Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1905-06-14
A WEARY EXILE
FOR FORTY YEARS
SAD FATE OF vIRGINIAN WHO
FOUGHT FOR THE UNION.
oSTRACIZED BY RELATIVES
Driven from Home at Close of Strug-
gle by Jibes and Jeers of Former
Friends-Dies a Hermit
in California.

San Francisco.-Disowned and driven
from home by wife and children be-
cause he, a Virginian born, dared
espouse the cause of the union, in the
war of the rebellion, N. L. Blackman
veteran of the civil war, a few days
ago died the death of a hermit in the
mountains near Cloverdale, in Sonoma
county, Cal, with no comforting hand
to soothe the last hours of mortal
agony.
His answering devotion to the stars
and stripes not only cost Blackman
his family and loved ones, but his
friends as well. Stunning the society
of men, he plunged into the woods and
sought in the friendly solitude of the
forest relief from the cruel wrong in
fiicted upon him by unrelenting kim
There, in rude cabin, with no con-
veniences save those fashioned by his
own hands, he ran the course of his
exile, dying, as he had lived, hermit.
When the war broke out in 1861,
old Virginia, the border land between
north and south. was afame with a
fierce hatred for the north. Blackman.
then young man about 25, cast his
lot with those who favored the union.
His family importuned him to recede
from his attitude, arguing that their
good name would be forever smirched,
but Blackman was obdurate. They be-
seeched him to take up arms and en-
list, but to all entreaties he turned a
deaf ear.
Finally he was drafted and COM
PEELED to serve in the confederate
army. He absolutely refused to Shout
der rife, however, and under com
pulsion only served as a roustabout
carpenter and laborer
Sullenly Blackman kept at his work
and stood the jibes and jeers of his old
friends as best he could One day,
however, it became unbearable and he
slipped away, making his escape into
the union lines, where he took up
arms in the regular army His escape
was discovered and a close watch kept
upon all prisoners in the hope that he
might be recaptured and punished.
There came day, not long after
ward. when the watchfulness of his
confederate acquaintance was re-
warded, and Blackman was brought
back into camp, this time not only a
deserter, but a union prisoner In
stead of shooting him, as would have
been the fate of any other prisoner
similarly captured, he was permitted
to resume his former occupation of
camp roustabout. He served thus for
time, plotting all the while to make
his escape, for the jibes and jeers were
worse than ever.
The fortunate day at last came, and
Blackman not only escaped, but made
his way to union ship, where he was
least likely to be caught again by his
confederate enemies Men were not
plentiful aboard ship in those days.
and Blackman's services were well
coined. He was put in charge of a
crew of powder monkeys and superin-
tended the passing of ammunition
from the vessels hold to the gunners
on deck. In this capacity he served
until the wars close, and had the sat
isfaction of seeing the stars and
stripes triumph and his traducers
beaten into submission.
Return home he dared not. for fear
of abuse and possible bodily harm, so