Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1863-10-31
One of Many Cases of Cruelty
From the Bangor (Maine) Democrat.

Joseph Ii, Crommett, of Enfield, in this
county, aged % years, was drafted in this
district last August He was a poor lab
oring man with wife and two little child
ren. He appeared before the Examipg
Board in this city, and there presented a
certificate from his physician, DR.. G. P.
Hubbard, Of Burlington, stating that he
was an unsound man and unfit for mill
tary duty. He had been sick for Eve
years, and during all th"t time had been
unable TO do full hard days work. The
examining surgeon, as we are informed,
tossed the certificate aside with slul ring
remark, and Mr.. Crommelt was promptly
pronounced an able. bodied man. lie OBJ
tanned furlough iur fifteen days, and re-
turned home. lie was unable to raise
three hundred dollars or to procure sub
stituc. The thought of leaving his de,si-
tute little family dependent on the cold
charities Of the world, and the conviction
that the severity of military duty must
soon terminate his life quickened the dis
ease which was already fastened upoa
| hun.
AT the end Of his furough he reported
himself 10 the provost marshal here for
duty, sick, brokeu.hearted man. He
was sent to Portland two weeks ago last
Wednesday, and thence to the conscripts
camp on Mackie's Island. Here he be-
came very sick, and kind hearted fellow
conscript, although an entire stranger to
Mr.. Crommett, seeing that he must die
procured a telegraphic despatch to be sent
to Bangor, and then to Enfield, informing
his friends Of his condition. Immediately
Mr., Freeman Crommett, his brother took
the vile OF the dying man and proceeded
to Portland, where he arrived Monday
evening. They Immediately called OIL
Major Whiting, command Mt oi the post
tor pass 10 the island. Major Whiting
: refused pass that evening. They tole
him the urgency Of the case. He tolt
them to call at his Office the next morning
at o'clock and he would give them al
answer.
They returned to their lodgings tha
night with heavy and sorrowful hearts
tor they fet an Oppressive premonitlol
hat the spirit of their husband and bro
ther was last passing away. Long befor
: the hour named the afflicted friends wer
:, at the Office door of Major Whiting, tn
next morning. Eight o'clock came, az
he was not there. An hour passed AN
L still he did not come. What to him wa
the grief Of the wife and brother of th
. dying conscript! He had forgotten hi
promise, They then began to search th
" city for him, and succeeded in finding hin
- at eleven o'clock, in lager-beer saloor
W The uajo then heartlessly informed thel
20 that be intended using the boat plying bt
'e tween the city and the camp himself
10 At three o'clock that afternoon NJ
ie Crommett found an opportunity to send
letter TO the i-laud informing his broth
% that he and his wife were near him ar
IL striving to reach bis sick bed but whe
this letter came, the eyes for which it hi
is been intended bad been closed in dea
or lor hours
ID Such is this brief tale of official cruelt
az In the first instance it deprived innoce
w little children of their feeble but yet pr
tecti, g shield and IN the second it deni,
to an affactionate wife and dear broth
the poor boon of receiving the last tend
words, and closing the glazed eyes, Of
husband and a brother