Year: 1870

eHer, writing from Vicksburg, met a
strange character wandering over the
old battle fields. The writer tells the
story rs follows:


We tod him that VIC were anxious to
know where the federal lines were To-
Gated, as we were from Massachusetts.


'Oh, yes, from Massachusetts, sad he;
Strengthening up. Il have been in Massa-
chusetls, and was born in Vermont.
Then after pausug he clinched his hand,
and said sadly, Il wish ! was dead now.


Why SOP said we, feeling pity for
such wretchod creature as he appeared
to be.


'Hyou are going out toward that bayou,
[ will show you,' said he leading the
way.


We began 10 think the ma,rinsanc, and
after following him nearly q mile. we
halted, and asked him how far he in
tended to go. He stated that we were
almost there; and so we kept on
He soon turned of from the main road
into IN open field, surrounded by n
growth oil young timber; and alter pass
Ing the barren spot which appeared to
have been Mt some time the sight OF
building, he suddenly stopped, and point
ing to bunch of rose trees, said, in a
low tone:


There IN that grave lies the reason
why wish | was dead. She was my
wife, sir


How long has she been dead?' asked
we, as sympathetically rs we could.


We'll, seeing you have taken interest
enough in me to come along so far, I'll
tell YOU the whole story said he taking
out his knife to trim the rosC-bush.


HIS STORY.


'Shc was twcnty.nine years old, sir,
and she was southern lady, too. |
come down here long before the war,
and had nice bit of land here | fell in
with this lady at the city up river, and
we were married in 1862. kept out OF
the war rs long rs | could, because
didn't like fighting anyhow. rs | was
happy at home, and because | felt more
like fighting. if fought nj all, among my
native Ncrmonters. | hated the con-



! lcdcracy, and said SO. and got them down
on me. So one day company of infantry
came along and said they would shoot me
on my own threshold II didn't enlist at
once in the confederate army. lived
| right there then. where you see them
weeds. l couldn't get away from them,
and finally, with u gun ut my breast, !
| said would enlist, and went of leaving
my wife crying at the door. can see
Just how she stood with her handkerchief
up 10 her face, this way, and left her n
waving like this. But no use had 10
enlist with the Missourians. and so | did,
with the mental reservation that would
run away the first opportunity. But |
didn't get any chance, Tor they watched
me as close as 4 bloodhound does a niger.
Finally, when Grants army came down
here, our brigade was sent out 10 kind
o hold them in check. hadn't been
home since | went away, and my wife
wrote me trying to cheer me up.


The second day we moved up in plain
sight OF my house, our lines being along
where that fence is yonder. Then the
Yankees, they came out of the woods
over there, and began firing. Wondered
what had become Of my vile, for the
bullets from both sides began to knock
the shingles off the house. One side
there, where YOU see the cellar like
Well, that's where she went to get away
from the shot, she and her waiter-girl.
All night stood out there by that tree,
wishing might 90 and sec my wife
| But she didn't know that was there ut
all. But determined to desert to the
Union lines the next night. So l ar
ranged il to be on picket, and | was sent
out there in the corner of the field. just
as it was coming dark, lay down on the
ground, so that the other pickets might
not see me, and c,awled along slowly
toward the house, and when got within
few rods | jumped and ran for the
house"


When came round the corner picket
discoy what | was at and fired at me,
and the bullet went over my head. /
screamed, Mary, Mary and she knew
nv voice. and came right out to meet me
on the step, saying, oh, dear, dear
George, let's hurry away from here and
opened her arms to put them around my
neck and kiss me but some of the Union
pickcts thinking there was an advance in
the direction of my house, opened fire just
en-and-and-sho my wife through
the heart and she fell before she had kissed
me or her. The bullet that killed her
went through my arm right there. l
took her up and ran for the Union linea,
shouting. I'm a deserter.' and they
finally let me in, but my wife was dead.
The batteries over there, hearing the muss
about the house began shclling it and set
il on fire, and how the maid got out of
the house | don't see. But came back
here when the Union lines advanced, and
buried my wife the next day, an Illinois
chaplain saying the prayers. And that's