Los Angeles herald., 1907-04-15
OLD COMRADES OF
WAR ARE REUNITED
FIND EACH OTHER LIVING AT
THE SAME PLACE
Both Had Been Occupants Of the SOL
dIers' Home at sawteIIe, but
Each Supposed the other
Dead

Comrades during the dark days Of
the Civil War, faithful correspondents
for ten years later and then to lose all
trace of each other, only to become
again reunited through the thoughtless
remark of friend after living side by
side at the Soldiers home at Sawtelle
for eight months, was the experience
of Private T. d. Morris and Sergeant
Fred Beaumont who yesterday grasped
hands for the first time in nearly thirty
years.
Through the battles of the Wilder
ness the men marched side by side,
sharing blankets and dividing their
scanty rations. They had enlisted to-
gether in a Philadelphia regiment at
Lincoln's first call for volunteers and
were fast friends from the day they
stood shoulder to shoulder at the first
sound of assembly.
Closer Than Brothers
So firm became their friendship that
their comrades in the service nick
named them David and Jonathan, and
even their officers endeavored to make
things pleasant for the two soldiers
and they frequently found themselves
assigned to duty together during the
long scouts or hours as cossack out
posts
once Norris was wounded during
skirmish fight and for two months lay
in a field hospital, while his faithful
comrade nursed him back to health
and strength.
At the close Of the war the men were
mustered out together, and together
left the camp grounds That night
they separated, Beaumont going to
Inc ~ I,id old
home in Pittsburg. Gradually Beau
mont drifted further west until at last
he settled in San Francisco, while his
comrade of war days remained in his
old home in the east. For ten years
they corresponded faithfully, then
Beaumont travelled to Canada, while
Morris went to Florida on a business
trip. Each returned to his former
home after being absent several years.
but, although the friendship was still
as firm, the men each supposed the
other dead or gone from his former
home, and did not write.
Four years ago Beaumont came to
Los Angeles and applied for admission
to the home at Sawtelle. Since that
time he has remained there, talking to
his comrades of experiences during the
Civil War and singing the praises of
his old friend.
FInQS Olu OOInTdQS
A year ago Morris came to the coast
to make his home. He lived in Los
Angeles for several months and then
made application to enter the home.
Permission was readily granted him
and he took his place with the 200 vet
Grams who today live at that institu-
ton. He soon became famous as a
story teller, and the veterans would
frequently gather after mess Pt nights
to listen to him recount tales of things
which had happened in the Wilderness.
Yesterday morning. in company with
several others, Morris sat beneath the
shade of a palm tree in the park tell
ing tales and listening to his comrades
recount their experiences.
Say, Norris" said one of them at
last, "you must have had some friend
who served with you, and who you can
tell us about. There is old Fred Beau
mont there"-
Fired Beaumont. Where?" ex-
claimed Morris, rising hastily from his
seat and turning to gaze at the stopped
form of a gray bearded man coming
down the path.
Hurriedly he made his way toward
the Approaching veteran.
Fred" he gasped, and "Tom' was
the reply as hand met hand and the
two old men, veterans of many a hard
fought fray, stood with tears in their
eyes gazing at each other
Then their happiness overcame them
and laughter mixed with their tears as
arm in arm they made their way
toward the quarters-reunited after
years of separation, to live together
until taps calls them to their last
bivouac.