The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-08-15
A PATHETIC LETTER.
The Story of a Loyal Tenuesseean Who
as a Boy Defended Old Glory.
Canton CHI Gazette.)


A few weeks ago S. P. Powelson re-
ceiyed letter from j. IL. Powell, OF ber-
tram. Tex, who had seen his name IN
The National Tribune, published at Wash
ington, in connection with the announce
ment of the Forthcoming Reunion OF the
survivors of the 7th Ill. Cav, to be held
in this city. Powell, homeless 14-year-
old boy, made so by the fortunes OK war,
fell in with the 7th Ill. Cav. when that
regiment was operating in Tennessee, ana
remained with it until wounded IN a bat
tie in which he as boy was engaged, not
being old enough to be regularly-enlst-
ed soldier. Mr.. Powelson, remembering
the plucky little fellow, answered his let
ter, and Wednesday morning received In
return the following letter, which Will no
doubt be- read with interest by many peo-
pie, especially those Of the old-soidier
class. lit is the brief recital of pathetic
story and a sad experience:
MY dear old Comrade PoEelson:
Yours of the Oath inst. is before me, and
oh, comrade, how the tears flowed from
my eyes for near an hour when read
your kind letter. oh. how it brought
the times and events Of long ago back to
my memory. can hardly write for
gratitude for your letter. Now, comrade,
please pardon my spelling. l ought to
have been in school when l was run out
of the hills of Tenne see on account OF
NV love for and loyalty to Old Glory.
Eyes, yes, | remember you; you were
the one who came for the poor little
wounded boy and put him in the shade OF
the old tree and gave him water. That
boy was l. l have thought of that man
a thousand times or more, wondering II
he was yet among the living. l was a
poor, wounded soldier boy, only II years
of age; no home, nowhere to go, and no
one to care for me. After lying upon the
field of battle from about 10 o'clock in
the morning until about 4 o'clock in the
evening you came to my assistance. L
was almost speechless from thirst when
you gave me your canteen and assisted
me to the shade. Comrade, | am sure
God has and will continue to bless you.
Well, comrade, L will say further, 1
think you are the man who got me
carbine "a gum with which to help you
Northern men defend Old Glory. L have
that gun yet in my house. As was too
young to enliSt, I remained with your
regiment until after that fight.
when | was wounded my father, a
Union scout, came and took me to Mem
phis, where | was cared for by him, he
himself being a doctor. After l got well
| joined the 18th Tenn. Vol. Inf. for three
years, or during the war. l suffered
greatly from cold and exposure at the
battle of Nashville, from which l never
After joining that regiment let me tell
you what happened me. In March, 1864,
| was asked TO accompany or lead the
18th Ill. Cav. on a 10-dayS' scout across
Wolf River On the way l was taken
sick with the measles and was forced to
drop out at Il plantation, where / was to
remain until the return of the regiment.
That night the guerrillas ran in and at
tempted to capture me, but they failed,
as | made my escape, sick as | was, IN
the darkness. | walked % miles TO Mem
phis, wading slOughs and ponds. On the
terrible journey the measles broke out
thick on me, and when L reached Mem
phis / could not speak, and have never
since that time been able to utter loud
sound Well, | made application for a
pension under the old law for heart trOu
Bile as result of measles. | proved up
nv case by the man at whose house |
stopped when taken sick, his son and
three comrades, and was granted 81
pension, which was in 1856. When Com
missioner Evans came i'll it was stopped
for lack of proof, as he stated.
Then | made application under the
new law and was granted ST month last
April, which, however, is being withheld
to reimburse the Government for what
L was paid wrohgfuly under the old law,
as claimed by Evans, so | will not re-
ceiye anything until November, 1902. L
am not able to do any work whatever.
Now you can see where Evans gets part
of the money he returns to the Govern
ment. l had three brothers in
the Southern army. l helped to capture
one of, them, two years my senior, at
place in Arkansas. oh, how l would like
to be at your Reunion, where l could see
many faces l knew when l was beard