The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1914-07-23

vate Williams would be much the
same as other escaped prisoners OF
war from 81 to 50 He travelled
at night and was hidden by the ne
groes during the day. His compass
was the north star He suffered terri
bly, from exposure and lived on Der
ries, green corn and such other yegeta-
Bile food as he could find except when
some kind negro gave him little corn
pone.
williams in order to escape detection
took often to swamp lands. There he
contracted fever, and when finally he
dragged himself into the Union lines
he was placed in a hospital
1t was about this time that the Unit
ed States government was beginning
to pay bounties to those who would
enlist This afforded an opportunity
for criminals to secure the bounty and
desert. Enough of this was done to
attract the attention of the generals.
and they sought to put stop TO it by
trying the bounty jumpers for deser-
ton and shooting them in presence of
their comrades
1t was reported to the colonel of
John Williams regiment that a soldier
was in hospital who had given that
name on being received there. He be-
came delirious. but was now better.
The colonel directed the surgeon in
charge of the hospital to send Will
liams to him under guard as soon as
he was discharged.
What has been told here having been
briefly stated to the president the wo-
man handed him a sOiled letter to read.
1t had been dictated by her husband.
who was tying i'll at the time, to one
| of those self sacrificing women-both
of the north and the south-who gave
so much comfort to the sick and wound
ed Of the war 1t recounted his cap
ture. his escape. his wandering and
privations. ending with a pititful re-
quest for her to come to him.
81 was helped to go to him by
friends" she added. and when |
found him he told me that as soon as
he was we'll enough he would be shot
for desertion."
The poor woman had been told what
was true Her husband could at that
| time get no proof of the story he had
| to tell His witnesses were all cut off
from him by bristling line of bayo-
nets. And even if he could have been
| free to go TO them he would not have
| been able to find the only witness who
| could clear him, the man who had cap
| tured him. His wife had appealed to
| his colonel for mercy, but he had set
| his teeth. resolved to stop desertion if
he had to shoot every man in the army
Such was the situation that was
| brought before Mr.. Lincoln by the cry
| Of q babe And it would have been
even more pathetic had the kind heart
| ed president known when he heard it
| that the cry was an unconscious plead
| ing for its fathers life. Mr.. Lincoln
| had no proof that the woman's story
| was true; he required no proof. He
saw woman pleading for her huS
| bands life with his child in her arms,
| and he had no desire, no time, to inves-
tigate.
"You shall have your husband" he
| said, land he shall have his pay, with
leave Of absence and transportation to
| his home"
The end of the scene was told in
| these words by the messenger who had
| introduced the woman to the president
and was present during this interview
| of life and death:
| LAS he turned to his desk to write
| the order the poor woman absolutely
| lost consciousness of her surroundings
| In her joy and gratitude. She stood by
the presidents side. holding the baby
| on one arm, while with her disengaged
one she gently stroked the presidents
I ruined naIr. you;
God bless vOl