Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1895-04-18

long time the best friend many of the
sick and wounded soldiers of the rebel
lion had. Born in 1916, she was mar
ried in 1888 to Hiram A. w. Newcomb,
and In the year 1854 removed to I'LL
nois. When President Lincoln issued
his first call for troops, her husband en-
listed for six months. and at the expira-
ton Of that time re-enlisted ''for service
while the war should last" He was Sc
yerely wounded at Fort Donelson, and,
with other disabled soldiers, was sent
to Cairo for treatment Thither Mrs.
NewcOmb went also. After nursing
him tenderly until his death. she de-
cided to remain with the other strick-
en- soldiers, caring for them as she had
for him. She consulted with several
officers, and secured from them permits
sion to act as army nurse-a position
which she held until June. 1865.
Grandma" as she is now Familiarity
called, Is fond Of "reminiscences, but
though her memory is still good she
cannot recall even the names Of all the
places where her duties called her.
She does remember, however, that she
was sent seven times to bring to the
Northern hospitals the sick and wound
ed lying in New Orleans. She was
matron of Hospital No. 3 at Vicksburg
one year, and was in field hospital on
the YazOO banks during the siege of
Vicksburg. 1t was here that she met
General Grant, who became intimately
acquainted with her and remained her
warm friend until his death. But her
work at Vicksburg was only part of the
good services which she performed
throughout the war. After leaving
Vicksburg she was sent by General
Washburne to Helena, Ark, where she
spent nearly year tending the sick
and doing what she could to ameliorate
the suferings Of the wounded. She
was for seven months with General
Lew Wallace's brigade in Tennessee.
In fact as she says, there were few
places where work of the kind was
needed that she did not reach in the
course OF her travels. She Is naturally
and Justly proud of some of her
achievements, and frequently recalls
with qualification the circumstance that
she was one of the onlookers when
John A. Logan marched VIGOROUSLY
into Vicksburg. She also mentions with
deserved pride that while she distrib-
uted thousands Of dollars worth Of
sanitary supplies during the war not a
dollars worth of them was misappro-
priated.
At the close of her active army life
grandma" returned to Efingham,
where she lives surrounded by host
of admirfng friends, young and old.
She Is an entertaining talker, and her
wide experience and sympathetic ways
make her delightful companion. AL
though crippled by a fall about year
ago, she is quite strong for one Of her
years, and in appearance at least is the
embodiment of health.
An Episode of Charlottesville.
Here Is a singularly strange incident
that happened as the officers of the
Fifth Corps headquarters staff were
taking supper in the yard of the Chan
cell0rsville House. I messed with the
STAFF officers, and with the rest had
taken seat by the side Of some boards
laid on the ground as the most con-
venient substitute for a table. Captain
Williams took his seat with the rest of
US.
Il guess I won't eat anything" he
remarked, after seating himself.
"You are not sick, are your some Of
ficers kindly asked.
"Not at all, but have no appetite"
he replied; ana then. quickly rising,
walked away.
A moment later a solid shot struck
where he had been seated, and after
expanding some Of its residuary energy
In burrOwing hole In the ground roll