thad reuver during august and september of eighteen hundred and sixty two the union army suffered several defeats besides losing many strong positions they lost thousands of men some were killed outright some were taken prisoners and other disabled men were picked up on the field after lee seized marye's heights among those picked up was the outspoken impetuous thad reuver he was one of the first to volunteer on the union side and bad fought bravely and well thus far previously being in prison was unknown to him and i assure you it was quite disaggreable at this time he was not contented to sit here and make the best of things on the other hand he thought about his position in the morn ing he thought about it at noon and when night came he found it stilt creeping through his brain thad had several good natured talks with the captain in charge of the soldiers but no one else knew just what they were about a con federate soldier passing by them as they were in the midst of one of these conversations heard thad say well i don't think a little under ground work would do so very much harm one morning the general came to talk to him he promised the union soldier wealth and his freedom if he would tell him the weak and strong positions and also the plans o the northern army thad knew that difficulties had often arisen between the union officers and him self he hadn't forgotten the slurs and insults he had received at times from others with similar dispositions he knew also that the losses on the union side had been heavy of late and it looked as though the confederates might win nevertheless he promised to give to the general during his next visit the whole plan of the union army near the latter part of june the captain saw that there was going to be something interesting develop around gettysburg he and thad reuver talked the matter over that evening before retiring all the dissapointments and quarrels and cruel words that were connected with thad's life in the union army came up again in his mind and every time they did they snatched with them a bit of his loyalty to the union cause and oh how big and bright were his prospects for the future now he could easily escape the little disgrace attached to this not many hours afterward he was walking down the main street of his home town how glad he was to be home ! what a warm wel come there would be in that little cottage by the mill thad reuver could hardly wait to see those dear blue eyes of bessie's and hear the roguish laugh of little rob as he ran out to meet his father just think little rob would be five years old now finally he arrived at the gate and in a moment bessie was in the arms of her husband baby rob came running out but stopped in wonderment for a minute or two he could hardly remember his papa it didn't take so very long however for him to say you're a soldier aren't you papa yes my son you're a true soldier too aren't you papa mamma says i may have a soldier suit some day and maybe i'll grow to be a true blue sol dier too what thoughts were these that were clogging thad's brain and dimming his eyes with tears had he been a true blue soldier did he want his little son to grow up to be like him ? — well no other union man knew about it what was the difference there was a differ ence why oh why didn't i realize it before little rob tugged away at his father's sleeve but all was in vain the tears kept coming he awoke the captain was nudging him and telling him that the general was here for the plans i can't i can't tell them was all he could say for moments what's the matter with you ? have you forgotten your promise forgotten goodness gracious no the thoughts of it haunt me i'd rather be insulted whipped starved and die in the meanest lowest prison on earth than be a traitor to ray country the general walked away dumb-founded we might have known it would't work he muttered little rob did have a blue soldier suit and he like his papa tried to be a true blue soldier — marion a belnap,'05