Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1893-08-19

but he made no sign. 1t was the same
thing over again after few days, and
after the third letter his face carried
such look of sorrow that we Won
dered if he was our "Old Sarge" or
some stranger acting in his place.
About month after the receipt of
the letter which worked such change
he received one in n handwriting I'M
familiar to us. 1t was a mans CHI
Biography, and somehow we felt that it
would add to the sergeant's troubles.
Some of the boys who saw him open
and read it never forgot how pale he
grew and how his hands trembled and
his eyes blazed. That night at ten
o'clock, in the face of the enemy, 'Old
Sarge" appeared-deserted. Per-
haps he meant to take everything away,
but that letter was found after he had
disappeared. 1t was from brother.
Coolly and calmly and without the least
feeling the brother wrote that the SER
geant's wife after so conducting her
self as to scandalize all her relatives
had brought things to a climax by run
ming away with man he named.
There were lovers who were untrue
anu wives WIN WChU III ILOSO
DAYS, and this was only one case out of
hundreds.
Deserted to the enemy" was the
record made for the war department,
but we who knew Sergt. Roberts best
did not believe it. He was 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 desertion, but we
argued that he had taken that course
because he knew that he could not get
furlough with a hot campaign just
. opening. He had gone back home
gone to find wife and child-gone to
plead and condone or to speak his con-
tempt and take his revenge. Weeks
went by, and no word came from him.
At the end of three months we read of
tragedy in Chicago. At nine o'clock
one evening n strange man had forced
his way into the apartments of a citi-
zen and shot him dead. His wife was
heard to cry out: "Oh, Will" and their
little girl to shout: "Thats my old
papaw Before anyone could interfere
the stranger seized the child and disap-
peared. and the mother was so over
come that little or no information could
be got from her.
"That's old Sarger" we said as we laid
the paper aside. "He deserted to hunt
down and kill the man who wrecked
his life while he was fighting at the
front, and that makes him dearer to us
than before. He will hide his child
somev here and then come back to us. +"
Yes, we felt sure he would return,
and yet we dreaded it. He was a de-
serter and must be punished Had it
been in winter quarters they might
have been merciful, but we were almost
in battle line when he went, and the
military authorities would wave aside
his personal reasons. The life of a
great republic was at stake. What was
wife's honor or soldiers love for his
child compared to that? We looked for
him as we followed Lee to the Potomac,
but he did not come. We looked for
him as we marched over the turnpllSes
of Pennsylvania, but he did not appear.
AS we formed battle line at Gettysburg
another sergeant filled his place. As
Hancock mYssed his corps to beat back
what every man knew was coming
cold Sarge" was still absent Pickett
was massing his Virginians We al
knew that and were waiting. "Pickett
Is movingw cried n thousand voices
and we frightened our belts and CLOSED
up the lines.
"Steady, men! We can beat then
backl"
1t was the voice of "old Sarge" HI
was in citizens dress, dusty and way
worn, and had picked up musket ant
cartridge box as he came across thu
fields to join us. We raised a cheer a
sight of him, and it went echoing alonl
the lines right and left The othe