The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1913-05-02
He Made His
Mark, but Wrote
A Fine Hand

l III -SD0" SEsSSNVa
HI A Fine Hand
B. PAUL WOODRUFF
While I vas serving in the Army Of
the Potomac In Virginia al captain OF
B company, -th Pennsylvania volun-
teer infantry a countryman came into
camp and told a pitiful story. He said.
that he was a Union. man and during
the secession disputes had nailed q
little cotton American flag up over
his house and kept 1t there, even after
the state Of Virginia had seeded.
Just before our occupation Of the re-
gion 4 mob had burned the house
the flag Tutoring amid the flames
and murdered his wife and children.
He happened to De away at the time.
and when he returned he 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.
l put Private Saunders in charge Of
q 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 SO stupid that
it was well nigh impossible to teach
him anything and suggested that It
might be better to make q mule driver
of him. l told him that considering
the rapidity with which vi 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 he made Saunders fit to be shot.
The next l 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 gem
eral when he proposed to o against
the enemy. He was anxious to know
since he was thirsting Tor revenge. I
hardly knew what to do with the man.
He seemed too ingenious, too stupid
to punish, 80 l explained to him that
/ not even the colonel would dare ask
the general such u question.as he had
asked. He seemed much surprised
and said that II we. not going
right on he thought he would just go
ahead alone. for he couldn't stand It
to be waiting in camp while the MUIR
derers of his wife and children were
UNPUBLISHED.
I could scarcely repress a smile as
I explained to him that he had en-
listed for three years and would not
be permitted to fight on his W hook.
Whereupon he said he reckoned he
would go without permission. in-
formed him that IL he did so and we;
could get our hands on him be would
be shot for a deserter. This SCENES
to astOnish him still more.
kept my eyes on him and was as.
tonished ut the rapidity with which he
improved. Ina week when seeing him
marching out on picket duty I scarcely
recognized him for the stupid poor
white vlrginian 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. I wondered what he could be
wanted for there. but soldiers are not.
supposed to ask questions Of their
superiors and l refrained. Besides at
that time our regiment was the top.
Of: the left wing Of the army and NO
where near the general in chiefs head.
quarters.
Not long after this the regimentalf
quartermaster happened to mention
having Just come from army head
quarters and ] asked him Il he had.
seen anything there-ofAred$ beaded
recruit from .'ours'''- named Sautsders.
He said that he had been in the assist
ant adjutant generals once and had
seensa red headed man writing at .
pine desk whose face seemed familiar
to him. 1 told him that 1t couldn't;
be Saunders, for the man couldn't
write his own name.
I thought no more Of the matter. We
moved forward soon after this and
WltltM uAuSA0k VWA f
through many changes. Having been
sent to the headquarters Of the army
by the colonel with q message. 1
caught. sight Of Saunders. The gem.
eral and his stan were IN the field
aud moving, 10 that no clerical Norkks
was being done. Saunders. pretended
not to see me and moved away
rapidly. / pointed him out to an OF
ficer Of the staff as he was passing ont.
Of sight who told me that he was Z
clerk in the adjutant generals de-
partment and had been detailed for
that duty because he wrote q splendid
hand.
I was 80 puzzled at this fool who
couldn't sign his name writing q 1ne'
hand that It took some time for the.
situation to get through my own stupid;
brain. BY the time II had effected
lodgment there Saunders had disap
peared. I hurriedly told the of6cer
s-ASA. .~SH~r. knfn~