The National tribune., 1889-10-17
A Discharged Soldier KIIlra Near RaliImor.

A Discharged Soldier Killed Near Baltimore.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Not all of the
heroic aud pathetic incidents Of our civil war
took place upon the battlefield Picket-post
ana hospital-bed have witnessed many a scene
Of SORROW aud heroism which has never been
recorded save by the hand Of Him whose eye
notes even the fall Of the sparrow. ! wish TO
tell you OF a soldier who met violent death
solitary aud alone, far from scenes Of actual
warfare, yet also far from home aud friends.
From NoTember, 60, til the last oil May, 63,
my company was guarding the long irestle-
work bridge across Back River, Md, six miles
northeast Of Baltimore, on the Philadelphia,
Baltimore d Wilmington Railroad. On the
evening of the 9th of April the northbOund
passenger train stopped aud put of a soldier at
our camp, which was near the railroad The
soldier had been discharged at Washington aud
Was on his way home. but had taken road
different from that on which he had ticket;
hence the conductor put him of at the frst
available place. The evening WAS dark aud
gloomy, and the man was pressed to stay over
night at our camp; but no, he was aux Ous To
be On his way. and would walk back To Baiti-
more and take an early train out. He APP
peared weak and sick, bat insisted upon going
back.
The next morning a freight train going
nortLwaTd passed our camp about roll-cali,
aud brakeman shouted from the top OF a car
that one Of our men Was lying dead in the
ditch about two miles down tho track towards
Baltimore Several men were Immediately de-
tailed. among whom was the writer and, under
the command Of First Lieut.. Blanchard, went
TO the spot. At that place the road ran through
cut several feet deep We found the man
| lying on bis face, his head partly in the water
Of the ditch, his feet extending upward on the
bank. arms outstretshed upon the gravel, and
| has body lying at nearly right angles with the
road. Lieut. blanchard turned the body over
! and we saw 10 was the man who was put off
/ the train the night before. The upper left
side OF bis head was crushed in, or rather sliced
| off aud the brains entirely gone For two
rods more the brains were sirewn in punches
along the track-a ghasfly sight He WAS a
short, stout man, with thick, bushy beard. In
! searching the remains we at first found nothing
| bat a tiDtype Of lady aud little child, his
| ticket 10 Boston, little money, aud letter
| from his wife.
The letter was dated at Boston few days
previous. She was expecting him home and ex-
| pressed her joy that he had been discharged, and
! what good times they would have when he got
home. The name On the envelope was John
! Morgan, and he belonged TO "A Massachusetts
| regiment, but do not remember the number.
| We took the body TO an adjoining field, aud after
more thorough search found his discharge
| aud $50 IN greenbacks fastened underneath his
| drawers just below the knee. Our officers sent
the body 70 the city, and / believe il was for
! wardcd, with the money, 20 The poor woman
whose fond antieipations had received such a
| terrible blow.
How he came TO his death we never knew.
We could only conjecture that in some way or
other he was struck by train. We thought
he might have fallen in a fainting fit, or per.
haps sat down upon the track 10 rest aud fallen
asleep. Foul play was hinted at also. The way
was lonely and the people Of the vicinity were
hostile 10 Federal soldiers. have often thought
Of this mans sad fate, aud the great sorrow OF
that wife 20 whom the homecoming must have
been so DREADFUL. Ill. SAWYER, Co. Is, 18th
Conn, Kcmpt0n, Ill.