Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-04-16

a 6ll fllS "a Il 1T j
glles yoSys Wit ~ su1E
Down On the Rapfdan. Ii tho old
Sixteenth Private william Hopkins
wasn't making good record Tor him
SELF For the first four weeks Of army
life he was cheerful and enthusiastic,
but after that change had come.
Homesickness is worse than a fever
or a wound for soldier. Every man
with home had had touch of it,
but most Of them had thrown it OH.
Perhaps he tried to, but if so he didn't
succeed. The boys got on to him, and
though they felt to pity him, they did
not spare him their jibes and taunts.
He was the BOBBY of Company &C."
and even his terminate had feeling of
contempt for him. One day the order
ly sergeant dropped in on him to say:
Look here, Bill Hopkins, this thing
has gone about far enough! You are
making first class fool Of yourself.
and if you don't brace up the boys will
give you away at home. Get out and
chase yourself and fling this homesick-
ness off, A boy ten years old would be
ashamed to NOPE around as you do"
Private Hopkins was hurt by these
remarks, instead of being braced up,
and turning his face away from the
sergeant, he then and there resolved on
a desperate deed. He would desert at
the first opportunity. He wouldn't adj
NIT that homesickness had anything to
do with it. He had been i'll used They
had given him extra guard duty-extra
work around camp-had bullied and
jeered him in place OF giving him a fair
show. He could figure out that the
captain and both lieutenants were
down on him, and of the ninety men of
the company he was the martyr. He
had given no cause for this and he
wouldn't submit to such indignities.
He was certain Of sympathy from
father and mother, and once more back
home he would stay there, even if he
had to hide in the garnet. Every SOL
der who lets the feeling or homesick-
ness get the better of him follows the
same train of thought and arrives at the
same conclusions.
An opportunity to carry out his plan
came to Private Hopkins much sooner
than he had hoped for. Company &c"
was ordered out ON night reconnais
ance, and pale-faced and Weakened,
the homesick boy took his place in the
lines. No one expected any fighting,
but it so happened that small force OF
the enemy was in the neighborhood,
and there was skirmish and the COM
pany was driven back. At roll call it
was found that five men were missing.
Two of these had been left dead in the
road, and two others were believed. to
have been wounded and craw1ed into
the bushes. The fifth one was Private
Hopkins, and it was altogether likely
that he had been taken prisoner. At
any rate, he was thus recorded on the
company roll until something more
could be learned.
AS a matter of fact the homesick
boy had a narrow escape from capture,
but the danger had no sooner passed
than he found his opportunity to de-
sert. Throwing away his gun and ac-
he headed for the Fed
eral lines, and having reached them, he
set to work to dodge piekets and sem
tries. When morning came he was
clear of those who would have halted
him. With three months pay in his
pocket he stood a good chance, and
two weeks later. dressed as citizen,
and after a dozen close shaves. he
found himself within mile of home.
Up to that moment, when turn of the
highway gave him view of the old
homestead, he had been consumed with
impatience to reach the farm house.
Of sudden he felt dissatisfied and
began to wonder and reflect. He had
departed amidst the waving of flags
and the cheers of hundreds. He was
sneaking home as deserter. almost
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