Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-10-27
ooIUMBUs. OHIO MORNING, oaFoBER 1855 - T4
sStates',r|,l|l11ai|I.tlt,,.. ii 11i|I.l !.
From the Detroit Free Press. Oct. III
, .ATOUCuING s1ORY: 10
Truth stranger IN an Fiction-A Wifc,s
~ -,f,,,,, Devotion and Trials.

,V -,fa,,4 Devotion and, Trials.
X Among the many sad cases developed by
the war there are perhaps few more af-
fecting than one which came under our
personal notice yesterday During the
afternoon lady, dressed In deep mourning,
entered the City Hall station, evidently la
boring under some deep mental excitement
or physical exhaust ion,g Shortly after Sit
ting down she was seized with a Violent
spasm, underiwhicb she writhed and moan
led in the most pitiable manner, the froth
'oozipg from her lips, her face assuming a
ilivid hue, her limbs stiffened, and her hands
iwasrendered and she recovered. but rlonly1
for moment, when she was taken With
another more violent, If possible, than the
first. These spans continued for some time,
until she became perfectly exhausted. Re-
covering somewhat, she exhibited papers
and extracts relatinga q portion of her his
tory, and there Is every reason to believe it
is a truthful one. o She relates that she is
the daughter of q Confederate officer, a
Colonel, who belonged to a Louisiana regi-,
ment,i named Henry Sanborn. She gave
her name as Smith, and states that she is the
wife of Lieutenant of that name, belong,
ing to the 9Th or 9TH Michigan. They were
married about the breaking out of the re-
belli0n, and had one child, when the news
reached her of the death of her husband,
who. was killed at the memorable second
battle of the Wilderness. She was at the
time in Boston, and, as stated, lett her child
in the care Of friends at home to pay wifes
tribute of-respect and love over the grave
of him who in lite hadrwon her affections
and who in death still retained them, When
she reached Philadelphia on her sacred pill
grimage, she was notified of the death of
her child at home, but the sad event did
not stop her. 1t was but one more link in
the chain which bound hertz the past and
only encouraged her to hasten on and weep
more over her husbands grave. 1t was in
deed another link in the chain of memories
which bound her to the past, for during the
progress ofthe war she had lost six brothers
in the service, and sustained the loss of a
mother and four sisters, and, heaviest of all,
her husband. Under the weight of so
many accumulated sOrrows it may be i'm
agined that her constitution was well nigh
shattered. She passed, through Baltimore
and Washington, and reached the Wilder
ness There she found the last resting place
of her husband, with its simple slab; and
there, tOo she was subsequently found over
come by grief--her frame writhing in
strong spasms-stretched helpless upon the
mound. She was removed; and after short
which she suffered con-
stantiy from spasms-the effect of an oyer
wrought mind and a shattered nervous sysr
tem-went to Richmond on her way to
Petersburg in search of her father, who she
was there. In Richmond she
was still sufferer from spasms, during
some of which she was robbed OF most of
her money and personal effects. From
thence she went to Petersburg, and while
at the Provost Marshars Office she was
again attacked with fits, which came
and went with such .rapidity that she
could mot be removed for several hours.
In her lucid moments she wept over her
condition, and during her relapses
conversed about her deceased husband.
When her condition admitted she was taken
to an hospital, where, under kind treat
ment she nearly recovered. On being dis
charged she resolved to seek some of her :
friends in Michigan, and being furnished /
with transportation, she, started for this
State. While in Buffalo day or two since
she was again attacked by her former weak
ness, through the prostration consequent
upon the long journey. They cameGupon g
her in the street car, and while obliyious,
some inhuman monster robbed her of $2S,
nearly every cent she had in the world.
Determined, however, to proceed to her
journeys end, she, with more than woman
ly fortitude, gathered upiher strength and
In reaching Detroit on Sunday,
having by some mistake In her papers gone
to Adrian. ,~1H7oa J1's1F1
Her simple narrative of the great grief
under which she has suffered for many
weary months, was extremely touching,
and she soon found herself among. friends.,,
She was taken to ST. Mary's Hospital,
where, through the attentions of the Kind,
hearted sisters, she will receive that conso-
ation and support ofowhich she stands so ]
much in need. She is in search Of one Mrs.
Mary Smith, a relative, who, it is believed,
lives in this city engaged in the millinery }
business. 1t was while wandering about
looking and inqniring vainly for that lady,
that she felt her old illness. coming on, and