The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-01-27

Mrs. Dellna Reader Roberts Is about
to be presented with medal earned by
her for an act of hcro!sm during the
wal, of the rebellion, says the New York
Herald.
5 In September. 1861, and Immediately
1 following the Fort Donelson battle,
which lasted three days and nights, she
4 secured from the provost marshal at ST.
Louis a government pass TO so aboard
the government steamer Des MoInes.
which was ordered to Donelson to bring
back a load Of wounded soldiers who
{ had fought in the Donelson battle. Her
primary object was to bring back her
brother. who was wounded. AT that
time Miss Reader was only Il years old.
As the Des Moines was about to leave
! her moor!ngs there came aboard the
Twenty-sixth Indiana infantry. full
regiment, 1000 strong. ordered to REIN
force Colonel James a. Mulllgan. who
E was at Lexington, Mo-, surrounded by
25.ooo Of General Sterling Prices men.
& While passing through the most dan
Eerous part Of the country at night,
where bands OF guerrilias were numer-.
3 Gus. the boat ran into the bank. The
Office windows were all open, and Miss
4 Reader was sitting on the high stool
that belonged to the clerk OF the boat
In the office We're Captain George Cay
ton, one Of the pilots; Captain Thomas
= Baldwin, the boats captain. and Jerry
HNetzell, the first engineer OF the boat.
: The nine companies OF the Twenty
y sixth Indiana had marched OF the boat
Z. TO the corn field.
Before the troops had time to get in
line a terrific firing commenced. The
bullets says Mrs. Roberts, were fly
Ing around us thick and fast. En-
glneer Wetzell stayed but q moment,
q and then fell on his hands and knees
on the office floor. crept 10 the stairway
that led down stairs and disappeared
After the battle I learned that he went
for safety to the hold OF the boat. Cap
4 tain Cayton tried TO pull me off the
4 stool. but deserted me and went on his
Z hands and knees after the other one
Then Captain Baldwin. OF the boat,
4 grabbed me. He. too, fell on his hands
5 and knees and went with his heGd fore-
3 tfS.'S ~" "a ~ SheiAo ~ tiIC IiO4I' Va
boat
'.As soon as he was gone few from
I my stool and ran down stairs to the
y gang plank and on to the corn field. The
a; first soldier saw down stopped and
helped to raise. I bore him. grooming
and crying with pain. to the boat.
ran as fast rs could TO the field again
4 and brought In the same manner an
other wounded soldier. made twenty
N two trips OF this kind, and each time
brought wounded man and filed the
two staterooms between the wheels Of
3 ofsthe boat .
When ran through the cabin for
5 another wounded soldier the men were
iretreatinS In confusion. and the lower
deck and plank were full OF excited and
4 running soldiers. The four boats pulled
out in the river. ran back two and one
half miles and anchored until the
a earliest dawn OF day"
after acting as hospital nurse. and on
Y the, second morning after the battle,
Colonel Wheatley invited Miss Reader
i out on the bow to take leave OF and bid
( farewell to the boys, for they were leav-
{ Ing the boats that morning to so over
land. o roundabout way. to reach
: regiment were standing on the bow OF
the boat. Below. on the bow OF the
boat, was beautiful snow white horse.
with new slde-saddie OF tan and a tan
bride, which Colonel Wheatley. the
commander OF the regiment, presented
e 20 LAR in very impressive speech. as
IN mark Of gratitude OF the officers of
the regiment.
z THE SMART WoMAN's DIscoN-
TENT.
s'1t amt such Grard thing to be
smart. My sisters don't know any