Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1891-03-07

W they were on duty
guarding the rebel
prisoners in Camp Morton. The Re
serve Corps was composed OF men
who had been disabled for active du-
ty by wounds or disease, but who
were retained in service and assigned
to such duty as that which they per-
formed at the camp. By this plan
able-bodied men could be sent to the
front. where they were most needed,
and the Reserve Corps be detailed
upon other work. Notwithstanding
the fact that these men were collect
ed from all parts OF the country,
were from every branch of the service
and mostly inyalids, their manuyers
and department upon dress parade
were so assimilated by careful drill
ing that they were pronounced by
all who saw them at the Barracks to
be in appearance as fine body OF
men as could be foundin the Regular
Army.
Many of these men had interesting
and romantic histories. During the
Is months that | served as Surgeon
in charge OF the Barracks, hap
pened upon much personal history
around some of which, it might be
said. fell the twilight which sur
rounds the borderland of romance. "
One of these men whose fortunes are
the subject of this sketch, particu-
larly excited my interest.
| first saw him in January, 1868,
shortly after his transfer to the Re
serve Corps, when he was sent to me
by Col. Stevens, who saw his unfit
ness even for ordinary duty. en-
tered into conversation with him
aud what passed produced a favora
BILE impression upon me. He was
evidently well educated, and used tt
good society, but the expression OF
his handsome face convinced mi
that some great sorrow weighed up
on him. His name, he said, was
Charlie s.. Igave him some light
duty at the hospital, where he soor
became favorite with the m en-. TX
Father Eddy, the post Chaplain anC
myself he became an interestin.
study; his pale face would so Offer
rise before US that we felt an over
powering curiosity to learn some
thing Of his past life, wishing tina
we might ighten the burden unde
which we were sure he was suffering
From a comrade found he ha,
been badly wounded at PittsburI
Landing, where he rushed forwar'
and grasped the colors from tn
hands of the falling color-beareI
and was shot in turn. The woun
incapaciated him for further activ
service, but he refused to go HON
again. He said he had none. w
tried in vaious ways to find on
something about his past, but as a
questioning seemed to painfully a
feet him, we forbore. But at lengt
we learnt that he received goo
many letters from a town in Mas
sachusetts, and later discovered tina
these came from his sister. Throug
mutual friends in the same city "
managed to open o correspondent
with Jennie, as she was named, an
she acquainted us with Charlie
history. 1t seems that the youn
mans father had been seafarin
man. who lost his life while on
,,.L.,Isy.,r avnn1iftan md haa ir,TTir,
wi surviving him but few month
on her death bed exacting promi;
from her son, then lad OF about /.
that he would not adopt the life Of
sailor. Charlie and Jennie were give
good educations; but their guardin
had proved untrustworthy, and ha
lost most OF their money in raf
speculauions. Now, before he reacht
his majority, Charlie fell desperate
in love with Kate, the daughter
his fathers former partner and del
friend, an old sea Captain mann
Rogers.
The two young people loved ea'
other with all the warmth of tht
deep sympathetic natures, and t
old man, having his own pla
about Charles future, did not o
pose a possible marriage between t
two. When Charlie reached his m
jority the Captain one day express
to him the wish that he put hims
under his direction and follow t
sen Tor his livelihood. What "
his surprise when Charlie, after 60
siderable evasion, mt length empha
ically refused, and when pressed
his reasons, told Capt. Rogers Of /
mothers dying request. He pr
posed, however, entering the Unic
army to fight for his country.
The Captain was n bluht.har
man, who seldom re spected the fe'