The Newtown bee., 1901-08-23
A CIR BAND ARMY INCIDENT.

AN ALLEGED DEsERTER CHARGED
 WITH INSULTING FAMILY ATTHEIR
 HOME.-TURNED OUT TO BE ANY
 THING BUT A DEsERTER.-WAs THE
 ORDERLY OF CAVALRY CAPTAIN
 A PROVOST MARsHAL's GUARD AR
 RESTED THE BPARTY.-WAS QUESTION
 ED AND EXAMINED AT CORPS HEAD
 QUARTERs.-AN BUT DESER-
 TON WAS APPARENT.-OWING TO
 THE VERY PECULIAR CIRCUMsTAN-
 GEES UNDER WHICH HE WAS SERVING
 HIS COUNTRY, HE WAS SENT NORTH
 "FOR THE GOOD OF THE SERVICE"
 We old soldiers have all had our own peculiar experiences sad and dan gerous, pleasant and gay, mysterious and inexplicable. If we should recount one-half of what we have passed through we would be put down on rec ord as inveterate prevaricators. But the most laughable of all, and at the experiences lever had, was the circum- stances connected with the arrest of very beautiful young woman while a soldier in the grand old Army of the Tennessee.
 It happened in the lively little town of Jackson, Tenn, in the year follow ing that in which occurred the bOm bardment of Fort Henry and the siege of Fort Donelson, at both of which places our own gallant Commodore Foote achieved some of the noblest victories of his day.
 And here let me say that the last time had the pleasure of seeing and shaking hands with CommOdare Foote ho of ,f hn do hot fnr the occupation of Fort Henry by our forces. New Haven was hls home. I was born there and lived there most of my life. l was visiting in Illinois when Fort Sumter surrendered, and when the call for troops was issued, l enlisted there. I had no personal ac- quaintance with Commodore Foote, but from a boy up had known who he was. Consequently, when I met him, as I did, 1 made myself known. He knew my father we'll, but remem- bered me only as boy. 1t was enough however; we were both from the same city and he gave right loyal welcome.
 After the fall of Fort Donelson oc- cured the two days bloody battle of Shiloh, or as it is sometimes called, Pittsburgh Landing, one of the most severe and decisive engagements tat III oOAUl"COUs came the siege of COrinth, winch was as nothing compared with those which I have mentioned.
 After the evacuation of Corinth, our corps went into quarters and was sta tioned at the little town of Jackson, Tenn, where we remained some five or six months. The lot of our particular company during this period was all that poor soldier could desire. On entering the town Company A, TWen- tieth Illinois Volunteers, was detailed as provost guard, our captain, Bradley, having been appointed provost mar shal. My position was that of clerk and deputy. My company pitched their tents inside the fences sarronn- ing the county court house, while the officers made their quarters in the building.
 The people in the town were red-hOt ''secesh," and none were more bitter against the "Yanks" than the female portion. Orders were issued requiring the citizens, men and women, to come to the provostmarshal's office and take the oath of allegiance. They were also required to turn over all rifles, shot, guns and smaller arms, to the military authorities. It was an almost daily occurrence to have a bevy of ladies come and inquire if they were obliged to turn over their little pocket pistols, derringerS etc., which many of them carried under the garter of their hose. Done day as 1 was entering the City hotel, where was taking my meals, a short, thick-set, black-haired, chubby faced cavalry soldier occupied one of the steps. In ascending 1 came very near stepping on his foot. 1 remem- bered this afterwards, because he had his foot bandaged up, and about half of the upper part of his shoe was cut out, so as to enable him to wear it. l mention this foot now, as it will ex- plain what occurred a short time after.
 On the west side of the court house was the drug store of the town, pre- sided over by one of the rankest seces- Sionists of the state, so the citizens told us, and all theI soldiers were satis- fled that it was so. But to us he was apparently one of the most Subservient Union men living. His family lived in the tenement adjoining the store, and there was an inside entrance from the dwelling to the store. One sultry af- ternoon this druggist came rushing in- to our office, his face livid with rage and anger. He stated that rebel de- serter had entered his dwelling from the store and had insulted and abused his family shamefully, and he wanted him apprehended immediately.
 Capt Bradley at once ordered me to