New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-02-22

down South to hunt Stephen up. But ]
prevailed upon him at last to start with me
He was not calculated to 60 through with
what we had to 60 through with. His
nat ure was little hard, too, against your
people, seeing the oceans of blood they had
shed in trying to break up the Union, and
ne could not every day help from showing
il, which gave us trouble after getting in
side your lines. And besides, he was q
very old man and not able to stand the
fatigue and hardship which we had to
endure. So he died month before last, and
am continuing the search all alone.
The only eigns that this strange little
woman gave of any feeling when mention
ing her husbands death were somewhat
peculiar. The brightness of her eyes was
increased to remarkable extent, so that
they shone like two diamonds, and that
bearded chin of hers twitched and finched,
but her voice was still soft and even, and
she never lost the slightest bit of her calm
ness.
II have been all through Virginia and
North Carolina, and have in one way or
another visited every prisoner confined
there, but so far have not found my sen.
But at Salisbury saw soldier who said
that he knew Stephen had been killed at
Antietam-had helped to bury him."
"Why, madam" interrupted I, "that
should have convinced you of the hopeless
| mess Of your search"
NO" sadly replied she. ut did not. !
| can not be convinced of that, for I have
prayed to God to take from me this belief,
if it be not well founded, and each day it
grows stronger within me. MY boy lives,
sir, as sure as l am here before you, and
come to ask that you will grant me per-
NIT to visit the different prisons in your
jurisdiction where your prisoners Of war are
confined"
This permit could not be granted. Gen
eral - was particularly savage on this
subject, as there had been several escapes
during the past few months. And how did
l KIN ow that this old woman was not spy
and an alder and abettor in effecting such
escapes? ] told her 80; but still she per-
sisted in urging the request, until prom
ised to bring the matter before the General
in person. Of course he refused, and even
spoke of ordering her arrest She only
sighed YEARLY when che received this reply.
and left my Office.
But she did not leave that part of the
country for several weeks. And when she
did 60 felt sure that she had not done so
before she had found the means of visiting
each prison in the department.
Months afterwards I saw her aapin in
Georgia. and she greeted me with the same
mournful, wearied smile. She was still on
her pilgrimage, she told me, having never
yet btained information of her con. She
was then about to start for the Trans Mis-.
sissippi country. as she had been told that
we had . large humber of prisoners at
Tyler, in Texas. When told that her son
could cot be among them, as they had all
been captured west Of the Mississippi river
since t he battle Of Antietam, she would re-
ply:
Who knewss I will only believe he is
dead when have been everywhere, and
seen all the prisoners you have"
And she travelled on.
History was made fast those days.
Events enough were crowded into weeks to
have suficed for decades Of years. And
immersed in the busy whirlpool of such Q
time, q man soon forgot incidents, which at
others would have been the subject of much !
thought.
Therefore, in spite Of the fact that had !
been much interested, at the time, in this /
old lady, and had been much moved by her
silent, fearless grief, had forgotten all
about her in five months more, when I was
ordered down to Texas, 70 report to the
General there. for special
duty.
1t was within few miles Of Dallas that I
,aught up with . CARRIAGE CON tanning a
lick female, attended by an old negro,
lraggi ng their weary way on amid the heat
md dust ! rode up beside the carriage,
md on looking in saw that il was Mrs.
Nheelock, whom ! Immediately recognized
md saluted.
Il do not know how 10 is, Colonel" said
he, "but am pretty near worn out all Of
udden. Perhaps its the heat OF the food,
nut ! seem to have lost my hope as well az
~ strength. / begin to believe now that
tephen must be dead, which ] never did
efore. Is it not strange! 1t came upon
ne all of sudden last Wednesday lit was
hen Saturday, and ! have had no heart
lnce Yes, my son must be dead, and I
nil never see him again. So I am going to |
tart back home to Bath as soon as get
trong enough. Do you think there would
Q any use in my going to the battlefield of |
ntietam and trying to discoAer the place ,
here he was buried!
! told her it was possible that she might
3 able to trace the spot where her son had
cen buried, but only by way of consola-
on, for saw that she would never live to
ZACH the borders even Of Texas, al death
I'd set his mark upon that singular face.
Her monomania had left her upon the
ar approach of death. The hallucination
hich had kept her constantly wandering
ON place to place for these long, long two
'ars no longer existed, and she would die, = =
at was certain. O
A mile or two further Oh we came to q {
rm house, and J prevailed upon Mrs. =
heelock to stop there until she grew h
rong enough to travel further.
The people Of this house informed me that {
ey had only few days before buried q . .
ranger who had boarded with them for G,
me time. He represented himself to be O
disc arged soldier, having been disabled a.
wound through his lungs, which had :,
'ally caused his death. But upon exam. N
ing his papers after his death fhev had ! "