Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1891-12-26

On the first morning after our bivouac
on the shore of the Coosa file OF con-
federate soldiers marched by the guard
into the camp. The prisoners, one
thousand three hundred in number,
were ranged in single file on the four
sides of the inclosure. The officer, the
captain of regimental company, who
headed the squad of newcomers, then
passed along the line. With him were
two women. They seemed to be of the
ordinary type of southern women one
met in those days in the little farm
houses in the mountain regions OF
Tennessee or the Carolinas. The elder
one was perhaps forty-five, while the
younger, though sallow-faced. was
rather comely and scarcely twenty
years OF age.
Wintermuth and stood side by side
in the line. There was much wonder
ment among the men us to the purpose
of this inspection. A slight tremor of
the arm that touched my own on the
right caused me to look at Wintermuth
His face was corpselike, but not word
escaped him. The officer and the wom-
en- in his company were approaching,
closely scanning each man in the lines
as they stood with heads barred for the
scrutiny When the eyes of Winter.
muth and the woman met, there was a
flash of recognition, betraying hatred,
too, on the part of the visitors.
When the younger female had quick
ly scanned the face of my comrade, she
said, sharply: "Thats the man Your
name is AL Wintermuth,"
Not word fell from the lips Of Win
termuth, but as his face took on deep
er pallor, felt the tremor in his arm
cease His muscles seemed to be al.
most rigid.
"Step out here" said the officer.
Wintermuth obeyed. A motion of the
hand to the file of confederate soldiers
who had been quietly standing at order
arms, brought them to where the cap
tain stood
March this man to the guard-houst
and see he don't escape. AT the frs
move he makes put bayonet or bul
let into him."
These were their orders, and withou
word my comrade in arms was gone
There was no time for leave-taking, ant
the suddenness and mystery of th
thing had driven words away. Th
two women passed without the lines a
they had come in the company of tn
. officer.
Within ten days after Wintermutl
left the lines he was dead. Court
martialed and shot for desertion an
serving with the enemy" was the entr.
on the roster after his name.
His story was learned after the wal
Business called me into that part @
Tennessee from which Wintermut
had come and from relatives the fact
, were cleaned. His family were stanc
: unionists. The father and three son
: had enlisted in Kentucky union reg
ment. Albert being the youngest r,
manned at home He was paying coul
to a young girl in the Sequatche Va
ley, whose fam ly were all ardent SUI
porters of the confederacy. The ell
gagement was broken off by the il
y feeling engendered by war. Winte
:, muth was conscripted into Georg
|, regiment, deserted and joined Tel
:. nessee battalion in Rosecran's arm,
:, The families became bitter enemie
The Egglers, driven out of their hon
a by the change in the shifting tide
= war, had gone to Georgia, and moth'
/. and daughter were visiting broth'
and son stationed with his regiment
y Rome when Streight's men roo
n through the streets as prisoners The
saw and recognized Wintermuth. The
y. story was soon told to the provost-ma
:. shall, and willingly or unwillingly tt
: woman who had once promised to
n the brave young mountaineer's wifi
!. pronounced the words which caused
= execution as traitor.-St Louis Pos
r. Dispatch.
|, SHERMAN AT COLUMBIA.