Evening journal., 1912-09-27
He Made His
Mark, but Wrote
A Fine Hand
By PAUL WOODRUFF


The Potomac in Virginia IS captain Of
3 company, -th PenasylvanIa voIun-
teer infantry countryman came into
camp and told a pitiful story. He said
that he was a Union man and during
the secession disputes had nailed
little cotton American nag up over
his house and kept it there. even after
he state OF Virginia had seeded.
Just before ous occupation OF the re.
gion a mob had burned the house
the dag futtering amid the flames
and murdered his wife and children.
He happened to be away at the time
and when he returned be found his
family dead and his home a heap OF
charred ruins. He asked to be per.
mitted to enlist. and l took him into
my company. He said he could neither
read nor write and made his mark in
stead OF signing his name, which was
EnOch Saunders.
/ put Private Saunders in charge OF
a drill sergeant. with orders TO teach
him the manual Of arms A few hours
later the sergeant came to me and
said that the man was 30 stupid that
It was well nigh impossible TO teach
him anything and suggested that il
might be better to make a mule driver
OF him. l told him that considering
the rapidity with which our men were
being killed OF we needed food for
powder more than men to be kicked
to death and told HIM TO keep at the
job till lie made Saunders at to be shot
The next, i heard OF Saunders he was
sent from general headquarters under
care of an orderly to me with the in
formation that he had asked the gen.
eral when be proposed to move against
the enemy. He was anxious to know
since he was thirsting for revenge.
hardly knew what to do with the man
- He seemed too ingenious, too stupid
70 punish, so l explained TO him that
not even the colonel would dare ask
the general such question as he had
asked. He seemed much surprised
and said that II we were not going
right on he thought he would just go
ahead alone. for be couldn't stand il
to be waiting in camp while the muir
derers Of his wife and children were
unpublished
| could scarcely repress a smile as
] explained to him that he had en-
listed for three years and would not
be permitted to fight on his own hook
WhereupOn he said he reckoned he
would go without permission. iT
formed him that II he did so and We
could get our hands on him he would
be shot for deserter. This seemed
to astonsh him still more.
kept my eyes on him and was as
tonished at the rapidly with which he
improved In week when seeing him
marching out on picket duty scarcely
recognize, him for the stupid poor
white virginlan who had come into
our camp with woeful tale.
The next thing that surprised me
was hearing that Saunders had been
detailed by the adjutant for duty
at the headquarters OF the general IN
chief. wondered what he could be
wanted for there, but soldiers are moi
supposed TO ask questions OF theiI
superiors and / refrained Besides al
that time our regiment was the TOT
OF the left wing of the army and no
where near the general in chiefs head
quarters.
Not long after this the regiInental
quartermaster happened TO mention
having Just come from army head
quarters and ] asked him II he had
seen anything there Of a red headed
recruit from "ours" named Saunders
He said that he had been In the assist
ant adjutant generals Office and had
seen a red headed man writing at Z
nine desk whose face seemed familiar
to him. told him that It couldn1
be Saunders. for the man couldn'
write his own name.
thought no more OF the matter. W.
moved forward soon after this ant
with constant lighting our army passeS
through many changes. Having beef
sent 10 the headquarters of the arml
by the colonel with a message.
caught sight Of Saunders. The gen
eral and his stan were In the hel'
and moving. so that no clerical worl
was being done. Saunders pretende'
not to see me and moved ava.
rapidly. l pointed him out to an OF
hcer OF the stan as he was passing on
Of sight who told me that he was
clerk in the. adjutant generals de
partment and had been detailed 10
that duty because he wrote n splendi'
hand.
was so puzzled at this fool VIII
couldn't sign his name writing m
hand that it took some time for tn
situation to get through my own stupi'
brain. By the time It had effected
Judgment there Saunders had disaI
peared. ] hurriedly told the ONCE
who told me about Saunders being
clerk the story Of the latter's enlist
meht. and added that believed tn
fellow was a spy. We both went {
the general with my suspicious an
an orderly was at once sent out 70
the clerk.
II was too late. Saunders was no
found. He was accounted for as hav
ing deserted. A year later l wn
taken PRISONS and met him at tn
headquarters q a prominent confedel
ate general Fl was an oficer on tn
atsn. He was very kind to me an
tDok great pleasure In telling me hoy
he had got himself detailed as cler
in the assistant adjutant generals o.
nee. where he had access to valuabl
information he had transmitted to hi
own commander. On meeting me q
49, .ru,v hoodOno rtore ha kna~ nj