The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-07-24
WELLsBURG.
The story OF the soldiers Return
After sixteen Years Absence
Contradicted. .-..

Coniradicied.
WrLLsBuRe, July q.
corsspopdsDe Q oi the IntsIlissper.
The steubenvills Gasetts publishes an
article which we see reproduced in the
Wheeling Evening Standard Of July 20
with the following title or head lines:
"REruRN AFrER SIXTEEN YEARS"
A wellsburg man who went to war
and was mourned Is dead by his friends,
returns home. BE fnds bis wife unlike
Enoch Arden, all hunkey, one Of his
daughters in steubenyille bad house
and the other in the same business at
Cleveland"
There are no names mentioned in the
article referred TO, but our citizens know
full we'll who The parties are, referred to
by the GGsette, and the article and some
other names have caused no little talk in
our midst, for reasons apparent to every
thoughtful Wellsburger, We will, for
the present at least, refrain from
giving names. Well what about. III
Why, the soldier spoken oi, but not
named, enlisted in Company B, First
Virginia Volunteer Infantry, afterwards
the First West Virginia Volunteer In
iantry. He proved true 10 the obligation
that he took upon himseli, and was q
trusty soldier. On the 1lth day ot Sep
tember, 1858, at Moore6eld, W. Va, fiye
companies OF the First Weat Virginia
Volunteer Infantry (of which company B
wa one) were surprised and the
majority Of them taken prisoners,
among whom Was the now 50 reported
returned soldier. The prisoners were
marched 10 Staunton, thence by rail 10
Richmond. Remaining in Libby Prison
about forty.eight hours, they were placed
on Belle Isle, there TO await an exchange.
The fret exchange or parole Of prisoners
made In which those on Belle Isle had
any part after the llth OF September, 1865,
took place on March 9Th and 9Th, 1854.
Some time in the winter this soldier We
are speaking Of, became very sick and
did not wish to leave his comrades and
20 10 the hospital. There were accommo.
dations OF some kind on the Island for
light cases Of sickness, but all severe or
chronic patients were sent 70 Richmond.
After many days Of careful nursing by
his comrades, with such means rs they
could command, the soldier finally yield
ed 10 the suggestions oil those about him,
and consented TO be taken "out TO the hos.
pital." His complaint proved 10 be
chronic diarrhea Of the worst type which
had reduced him until he was almost en-
tlrely helpless, being unable 10 walk. He
was carried 70 the hospital tent on the
island, there he bid farewell to his COM
rades aud told one Of them specially 70
inform his wife OF his fate-that he would
die. That was the last ever seen ol him
BY his comrades. He was man much
devoted 10 his family; sent them his
wages, and never showed the least symp-
toms Of ever becoming an Enoch
Arden. On the contrary he was
Of that disposition that in the
language Of his comrades "If the Con.
iederacy had sent him TO Egypt he would
have come back il he had TO walk all the
way, you could not have kept him away
from his family after he would have got
ont OF the army" He never came back.
His widow applied for and received from
the government pension. There might
be q possibility that the man recoy-
cred and is'aliye, but It IL not probable
considering all the circumstances. Your
correspondent was with him and assisted
in carrying him out Of the prison and was
one among the last Of his comrades that
saw him alive, and We are, along with
all who were there aud know the partic.
ulara Of the case, Of the opinion that the
man died at Richmond soon alter leaving
the island.
But 10 and behold wonders and rumors
will never ceAse. Just in day or two
after The article appeared In the GGsette,
comes man in our midst and asserts
thu. he knew the selisame man spoken OF
by the Gp:ttie, in the State Of California,
and that he saw him die; that be left s
considerable fortune 10 be divided between
his wife and one Of his sisters. And again
two Of our citizens were in Steubenyille
on Saturday Last on business, and they
were told that this returned soldier was
in the city, and he and one Of his daugh-
,ers were boarding At 4 private house:
The soldier has not been here; ii he hsd
the Ga,stte would not have informed Us
Of II, as all the town would have seen and
known for themselves. And not until those
who were with the soldier and knew him
best zee him in the flesh, will they believe
him alive2 And the evidence will have
TO be very much stronger and doubly
proven beyond any possible doubt, that
be died in California. May our depart
ed comrsde who gave his life for his
country be allowed TO rest In peace, a.
this 10 The second or third time that be
has been brought to life and his name
parsded before the public. G,B.c.