The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1865-12-08
The Man Who has not Slept Since 1856

The Rochester Eepress gives the fol-.
lowing sccoun! Of singular individual in
that city:
There is man IN this city, 10 make a
brief stay, who has not slept q momers
since August, 1851. over Ia years. He
resides in the town Of Buffalo, Putnam
county. Western Virginia, near where he
was born, and where he has spent mos,
OF his life. His business in this place was
to bring the remains OF Mr.. Joseph An.
tbony, son Of Mrs. Asa Anthony, who
died in Buffalo, in consequence Of an &C.
cident by which Q leg was broken, and
not from typhoid fever, as has been or
roneously stated. The name Of this sleep.
less man is o. D. Saunders. He is in bis
forty. sixth year. and has wife and sev.
en- children. He is a true patriot, and
served in the Thirteenth Virginia Vol
unteers, until mustered out last spring.
he visited our sanctum, yesterday, In
company with Mr.. Anthony, and from
his own lips we derived the facts regard
ing his extraordinary constitutional peou.
llarity. He possesses q candid and open
countenance. which goes far 10 impress
The hearer with the truth OF bis statement.
He never feels fatigue, even when work.
ing day and night. He says he worked
once on his farm forty-two days success.
lively, putting in thirty acres of whes.,
and during the seme period worked all
night hanging up his tobacco crop, and
husking corn, without q moments eleep,
and at the end Of the time ia,s a. freeh
and vigorous 40 on the first day. He has
served in the Shenandoah Valley, and he
was with Gen. Hunters army during the
celebrated raid on Lynchburg. When
the soldiers were leaning against .rees,
and dropping to the ground from the ter.
ii6ie fatigue Of the march, Mr.. Saunders
felt no need Of rest, but, with the excep.
lion Of hunger, was as active and ready
for service as when be sci ont.
He took part in all the heavy fighting
in the Valley under Sheridan, and was al
the battles Of Cedar Creek, Fishers Hill,
Winchester, &c. He was attacked al
last by chronic diarrhoa, and was sent
to one of the Philadelphia hospitals, where
he passed the winter. Here his constitu-
tional popularity attracted the attention
OF the surgeons. nurses and many others,
and watch was set upon him. He was
closely watched night and day for City.
eight days. but was never detected asleep,
and 1t was then concluded that his account
OF himself was true. He made an excel.
lent picket guard in the army, and years
ago be worked on an Ohio River steamer,
as night watcbman, being able to do duty
10 the daytime, and earning double pay.
His appetite and digestion are excellent,
and be requires rather more food than an
ordinary man OF his build. r.... .p-s
We have heard Of persons sleeping con-
tinuously sort Of lethargic and morbid
sleep, but the case OF q healthy man 90.
ing without sleep is rare one indeed, and
almost Incredible. There Is nothing re-
markable In Mr.. Saunders appearance,
except that his eyes seem a little watery
and slightly dilated. It is possibe that
he 10 q humbug, but we give the facts as
he related them to Us. We should say
tha. Mr.. Anthony for whom we can vouch
as an honest man, is also impressed with
the truth Of Mr.. Sanders story. .