The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-09-30
STRANGER THAN FICTION.
PATHETIC CASE OF AN ILLINOIS
UNION SOLDIER.
Reported Killed in Battle, and 1Iourned
as Dead tor Twenty -nine Years. He Now
Turns Up and Claims Pension.

Reported hilleQ In baLtiC, ana laoufncu
as Dead TOR Twenty -nine Years. He Now
Turns Up and Claims Pension.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 20.--One OF the
most remarkable and pathetic cases that
has ever been brought to the Bureau OF
Pensions, Is that OF William Newby,a d
private OF Company D. Fourth Regl-
ment, Illinois Volunteers. THIS reSi-
ment was commanded hy the heroic Col.
Stephen G.. Hicks, oi Illinois, and was
conspicuous for It's gallantry at the
battle OF Shiloh. Newly was IL this
battle, on the 9th ol April, 1862, and
was reported killed in aclion. 1tseems,
however, that instead Of being killed.
he received severe wound on the
head and was captured and sent to the
rear by the Confederate forces, was i'm
prisoned at Belle Isle and was afterwards
transferred to Andersonyille. 1t seems
that Newly was released in course OF
time and was in poorhouses in various
parts OF the South.
He was finally taken to Key West,
Fla, by a gentleman who recognized
Newby as kinsman. Here be renamed
until some time in 1869, when his uncle
died. Newby wandered from place 10
y ace, and finally turned up al Shrese-
port, La, and while there the colored
people made up 4 purse and nc was
given passage on steamboat to Clncln-
natl. On the way up the river the
steamboat lan.led at ShaWneelo"n, LII.
Newby, hearing this name called out,
seemed to recognize something that was
familiar and got Oft the boat. From
here be wandered to kankakee, LII.
where he was in the poorhouse for
time. Leaving this place, lie struck out
Southward, and at last reached McLeans.
borough, in Hamilton County, ILL.,, and
was sent to the poorhcuse.
During these years he was in q de-
mented state, bordering upon insanity,
as the supposed result OF the wound IN
the head. In wandering about he finally
went over into White county, and when
he got near his old home was seen and
recognized by two OF his comrades who
had served i'll the regiment with hlnn.
His wife Was sent for, and sne ldentlheo
him, as did his relatives and many OF
his friends and comrades.
After Newly was reported as killed in
action, his wife applied for pension,
and it was granted, and she has been
drawing widows pension from the
date OF his reported death to the pres
ent time. This soldier has filed claim
for pension, and it Is now receiving
the consideration OF the office, the claim
of the widow being suspended IN the
meantime. No discharge has ever been
granted to the soldier, and the consldera-
tion OF the pension claim is beln- post
poned until such time a: the Secretary
of War shall grant the man discharge.
This soldier has been separated from
his family for period OF twentY-nine
years, they believing all the while that
he was dead, and now he turns up ior-
lorn. delnented old han.
His case has attracted great attention
in the southern part Of Illinois. and has
excited the universal sym pathy OF al
who have become acquainted wlthit.
He recently attended a large reunion OF
old veterans of his county, where the
subject was universally discussed. The
pension will no doubt soon be granted,
and he will receive sufficient sum to
smooth his way to the end Of his Lie.