Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1863-02-06
A WONDERFULLY OLD SOLDIER.
From the ST. Louis Republican.

From the St. Louis Republican.
18th Iowa. now doing guar duty in
this city, as is well known, is a regiment of
exempts--{ew, if any of its members being
under forty-sve years Of age, and many OF
them over eighty. Take them all together,
they are band Of hardy veterans, whom the
exigencies Of the "situation' have fired with
jealous patriotism we'll worthy of i,nita.
ton by younger men. But the most re.
maFkable member of this regiment is pri.
vate Of compiny H, named Curtis King,
whose history ard description is truly curl
sous. He Is over eighty one years of age,
six feet two inches in hight, of brawny and
stalwart frame, barring his bosom to the cold
winds Of winter without endangering his
health, and moving in his rounds Of du-
/ ties with the celebrity of a youth of eighteen
Owing to his great age, and the fact Of his
:, being blind Of an eye, he found great diff
Aculty, when the regiment was forming, in
getting permission to enlist, two OF three
companies refusing to take him; but at length
he was successful, and since the regiment
has been on duty he has proved one of the
most efficient men init He is, ard has been
from his youth, Democrat of the old Jack
son school. and even now INDUCES industri-
GUS invectiye against the Abolitionists He
was born in Culpepper county, Virginia, and
claims to be lincal descendant of Pocahon-
tas and this statement is verified by his
ply -iognomy, which betrays the characters
tics Of an Indian. He has been twice mar
Yisd, (first when he was only 10 ears of age)
and is the father Of twenty-one children, one
Of which was, two weeks since, only fifteen
months, when it died. lie claims to be able
to repeat every word Of. the Bible from the
beginning of Genesis to the end of Revela-
tons, and can neither redd nor ,crite--a
daughter having read the book to him, his
wonderful memory enabling him to retain it
after committing It to memory. The daugh
ter commenced her reading to- him at five
years Of age, he being then. twenty-six. In
1915 he emigrated to Ohio, resided there
some twenty. five years, and then removed
to Wapello county, Iowa, where : is home
now is, and where he enlisted, Mr.. Kings
family = somewhat celebrated for longevity,
his mother having lived to the age of hun
dred and three, and one grandfather to one
hundred. and i've years. 49, ~. ><,.~.-,.
The history of this country is familiar to
him, and his citation Of historical points and
the connection with them Of great men who
fourished during the latter part Of the last
century, are wonderful accuratc--remember
ing as he does, Washington. jefferson, Ran
dolph. and the Adamses, &c. He has often
seen Washington, and remarked rs char
acteristic of the Father of his Country"
that he never saw him smile; that he SEEM
ed to have little sympathy in the enjoyments
of other men. The father of Mr.. King was
soldier of the Revolution.
About twenty Of Mr.. KS grandsons and
some four or five great grandsons ar.
now in the United States service, and the
old man INDUCES laudible pride in the fact
that not one Of his family is d'sloyal. Eleven
Of his grandsons responded to the first call
Of the President for volunteers. One Of his
daughters, who resides in Ohio, weighs 325
pounds. He himself never took desc OF
medicine from doctor, nor did any one of
bis family while they remained under his
control, he being what is called root doc
tor" and having done the physicing for his
own people by the use Of root and herb teas;
his practice" too, was successful.
The opinion of this aged veteran upon the
war, though he gives il in somewhat homely
and antique figure Of speech, is not to be ig.
nored as devoid Of good foundation. When
asked his idea as to the result If the struggle,
he replied: well. think the longest pole
will knock the persimmon. 1t may take
long time; but the North has has got the
most men and the most money. and it is
bound to come out first in the end. And"
he continued, ''if the young men will DO as
I intend to, the rebellion will be put down,
for am in for war, or as long as last "
The cheerful and contented disposition Of
this old man might well be taken for an ex-
ample by younger soldiers, to- say nothing
Of his strict observance of discipline, or the
efficiency and value Of such men to the SER
vice. - ..s .....: is. d..