Delaware State journal and statesman., 1869-10-08
rFrom the st. Louis Republican, Sept. 24th.l
singular Story of the Battle of Chicka
maugn.

A gentleman who witnessed the play of
Enoch Arden, at DeBar's Opera House, re-
lates circumstance very similar IN lis de-
tails to the sad story of the cast-away sal
lor. We give the statement in his own
words;
"That play recalls 10 my mind a circum-
stance that happened in my own experience.
A sergeant in my regiment was wounded at
Chickamauga, and was reported dead. He
was seen to fall in the heat OF the engage
ment, and our lines being pushed back, the
body wat not recovered until next day
When the poor fellow was found he was so
mutlaled by being trampled on by the cav
airy that his face could not be recognized
A com1ade, however, found in his breast
pocket miniature of his wife, and sent 1t to
her. with an account of his death. 1t turned
out that the body was not that OF Tom e
but u sergeant of another company. Iom,
desperately wounded, fell into the hands OF
the enemy, and was sent TO Andersonville,
where the rebel surgeon cut oil one OF his
arms and one of his legs, and in spite OF bad
fare, he recovered in due time. L never
knew why they kept Tom so long in prison,
except it was for the purpose ol exchanging
him lor sound man.
"When moor Tom returned 10 his home in
Pennsylvania, he was mere wreck OF MS
former self and nobody in the village knew
him. His wife had moved to Illinois with
her parents, more than year previously,
Without making himself known to any oil
his old acquaintances in the village, rom
started for Illinois to hunt for his VILE
When he arrived in the neighborhood where
she was living, he learned that she was mar
| lied to an old friend OF his, who had follow
ed her from Pennsylvania. His first impulse
was to make himself known to her, and to
claim her as his own; but when he saw tue
snug cabin in which she was living, anu
| heard how kindly she was treated by heI
husband, he changed his mind. suppose
| go and claim he, he said 10 himself, now
| can support her, with only one arm and
| one leg. and body weakened by months o.
suffering at AndcrsonvilleP No; she is happy
and contented, and thinks me dead, and
will not destroy her happiness and become
burden TO her.
worked his way TO New York, where he Sc
nm n small business as curbslone merchant
selling nuts, and cakes, and soda water, AM
getting along prosperously. He soon mad
money enough 10 buy him an artificial leg
and after while lie got a patent arm made
and TO sec him walking along the street, yo
would not suppose that he was but lltll
more than half man. - He was good BUS
ness man, and in the course OF year he el
larged his stock in trade and opened regI
lar retail grocery. He made money last, an
became prosperous merchant, respected b
! all who knew him.
"In his prosperity, he never forgot b
wife, aud always cherished hope that 81
J would be restored to him. He was req
; lar subscriber TO the village paper publishe
Mt the town near which his wife lived, an
D read il with great interest. One day he sa
D | i'm this PAPER an announcement OF the deal
= Of the man who had married his wife. /
!, lost no time in starting for Illinois. He four
S his wife In deep mourning for her late hu
/, band, and she lad added another inantl
Q link TO the family circle. Tom made hlms'
known to her, and was rejoiced TO 1nd IN
she still loved him as fondlY as ever. IL W
!, some time before he could convince h
a that he was not ghost returned from Il
other world. In order to make things SUI
the parson was called in, and Tom and
a wife were married over again. They we
to New York, where they are still living,
1i happy a couple as you will lind IN Gotha
If They live in brown stone front, and I
le family, when l saw them, were preparing
u add another little link to its circle.
o. course, they do mot tell everybody abe
Or their family matters, but you can rely. up
ie this story as strictly true. The endlng
lg rather better than that Of Enoch Arden, a
lr think Adams would do good thing If
VS. would depart from the version of TennYso
lie and in the last act get Philip Ray ground
al in his own mill accidentally, Of cours
make moor Enoch step in and enjoy the v
OF and the fortune left behind"
10 "What about the picture of Toms W
sr- found in the pocket of the dead soldier ?,
m "Oh, forgot about that. Tom says wi
he was wounded and left upon the fell
he suaggler came along, and he stopped h
nd Surprising he would bleed 10 death, he
the picture to the straggler, with mess
en- for his wife. The rebel cavalry mad
in charge soon after, and killed the strag
with the picture Of Toms wife in his bos
pa and carried Tom OIL TO Andersonvlue'
ain accounts Tor the picture being being fou
nd and causing everybody TO believe that
,,,n, tiIlod