Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1863-11-20
Romance Of the war.
From the brooklyn News.

The case of young lady in Willoughby
street has brought to our minds the story
of the unfortunate Maid of Orleans, who
was burnt by wicked Bedford for witch. .
1t well illustrates the Solomonic proverb
that "there is nothing new under the sun"
The supersti,ions of the days of Joan OF
Arc still flourish in our enlightened and
church-renowned city. 1t may sadden us
that this should be so; yet sentiment is not
SC. much the business Of journalist as to
record tbe things that transpirs in every
day life.
About a twelvemonth since. when disas-
ter everywhere overlook the Union arms,
and our gallant sons were falling fast under
the marvellous sword Of rebellion, young
lady, scarce nineteen, just from an academy
in sister State, conceived the idea that
she was destined by Providence to lead
our armies to victory and our nation through
successful war. 1t was at first thought by
her parents, highly respectable family in
Willoughby street, that her mind was
weakened simply by reading continued ac-
counts of reverses to our arms, and they
treated her as they would sick child
This only had the effect of making her de-
monstrative, and her enthusiastic declara-
tion and apparent sincerity gave the family
great anxiety. DR.. b. was consulted, the
minister was spoken to, friends advised,
family meetings held, interviews with the
young lady by her former companions in
the academy were frequent, but nothing
could shake the spirit which possessed her.
1t was finally resolved to take her to
Michigan. An old maiden aunt accom-
panied the fair enthusiast, and for few
weeks Ann Arbor became their home.
But travel had no effect upon the girl
The stern commands of her aunt alone
prevented her from making her way to
Washing ton to solicit an interview with the
President for the purpose of getting COM
mand of the United States army. Finally,
it was found necessary to restrict her from
seeing any but her own family and ner
private parlor became her prison.
To high-spirited girl this would be un-
endurable at any time, but to young lady
filled with such an hallucination, it was
worse than death. She resolved to elude
her friends, and succeeded, leaving them
clandestinely, and although the most dis
tinguished detectives of the east and west
were employed to find her whereabouts, it
was unavailing. None could even coniec-
ture her hiding-place. This was last A
! pril. She was mourned as lost. The ha-
bilments of mourning were donned by her
grief-stricken parents and suicides grave
assumed to be hers. But it was not So.
The infatuated girl, finding no sympathy
among her friends, resolved TO enter the
army disguised as a drummer boy, dr cam
ing, poor girl, that her destiny would be
worked out by such mode. She joined
the drum corps of Michigan regiment at
Detroit, her sex known only TO herself, and
succeeded in getting with her regiment, to
the army of the Cumberland. How the
poor girl SUI vived the hardships of the
Kentucky campaign, where strong men
fell in numbers, must forever remain a
mystery.
The regiment to which she was attached
had place in the division of the gallant
Van Cleve, and during the bloody battle of
last Sunday the fair girl fell, pierced in the
left side by MIME ball, and when borne
10 the surgeons tent her sex was discover
ed. She was told by the surgeon that her
wound was mortal, and advised her to give
her name, that her family might be inform
ed of her fate. This she finally, though
reluctantly, consented to do, and the colonel
of the regiment, though suffering himself
from painful wound, became interested in
her behalf, and prevailed upon her to let
him send dispatch to her father. This
she directed in the following manner:
Mr.. -, No. -, Willoughby street,
Brooklyn: Forgive your dying daughter.
l have but few moments TO live. My
native soil drinks my blood. / expected
to deliver my country, but the fates would
not have il so. am content to die. Pray,
pa, forgive me. Tell ma to kiss my da-
guerrotype. EMILY.
p. S-Give my gold watch to little
Eph. (The youngest brother OF the dying
girl.)
We are permitted by the afflicted parents
TO give the dispatch as it came over the
wires, suppressing only the family name.
Here, then, is short incident which
might read like romance. But TO the un-
happy family now bow ed down with grief,
romance loses its attraction--and the ac
tual sad, eventful history of poor Emily
will be a family record for the generations