Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-10-10
NEMSBoY'S ROMANCE.
a Bright Page I'm the History OF Libby
Prison.
0rant CoNnty lWis. } Herald

1Fai SoSnIS lNtS,1 herald,
So many acts of the heartleSSxeSs
aud cruelty during the great civil war
have been recorded that it is real
pleasure to have an opportunity TO
record an act of manly Kindness on
the part of gallant confederate sold
Ter 10 a Yankee boy.
In the town Of Bennington, in the
Green mountains ef Vermont, in the
spring of 1861. there lived poor
widow with six children, five boys
and one girl, the youngest of the
former STRIPPING II years old. When
the wires flashed the news from Wash
ington all over our land that the rebels
had fired upon the old at Fort Sumter,
the four older boys responded 10 the
country's call and hurried TO the seat
of war. The younger lad. his heart
fired with genuine Green mountain
patriotism, ran away frem home, and,
eludlng pursuit, made his way TO the
camp on the Potomac. But his ardor
was somewhat dampened by the dis
covery of the fact that he could not,
in consequence of his youth and
diminutiveness, enlist as soldier.
Determined TO remain at the front,
and having, as the saying is, to oscratch
for living, he went to selling news
papers 10 the soldiers. Leaving the
camp between New Baltimore and
Warrenton about the 10th of Novem
Der, 1862, he went 10 Washington for
a supply of papers. Having accom-
plished his object, the young lad set
out on horseback for the camp, hav-
ing TO travel distance of thirty miles.
a change cf position by the army
during his absence had occurred, and
as a consequence he ran into the rebel
picket line and was taken to Gen. j.
K. b. Stuart'S headquarters, at hotel
in Warrenton, and from there sent
to Libby prison, in Richmond, arriy-
ing there Nov. Is. Maj. Turner was
in command of the prison, and when
the young prisoner was brought into
his presence, observing that he was
mere boy, the major spoke kindly TO
him, and after his name had been en-
rolled, asked him the customary ques-
ton, if he had any money or valuables
about his person. Tho frightened boy
had managed to conceal his money,
$3.50, in his boots, and in answer 10
the question put his hand down, and,
while a tear-drep glistened in his
bright eye and his boyish lip quivered,
he brought it forth and handed it to
the rebel major, and, trj ing hard to
choke down the swelling in his throat,
he told of his widowed mother at
home, his four brothers IN the army,
his having made his money selling
papers, and saving it to send, with his
brothers wages, to his mother. The
major folded the boys passes around
the money and said to him; you
shall have this again, my boy, when
you are permitted to go from hero. )"
Six weeks afterward the lad was
paroled and repairing to Maj. Tur-
ner's Office, the kind officer, handing
handing him the package Of money
and the passes, just as he had received
them, said: Here is your money, my
boy" With again trembling hands,
but joyous heart, the little fellow
took the package. lie was sent to
Washington. and few weeks after
ward was going on his old rousds sell
ing newspapers. The boy was Doc
Aubrey, 1.-THE Newsboy of the Iron
Brigade" who now resides in Mil
waukee, and he gave us these facts
during the late reunion of the Iron
brigade in this city.