Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-01-10
Strange Incident Ina Soldiers Life
Anecdote of JEFF. Davis.

| A Strange Incident In a Soldiers Life
| Anecdote of JEFF. Davis.
A citizen of Lafayette township in this
county relates to us the following anecdote:
While JEFF. Davis was a Lieutenant OF
dragons in the United States army, Mr..
Patrick III. Coleman, nephew of John Cole
man, ESD. of this county, well known and
universally esteemed, was private In the
same regiment The portion of the regi-
ment to which Davis and Coleman belonged
was stationed On the frontier, and was
much distressed for the want of subs1st-
ence. Being far removed from civilization,
it was necessary when a soldier became SO
! i'll that he could not sit on his horse, and
the probabilities were that he would die, to
place him at the foot of tree, chop limb
partially off, so that it would hang down
and thus serve the double purpose of
shading him from the sun while he lived,
and of marking his grave when he was
dead. Young Coleman was taken very
sick, and found himself i'll this predlcament,
abandoned by his comrades to die, with
nothing left him but his blanket and pistol,
as was the custom. Being destitute of pro-
Visions the men then scattered through
the woods to gather berries for their meal
Upon returning to the spot preparatory to
taking their final departure, Lieutenant
Davis looked in upon Coleman through the
branches of the tree and remarked to
him $50, my poor fellow, you are
going to die ?'' Coleman replied, 81
suppose So" Davis then put his hand
in his pocket, pulled out the handful Of
berries he had gathered for his own sub
sistcnce, and laid them down by Colemsn's
side, saying, Here, take these. You will
| need them more than l do" The soldiers
left the place, but had been gone but few
minutes, when large wolf came to the
spot and gazed in upon the PROSTATE sol
der. evidently familiar with such scenes,
and willing to wait till the man was dead,
feeling that he was, sooner or later, sure OF
his prey. Mr.. Coleman raised The pistol
and pointed it at the hrute--which did not
change its position fired and killed it
Coleman now gathered all his energies, de-
terlnined TO leave the living tomb and join
his companions if possible. They were
compelled to make detOur round a high
bluff, and he made his way to the crest of
the hill for the purpose of endeavOring to
attract their attention while passing. lie
was successful, but some of the more super
stitious believed that it was not Coleman,
but his ghost. Others, however, went to
his rescue, carried him into the midst of
his command, strapped him to his horse,
and cared for him till they reached the
settlements, where, with care and nursing,
he recovered, and is still alive. Mr.. Cole
man now resides in Western Kentucky
He enlisted in Louisville in romantic
freak, being engaged at the time as a clerk
or book-keeper in large mercantile house.
The story is q strange one, but there is no
reason to doubt that the main facts, as here
related, are entirely true.
New Albany Ledger, 18dh inst.
w Ash for Re-
lief
The news from Sweden is appalling.
Three hundred THOUSAND of her people are
reported to be on the eve of starvation.
The following eloquent letter has been adj
dressed to Mr.. Seward by ". ". Thomas,
Jr., of Portland, Maine
Three hundred thousand hard worked,
patient SWGdes are starving in Norrland.
Their crops for three years have been bad
last year they were an utter failure and
now even their miserable bread, made of
straw and the bark Of trees, has given out.
They sit III their cheerless huts and de-
My private adviceS from Scandinavia rep
resent this calamity as even worse than the
published accounts.
For three years [ represented the United
States i'll Sweden for three years [ found
you, sir, ever the firm friend Of the Swe-
dish Immigrant, and this emboldens me to
suggest to you method for relieving these
starving souls. Send government vessel
to New York, let the newspapers announce
(as they viii Gratuitously) that this vessel
is ready to take TO Sweden all conhibu-
tons OF food, such as flour, corn, potatoes.
pork, g.. Can you entertain doubt but
thai our larGe-hearted merchants will III a
short time send III enough to freight the
ship -? Then let her sail on her errand OF
&c good will to men over the sea.
In regard to q port OF discharge, Goth
enburG, the chief harbor on the west coast,
is generally closed at this time of year
but Marstrand, thirty miles north, is a fine
harbor, accessible to vessels of the deepest
draught, and 0IccGy& oPen. A relief COM
mittee, composed Of most estimable men,
has been formed tt Gothenburg, and to
them this cargo of mercy could be given,
with the certainty that every kernal of it
would find its way to the homes of the suf
ferers. Then, sir, both you, America, and
the merchants of our land, will have done
q noble deed of Christian charity.
Scandal in High Life.
The London correspondence of the New