The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1890-02-20
CAMPFIRE STORIES.
REMOVE THE STAIN,
The unlust Charge Of peseFtion Against
Faithful soldier,


Faithful hoidier
How shall Il be that a romance OF love
and glory-the pretty albeit sad story OF
young soldier and his brde-ahall find
place In tho dull documents and grave
considerations OF the aenateg
II remained Tor Senator Wilson, OF
Iowa, as plain and practical man as
tho Senate holds 10 demonstrate thia
possibility, Among other dry mattera
he introduced q bill 10 remove tho
charge OF desertion against George w,
llardwiok OF Red Oak, Montgomery
County Iowa, seldom has more
grieyoua wrong boon inflicted upon u
brave, good mani seldom has more
touching biz Of liie history boon told
than Ia contained In the recital Of this
bill,
In tho spring Of 1881, when tho civil
war began, George w, llardwiok waa q
boy Of sixteen living with his parents ~
Bedford, Lawrence County Ind ilo
was even then The lover Of q girl school
mate, and when yielding 10 tho e.thu'
eiasm that swept tho North At tho hrat
call Of troops Tho boy started with mus
ket and lnapsaok for tho front, h0 loft
behind him tho pledge that n ho ro'
turned alive there should DO little
wedding In the town, For more than
two years, through fold and blood, bat
tlo and biyouao wounds and disease,
young HardwIck, with all tho roHponal'
bilitlea OF q man, followed the brilliant
fortune Of the army OF the Tennessee,
Whom at last VIokahurg had fallen and
his first enlistment had expired, tho sol
dior boy hurried homo 70 keep tho prom
lse ho had made and remembered
through all these montha,
Tho invitations OF wife and home,
however could not Withstand the mar
tlal thirst aroused In him, and he soon
ro-enlisted, entering the Forty-thlrd In
diana volunteer infantry regiment llo
was hold for aomo months upon dun
duty at indianapolis, but NJ last was or
dorod forward 10 tho support OF Grant
In the closIng operations about Rich
mond, Tho little wiio heard Of hia inn
pending departure, and as she was then
In the weakness Of approaching mother
hood she wrote him 10 come and COM
fort her with o last farewell, The brave
young husband presented this plea 70
his Captain, and was given permission
~ spend tho hyo days remaining, orc
tho rogimont should move, 10 perform
this duty Of love and humanity llo
haatonod on horseback, two days rld0
TO Bedford, aud with q tenderness, read
NY 10 bo understood, entered his homo.
That night, as ho sat by the girl, so soon
20 feel the solemn omphNsia Of woman
hood, muskot butts rang upon the door
gill, and provost guard, securing tho
country Tor dcsortora, poured In, They
aolzod him, and aa tho wifo writos In hor
ailldaylt, "dOspIto my toara and entrea-
ties they took him away"
Back 10 indianapolis In disgrace young
Hordwick was lod, and thore charged
with dolortion, but was mover brought
10 trial Ina few daya no was hurried
10 the scat of war with his regiment, 10
bo lost for weeks and monthu In tho tro.
mondous event Of that last campaign
until Lee aud bis brave men had boon
fought to n stand-stlll, tho magnificent
Army Of tho Potomac passed up Pom.
sylvanla avenue In tho Capital OF tho
triumphant nation, out Of muster and
into history, Few soldiora had q moro
worthy o genuinely illustrlous record,
than tho lad who had from tho frst shot
OF tho war; through four years Of loading
and firing, 10 tho last retiring yolloy OF
tho foe, served without hlnohing, almost
without pause,
Nevertheless, in tho confusion Of tho
timos, tho charge OF dosertion ut In.
dlanapolis was unorasod, his subsequent
service was overlooked, and tho record
OF dosortor fled upon him IN tho
National archives Of tho war A little
whilo ago, HardwiclS, who has removed
with his family 10 Iowa, heard that
money was duo his class OF soldiers, Ho
inquired and was stunned toloarn OF his
recorded disgrace. Ho now petitions
for redress, Not the least sad Of tho
features Of this case Is tho sworn doclar.
alton Of his wifo's, that her health was
shattered by hor grief and excitement
upon tho night Of her husbands violent
aud unjust seizure, and that the girl
baby soon Aitorward born TO her and
still surviving, oamo into tho world with
nervousness and frailty Of body from
which she has never recovered. Wash
Loning poat