Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-10
ROMANCE OF THE WAR
A Veteran Supposed to Have Been
Killed in Battle, Returns.
THE STORY OF HIS WANDERINGs,
An Inmate of Several Southern Poor
Houses For Many Years.
HIS WIFE AND SON STILL LIVING



MCLEANsBoRo, ILL, April 9.-In
August 1861, William Newly enlisted in
White county, ILL, in Company D, Fortieth
Regiment, Illinois Volunteers. On April
6. 1861, he was wounded in the head at the
battle of Shiloh and left for dead on the
field. One of his comrades afterward made
affidavit that he helped to bury him. Last
fall a man appeared here who could give but
little account of himself, but who applied
for transportation to Carmi, stating that he
was once resident of that county and
wished to 60 to the county poor farm.
Nothing was heard of him again until
last Sunday, when he again appeared here
and announced that he was William New
BY, and that he was supposed to have been
killed at the battle of Shiloh. Several
members of his regiment met him on Sun
day and Monday, and all united in the
opinion that he was the identical man who
was supposed to have been killed just ~
years ago.
Other Comrades Identify Him.
Moses Robinson, a member of Company
G, same regiment, claims to have seen
Newly after he was shot and supposed to be
dead, but he recognized the stranger in-
mediately. Greed A. Lay, member OF the
same regiment, who saw him shot, also rec
ognized him Monday. He appeared
before A. NJ Wilson, lawyer of this place,
and made application for pension, four OF
his old comrades making affidavit that he
was the identical Newly who was wounded
and left for dead on the battlefield of Shiloh.
A purse was made up for Newly, and on
Monday he went to Carmi, hoping. as he
stated, to meet some of his family or friends.
Newly is suffering from partial paralysis,
epilepsy and locomotorato1ia, as result OF
the wound in his head. He says he laid on
the battlefield from Sunday until Wednes-
day, when burial party came to bury the
dead. He was discovered to be alive and was
sent 10 the hospital, where he was atterward
discovered by an uncle. who was a rebel. who
tnolz him TO his home and atterward took MIN 10
Kew West. After keeping him some time his
uncle placed him in the poorhouse. where ne
remained II years. He was then sent to Chat-
tanoopa where he also remained in poorhouse
seven years. From there he was sent to Hen
| derson, Ky. where he was again poorhouse
| inmate for one year.
Wandering From Pillar to Post.
Since then he has been sent from place to
| place, and the man seems to have no Know
ledge of passing events until his sudden ap.
pearance here last Sunday, when CLEAN oi
| intelligence seemed to lift the mist from his
! past life, and he announced to his astonished
| auditors who he was.
To-day Hezekiah Newly, son of William
Newly. appeared here bunting the man who
| claims to be his father. He is young farmer
| living six miles east of Mill Shoals. White
county, and only yesterday he heard OF the
| mysterious stranger appearing here and claim
| ing to be his father. He determined to inves'
| tigate the matter, and tonight went to
| Carmi to find, if possible. his long-lost father
| His mother Is living in Texas, is still widow,
and has been for years drawing pension from
| the Government account OF the death OF
her husband Young Newby says. if it proves
to be his father, he will Immediately telegraph
his mother that she dead is alive," and have
her return at once.
| This is the story of William Newby. as told by
| himself and his comrades, and should it prove
to be true. and those who knew him during bis
/ career in the army assert that it is it will be
i one of the most remarkable romances of the
1 late war.