The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1910-04-16
.0OD STORY TOLD
BY OLD SOLDIER
Forced Into the Confederate
Army Against His Strong
Protests.
is REPUDIATED BY UNION
THIS VETERAN, JAMES CLARKE,
DIED RECENTLY At THE IN.
PRIMARY At LoeANsPoRT- A
HOMELESS ouTcAsr.

Logansport. Ind, April 16.-James
Clarke, better known as Dad Clarke,
who died at the county infirmayy this
week, had served four years in the
civil war, but was unable to get into
the soldiers home in. the north or
those maintained in the south for vet
erans OF the Confederate army. His
history Is one of the most unusual IN
the annals Of the war. His ambition
was to get into the soldiers home at
Marion, but his repeated efforts were
futile, and finally in despair he turned
to the county poor farm, and there he
had been TOR three years. bemoaning
the fate that made him man without
q homo. AS
Clarke, at the outbreak OF the civil
war. was travelling through the south
with number Of Irish peddlers. The
majority Of these peddlers lived in
Logansport, Marion, Anderson and 9th
er nearby Indiana cities. With wag
ons and packs they travelled through
out the south selling merchandise o1
all kinds.
Pressed Into Confederate Service.
The day war was declared thirteen o1
the Irish peddlers were in Jackson
Miss. Excitement was high there
and Clarke and his companions were
as enthusiastic as the natives, only fol
q different cause. They hastily plan
ned to return to Indiana to enlist and
go to the front. But before they could
leave they were taken into custody
were pressed into the Confederate
ranks and were compelled to figh,
against brothers and friends in the
northern army.
For two years they marched, fough'
and lived with the Confederates, evel
watchful for chance to escape. Sc
far all had escaped death and injury
But during one battle, when the two
lines were only few hundred fee1
apart. the little band Of northerners
planned a dash for liberty. At Civ.
en- signal they. broke for the Yankee
lines. But they had not gone very
far before a hundred Confederate gun.
were turned on them. Twelve fel
dead to the ground. and Clarke. the on
" survivor, fell to escape the reign o
lead. E.
Saved from implement.
/ A hurley sergeant was about to i'm
pale him with q bayonet when colo
mel thrust the sergeant aside, ordere,
Clarke back to the line and made hin
again take UP the fight against th,
Yankees.
Soon after this Clarke was transferr
ed to Andersonville prison. where b,
did guard duty for three months undel
Captain Wirz. Compelled to shoot a
any prisoner who stepped across thu
dead line, Clarke always shot wide 3
the mark. Later when he was sent ti
the front again. the company to which
he was assigned was captured in battl'
by the Union forces and the prisoner,
were sent to the northern prison nea
Detroit Clarke protested that he wa
q Yankee and had been pressed int,
| service. but none would believe hi
| story. However, on the third day 8
his Imprisonment he met and was RED
ognized by his half-brother, Joe Muir
ply. who was on guard duty. MuI
ply had heard of the fate Of Clark
and the other Irish peddlers. an,
when he explained the circumstances
Clarke was paroled and sent back /,
lLogansport
Several years ago. he spent his spar
time building coffin. He was YER
enthusiastic over the project and va
buried IN Il.