Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-12-19
A STRANGE STORY.
Robert IIaskins Beeamc a Cenfede-
rate Soldier in 1862 and Lost All
Traces of His Vile Until Recently,
and is Looking for Her Now.

and is Looking for her Now.
Robert Haskins, his wife and one
son lived near the line of Shelby
County, Kentucky, IN January, 1862.
His farm consisted of rs acres. In
June of that year Haskins enlisted in
the Confederate service under Capt.
Ed Bell. His neighbors also enlisted.
The result was that in that immediate
vicinity there was colony of kus-
ban6ltss wives and fatheriess child
ren. Aroving band of thieves organ
lied and began depredations in that
section. Mrs. Haskins becoming
alarmed removed to Estill County,
where her cousin lived. Her nearest
neighbors being wives of Federal
soldiers, she did BOT confide her pur-
pose to them, but wrote q short letter
to her husband. telling him her
reasons for going, her destination,
etc, and intrusted it to the care OF
a furlough At that time, and who was
member OF the same company as
Haskins and lived in the same part of
the country. Bremen was made
prisoner before he reached camp, and
was kept in prison over a year, and
the letter of course, WIS never deliver
ed.
When Haskins came home to visit
his wife, in February, 1868 he found
MS house deserted, and no one could
tell him of the whereabouts of his
beloved Lelpmeet and his little boy.
He made every possible inquiry for
her, but finally gave up in dispair
and returned to the army broken
hearted man. At the close of the
war Haskins wandered aimlessly
about for two years, aud finally set
tied down to keeping a small grocery
store in Pleasant Hull, Mo-, and there
he stayed until about two weeks ago,
when he decided to visit 'Old Ken
lucky" once more. Af.cr spending
some days with relatives and old com
rades-at-arms in other parts of the
state ne landed last week in the viciu-
ity OF his residence Ia 1862. and yes
terday evening he met J. Rremer,
who had been living In the edge of
Shelby County since 1867. Bremen,
ii talking over ''old times" remem-
bered about the letter given him by
Mrs. Haskins, and, strange to say, had
preserved it, and, after searching for
some tine among some old papers,
found it and delivered it to the dunn
founded Haskins, after having it in
his possession twenty-five years.
Mr.. Haskins was Ia Frankfort
Monday morning on his way to Estill
Country in search of mis- wife and son.
He stated that he was dangerously
wounded at the battle OF Fort Pillow,
Tenn ;. in April, 1864. and all his
friends, Bremen among the rest, in
Kentucky thought he was killed, and
he says that is the reason Bremen
made no effort to see Mrs. HaskIns or
himself. He feels almost sure that
be will find his son alive and well,
and doubts very much whether his
wife is still living. He looks 10 be
about 55 years old, and his hair and
beard are almost white. He showed
friena the letter written in
1862, whicn was noth-eatea and
scarcely legible, some words being en-
t.r.ly gone. He says he did not know
that his wife had cousin IN Estill
County, and, OF course, never thought
of looking for her there. 1t is a
strange Csc and one hard to believe,
bat he says every word of the above is
gospel truth.