The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1876-04-29
For THE CARBON ADVOCATE.
Leaflets from the Memorandum of an
Old Soldier,

For THE CARBON ADVOCATE.
Leaflets from the Memorandum of an
Old Soldier.
He was an officer belonging TO a
Pennsylvania Volunteer organization.
SO did / at The time referred to, al
though, in virtue of my commission,
and the further fact Of holding special
appointment at Corps Headquarters, /
was not only the ranking, but prid-
ed myself on being the more influen-
tial officer vt the two. Still, we were
good friends, and had been such from
early manhood-in fact ever since we
had first become acquainted, and that
was then some fifteen or eighteen years
ago. He was newly married man
in fact his honey moon had hardly end
ed when he enIsted-I an aimless, god
forsaken widower TO whom It could
matter but little where he might be, and
who to such a feeling as home. sickness
was perfect stranger. Different was
1t with my friend, the Lieutenaut-and
what more natural, since every missive
he received from the loved ones at
home must have had tendency to sof-
ten his heart-his brain too, perhaps.
1t was during the winter that Burnside
was trying his hand at commanding the
Army of the Potomac, and during the
interval between the fiasco at Freder-
icksburg and the succession of that best
OF all army-commissiarie -"Fighting
Joe." Camp-life began to grow irk-
some, and large numbers of men, from
sheer want Of more active employment,
became prey of that dreadful disease
"Ophthalmia" among the rest my
friend, although he stoutly denied the
fact by ascribing his sunken cheeks
and general debility to an affliction of
lungs. and regularly as the sick-call
was sounded could he be seen wander.
ing his way to the surgeons tent for
his share of medical advice and atten-
tion. Yet, although he grew worse
more feeble and emaciated--he continu-
ed to combat all intimations of home-
sickness. 7 pitied him from the very
bottom Of my heart and. provided he
were willing, could, owing tn my per.
sonal influence at "Head- Quarters"
have easily secured him limited leave
Of absence But in his case / found it
more difficult to befriend him than to
refuse the most urgent opportunities
of others. He was one of those that
would not be comforted at least not
while the doctor and l should plo.
nounce his ailment case of ophthal.
mia. To obtain his consent for an ap.
plication for leave, resort to 'strat-
eey" was all that was left us. In other
words, the doctor agreed to 'dose"
him, IL would belabor his mind, and
no sooner was this course agreed upon
than at 1t we went. In less than
week my friend was sick enough sure,
and by dint of my own exertions his
frame of mind such as to insure his
consent to almost anything provided
we dropped the name of what we con-
sidered his true malady. When assured
by the disciple of Esculapius that his
days on earth were numbered, he con-
sented to go home, and no sooner had
he said so than my friend, the doctor,
made out his application in due form,
and, having obtained the patients sig
nature to the same, placed 1t into my
care for proper and speedy action. In
less than two hours my errand was ac-
complished, and the documents, prop
erly approved" by the Medical Direc-
tor of the Corps, again In the hands of
the surgeon. My next care was to
properly prepare the patient for his
trip, which, with the assistance of his
servant, was accomplished in very
short time, and, just as we were mount
ed, the doctor came along and handed
him the "leave," that was to take him
north of the Potomac. Now my "sick"
friend had never been suspected of over
much "learning" nor was he supposed
to know aught of medical phraseology,
bat hardly had he opened his "leave"
(from which the surgeon had neglected
to remove a copy of the original appli.
cation, In which his sickness was styled |
ophthalmia) than he dsmounted, and,
tearing the documents into hundred |
shreds, exclaimed : "If you think am
one of them fellers, you're plaugedly
mistaken. I'll be id ii go now %
Nor did he. He stayed, and In less
than two weeks was as we'll and hardy |
ae ever. And not only this, but he re-
mained until the war was ended, and |
him about the time of its close
at Nashville, had the honor and pleas
ure to salute in my former patient the |
Major Of the -th Pennsylvania Volun-
teers. w. S.