Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-01-03
A VETERAN wAIF.
Tho Strange story Told by Harvey
0suaOd of Portland. NHe.

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Tho Strange story Told by Harvey
OsgOOd of Portland, We.
One Of those strange erratic wandering
characters, relics Of the Mexican war and
OF the war Of the rebellion, whose many
years Of military service aa o private in
the regular army of the United States
would, one would suppose, entitle him to
some safe harborage In their later years,
wandered into the police station yester-
day for the purpose of paying Major
Swiggett visit.
Harvey P. osgood of Portland, Me-,
over go years Of age almost magazine
OF bullet and shell wounds received dur
ing the two great wars referred to, is one
OF those types, now fast disappearing, of
nomadio Independence and rooted dislike
for settled restricted existence as a reg
ular pensioner Of the government. But he
is now becoming too deoropit for the
wandering life he loves and is on route for
the Soldiers Home in Washington.
0sgood was the centre Of an interested
group OF listeners az he detailed his
graphic personal experiences Of the Mexi-
can border. He was a drummer in the
Second United States Dragons in l643
The following historic names commanded
his regiment: Albert Sydney johnson.
colonel; Robert E. Lee, lieutenant
colonel, and Joseph Longstreet, major.
The regiment belonged to General
Zachary Taylor's corps. He was pro-
noted from the position OF drummer boy
to that of private at the same time that
Ulysses Grant received his captaincy.
Daring the War Of the Rebellion,
throughout which he served as regular
and not as volunteer, he was captured at
Yicksburg and sent to AndefsonVille. Re
bears the mark OF q buiiet-Wound from
the pistol Of the notorious prison COM
mandant Wirz. During the time OF Max
imiiian's attempt TO capture the Mexican
throne Osgood was captured on the Mex-
lean border by juarez's soldiers He was
present at the execution Of the unfortunate
Macmillan June l9lh, 1867, at Quare-
taro. Through the fundamentally of
United States Consul Foster he was re-
leased and sent under escort to Mata-
morRs. Unfortunately, however, Osgood
as we'll as his escort were captured by
''greasers" while on the road 10 the river
port where he was promised his liberty.
The bandits marched him on TO their
Businesses in the Sierra Madre mountains
where hs was kept with close watch for 20
years. He escaped only last June. His
stories OF life among the robbers are
stranger than fiction itself. He is thor
oughly acquainted With the Spanish dia-
ieot spoken Dy the greasers. Their only
excuse for OBTAINING him so long was the
great use he was to them as an interpre.
ter. They often took him with them in
their niarauding expeditions which ex.
tended from the highlands Of Central
america to the confines OF old Mexico
One of the numerous wounds with
which Osgond is afflicted is OF such o No.
ture that he cannot taksthe train, tha JOLT
ing would give serious injury. He carries
about with him pellets OF arsenic Of
which he partakss to counteract the
effects of large Mexican escopette bullet
lodged III his stomach He has four other
bullets distributed about his person
From the instep TO the toes his left foot is
shot off. There are dozen more wounds
about his body.
Osgood received kind remembrances
from Daniel Ross, William T. swisgttt
and other veterans, and then tramped out
on the Newport road to visit the soldiers
Of the g. A, Il. post in that place.