Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-08-08
LOST A LEG AND WON A WIFE.
4 Romance MOI OF This War. But Of the One
Next to II.
Ccharleston News and Courier)


A somewhat beated romance Of tn,
| civil war is that of Capt. Thomas II
| Cup Of Perry's Flcslda brigade, Q
South Carollnian. who happened to b,
in the malarial peninsula when the naa
on Fort Sumter was fired on, and In
that way explains why he was not in a
South Carolina command under the
stars and bars.
As VIII be recalled, Perry's brigade
after distinguishing itself at Chicka-
manga and other places in West Viz
ginia and did a full share of the hard
fighting that the Army Of the Potomas
| had to do from then until the end of
! the war 1t was in one OF the battles
i around Richmond that the first act
| opened.
/ Capt Culp, while leading his com
| pany in a charge on the enemy, who
We're strongly posted behind some i'm
provised breastworks, was shot to the
ground and woke the next morning to
| find that his left leg had been ampu-
! tated below the knee. The strangest
part Of it, however, was that at the
same time he fell five Of his men fell
around him. each ana every one Of
| whom lost a leg. The unpleasant coin
cidence was commented upon extern
sively in the army at the time, but.
like great many other things that
happened in that stirring period, was
soon forgotten and passed out Of the
minds Of men.
Untitled Cor soldier. Capt. Culp re-
turned 10 his old home in South Caro-
lima and began life anew, after the war
closed, as a country merchant These
were the flush times that there IL 50
mach talk about. and he prospered as
he deserved, and in the course of time
managed TO put aside a snug fortune.
ample for the simple wants of an old
bachelor. His war comrades were all
in Florida and South Georgia. and he
gradually lost touch with them. as men
VIII, and even forgot their names. He
was a staunch old Confederate. how
ever. and preserved his cap and Jacket
nutl the reunion in Richmond, a couple
Of years ago. without once having oc-
caslon - wear them. Then he con-
cluded he would 20 on and hear the
rebel yell Just once more, and in the
fulness Of the enthusiasm he brought
out these time-staincd relics of the
bloody past Thirty years Of prosper
lily had played havoc with the slender
"aist Of TIE young soldier. however,
ana the jacket was returned. with a
sigh OF regret 10 its box. The cap was
san available, and, with half Of the
nrim shot away, was dunned again.
OF course, the reunion was a grand suc-
cess. and the enthusiasm highly gratify- |
lns to him, but for the FIRST day ne was |
fearfully distressed because he cOuld nor
ma AZ H. MD sc bfe Il
Inand- Walking was a painful process l
Tor him ana he had about exhausted his |
energies IN the effort and seated himself |
on the doorstep of q handsome residence |
when a weather-oeaten old fellow. with |
a veterans badge, came along and sat
down by him. The captain noticed that
n" !tmprd SuSpiciouSy. and was not long
IN learning that he. too, was the possess
scr u a cork leg. This naturally Iod TO
jhe inquiry whore he had lost its prede-
ccSSor ana the reply was that II whs in |
Such and such fight, On such and such
q DAY. II was in the very fight in which
the captain mad suffered his loss. anu he
stated the fact. Ni,e
We'll. that's curious" said the veteran.
Il lost mine his way: We We're ordered
to drive the enemy from their works on
the GROW of the hill. ana just as we rose
up out Of the underbrush to make 4 rush
my leg was shot of. right beside a big
pine tree. But you won't believe it, five
other men"
IftA -tflF lt'SS SloI OH AT the same
time said the captain cxcitedly. taking
the words out Of his mouth, "and | was
one Of them"
That was the s!gnalfor little reunion
of their own. and the proposition was
made that they hire a hack and go OUT
10 see the spot again. II was only a few
mics out. and as soon as they had con-
Guided bargain with a hackman they
made a start. When they reached the
ground however. they found everything
changed, the trees cut away. and the
whole place under cultivation. They man
aged 70 find an old stump however and 4
united in declaring it the remains Of the
big pine tree but there was still some
doubt about the matter. and they decided
to apply TO the occupant of a big house
a short distance away for information.
They found it occupied by a handsome
maiden lady of 40 or thcrodhouts, who
oluShingly confessed To having lived there
Is a little girl during the war. and toll
them what She could about il. But the
captain seemed fascinated by the spot.
and returned to II more than once before
the reunion closed Then he stayed over
after everybody else had gone. ami in
The end came away with a promise from
the maiden lady. short time ago he
returned and married her and now lives
on the identical farm where he was
wounded. and in sight of the big pine
stump, a few hundred yards from the ,
D1lhNfDWO road