Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1854-09-28
A ROMANTIC STORY.

At the battle of Eutaw Springs, in
the midst of the conflict, as the armies
were hurled on each other with fear
full force, two officers of the same rank
became engaged in desperate personal
conflict. Their swords flashed with in
conceivable rapidity, now one advanced,
and now the other; each bending the
whole thought of his soul to the single
adversary before him, and growing un-
mindful of the din around him they
needed not the crash of artillery, the
rapid clang of arms, the loud shrek Of
pain, nor the wild cry of dispair. But
it soon became manifested that the 10y
alist officer, though somewhat inferior
to the other in weight, was the better
swordsman; this the American perceiv-
ed, and resolving at all hazards to con-
quer his foe, he beat down his guard,
closed in, clasped him in his firm en-
brace and made him prisoner.
When the captor and his prisoner met
after the battle, it was observed that
there was strong personal resemblance
between them. They were both youth
full, high-minded and chivairous gentle
men, and strong unanimity of feeling
existed between them, with respect
already implanted by their respective
bearing in the combat, a familiar ac-
quaintance sprang up, which gradually
grew into friendship, and ended in sim
cere and ardent mutual attachment, as
chivalrous in its nature as it was roman
tic in its origin. Some little time after
the battle, the American officer return
ing home on furlough, requested and
obtained permission for his captive
friend to accompany him.
They travelled like brother knights of
old, each pledged to the others defence,
and bound to consider all alike as COM
mon friends or common enemies. Their
route lay through district which was
the sanguinary field of many bloody
collisions, and cursed by prowling de-
tachments of tories, who exercised rob-
ber's privilege of warning on all whom
it pleases their fancy to construe into
foes, or who tempted their avarice, or
excited their vengeance. One day, the
two heroes were suddenly overtaken by
a shower, and throwing their cloaks
over their shoulders, they retreated un-
der the shelter of a group of trees
Suddenly there appeared on the road
party of tories, who, with drawn swords,
and shouting over their anticipated
plunder, dashed towards the spot where
stood the friends. The high-souled
American resolved not to fall into the
hands of those whom every instinct of
his nature and every impulse of his
virtuous mind stamped as men to detest
and loathe, and as singing asps in the
bosom of his country; and the heroic
Briton, scorned the motives that actu-
ated them, and although to make him
self known was but to obtain safety and
freedom, also resolved to defend him
self to the last, and fall or live the friend
of him by whom he had been so gener-
Ously distinguished. But their cunning
and their valor achieved for them a
glorious triumph. With waving swords
and with signals to the rear, as if ur-
ging companions behind them to follow,
they spurred horses, and both together
dashed upon the approaching enemy
The fury of their onset, the determined
vigor with which they whirled their
weapons above their heads, and their
shouts for their supposed companions
to follow, alarmed their opponents, who
offered but feeble resistance, and then
fled rapidly, leaving the field to their
victorious enemy, whom they outnum-
bered by many fold.
With more adventures, that more eff
fectually linked their friendship, they
arrived safely at the home of the Amer
lean officer. Here the Englishman was
welcomed, and in the home of his friend
he found those who generously admit
ted into their confidence and friendship
one who had become so attached to one
of its promising members. In course of
his sojourn here, some remarks were
dropped which led to inquiries, and the
father of the American, to the unmin-
gled Joy of all parties, discovered that
the two officers were first cousins
Their striking personal resemblance
thus became accounted for, and perhaps
their involuntary and mental attraction
may be attributed to the same cause
The Joy of the American family in dis
covering kindsman so lofty in virtue,
and possessed of all generous qualities,
and one who brought to their circle high
talents and brilliant parts, that daily
wonhpon their hearts, was greatly aug
mented by the appearance of an attach
ment springing up between the new
found cousin and the sister of the Amer
ican. This lady was amiable and high
ly accomplished, charmed by the bear
ing of the generous stranger, she soon
yielded to him more of affection and ad-
miration than was due to cousin. He
also was moved by her beauty and her
many amiable traits, and thus they be-
came betrothed, TO the undoubted sat-
isfaction of the brother. The English
man had been as effetually conquered
by the beauty of the sister as by the
superior strength of the brother. He
was prisoner soul and body, in the con-
queror's family. The reader may be as
sured that what we write is not fiction,
though it sounds marvelously like le-