Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-12-29
Aztec a sCOaE ~ YEARS
Archibald Leessr Returns 90 HE
Family.

An Elizabeth ~. j. telegram says Ms.
Harriet {. Lesser Il proijsbiy the happirst
woman In this state tonight, for her nus
band. who has been missing Tor twenty
two wears. ale Christmas dinner with hd
and the children, all Of whom are nov
married.
she last heard of her husband IS one Of
Sherman's bummcrS " the famous March
10 the sea. \ cOmr,de sent word thai u
VA. believed that he was killed near At
lapta or captured by the Coniederates.
MIR. Lesser remained faithful To the lad
she married IN old England. and she told
her friends that until she saw proof OF ms
death she would believe ne was alive. Al
noon Yesterday tall and bearded stranger
called at her house and asked for diener.
Mr.. Lesser noticed while she was setting
the table that the strangers dark eyes io'-
lowed her every movement. she became
uneasy, for she imagined thai she ssw
something familiar in his eyes. lie re-
marked that he knew solder named
Archibald Lesser, who served under
General sherman. and that he let VIE
and three little children In syracuse, y. Z.
Mr.. .eeser said that Archibald was her
husbands name. hut that she had been told
over twenty wears ago that he was dead.
Her Youngest child, little girl, who was
her fathers pet, died seven wears ago In this
city, she said. and the last word she spoke
was Papa"
He l. alive" SAID the stranger. spring
ing 10 hi, feet, .ior I am Archibald Lesser,
ana have come back after all the weary
,.or. Wife, don't you know me-"
Mir. Lesser was not sure UNI, tns
stranger named all her children anu toio
.torie, OF their courtship and marriage w
Euc aud, and repeated the last "orh "s
aid to her when hc enlisted.
Last night there wa happy reunion Oh
! ;he father and his two sons. both strapping
biz men. and he told them thrilling story
| Of his strange experiences since ne NJ"
| them PLAYING about the house 10 syracuse
| where be was a machlnlst.
! "In one " the shlrmish near Atlinta
was severely wounded" Lec-sr said, "and
fell into the hands OF the enemy.
.eFor weeks was IN OF brain.feyer, and
when | was able ~ 60 out of doors codld
! not remember anything about my previous
| lie. All was blank 10 me. People told
| me She war wa ended. There was some
thing ! tried 10 remember. but NO nistsof
! how hayd ! tried ! could moi recall any
! thing, Aimlcssly ] wandered about the
! country. folks giving me food ana sneucf
A, they would any harmless iunatie.
Il remember Of working on the kvee %
New orleans and on II plantation near VT
lie Rock. and one day found mysou "
Texas ylllsge. For seven years was co0k
and general servant for 0wDoys, VINO hse
charge OF thousands Of cattle.
=. 4 raid was made upon Us one night w
Mexican renegldes and Indians, and al bun
five Of the seventeen men In our gang were
Killed. The otherr escaped, and ! was eaQ'
tured and taken 10y tie renegades to ~
mountains. where | was servant 90 IL
robbers. slept in a rocky cave In Whtco
a ,cu'-y paced night and day. senior Czsces
wa tbe leader of the band. He was tal'
man. Of yiry build. While was O pria0ae1
h., brought score Of American and 0exf-
can eirl, TO the mountain ss captivess and
held them for -unsom-money. One OF tbe
N,Nlrai elrss. a very handsome woman,
.....,oeu Mrs in the right shoulder with .
popiard one night. She Wa thrown from
F, tall cliff pezt morning. and ] saw Wild
animals eat her bod, IN the rayinc.
Three vesY- ago ! was with band ol
cowboy. in Nm Mexico. having escaped
fr1m th, Mexican. long before. saved
. money. Gi could not remember my name
ar incident. connected with my former lille
seventeen months ago J went ont WIN 1901
Robinson. our leader, who's father Il
+ Newark uhv~ician, 90 round mp our cattle
.Fu..a, w. were driving the cattle INTO cant
/ fr.. -ra,loi "a rifle startled H.. Tell Win
huU.f In wy thigh. and my horse fell Or
mae. ST. heavily that va left for dead. Oui
. men T.r, driven o. The settlement bY Red
He.. and hi. dewitt and one bioodthirstl
Indian took my scalp. crtuuately he wa
clever with hi knife. and only remove.
/ tb, .kin and hair from The top Oi my head
A friendly Indian, who wa Kind 10 me be
cause n, thought the Great spirit made m
. uma,ir. uur,,d H. back 10 life AM
strength. AZ ( recovered my hodil
strength my memory returned SLOWLY.
o.. I'm hy biz adj the events 81 my lIfe sine
nn.lood came back 90 me. II was strange
w,,er. that my marriage and the event
II tb, va! we're % blank Tor several week.
Ou, ul.bt aWokc with q clear BRAN an
IN possession Of al my senses. ha
dreamed 0i my ~yraru>e home and lUtl
orr.. Then ] began to thnk Of ms WI
. and children, and I wrote 10 syracuse.
b answer came. Then wrote 10 old friend
ih,re. / did not ret y,p'y. Then WEI
= / 100 Nevada civ. where / had money
. / bank. applied for pension, ana got u sit
months ~ waiting r $40, when lneiuh'
nineteen months pay - orderly -ergesn
3 Which bad not drawn.
l -Four month, ago ] s0id oui my shal
: ig ia, NeW Mexico cattle for . snug 81
/. and started last 10 ind my wife and Ell
/ dr,n. ! Wa about 10 give mp The scare
Z ah,n J met q man from. Elizabeth 10
I .eioon IN New York. and be told me abo
, widow Lesser IN thi- city, and so ! ms
AGED Ia tiua YOU all.