Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1854-12-14

y boring forests. He became MOI
l. convinced Of the enormity of his o
a fence, as, with dull and measure
strides, he pursued his solitary way
i, and thus soliloquized:
e well, Daniel Morgan, you hav
: done for yourself Broke, sir, to
r certainty. You may go home, sil
s to the plough; your sword will be G
!, no further use to you. Broken, 81
E nothing can save you; and there i
3 the end of Col. Morgan. Fool, foe
by single act of madness, thu
to destroy the earnings of SO man,
: a hard-fought battle. You are bro
! ken, sir, and there is an end of Col
Morgan
, To disturb bis reverie, there sud
denly appeared at full speed the aid
de-camp, the Mercury of the field
who, refining up, aceosted the Colone
With, Il am ordered, Col. Morgan, to
ascertain whether the firing just now
heard proceeded from your detach-
ment?'
1T did, sir, doggedly replied Nor
gan.
Then, Col. Morgan continued the
aid, i am further ordered to require
of you your immediate attendance
upon His Excellency, who is fast ap-
proaching.'
Morgan bowed, and the aid, wheel
ing his charger, galloped back to re-
join the Chief.
The CLEANS Of the morning sun,
shining upon-the sabres of the horse
guard, announced the arrival of the
dread commander-that being who
inspired with a degree of awe every
one who approached him. With a
stern, yet dignified composure, Wash
ington addressed the military culprit:
Can it be possible, Col. Morgan,
that my aid-de-camp has informed
me Alright? Can it be possible, after
the orders you received last evening,
that the firing we have heard pro-
ceeded from your detachment? Sure
ly, sir, my orders were SO explicit as
not to be easily misunderstood
Morgan was brave; but it has been
often, and justly, too, observed, that
man was never born of woman who
could approach the great Washing
ton and not feel a degree of awe and
veneration from his presence. Nor
gan quailed for moment before the
stern yet just displeasure of his
Chief, till, arousing all his energies
for the effort, he uncovered and re-
piled:
Your Excellency S orders we're per.
fectly understood; and agreeably to
the same, | proceeded with a select
party to reconnoitre the enemys
lines by night. succeeded even
beyond our expectations, and | Was
returning to headquarters to make
my report, when, having halted a
few minutes to rest the men, we dis
covered party of horse coming out
from the enemy's lines. They came
up Immediately to the spot where
we lay concealed by the brusb#ood.
There they halted, and GATHERED to-
gether like flock of partridges, af-
fording me SO tempting an opportu-
nifty of annoying my enemy, and,
may it please your Excellency, flesh
and blood could not refrain.
At this rough, yet frank, bold and
manly explanation, smile was OBJ
served to pass over the Generals
suite. The Chief remained unmoved;
when, waving his hand, he continued:
Col. Morgan, you VIII retife 10 your
quarters, there to await further or
ders.'
Arriving at his quarters, Morgan
threw himself upon his hard couch,
and gave himself up to reflections
upon the events which had so lately |
and rapidly succeeded each other
He was aware he had sinned against
all hopes of forgiveness Within
twenty-four hours he had fallen from
the command of a regiment, and
being a special favorite with his Gen
eral, to be, what?-a disgraceful and
and broken soldier. Condemned to
retire from the scenes of glory, the
darling passion of his heart-forever
10 abandon The fair fields OF fighting
menp and in obscurity .to drag out
the remnant of wretched existence,
neglected and forgotten, and then his
rank, SO hardly and so nobly. won,
With all his 'blushing honors,' ac-
quired in the march across the fro