The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1890-04-11
A War Veteran She.

A recent Columbus dispatch stated
that application had been made to the
Adjutant General for the discharge pa
pers OF John r. Summer, 1881 Ohio Iu-
fantry. The Adjutant General has thus
far been unable to ind the desired pas
pers, and it may be that some mistake
was made in giving or recording the
names. The fact is beyond dispute tn at
a person answering to that description
performed useful and valiant service
during the war, aud the person so de-
scribed is Mrs. j. c. Bailey. For a
quarter Of a century she has concealed
the facts, and is only moved to reveal
them now oy failing health. and the
urgency of the pension she is endeav-
oring to get with the aid of prominen
Grand Army men. Mrs. BIiley's stor y
is as follows:
At the breaking out of the war she
was visiting friends at Sheffield. Eng =
land, and started for her home at Rich =
mond, Va, on hearing or the trouble.
She was the owner of considerable
property, and when she reached home
found her two brothers taking care of it
as best they could under the circum-
stances. Mrs. Bailey was then % years
of age, and her brothers were younger.
The family were loyal. and the BROTH
ers Joined the Union army Mrs. Bal
ley sold her property, and, taking with
her several slaves managed to get
through the lines and reached Wash
ton. In February, 1862, she took the
oath OF allegiance and entered the hos
pital service, her liberated slaves find
ing their way to this city. Both OF her
brothers were killed at the battle OF
Fairfax Court House. She secured
their bodies and had them inferred at
Wheeling, w. Va.
Then she put on mems clothing and
enlisted. She was woanded and her
identity discovered in the hospital, and
as soon as her wound was healed she
was made to quit the service. Deter
mined to stay in the army, she married
a soldier and enlisted in his regiment
and went into the hospital service
Every chance she got she donned men IS
clothes and went out with scouting par
ties.
She was wounded IN the head on one
OF the expeditions, and her identity was
again discovered by the surgeon, who
reported it to General Sheridan. He is
sued an order for her to Iemaiu with
ha ffaI
contented with the humdrum existence
of a hospital nurse, however, and was
soon a scout near the enemy's lines.
She went once too often, and was
taken prisoner by the rebels and sent to
Libby prison, where she was kept for
Sheridan gave three linen in exchange
for her. She was in several engage
ments and wounded three times.
She finally went back to Washington
where she was discharged from Compa-
ny l, Coles Cavalry. under the name of
John Il. Summer. She found her fam
lily dead, and her money gone, and so
she came to Cleveland with her hus-.
band. She had been in the city but a
short time when her husband was killed
in an explosion at the powder mills.
The shock caused her to become insane
for q time. and she WAS treated at the
asylum. After her recovery she lived
some years in the family of an East
Cleveland physician; but her health is
now completely broken down, and she
has no certain means of support.
Having no claim for a pension under
the general pension laws, she kept her
discharge papers for few years and
then destroyed them, as they had be-
come almost illegible through age, and
now seeks TO have them duplicated.