| Show A ROMANCE ANCE OF THE WAR ITAR the fata fato of a brave We dente soldier explained after four years one of the romance romances of the war hag has just developed here in which the only eon son of one of north carolinas governors figure says a raleigh dispatch gov tod R cald well during the war resided in handsome style at the quiet little town of morganton Mor ganton of an old and honored family he was proud and had but one object of intense affection his hi son john a handsome jad lad not 20 year years of age in the winter of 1862 this only eon son begged to be allowed to go to the army i entreaties were of no avail and his father and his mother at last consented with tears that he might join the army of northern virginia he enlisted in the regiment of northern carolina infantry infantry in lanes lines brigade fenders penders division A P hills corps when the campaign opened in 1863 no soldier was more daring dari ing than young caldwell Oal dwell and he was coon soon promoted from the ranks in may he was made a second lie lieutenant for his gallant and meritorious conduct his regiment went into the pennsylvania campaign at gettysburg he be was present and in the hottest of the fight on the afternoon of july 3 1863 his regiment swept swep afu up a slope within 50 yards of ortho the federal aeral line went closer yet and bayonets were crossed suddenly the line moved back a little young caldwell was wa s never been alive after that moment he ile was at the front when the backward movement began his father used all the influences of money and position to find the lost soldier but unavailingly the authorities re fused to allow the graves to be opened it could not be ascertained whether he was dead or alive and the matter became one of the most terrible uncertainties under the strain the minds of the father and mother were nearly overcome the father grimly grittily his bis great grat borrow sorrow forbade anyone to mention the sons name and the terrible story was never alluded to even by the mother in 1871 geu gen caldwell became gaver governor or of the state two years later eter in 1873 an confederate ex soldier named lucas from hyde county was elected to tho the legislature and came to raleigh some one told him one night the sad snozy of the death or supposed death and mystery of john caldwell the next day lucas called on the governor 0 v and told him the truth at fa last s t lucas was in another regiment and rua had observed young caldwelle braye bearing aa they were near together in the terrible moment of the repulse he had seen young caldwell shot down while separated from his men and fighting band hand to hand band a new york soldier after hearing I 1 this story and the further details of the burial of caldwell by luces the be governor locked himself in hia his room and was all day in tears he ile never told his wife of the revelation by lucas and told it only to his private secretary A few days ago maj charles charlea W cowtan of 2 new york city wrote your our correspondent saying that he be bad in hi his possession the commission of an officer in a north carolina regiment which he had picked up on the battlefield of gettys gettysburg U r g hie ilk regiment the new york r k held beld the line at that point just after a terrible charge by the north carolinians Caroli niane in which the fair haired and boyish officer was brave in the extreme maj cowtan bad had examined some of the dead confederates who eo so thickly strewed the ground at the works and near one found a torn and bloody commission commis aion on which was legible only john ca of the U name a me maj cowtan expressed a desire to return this commission commie sion if any relatives of the dead soldier C could au d be found the cammi iiron was found to be that of the long lost john caldwell yesterday the commission commission was sent mm mrs caldwell and this bloodstained blood stained and torn I 1 piece bece of parchment is she writes all there is on earth to remind her of the dead son for year years she cherished the hope that her son wag was alive and in some prison in fact all the prisons were searched for him through the influence of gov now senator vance it has ro re quiren q ired twenty four year years to ascertain ta in the true etory story at the same saine time the commission commis was sent her she lie was first made acquainted with the the facts told gov caldwell in 1873 |
