Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-07-27
wipIng Out the stain.


One day, an hour after the man had
reached us down at the front, we noticed
great change in Sergeant Roberts. he
was our orderly, and he was one of those
big, kind hearted, good-natured fellows
who have leglons of friends and never an
enemy. We knew of his wife and child
knew that he loved the -one and idolized
the other. Yes, on the morning we left
the state rendezvous for the Potomso his
wife and child were there to cling to him
with loving words and tear stained faces
to the very last, and It gave some of us
young fellows sore hearts to witness the
parting.
"Look out for my boy, sergeant" many
father and mother had said to him as
they came to see us OFF, and the big hearted
fellow had replied that he would be q faith
er to us and hoped to bring us safely back
when there was an end to the war.
In the rank and file there was COM
radeship which made us talk of home,
which passed our letters around. which
brought all photographs under score of
eyes. Our "Old Sarge" as we called him,
used to read most of his letter to us, and
a dozen OF more of company g carried
photographs of his little girl On this
day the sergeant had letter from h-me,
as we all knew, but instead of q smile on
his face there was look of trouble. He
wss bit gruf with us that day for the
first time. We hoped he might tell US IL
he was In trouble, but he made no sign.
1t was the same thing over again for few
days, and after the third letter his face
carried such look of sorrow that we
wondered If he was our "0ld Sarge" or
some stranger acting in his place.
About a month after the receipt of the
letter which worked such a change he re
csived one In a handwriting unfamiliar TO
us. It was a mans chirography. and
somehow he felt tnat 1t would add to the
sergeant's troubles. Some Of the boys
who saw him open and read 1t never for
got how pale he grew and how his haHds
trembled and his eyes blszed. That night
at ten O'Clock, In the face of the enemy,
"Old Sarge" sappeared-deserted. Per
hsps he meant TO take everything away,
but tina. letter was found after he had dis
appeared. Il was from brother. Coolly
and calmly, and without the least feeling,
the brother wrote that the sergesnt's wife,
after 80 conducting herself as to scandal
ize all her relatives, hsd brought things to
| 8 climax by running away with man he
named. There wero lovers who were IN
| true and wives who went sstrsy in those
| days, and this was only one case out of
| hundreds.
| Deserted to the enemy" was the record
made for the var department, but we who
| knew Sergeant Roberts best did not believe
1 1t. He was a brave and loyal man, and no
| matter what his trouble he would not have
| turned against his flag. He had gone
| without leave, and that was dessrtion, but
| we argued that he had taken that course
L 1. l., tIa. L. a
furlough with hot campaign just open
ing. He hsd gone back home-goue to
find wife and child-goas to plead and
condone or to speak bis contempt and take
his revenge. Weeks went by and no word
| came from him. At the end of three
months we read of O tragedy in Chicago.
At nine o'clock one evening a strange man
had forced bis way into the apartments of
citizen and shot him dead. His wife
was heard to cry out, "Oh, Will" and
their little girl to shout, "Thst's my old
pspal" Before any one could interfere the
stranger seized the child and disappeared,
and the mother was so-oFercome that little
or no information could be got from her.
"That's Old Ssrgel'" We said as we laid
the paper aside. "He deserted to hunt
down and kill the man who wrecked bis
life while he was fighting at the front, and
that makes him desrer TO us than before
He will hide his child somewhere and then
come back to us.
Yes, we felt sure he would return, and
yet we dreaded Ii. He was a deserter and
must be punished. Had Ii been in winter
quarters they might have been merciful
but we were almost in battle line when ht
went, and the military authorities would
wave aside his personal reasons. The life
of great republic WAS at stake. Wha
was q wife's honor or a soldiers love fol
his child compared to thstl We looked
for him ss we followed Lee to the Poto
mae, but he did not come. We looked TO,
him as we marched over the turnpikes O.
Pennsylvanis, but he did not appear. A
we formed battle line at Gettysburg an
! other sergeant filed his place. AS Han
cock massed his corps to beat back wha
! every man knew was coming "Old Sarge
was still absent. Pickett was msssing BIZ
Virginians. We all knew that and ver,
waiting. pickett is movingIn cried /
Thousand voices, and We tightened on
belts and closed up the lines.
STEADY, meni We can beat then
. backI'
1t WAS the voice of ''Old Sarge" 81
was in citizens dress, dusty and wayworn
} and had picked up musket and cartr.dp,
: box as he came across the fields to Join us
We raised cheer at sight of him, and 4
went echoing along the lines right and left
The other troops thought we were express
: ing our defiance. We had NO time (,
, shake hands or to talk. The virgiuian
were making a page for history and al
ready rolling our first line back. Their
: were charge aud counter charge, hand I,
hand fighting, cheers. shouts. groans
Men fell with the death rattle In theI
throsts; men sank down and cried out ant
. orawled about. We knew not who hAt
IT. u.tnr pr,r.,x Shtortd.. Pal.