswley,
dated Tybee Island, December 10Th, and pub.
lshed in the Hartford Press:
Poor Dolph! Do you know the Dolphs that
live near you? Wsll their son, who belongs To
company D, got news that his wife, two chill.
dren and sister had all died Of diptheria. How
he cried. Poor fellow. We comlorted him oil
we could. Ispoke pleasantly to him when We
met, and hoped be was getting along we'll. l
mother was sick too. Somebody came 10 the
supper table last night and called for the doc
tor to see crazy man, and soon after man
said that Dolph wanted TO see me- l went 10
his tent There were half q dozen OF bis com.
rades there. One dim candle stuck In bottle
showed me the rides stacked around the centre
pole-the cartridge boxes, bayonets and KNAPP
sacks. The ground was covered with the
splendid long NOES they had pulled FROM the
live oaks. Dolph sat squat upon the ground,
his face and hands very dirty, bis fingers con-
stantly picking something, bis body moving.
his head turning wildly from one side to the
other, bis eyes dreadtully swelled with weep
ing.
Hello, Dolph, how are you." And he
peered up toward my face.
Sol Hawley." said somebody.
Yes said be, that Is Col. Hawley," and
he took my hand with a tight grip "Col.
Hawley, look at my baby, my poor, sick baby"
He had u little pile OF moss, and on 1t lay
his cartridge box, carefully covered, all but
one edge Of 1t, with bis blanket. That was his
baby! And be turned his blanket down as
tenderly as II the cartridge.box were q deli.
cate little baby. He spoke brOkenly and a,
intervals, but with quick and mournful voice
Poor baby-both babies eick-sister sick
(and he pointed to where he supposed they
lay)-poor baby-very sick. Give baby some
water And be leaned on one elbow and al
iectlonstely held leaf up to the cartridge box
slider himself 10 his own home. and the family '
sck but living, but then he would say. WOMB
let me go home (waiting few
econds)-no-ne-won't let me 90 home -
his hands constantly fidgcting over something
Then he considered them ali dead, and he by
their graves Sister," aud he laid his hand
down on one side baby hands down again
to mark each grave; baby wife-nlotlsr
Oh, yes, mother Is dead-w0n't let me u
home.'
kept his hand ten minutes aud sat down by
him, and put my hand on his should and
tried to compsl him 10 listen. told him hi,
babies were happy and his mother WAS moi
dead, lis she y and II be would he good boy
and sleep aud get well be should 20 home
Mothers here and says she didn't get that
money. You didn't send II to her,"
20, yes, did, Dolpb, here Ia the receipt Of
tse express company. She's got il now. You
told me to send 1t to my wife right there at
Col t-s. you know. She has got il before
this time.
Wcll-pOOr baby and he put :. irecs -
over their graves, &C. had to work some
time to get him to take some medicine an
opiate-but II had little effect. "I've bull,
six forts," said he, " mounted six cannon. I'm
going to take down that tort 10 morrow-thst
one over there-Puiaski, mean"
-Four men were going 10 watch with him-
(the tears came into all our eyes, sometimes.
think)-and told them to move out the iiGcs
and bayonets. lie caught them at II, and
shouted, Let my rife alone! Give me ny
rifle.
And let him take II, seeing IL was not load
ed, and be went fnriously 10 work cleaning IL
Finally be passed 1t 10 me to inspect" and
slipped 1t away.
think 1t Is the most affecting case Of iusau
ity ever saw. l couldn't make him believe
that we should send him home, but we shall
The men take as good care Of him as they can
He has slept but an hour out OF the last twenty.
four, and Is ceaselessly active a. canary bird
hopping about In his cage. He sent for me
again 10 day, but he could not con6ne his at
tention TO anything. "Poor baby is bis prin.
cipsl remark, and be still tends bis cartridge.
box. "A soldiers life Is always gay" the song
says. A sad story isn't ity We hope bis In
sanity is caused partly by fever, and II We car
get him quietly sick with that, perhaps be viii
come out all right. II not, IN see that be
goes straight to the Insane Retreat, at Hartford
AND with him money enough to keep him