The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1879-10-31
THE HIDDEN BRIGADIER.
A Confederate Generals LIFE 0s q Recluse,
ard Ills Discovery by Ills Relatices.

cred living isolated in little stone house,
all by himself, about a mile and half from
Montgomery, between that village and
Remington, near the Marietta Railroad.
The name of this singular individual is
| Gen. w. w. Metcalfe, who served hof FORA
bly, in the Confederate service durin4 the
late war, and lost all his property, ahich
was located in the South, during thi gar.
He was quite wealthy, but the war wopt
away what property he had, and was
left at the age of SO without SO, Z,All
that he had lett was his honor and II {am-
lily. His wife died shortly after the Vklosc
of the war, and he had two daughters left
to him, who arc now married aud live in
Virginia in good circumstances.
About four years ago General Mctcalft
came to Cincinnati to be cured Of diabetes,
complaint that had troubled him since
his retirement from the army service. He
found DR.. w. w. Dawson, aud intrustcd
his case to him. The Doctor expressed
surpris, at meeting him in an impecunious
condition, as he had known him several
years previous. The General said he would
like to get away from all of his associates
He had lost everything during the war,
| and he wanted to settle down somewhere rs
q rcclusC and be forgotten for the time by
all who knew him. The Doctor owneS
farm near Montgomery, and told him, he
could go out and live on the farm and cul.
tivatc it for him. This was in 1875. The
General accepted both the treatment for
his disease and the proposition to cultivate
the Doctors farm. Here he lived for some
time as a common farm huul, under an
| 81, I
out the secret. General Metca!ic made
friends by his uuoStcntatious aud urLauc
manners among the nci"hborS, and labored
| carly and late. After several mouths he
went to work ior another iarmcr in the
ncishborhood named Keller and managed
to conceal his identity ali that time. He
thon went into the employ or W. IL. Willis,
| near by, in the cultivation aud manaycmc
of his farm. He occupied little stone
hut away OFF in u field by himself. Here
he cooked and ate his meals and was un-
known to almost every one around him.
The house he now occupies was formerly
used rs L milk house. 1t is unly a!Su
twelve feet high from the ground, and has
only one room with q little garrct ab,Tc,
with the roof projecting in front at lie
gable end, apd which is i'll 4 very dilapi-
dated condition. The farm house cun-
ncctcd with it was burned to the ground
some tinc ago.
Ills identity was discovered asput three
weeks ago in u singular manucr. From,
what can be icarued from the peov!c who
have convcrsed with lin since his identity
was made known, it appc"rs that the Gen.
cral was born in ilardstowN, Ky, and was
educated at Dany:Ia, Ky. Il. claims Tia.
lie graduated III mathematics ut Lexington,
| Va, under StoMcwali Jackson. About I
| month ago professor in the DaUvillc Col
lcgc went to Montgomery u visit FIX. ~,
| Cor,clyou, the Presbyterian mjniStc.S y
that place, and while there received the
information that Gen. Mctcaie, Il graduate
of Danvilc was living as q r!cluSc Oh Il
farm near the village. Upon his return
to Ranville the professor informed Gen.
AIetcalles brother, who is Il merchant in
| Dauyillc, that he had discovered the where
abouts OF his brother, aud gave him the
name Of Montgomery, Hamilton County,
Ohio, near which place the General ro,
sided
Accordingly, not long nitrrward, letter
vas received by the General from his
| brother, whom he had not seen for several
| Wears. and soon thereafter the General yas
, nUntcd up by one of his married dau2ht'rs.
who lives in Virginia. Since then he E,as
| shown 10 disposition 70 conceal himself, sd
he visits Montgomery almost every day and
convcrSvs with friends connected wilh the
Mas1nic order. lie Is member c. The
| knights Tcmpiar and has unbosomcG hin.
! syli freely TO Nr. Foster Todd, Il grocer
and dry goods merchant OF Nlont&omcry-
| He has expressed desire to tell him about
his past life. Thus far Air. Todd has 10,
availcl himself Of the privilege Of visiting
the General at his hcrmit,lihc rcsrca: Oh
the Willis farm several miles lrom no
where but hl says the General is gentle
man Of intelligence, and convcrScs iIuently
upon al the current topics OF the day. lie
has evidently kept himself well posted up.
on the political topics Of the day, and he
shows by his conversation that he is not be-
hind the times. One Of his nciyhbo.s is
Nv. Hampton, the agricultural implement
dealer in this city, who lives about three.
lnurlhs OF Il mile away. On Sund,Y the
General made Il short call upon Mr.. lllmp.
ton as he WAS passing by, and expressed Il
desire TO have him cali over and see him.
Mr.. Hampton told the General N.ut he must
call and see him first and lc; Him know
where he lived. The General replied that
he would come over and c him aui have
Il long talk with him. He wanted to tell
him what big rebel hc was, and give him
ihc story or his adventures before. durina
and since the war. lie said he was the