Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-10-12
A NEMsBOY,s ROMANCE.
a Bright Page in the History of Libby
Prison


So many acts of heartlessness and
cruelty during the great civil war have
been recorded, says the Grant County
{ WIS., Herald, that it is a real pleasure
to have an opportunity to record an act of
manly kindness on the part of a gallant
Confederate soldier to a Yankee boy.
In the town of Bennington, in the Green
Mountains of Vermont, In the spring of
1851, there lived poor widow with six
children, five boys and one little girl, the
youngest of tue former STRIPPING IA years
old. When the wires flashed the news
from Washington all over our land that
the Confederates had fired upon the old
flag at Fort Sumter the four older boys
responded to the cOuntry's call and
hurried to the seat Of war. The younger
lad, his heart fired with genuine Green
Mountain patriotism, ran away from
home, and, eluding pursuit, made his
way to the camp on the Potomac.
But his ardOr was somewhat dampened
by the discovery Of the fact that he
could not, in consequence OF his youth
and diminutiveness, enlist as a soldier.
Determined to remain at the front, and
having, as the saying is, to scratch for
living, he went to selling newspapers to
the soldiers. Leaving the camp between
New Baltimore and Warrenton about Nov.
10, 1862, he went to Washington for sup
ply of papers. Having accomplished his
object, the young lad set out on horseback
for the camp, having to travel distance
of thirty miles. A change of position by
the army during his absence had occurred,
and, as a consequence, he ran into the
Confederate 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 arriving
there Nov. 10. Maj. Turner was in COM
mand 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 enrolled, asked him the
customary question, if he had any money
or valuables about his person. The
frightened boy had managed to conceal
his mOney-$3S0-in his boots, and in
answer to the question put his hand down,
and. while a tear-drop glistened IN his
bright eye and his bOyish lip quiYered, he
brought it forth and handed it to the
Major, and, trying hard to choke down
the swelling in his throat, he told of his
widowed mother at home, his four broth
ers 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:
s'You shall have this again, my boy,
when you are permitted to go from here"
Six weeks afterward the lad was pa
rolled, and repairing to Major Turner's Of
fee, the kind officer, handing him the
package of money and the passes, just as
he had received them, said: "Here is
your money, my boy" With again trem-
bling hands, but d joyous heart, the little
fellow took the package. He was sent to
Washington, and few weeks afterward
was going on his old rounds selling news
papers. The boy was "DOc" Aubrey,
1.-THE Newsboy of the Iron Brigade" who
now resides in Milwaukee, and he gave
us these facts during the late reunion of
the Iron brigade in this city.