Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-02-13
CAMP FIRE STORIES.
REMOvE The STAIN
The Unjust Charge OF Desertion Against .
FaffhFuI gol.l;..

The Unjust Charge OF Desertion Against .
4 Faithful Soldier.
How shall it be that a romance of love
and glory-the pretty albeit sad story of
young soldier and his bride-shall find
place in the dull documents and grave
considerations of the Senate?
1t remained for Senator Wilson, of
Iowa, as plain and practical man as
the Senate holds to demonstrate this
possibility. Among other dry matters
he introduced a bill to remove the
charge of desertion against George w.
Hardwick, of Red Oak, Montgomery
| County, Iowa. Seldom has a more
grievous wrong been inflicted upon a
brave, good man; seldom has a more
touching bit of life history been told
than is contained in the recital of this
| bill.
In the spring of 1861, when the civil
war began, George w. Hardwick was a
boy of sixteen living with his parents at
Bedford, Lawrence County, Ind. He
was even then the lover of girl school
mate, and, when yielding to the enthu-
siasm that swept the North at the first
ket and knapsack for the front, he left
behind him the pledge that if he re-
turned alive there should be a little
wedding in the town. For more than
two years, through field and blood, bat
tie and bivOuac, wounds and disease,
young Hardwick, with all the response
bilities of man, followed the brilliant
fortune of the army of the Tennessee.
When at last Viclsburg had fallen and
his first enlistment had expired. the sol
der boy hurried home to keep the prom
ise he had made and remembered
through all these months.
The invitations of wife and home,
however, could not withstand the mar
tial thirst aroused in him, and he soon
re-enlisted, entering the Forty-third In
diana volunteer infantry regiment. He
WAS held for some months upon dull
duty at Indianapolis, but at last was or
dered forward to the support of Grant
in the closing operations about Rich
mOnd. The little wife heard of his i'm
pending departure, and as she was then
in the weakness of approaching mother
hood, she wrote him to come and COM
fort her with last farewell. The brave
young husband presented this plea to
his Captain, and was given permission
to spend the five days remaining, ere
the regiment should move, to perform
this duty of love and humanity. He
fastened on horseback, two days ride,
to Bedford, and with tenderness, read
lily to be understood, entered his home
That night, as he sat by the girl, so soon
TO feel the solemn emphasis OF woman
hood, musket butts rang upon the door
sill, and provost guard, securing the
country for deserters, poured in. They
seized him, and as the wife writes in her
affidavit, despite my tears and entrea-
ties they took him away"
Back to Indianapolis in disgrace young
Hardwick was led, and there charged
with desertion, but was never brought
to trial. In few days he was hurried
to the seat of war with his regiment, to
be lost for weeks and months in the Ne-
mendOuS event of that last campaign
until Lee and his brave men had been
fought to a stand-still, the magnificent
Army of the Potomac passed up Penn
sylvania avenue in the Capital of the
triumphant nation, out of muster and
into history. Few soldiers had a more
worthy, genuinely illustriOus record,
than the lad who had from the first shot
of the war, through four years of loading
and firing, to the last retiring volley Of
the foe, served without finching, almost
without pause.
Nevertheless, in the confusion of the
times, the charge of desertion at In
dianapolis was unerased. his subsequent
service was overlooked, and the record
of a deserter filed upon him in the
National archives of the war: A little
while ago. Hardwick, who has removed
with his family to Iowa, heard that
money was due his class of soldiers. He
inquired and was stunned to learn of his
recorded disgrace. He now petitions
for redress Not the least sad of the
features of this case is the sworn declar-
alton of his wife's, that her health was
shattered by her grief and excitement
upon the night of her husband 8 violent
and unjust seizure, and that the girl
baby soon afterward born to her and
still surviving, came into the world with
nervousness and frailty of body from
which she has never reeovered--Wash-
tOning Post.