A correspondent of the Dubuque Times tells how a lieutenant of the Third Iowa had his “heart-strings” lacerated lately in a town on the Tennessee river. He says:
At this town of Patriot, an officer of the Third, Lieut. Tidrick, while roaming about the streets, fell in with a pretty girl; and his natural gallantry, or more probably a desire to acquire information with regard to the country and its inhabitants, led him to cultivate the young lady’s acquaintance rather assiduously. At the conclusion of their walk, when they had reached the paternal mansion, his new friend invited the Lieutenant to walk in, sit down and rest himself, which invitation was bashfully accepted. During the conversation here, the young lady asked what was the destination of the army. “New Orleans,” was the answer. “Oh!” said she, “I have some friends there, and I hope you will spare them, for my sake, and treat them as well as we have been treated here.” “Certainly,” replied the lieutenant, “but in order that they may know I have seen you, won’t you write your name on this card, that I may show it to them?” “I would,” said the blushing maiden, “but – but I have never been to school, and I can’t write; but I guess I can spell it out for you.”
Her father is the owner of seventy negroes, and the chief dignitary hereabouts, and probably this young lady has been as well brought up as the average of them in this country. This shock was too much for the Lieutenant, and his name is now enrolled on the sick list.
– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, March 29, 1862, p. 2
