Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1867-03-30
THE LOST FOUND.
. Miraculous Escape from Death.

In the spring Of 1860, John W. Cooley,
ofNew Orleans, being indeclining health,
came North with his wife and three chill
dren to Cincinnati, to regain his failing
health. The climate not having that
restorative influence he expected, he
grew worse, until May, 1861, when he
died. His wife, with her children, re-
turned 10 New Orleans, TO settle up the
estate of her husband. The war broke
out, and she could not return North,
where her parents resided, until after
New Orleans was taken by the Union
army and navy, under General B. F.
Butler and Commodore Farragut. She
then took passage to New York by
steamer, with two Of her children, leav-
ing the eldest with its relations in New
Orleans. Landing in New York, she
took lodgings at the Burnet louise She
stopped with her sister until after Vicks-
burg was taken and steamboats, began
70 run up the Mississippi river. She
then started for New Orleans via st.
Louis, with her two children, taking
passage on the steamer Robert kimball.
When at or near Milliken's Bend, the
steamer took fire and was burned TO the
waters edge. The fire was SO hot and
severe that the mother gathered her
children around her aud protected them
as we'll as she could. Their clothing
| caught FIRE several times, but she sue
ceeded in putting the flames out. Two
Union soldiers aboard, seeing that there
was only one way for them and the chill
dren to escape certain death, took each
a child in his arm and jumped over
board. The two soldiers were lost, and
it was supposed the two children were
also. The mother jumped overheard,
and, taking hold of some portion OF the
| boat, loated down the river and was
rescued by the mate. She, supposing
her two children were both drowned,
continued her journey to New Orleans,
TO find her only surviving child.
A major of an Ohio regiment, as he
was walking upon the bank of the river,
near the scene Of the appalling disaster,
discovered the body Of a child, which
was mostly covered up with the sand.
He approached, and to his surprise, saw
its feet move. He took it up in its e1-
hausted state, gave it nourishment and
restored it to life and health. He took
the child to his family in Ohio, where
| he kept il nine months. He then gave
it to the Chaplain of the regiment at
| that place, who took it to his home in
Palmyra, Missouri, where the child
now is.
A short time since a description OF
| the child was published, with some OF
the circumstances of its being found,
in the ST. Louis papers, with a view
that the parents Of the child might be
| discovered, and their child restored to
them. The relatives Of the child, re-
siding in this city, Immediately wrote
to the Chaplain, giving a full descrip'
ton Of the child, and also sent a
daguerreotype, taken when it was very
young. The child is now nine years
old, and is a beautiful girl. Her CON-
p~lexion is dark, hair auburn, dark eyes,
| and hair flowing and curling over her
shoulders. She is exceedingly sprightly,
and, frequently making the inquiry,
"vhy don't mother or aunty come after
me ?" appears to fully recollect when
she stopped in the city with her aunt,
and was much beloved by her. The
| child has now living in this city a grand
father and grandmother and three aunts
who are all Of them respectable people.
Several letters have passed betweec
them and the Chaplain, relating the full
circumstances of her adventure, which
leaves no doubt in their minds Of the
full identity Of the child. One Of the
little girls sunts will leave in a few
days for Palmyra. The mother Of the
child went to New Orleans and again
married. She has not been apprised OF
these circumstances, and does not know
but both Of her children were lost on
the Robert Kimball. If the child is
identified as the daughter Of Mrs. Cooley,
the joy of the mother when she learns
of its recovery a better be imagined
than described,-St. Louis Democrat.