The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1863-10-21
A CASE OF CRUELTY.
Joseph H. Crommett, of Enfield, in thi

Joseph ID. CrOmmett, OF Enfield, in this
county, aged twenty-eight years, was
draftsd, in this district last August. He
was poor laboring man, with wife and
two little children. He appeared before
the Examining Board in this city, and
there presented a certificate from his ply
sician. DR.. G. p Hubbard, of Burlington,
stating that he was an unsound man and
unfit for military duty. He had been
sick for five years, and during all that
time has been unable to do full hard
davis work. The examining surgeon, as
we are informed, tossed the certificate
aside with slurring remark, and Mr..
Crommett was promptly pronounced an
able-b bodied man He obtained fur
lough for fifteen days, ana returned home.
He was unable to raise three hundred dol
lars Or procure a substitute. The thought
Of leaving his destitute family dependent
on the cold charities of the werld, and the
conviction that the severity of military
duty must soon terminate his life, quick
ened the disease which was already fas-
tened upon him.
At the end Of his furlough he reported
himself to the Provost Marshal here for
duty, a sick, broken hearted man. He
was sent to Portland two weeks ago last
Wednesday, and thence to the conscripts'
camp en- Mackie's Island Here he be-
came very sick, and a kind hearted fellow
conscript, although an entire stranger to
Mr.. Crommett, seeing that he must die,
procured telegraphic dispatch to be
sent to Bangor, and thence to Enfield, in
forming his friends of his condition. I'm
mediately Mr.. Freeman Crommett, his
brother, took the wife Of the dying
man and proceeded to Portland, where he
arrived Monday evening. They immedi-
ately called ON Maer Whiting, command
ant of the post, for pass to the Island.
Major Whiting refused pass that even
ing. They told him the urgency of the
case. He told them to call at his Office
the next morning at eight o'clock and he
would give them an answer.
They returned to their lodgings that
night with heavy and sorrowful hearts,
for. they felt an oppressive premonision
that the spirit of their husband and bro
ther was fast passing away. Long before
the hour named the afflicted friends were
at the Office door of Major Whiting, the
next morning. Eight o'clock came and
he was not there. An hour passed, and
still he did not come. What to HIM was
the grief of the wife and brother of the
dying conscriptl He had forgotten his
promise. They then began to search the
city for him, and succeeded in finding him
at IL o'elosk. The major then heartless-
| ly informed them that he could not give
them pa s.unt,l the next day-that he
intended using the boat plying between
the city and camp himself.
At three o'clock that afternoon Mr.
Crommett found an opportunity ofsend
ing a letter to the camp at Mackie's
Island informing his brother that he and
his wife were near him and striving te
reach his sick bed; but when this letter
came, the eyes for which it was intended
had been closed in death for hours
Such is this brief tale of official cruelty
In the first instance it deprived innocent
children of their feeble but yet protecting
shield; and in the second it denied to al
afcctionate wife and dear brother tn,
poor boon of receiving the last tende
words, and closing the glazed eyes, of
husband and a brother.