The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-05-08
VA. MONDAY MORNING. NAY s. .7llys;Tlr' 71ls7l.1'
Enc Last ofaI.ee,sf ve,a.,,,,..s;7,s -
ward Reund-Hfs Experience na,.,e. - ~
North ,sfnce the war. - 'ne me

Enc Last OF Lees vetara,,,;;7 go
Mafd ReGnd-Hfs Expersenca a..,e' ~ .,' :
North Since the war. ~ "a ''ne 'aIlee 9
TRfIhPINa ~ PING From PHILADELPHIA TO =.
fg,..F. i; ~ f.. VVANHAH. = ...f.-".,4
More than six years haye nassaa s,,o,
the surrender of the Army Of Nrr+hn,', 9,nse
Virginin. and the last soldier eof FIAT '.,a..
rious cid body has just now reaehaa h;s
home In the far South. The history of this
old soldier since the close of tho war ia h,p
no means lacking in interest, and the story
OF the scenes through which he has 1,asseaa
(as 1t has been narrated to- the Writar1
shows his experience to have been yariefi
and exciting. There are, perhans, ! farp
men who fought on either side who conJa
have endured the sufferings, both mental
and physical, which fell to the lot OF tbia
old hero, and certainly not one who eo1,Jd
have endured them all with greater forti-
tude or with more determined spirit. p q
-! EDWARD wINN1NGHAm. ~ S
is the name of our veteran. He enlisted in
the Furguson battery of artillery from Sa-
vannah, Georgia, and served under the
command Of Lieutenant Beaureeard. n
brother of the General. Coming to Vir.
ginia, and being put under the command
of General Lee, the company fought in all
the. battles which marked the history of
that army. at The second cattle of Manas-
sasfW fnningham was snot in the face, the
ball passing through, bis, cheek, shattering
his jaw fearflllly-indeed, marring the
whole conformation of his face. One BY
one the poor fellows teeth came out, and
for a long time his surgeon believed them
to be -piecesof bone; but-the nature of the
wound proved to the contrary afterwards.
Lying on the battlefield! and unable
through the agony which he suffered to get
back to his friends, he was captured, taken
to Philadelphia, and =! @ T'y.s.1 rs. g..
% PLACED IN A HOSPITAL. ..l
under the charge of DR.. Wood, of the
United States army. To this gentleman
and his nurse the war-worn soldier seemed
to be particularly attached, and spoke in
glowing terms of the kindness received at
their. hands, The surgeon, after learning
the nature of his wound, gave up, the case
as hopeless but the man was determined
not to die, and firm in this resolve he kued.
From time to time large numbers of our
prisoners were exchanged and Joined their
own army, but Winningbam's condition
was such that DR.. Wood deemed it prudent
to retain him, anG there he remained until
the surrender on the 10th of April, 1865,
when, if he had been able, he would have
been allowed to leave for his home on pa
role, rs were his comrades in the field. In
the mean time, - -. -
BIS WIFE, ~.
who had been unable to reach him on ac- |
count of her poverty, remained in SaYah- |
nah until twelve months ago, when her |
heart, bent upon seeing him again, she de-
termined to make o final effort to reach |
Philadelphia. Through the kindly aid Of
IN Episcopal minister, of whose congrega |
tion she was 4 member, the necessary funds !
were raised and she started in search of fhim. |
Finding the hospital, she was soon well |!
meeting can be better imagined than de- |
scribed. There they remained-she nurs- |
ing him, and paying those delicate atten-
tions which can only come from loving |
woman's hands-until about ten days ago,
when he determined to make the attempt TO |
RETURN TO HIS NATIVE STATE
and to those whom he loved, in spite Of his |
wound, which, after so long a time, was |
vet unhealed. But for man who had been
fed for more than two years through quill |
such tramp seemed almost impossible.
The day set apart for the commencement |
of their journey arrived, however, and |
their first walk was to have been to Will |
miBgton, Del, but the officers OF the COM
pany passed the two free Of charge to that |
city. at Wilmington they were given |
transportation to Baltimore, through the |
kindness of the Mayor of the former city. |
Arriving in Baltimore, the two travellers |
were out of funds, but fur from being out |
of spirits, for tney remembered too we'll
the State in which they were. In the Mon |
umental City they were cared for by the |
police ut one of the stations, and the writer |
of this notice knows we'll the generous
spirits of some of those men. The next |
stage of their journey was to Washington. |
70 this city, too, the happy couple were
sent free, through the instrumentality Of
Mayor Banks, OF Baltimore.
And now, having been thus far success
full on his journey, and having reached
TIE CAPITAL OF THE NATION,
the Confederate soldier thought that his
chances for securing transportation from
The Quartermaster-General to his home at
the expense of the Government quite good,
and accordingly visited that functionary.
But his antlclpationS were not realized, for
General Meigs at once turned the case over
TO the Secretary of War, and directed Mr.
Winningham to the office of that person.
aye. After the usual delay he was ushered
into his office, and there stated his buSl-
ness. But 1t was of no avail, for MIR. Sec
retary Belknap, after learning that lie had
fought in the Confederate army, told the
poor soldier that the Government could
give no such person transportation, and
Cnat he had . ..s
"BETTER GO TO HIS REBEL FRIENDS FOR
THEIR AID,"
and perhaps they would send him home.
Leaving the office with q sad heart, he was
accosted by.a negro who appeared TO be ON
Il in Itu NH i'm
dryidual asked hum how he could expect
the Government he had fought against to
send him home. 10 this and other insult
ing questions the soldier replied by saying
that at thai place he could not answer the
fellow rs he deserved, but outside he would
cool him off etfectually; and furthermore,
he wished for another war, that he might
teach him his place and how to keep it.
Refused aid from the Government, the
two pilgrims footed it from Washington to
Alexandria, the husband sore and weary
and the wife sick at heart and Well nigh
broken down. From Alexandria they Went
to Gordonsville by rail, being under obli-
cations to the mayor or Alexandria Tor the
free ride. AT Gordonsviiie,
NTHE HEART oF THE OLD DOMINION,
he felt sure that he could get a rideto Rich
lnond, but he was disappointed in learning
that there was no officer there who could
grant bis request. So they walked to Rich
inond. Near the Doth mile-post the two
stopped ut a farmhouse to rest, and here
they were Hospitality entertained. Their
host was i. Mr.. Thompson, who kept them
all night, and in the morning supplied them
with everything necessary for their COM
fort, and started them Oh. their journey.
From that point to this city they travelled
without an incident worthy OF note.
1t was on tuesday night last, at 8 o'clock,
that the weary travellers reached the former
CAPITAL OF THE CONFEDERATE STATES.