Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1863-03-03
Thrilling Incident of the
War

Nine or ten years ago, citizen of one
Of the towns in the eastern part of Massa-
chusetts was uDjustly suspected of crime
which the statue cannot easily reach, but
which deservedly brings upon him guilty
OF it the indignation Of upright men. There
were circumstances which gave color to the
suspicion, and the unfortunate gentleman
suffered the misery Of friends business and
reputation. His sensitive nature could not
face these trials, and he fell into a condi.
ton of body and mind which alarmed his
family. AT length, having invested bis
property where it could be easily managed
by his wife, be suddenly disappeared, leav-
ing her comfortable homo and the care of
two boys, ten and twelve years old. The
first fear that he had sought violent death
was partly dispelled by the orderly arrange.
ment of bis affairs, and the discovery that
dagusrreotype of the family group was
missing from the parlor table. Not much
effort was made to trace the fugitive
When, afterward. facts were develooed
which established his innocence of the
crime charged, i! was found impossible to
communicate with him; and as the publ.
cation of the story in tho columns of sew
eral widely circulated journals failed to re-
call him, be was generally supposed to be
deed.
AT the out break of the present civil war,
bis eldest son, now young man, was in
duced by friend, a captain in a Western
regiment, to enlist in his COMPANY, He
carried himself we'll through campaigns in
Missouri and Tennessee, and after the cap
ture of Fort Dcnelson was rewarded with
First Lieutenant's commission. At the
battle of MOrfreesboro, he was wounded in
the left arm, but 80 slightly that be was still
able to take charge Of squad of wounded
prisoners. While performing this duty, he
became aware that one of them, o middle.
aged man, with full heavy beard, was
looking at him with fixed attention. The
day after the fight, as the officer was pas
sing, the soldier gave the military salute
and said:
"A word with you, il you please, sir
You remind me of an old friend. Are YOU
from New England2'
i am
From Massachusetts,?
Yes
And your nameP
The young lieutenant told his name, and
why he came to serve in Western regi-
ment.
4 thought So said the other, and turn
ing away be was silent. Although his
curiosity was much excited by the soldiers
manner, the officer forebore to question
him, and withdrew. But in the afternoon
he took occasion 60 renew the conversation,
and expressed the interest awakened in
him by the incident of the morning.
! knew your father said the prisoner.
is he well?'
We have not seen him for years. We
think he is dead.'
Then followed such an explanation of
the circumstances Of his disappearance as
the young man could give. He had never
known the precise nature Of the charges
against his faEher but was able to make it
quite clear that his innocence had been es-
tablished.
i knew your mother, also, continued the
soldier. i was in love with her when she
married your father
Il have letter from her, dated ten DAYS
ago. Ny brother is nine months man at
New Orleans
After little desultory conversation, the
soldier took from under his Goat leathern
wallet, and disclosed o daguerrsotype case.
The hasp was gone, and the corners we're
rounded by wear.
Will you oOlige me- be said by looking
at this alone in your tent?' Agitated al
most beyond control, the young officer took
the case and hurried away. He had seen
the picture before! 1t represented man
and woman, sitting side by side, with
boy at the knee of each.
Theromantic story moved the comman
der of the division to grant the youth fur
Tough and both father and son reached
home last week.